Three Monkeys is one of those places you come to if you don't feel like eating a heavy meal, but you need sustenance to satisfy your hunger. Located at the very end of the SB Public Market and right next to Cooneys bar. Their menu offers chicken, pork, beef and tofu Bánh Mi, as well as meat skewers, stir fry and salads. Just to name a few. I've tried the chicken and beef skewers which comes in the Hungry Box. I subbed two of the skewers for beef, but in all honesty the beef was too too tough to break down. My one pet peeve is meat that is chewy, dry and too tough to eat. Although it was flavorful, but I wouldn't order it again. I did enjoy the chicken skewer though! The Hungry Box also comes with rice and a salad. Both of which were simple but a nice compliment to the skewers. On my recent visit I ordered the Buffalo wings. They were delicious! I appreciate that the sauce wasn't too spicy. I haven't had buffalo wings in a long time and these really hit the spot! The French fries were also good and not too salty. Overall, three monkeys is worth checking out if you're visiting the public market. Customer service is fast and efficient. read more

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We went to the Santa Barbara Public Market to try Corazon Cocina, and my husband wasn't feeling it so we decided to give Three Monkeys a try. Service isn't really a thing SBPM since it's a walk up to order and then pick it up when your buzzer goes off, but we liked the comfortable and casual setup. We ordered the Hungry Box #1 with chicken and a chicken bahn mi, and both were very good. The chicken was the same in both meals, and it was well seasoned and nicely grilled, but still juicy. The salad with the box and the pickled veggies in the bahn mi were fresh and crisp too. Just a comment on the bahn mi is there the ratio of bread to filling in the bahn mi was just a little too much bread. Overall though, it we enjoyed it and it made for a very nice meal. read more

Three Monkeys - Chicken bahn mi - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Kudos to Silas at the SB Public Market for steering me in the right direction and telling me that I HAD to come to Three Monkeys for their skewers. I'm telling you this place is a gem and you don't want to overlook coming here when you are at this food market. Three monkeys is Thai inspired food, with banh mi, skewers, and rice/salad dishes. This spot is truly remarkable and had I not been given the pro tip to try them I would have been super disappointed to miss out as this spot has some of the best skewers I've ever had. Fernanda at the counter was so lovely. She made me feel welcome and put up with all of my questions lol. She had the warmest smile and has worked at SB Public Market for many years so I trust ANYTHING she tells you, I'm dubbing her the GOAT of the market :) Fernanda confirmed that the skewers are the way to go and when I asked her opinion on beef vs pork she told me go with pork. So of course I listened. Prices weren't bad. About $10+ for two skewers loaded with meat and a dipping sauce. Once my food came out hot and fresh I was eager to dive into my pork skewers. After biting into them and this honey chili sauce they serve on the side I started seeing stars. I was in heaven! The pork was cooked perfectly and had the best fatty but charred flavor. The Sauce is unmatched and they need to sell a bottle of the stuff. A delicious appetizer and starter. If you are coming to three monkeys you must get the skewers (even though everything looked really good). read more

Three Monkeys - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This was the highlight of our Public Market eats ! The beef was crispy but tender at the same time. It had so much flavor. The bread was nice and crunchy and the slaw nicely seasoned to cut through the richness of the meat. I would order this again and highly recommend ! read more

Three Monkeys - Pork Banh Mi - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Amazing food and great customer service. Nice ambiance for family and friend gathering since it is located i a food court. We got the Hungry Box #1, the skewers were delicious. The dipping sauce that came with the skewers sold the entire plate! We added a little to the salad portion and it enhanced the flavor. Beef jerky had a different sauce and was okay. Not pictured here, but the Coconut bread pudding was delicious, great way to end the meal. Highly recommend this place when you are in downtown Santa Barbara. read more

Three Monkeys - Special menu - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The food was okay. There was not a big selection for vegans. We had rice with fried tofu and rice with grilled vegetables. Most of the veggies were green onions. Their only sauce was the Three Monkey dressing, which is sweet and spicy. If you are allergic to peppers, there is no other alternative besides asking for soy sauce, which the girl who took our order did not provide. Other than that, it was good for the price. read more

Such amazing service. Even during the busy lunch hour I was able to get my order rather quickly. I ordered the Hungry Box #1 with a beef, pork and chicken mix of their skewers, rice and salad. Everything was delicious. The ambiance at the Santa Barbara Public Market makes it a nice place to eat. Looking forward to trying the rest of their interesting menu. read more

