Monkey Bar
American restaurant · Midtown East ·
Iconic NYC spot with jazz age vibes, murals & swanky booths
Iconic NYC spot with jazz age vibes, murals & swanky booths
"At the Midtown sister to 4 Charles Prime Rib, the French dip ($39.99) likewise nestles hot prime rib in a Parisi Bakery bun, served with both horseradish dip and au jus." - Andrea Strong
"With red leather booths, moody lighting, and hearty classics, Monkey Bar has been a Midtown favorite since 1936; I’d lean into the celebrated cocktails (Taylor’s drink of choice here is a Cosmopolitan — Classic, White Yuzu, Milano, or Grand options are available) and the menu’s comfort dishes like Wagyu cheeseburgers and short rib stroganoff fettuccine." - Derin Yilmaz
"If you’d like to eat a splashy lunch and briefly forget what time it is, there's Monkey Bar. An attractive dark yellow light casts itself across the cave-like Midtown restaurant at all times of the day, making the idea of a stiff drink and some red meat seem all the smarter. Going back into the daylight will be hard, but the 2pm burger and cosmo make it all worth it." - willa moore, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman, sonal shah
"This revamped Midtown restaurant still has a big sunken dining room that features plush red booths and a wraparound mural of Jazz Age celebrities, but now it's run by the people behind 4 Charles Prime Rib. Hearty and unpretentious, the food includes everything from pasta and fried chicken to steakhouse staples like a dry-aged porterhouse. Notably, they serve the same cheese-smothered burger that you’ll find at Au Cheval, and you should eat one in the walk-in-only tavern area." - bryan kim, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore
"Like The Grill, Monkey Bar nails the old-school NYC aesthetic that seems to work best in Midtown. The sunken dining room is lined with murals and glossy red booths, and it’s always packed with people drinking Old Fashioneds. If you want a burger, theirs is great, but you can also get everything from pasta and chicken parm to steak and crab rangoon. Unfortunately, reservations can be tough. Book at least a week in advance, or stop by for lunch." - bryan kim, will hartman, hannah albertine, kenny yang