
Monkey Bar
Quick info
About Monkey Bar
Monkey Bar is an American restaurant on East 54th Street in New York, its dining room filled with retro murals and vintage-style furnishings. The Truffle Monkey Bread turns up at nearly every table and anchors a menu of 204 dishes, alongside the King Crab Rangoon and the French dip. Reservations are recommended, and securing one can take some planning, with tables sometimes booked out weeks in advance. A private dining room is available for groups, while takeaway and delivery let guests take the menu off site. The entrance is step-free, serving visitors with mobility needs. The restaurant is open daily, and free Wi-Fi runs throughout the space for those settling in over a longer meal. Beyond the monkey bread and rangoon, the kitchen also turns out a French dip that regulars weigh against the burger on the same menu.
Good to know
- ReservationsAccepts reservations
- ParkingPaid street parking
- AccessibilityHas wheelchair-accessible entrance · Has wheelchair-accessible seating · Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
- DietaryServes vegetarian dishes
Menu & Prices
204 dishes · mains $4–160- Truffle Monkey Bread$34.99
- Slow Roasted Wagyu Meatballs$28.99
- King Crab Rangoon$29.99
- Tenderloin Steak Tartare •$29.99
- Baked Crab Cakes$34.99
- Royale Cut Smoked Salmon *•$19.99
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention burger, monkey bread, truffle mac and cheese and crab rangoons.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention burger, monkey bread, truffle mac and cheese and crab rangoons.
Customer Review Summary
The truffle monkey bread anchors nearly every account as the dish diners return for, though several find its price hard to justify for what amounts to warm bread with truffle aroma. Close behind, the double cheeseburger draws consistent praise as juicy and well-made, and the steak tartare, crab cakes, and whitefish Caesar salad each get singled out as standouts, alongside a truffle mac and cheese diners call rich and addictive. Desserts land well too, with the chocolate cream pie and carrot cake repeatedly called excellent. Service swings widely: many describe attentive waiters who comped ice cream or carrot cake for slow tables, but one diner reports being ignored all night by a server who never returned until the bill, and another notes fries served without crispness or salt. Reservations are a recurring frustration, with one visitor citing a three week wait, though walk-ins have occasionally found bar seating quickly. Several also flag mixed pasta dishes, from a "not rigatoni" vodka pasta to a short rib pasta others called underrated, and a French dip that split opinion between fans and detractors. One birthday visit closed with a server surprising the table with a free scoop of ice cream and a candle.
Customer Review Summary
The truffle monkey bread anchors nearly every account as the dish diners return for, though several find its price hard to justify for what amounts to warm bread with truffle aroma. Close behind, the double cheeseburger draws consistent praise as juicy and well-made, and the steak tartare, crab cakes, and whitefish Caesar salad each get singled out as standouts, alongside a truffle mac and cheese diners call rich and addictive. Desserts land well too, with the chocolate cream pie and carrot cake repeatedly called excellent. Service swings widely: many describe attentive waiters who comped ice cream or carrot cake for slow tables, but one diner reports being ignored all night by a server who never returned until the bill, and another notes fries served without crispness or salt. Reservations are a recurring frustration, with one visitor citing a three week wait, though walk-ins have occasionally found bar seating quickly. Several also flag mixed pasta dishes, from a "not rigatoni" vodka pasta to a short rib pasta others called underrated, and a French dip that split opinion between fans and detractors. One birthday visit closed with a server surprising the table with a free scoop of ice cream and a candle.
Featured reviews
- Jumi Fujiwara
“Had such a lovely experience at Monkey Bar on July 30th! Our beautiful waitress, Cait? Kait? Not sure how to spell her name was a GEM. She made my boyfriend’s birthday SO special, we were so touched by her kindness. The food was delicious, the space was beautiful, and can’t say enough about the service. Definitely recommend Monkey Bar for a special occasion or any :)”
- Dennis W.