Three Monkeys - Hungry Box #1 - 3 skewers, rice and salad - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My friend and I decided to try this place after discovering them on IG (the pics looked incredible). Located inside the SB Public Market, it's situated toward the back where it isn't too busy. The counter person was friendly and accommodating. We order the skewer box, Hat Yai box, Thai tea and banana Nutella roti. For $54 we were really hoping to be impressed. The skewers seemed full but the meat pieces are cut thin. The pork was great but the chicken and beef were just basic. I substituted sticky rice for an extra charge and it was served in a plastic bag. Once out of the bag, it was rock hard and inedible. The salad was a nice accompaniment but the dressing was spicy, making it less enjoyable for me. The Hat Yai was really good and I loved the perfectly seasoned crunch along with the crispy garlic. The roti was the best part but still lacking something for me. Unfortunately this place just didn't hit the mark like I had hoped. This is the fifth restaurant I've tried inside of SBPM and I'm convinced that it's just an overhyped, nicely decorated, expensive cafeteria. read more

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This is located in the back of the Public Market. I got the hungry box with pork and beef skewers. It came with rice and a side salad. The meat was very tasty and delicious! My favorite were the pork skewers. A little pricey in general but it is Santa Barbara. Knowing that the meat is good, I'd like to try a banh mi next time! read more

Three Monkeys - Hungry box with beef and pork skewers - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

New favorite place at the Public Market! It's located in the far back corner, but it's well worth the trek back there! All the food is delicious. Favorite is the bahn mi with beef sandwich! And the mango and sticky rice is also amazing. Will definitely come back over and over again! read more

Three Monkeys - Food menu - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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I had high hopes for Three Monkeys, but I am sad to say the food did not rise to the occasion. Three Monkeys, associated with the adjacent Empty Bowl Gourmet Noodle Bar, is at the back of the Santa Barbara Public Market. The service is wonderful; quick, convenient, and amenable. Like other spots in the Market, there is a counter at which you order food, and various seating options in the building. I ordered the beef banh mi sandwich and the rainbow salad. The rainbow salad was delicious and flavorful and colorful, though the peanut dressing became overwhelming by the end and I found a hard bit of something (fiber? nut?) that almost cracked my tooth. And the banh mi was difficult to eat; the meat was thickly cut and hard to chew, and after bringing the sandwich home for takeout, the bread had become tough as well. Perhaps eaten fresh in the Market, it would have been a better experience. read more

Three Monkeys - Rainbow Salad - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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My first thoughts when we tried the food was "Wow!" We tried the hat yai fried chicken & the beef skewers, which both tasted amazing. I honestly had such low expectations for this place being in a little food hall; however, both dishes had so much flavor. I will say the food is on the pricier side (with the chicken being $12 & the 2 skewers at $10), this didn't include any sides. It is a small business & food halls can usually be pricier, so I'll give them that. Overall, I will be coming back in the future to try more! read more

Three Monkeys - Hat yai fried chicken ($12) - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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My mom and I are big fans of Empty Bowl and were naturally very excited to try Three Monkeys. We decided to order Hungry Box #1 with chicken skewers, Stick Rice with Mango, and Thai Roti with Nutella. Unfortunately, they didn't have the sticky rice when we went so we just got the hungry box and the roti. I wanted a Thai Tea to go with my food so I popped over to Empty Bowl quick while waiting for the food. Everything we got was so good! The skewers were flavorful and the perfect texture. The salad was really good and the rice wasn't too moist plus wasn't too dry. Alternating between the three whilst eating was a great time. As for the roti...it was soooo good. It was chewy and sweet but not too sweet. All of the toppings worked really well together. My mom and I had a very pleasant experience, unsurprisingly considering who the owners are!! We will definitely come back and encourage anyone interested to give it a try. read more

Three Monkeys - On top, Thai Roti with Nutella. Below, Hungry Box #1 with chicken skewers. At the side is a Thai tea from Empty Bowl! - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I didn't plan on going here but decided to check it out as it seemed new and inviting. My husband and I split the Hungry Box #1 with pork, pork bahn mi and Thai roti with Nutella. Hungry Box with pork: FANTASTIC PORK!! I can't even explain how wonderful the flavor and texture were. It was perfect! The rice fell short of my expectations and I should've listened to the other Yelp reviews. The salad was a good additional touch but in the end, I should've just ordered a pork skewer. Pork Bahn Mi: at first i was disappointed it wasn't filled more but that thought left pretty quickly. Everything tasted fresh and delicious; including the bread. Thai Roti with Nutella: i still think about this dessert. Oh my gosh! It was phenomenal and I could eat ot every day. Do yourself a favor and order it. read more

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The flavors were all very very good, thus the five stars. I agree with several other reviews that the banh mi could've had more filling in it. We had the pork one and split it; it was $16. The bread was very light and crispy, perfect bánh mì bread. The chicken skewers with peanut sauce and side, cucumber salad were incredibly delicious. We had the sticky rice as you rarely find that in Santa Barbara, and it is a fond memory from eating in Thailand. I also saw another review mentioned that their buzzer did not ring. We were outside. The gal looked at me, surprised it that It did not ring, but I went in after 20 minutes, and our food was sitting on the counter. They are new and have a great product. I look forward to seeing how it refines. read more

