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At nearly 100 years old, Monkey Bar has never been better. This isn’t just a great steakhouse, date spot, or Americana-themed burgerfest with white tablecloths and waiters dressed like they're about to perform in the New York Philharmonic. It’s all three of those things, and it’ll serve you well in any situation that calls for stiff drinks, satisfying food, and the kind of nostalgia that always seems to work best in Midtown.
This place is a hat trick of a restaurant. It feels like a classic, but it’s also cool and buzzy. It’s great for special occasions, and it has a walk-in-only tavern where you can pop in for a daiquiri. It’s in Midtown, but it isn’t just a place you settle for when you’re stuck above 34th Street. Also, it has a huge cocktail menu and a zebra-print staircase, and that staircase has a sturdy brass railing that’ll come in handy after several martinis.
photo credit: Monkey Bar
Founded in the 1930s, Monkey Bar has changed hands a few times over the years. The latest iteration is run by the team behind 4 Charles and Au Cheval, and the big sunken dining room, with its red leather booths and massive mural of Jazz Age celebrities, remains. Bring a date, a few coworkers, or an out-of-towner who demands to be impressed. Lit like a jazz club, the retro space feels quintessentially NYC, and the menu is packed with crowd pleasers.
Monkey Bar is equal parts steakhouse, old-school bistro, and TGI Friday's. The menu is huge, and for a place that has the audacity to tackle everything from crab rangoon to chicken parmesan, the results are impressive. Want some pasta? Monkey Bar has that, and for some reason, it’s fantastic. You can also get fried chicken or miso black cod—but we suggest sticking to the things this restaurant group does best. Go for the burger with two thin patties welded together with American cheese. It’s just like Au Cheval’s. Or get the prime rib french dip. You’ll like it even more than the one at 4 Charles.
Stop by for a special night out, drink several of the infinite house cocktails, and finish with one of the desserts that look like they fell out of a book on home entertaining from 1953. Or just pop into the casual bar area up front, have an old fashioned, and jet. There’s no wrong way to do Monkey Bar—although you might have trouble getting a seat. This is a fun, historic, all-purpose restaurant, so it makes sense that everyone wants to eat here.