“Everyone has heard of the Monkey Bar.... It's part of NYC restaurant lore. But I didn't want to have any pre-conceived notions or expectations when I was invited to a Sunday lunch... Wanted to judge this on its merits. And it did pretty well... Upon entering, one can tell this space has hosted some epic meals of power and celebrity.... The food was good .... Not great, but good enough to make one feel that this isn't a total tourist trap. The Truffle Monkey Bread was as you would expect... Soft, warm, melts in your mouth with that truffle aroma.... But it wasn't $34 worthy. The burger was also good.... Not great.... That's the thing here... You're coming to experience the Monkey Bar. And these days that means paying a premium to visit a museum of sorts. Service was very good, polite and our server even gifted a slice of their baked-on-premises carrot cake when we couldn't make up our mind on which dessert we were going to choose. Would we come back? It's a dark, "Bogart & Bacall" cocktail lounge vibe.... Maybe not, but we also didn't regret finally experiencing it for the 1st time.”
- Jaye Aster Broder
“We went on a Friday afternoon around 3:45pm without a reservation and didn’t need to wait long as two people but waited a bit for a table even though there definitely would have been bar seating sooner. For two people, we got a bourbon old fashioned, Wagyu burger, prime rib French dip, and truffle Mac and cheese. The burger does not come with fries but mixed Google reviews of fries influenced us to get the truffle Mac and cheese instead. All the food was good. One person liked the French dip more while the other liked the burger more. Service was fine. Our waiter immediately asked us if we have any dietary restrictions. The restaurant with low ceilings still has somewhat of a moody vibe.”
- brian jenkins
“We stopped in to this Bar and immediately felt welcomed. The decor atmosphere and staff all produce a relaxed vibe. Our table of six rated evey dish as an A+ and this includes the three deserts and two starters including the Bread. The most surprising entree was the cheeseburger with maple bacon. Flavor ++. We all enjoyed a very good selection of cocktails.”
- Tayler E
“I was really excited to try this restaurant out as i have heard many great things. We did not have a reservation as we know it’s extremely hard to get. So we decided to walk in around 8:45 pm and put our name down. The hostess was friendly …”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Highlights
“Retro murals & swanky furnishings fill this exclusive American eatery with a powerful clientele.”
- Has fast service
- Serves great cocktails
- Serves great dessert
- Popular for popular for lunch
- Popular for popular for dinner
- Popular for good for solo dining
Amenities
- Has Wi-Fi
- Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Paid street parking
- Accepts reservations
- Offers delivery
- Offers takeaway
Show more amenities
- Serves dine-in
- Serves vegetarian dishes
- Has bar on site
- Historic
- On-site services available
- Serves coffee
- Dining options· 6
- Serves brunch
- Serves lunch
- Serves dinner
- Serves dessert
- Has seating
- Has table service
- Facilities· 1
- Has toilet
- Accessibility· 3
- Has wheelchair-accessible seating
- Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
- Does not have assistive hearing loop
- Highlights· 3
- Has fast service
- Serves great cocktails
- Serves great dessert
- Atmosphere· 4
- Cosy
- Romantic
- Trendy
- Upmarket
- Planning· 3
- Brunch reservations recommended
- Lunch reservations recommended
- Dinner reservations recommended
- Offerings· 2
- Serves alcohol
- Has private dining room
- Popular for· 3
- Popular for lunch
- Popular for dinner
- Good for solo dining
- Crowd· 4
- Good for groups
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- Popular with tourists
- Transgender safe space
Location
American restaurants near Monkey Bar
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monkey Bar | 4.51,847 | — | $60–70 | burger, monkey bread, truffle mac and cheese |
| The Smith | 4.46,330 | 1.3 mi | $20–60 | eggs alla vodka, sticky toffee pudding, salmon dishes |
| The Dutch | 4.32,435 | 2.8 mi | $50–100 | famous fried chicken, duck meatloaf, watermelon salad |
| Bubby's | 4.48,699 | 3.3 mi | $20–30 | james beard pancake flight, chicken and pancakes, buttermilk biscuits |
The 3 nearest american restaurants by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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