Three Monkeys - We had them cut the bahn mi in half and shared it - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This was hubbys food and he said it was delish. The sauce for the steak skewers was really good. read more

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Loved the idea of the food hall! However, for the cost and the amount of food it didn't make sense. You order at the register and pick up your food at the counter when your food buzzard machine rings. Then you sit at any of the available tables. It's a like ginormous food court with lots of yummy choices. But, it can be loud and finding a table can be a challenge. It great if this is what your into for atmosphere. read more

Three Monkeys - Ban mi sandwich - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I was visiting Santa Barbara and stopped by the Public Market for lunch. With so many great options to choose from, I decided to try Three Monkeys--mainly because I saw they had popcorn tofu, and I'm so glad I did! It was absolutely delicious. I also ordered the Hungry Box #2 with their fried chicken, plus a fresh coconut water to drink. Everything I got was packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. The food is on the pricier side--my total came to $31--but honestly, the quality and taste made it worth it. read more

Great food stall in the Santa Barbara Public Market food hall. You order at the counter and pick up there. We got the tofu banh mi. It was very well done, and very flavorful. Excellent sandwich. read more

Three Monkeys - Tofu banh mi - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Really good bahn-mi and vietnamese/thai fusion! Great place to get a quick bite, just a little pricey. Highly recommend the pork bahn-mi, bread has a good crunch, meat is juicy and tender, and the veggies are freshly pickled. Also, comes with the side of shrimp chips. The thai coffee is very sweet, so depending on whether you like sweet or not. The nutella banana roti is a good and sweet dessert, not too heavy. The fried chicken also has a good crunch but too much fried garlic was overpowering, however the side salad was good with it. read more

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We stopped at this place for lunch whilst we were in Santa Barbara. This place is located at the heart of downtown and in a food court. I got the five spice tofu banh mi. The spiciness level was not as high as I would have liked it. I also felt the bun was not super fresh. The picked vegetables were fresh though. The side of crunchy rice crackers was nice. My order was ready within under 10 minutes. They also provide separate water in a plastic cup if you would like but you have to ask for it separately. read more

Three Monkeys - tofu bahn mei - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My vegan friend, trying to support my efforts with vegan dining, brought me a sandwich from Three Monkeys. The restaurant is in the Public Market 1/2 block from where I live. I never thought to try it as it is an "unknown." So my friend brought me a half of a vegan sandwich with tofu and vegetables and I politely took a bite, doubting I would like it. I tried not to think about it and just enjoy it. I told my friend I couldn't eat the whole sandwich as it was on a roll and was filling. But the sauce on the sandwich was so delicious, I ate the whole thing easily. There was tofu, cucumber, carrots and I think a little arugula. It's called bahn and I definitely will order this. Pic is not mine. read more

Three Monkeys - Tofu Bánh Mi Chinese five spice fried organic tofu, Vietnamese bun, cucumber carrots & daikon, cucumber, cilantro, avocado aioli. - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Had a pork bahn mi last night with a side of cucumbers. It was soooooo good. I can't wait for my next one! Everything about it was perfect. Well done and thank you! read more

Three Monkeys - Bahn mi with side of cucumber - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I absolutely love this place! I've gone twice now, the first time I grabbed a ban Mihir sandwich and that was loaded! The second time I went I tried their rainbow salad with chicken. It was large and full of flavors, I had to box it up and finish it later. I also finally got to try their mango sticky rice! It's seasonal and sometimes sold out-this is telling of how yummy it is. The rice was definitely sticky and though the cook was concerned the mangoes weren't sweet enough, I thought they were perfect. This is something I will definitely be trying again-fingers crossed I get lucky again! read more

Three Monkeys - Rainbow Salad with Chicken - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The food was so delicious! We got a couple different banh mi sandwiches and we were so pleased. They were generous and tasty. read more

Three Monkeys - Pork banh mi - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Portions were very small for how much you're paying. This was my fried chicken plate. Saw other people's photos and they looked much better than mine, so might've just been this instance. Paid about $19 for the combo... Either way not the best first experience. Taste of the food was good though so you should still check it out if you're curious! read more

Three Monkeys - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Popped in to the public market today and wanted to try Three Monkeys for a snack. The skewers were tender, delicious, and seasoned perfectly. I will be back to try other menus items! Everything looked great! read more

Three Monkeys - Beef Skewers - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Came her to try their food since I love bahnme. Instead we tried the beef skewers for my son. The food was too sweet and was too saucy for me. My family didn't like it. It was our first time. I would try it again maybe something else not sure. read more

I eat gluten free due to celiac disease and this was my top meal on my trip to SB. The chicken and beef skewers were delish! it was also safe and they prep gluten free food separately. read more

