Monkey Thief
Cocktail bar · Midtown West
401 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036
Highlights
Inventive Pan-Asian cocktails, creative bites, and attentive service
Inventive Pan-Asian cocktails, creative bites, and attentive service
"A painting of a macaque drinking a flower-garnished cocktail sets the playful mood at Monkey Thief. This place works for just about any kind of Midtown evening, from a dressy pre-theater night out to a casual coworker hang. Expect interesting, tiki-ish drinks and light bites like cumin and sichuan-spiced fried chicken." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman, sonal shah, tiffany yannetta
"This playful pan-Asian-inspired bar is a great choice for an interesting drink and a light bite in Hell's Kitchen. Monkey Thief is suitable for just about any kind of evening you intend to have—whether that’s a dressy pre-theater night out, or the most casual of hangs. Natural-fiber pendant lights over the bar give off a cozy golden glow, as a macaque drinking a flower-garnished cocktail looks on from his portrait on the wall. Order the Major Tom (imported from sister bar Sama Street), a savory-sweet, gin-spiked version of tom kha. For a snack, try the moist and herby chicken satay skewer with peanut sauce—or, ideally, several of them." - bryan kim, will hartman, willa moore, neha talreja, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah
"From the same team as Sama Street in Greenpoint, Monkey Thief is a great choice for an interesting cocktail and a light bite in Hell’s Kitchen—before a show, with the coworkers you’re most looking forward to gossiping with, or maybe on a date that you’re not positive is a date just yet. With the unpretentious, playful vibe you’d rightly expect once you see the portrait of a macaque drinking a flower-garnished cocktail, this place is suitable for just about any kind of evening you intend to have, from a dressy pre-theater night out to the most casual of hangs. Various shades of neon glow throughout the space, and natural-fiber pendant lights at the bar give off a cozy, golden light, prettily illuminating the stacked cocktail reference books and a Creature From The Black Lagoon novelty tiki mug. Expect your utensils and napkins to arrive in an Aroy-D coconut milk can. photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff Food Rundown Major Tom Our favorite drink here. Imported from Sama Street, this cocktail alchemizes lemongrass, ginger, coconut, and fish sauce into a harmonious, savory-sweet, Bombay Sapphire-spiked version of tom kha. Lychee, No Lychee The Lychee, No Lychee tastes uncannily like a lychee martini, despite the fact that it contains no lychee whatsoever—a magic trick pulled off with Daiyame sweet potato shochu for flavor, and Thai basil seeds for viscosity. Chicken Satay Need a snack? These moist and herby skewers, served with peanut sauce, are only $4—so you might as well order two. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Potato Croquettes These crunchy croquettes have a pillow-soft filling, leveled up with fragrant curry leaf and Amul cheese. Fried Chicken The tingly cumin and sichuan pepper-spiced fried chicken, available in small or large portion sizes, should be your go-to for something more substantial at Monkey Thief." - Molly Fitzpatrick
"Roasted garlic and scallion sounds delicious, but what if they were part of a gin cocktail? Or how about tom kha, but boozy? These are the conversations we imagine the owners of Monkey Thief having ahead of their Hell's Kitchen opening. The bar is a sequel to Sama Street, and takes influences from the markets of Hanoi, Bangkok, and Delhi. They have several cocktails on tap, snacks like corn nuts dusted with zaab powder, and small plates, like dumplings, fried chicken and lamb kebabs. We're curious about their thai tea Basque cheesecake that has piqued our interest." - will hartman
"Hell’s Kitchen: The owners of Greenpoint’s Sama Street bar, have opened Monkey Thief, in Manhattan. Their new bar pulls from travels to China, Vietnam, Thailand, and India, with cocktails featuring fish sauce, cardamon, and an interpretation of duck sauce. Thai tea cheesecake and Sichuan-spiced fried chicken are also available." - Emma Orlow