I love Thai food but the food here pretty average. I got the Pad See Ew since it was the special for that day. It didn't really have much flavor to it and tasted like grocery store pad see ew. read more

Three Monkeys - Pad See Ew - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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So much flavor and the bun is perfect! Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Stopped in for a quick to go lunch. Kind of hidden at the back of the Santa Barbara Public Market. They have a counter bar and you can watch them make your food. Fun decor and everyone was really friendly. Took my sandwich to go and it was warm with the bun still crispy when I got home. So many flavors in every bite. I would classify this as Asian street food. A little but Thai and a little but Vietnamese. Hidden gem. Recommend. read more

Three Monkeys - Pork Bahn Mi - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We shared a hungry box with Hat Yai (fried chicken) along with some dishes from other restaurants inside the Public Market. The fried chicken was crunchy and fragrant, with a well-balanced dipping sauce. The side salad was reasonable as far as side salads go, with a nice dressing. The sticky rice was a little incongruous, and overall we wished it had either a bit more chicken, or was cheaper. read more

"Excuse me is that meat reheated" , "no" Are you sure? Because it's very dry and hard. The chicken satays and Bah Mi are dryer out meat. Very disappointed. read more

I ordered the hungry plate number 2, the salad was very good and so were the skewers. The rice was just plain white rice. I really enjoyed the steak, chicken and pork skewers and the dipping sauce that came with them. The service was good. I asked for a recommendation between the two hungry plates. The ambiance is well decorated in the back corner of the public market. read more

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Originally, I had not planned to try this place. However, arriving a little later at Public Market, Wabi Sabi ended up being closed so we ended up ordering from Three Monkeys. The tender and juicy chicken stayed crispy during the entire meal. The sauces were strong and flavorful and packed a punch. Even the side salad was done well and my girlfriend finished it first. The satay skewers transported me back to Thailand eating street vendor food sitting on a creaky stool at a plastic table. 100% would recommend this place and their authentic flavors. After quick research, they are under the Empty Bowl group; as I love both Empty Bowl and Wabi Sabi, it makes sense their third restaurant at the Public Market would be a hit. read more

Three Monkeys - Pork Skewers and Hat Yai Fried Chicken with sticky rice and a side salad - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Great. Their Pork Banh Mi sandwich is incredible. What's my problem? I live 4+ hours away... :( The bread is super fresh, the pork - the star of the sandwich - is cooked and seasoned really well, sadly, better than my go-to place at home. The 3 monkey salad is delicious as well. Generous portions of fresh strawberries amongst other fresh ingredients. Thankful that they also have Boyland's soda in stock so I didn't have to venture anywhere else to grab a drink. Top notch, friendly service - this is a great spot in the SB Public Market! read more

Tried this place on opening day with a couple friends. Got a beef banh mi and a pork skewer. Friends had a pork banh mi, beef skewers, and the tofu options. Both my friend and I with the meat options had multiple bites in our skewers and sandwiches that were gristle and fat that was inedible. The flavor of the meat was good but having those bites of chewy fat and gristle ruined my appetite. The sandwich bread was delicious. It was crispy on the outside and soft on inside. For 2 skewers and one sandwich it was about $28. For this price I was left unsatisfied and underwhelmed. I think if they spend a little more time cleaning up the meat, and fill the sandwich with a little more meat and veggies, it would be a big improvement. read more

Three Monkeys - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Have to say I was not at all disappointed! I tried the pork and chicken Banh Mi as well as the beef skewer and loved every bite of it all. Very helpful staff recommended the pork so I got it and think the flavor may have been even better then the chicken. Over all I say a 4.8 just because the Banh Mi could have had a little bit more meat in them but flavor was really what got this a 5 star from me! I will definitely be returning to try all the other menu items read more

Three Monkeys - Chicken Banh mi, Pork Banh Mi, Beef skewer - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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They serve a simple and incredibly tasty menu of chicken, pork, beef, or vegetable skewers with sticky rice and a salad (with an amazing lemon vinaigrette dressing) and their special sandwich (Baum-mi) looked delicious! I ordered the Hungry Box #1 with chicken, pork, and vegetable skewers (you get three choices) and the meat was sooo tender and flavorful, and the vegetables were cooked perfectly (and I LOVE mushrooms!) I was not left hungry, and definitely not disappointed, highly recommend! read more

Three Monkeys - Tan was chill and friendly :) - Thai Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Food Tried pork, beef, and chicken skewers. All reasonably priced and delicious. Sauce was amazing. Also ordered fried tofu - it came with a house made peanut sauce. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if it had some regular seasoning on the tofu. Service Fast and friendly. Would recommend business to check on the pager range. Mine didn't ring, no biggie though. Overall great experience!!! read more