MIDTOWN, MANHATTAN
Monkey Bar
A 1930s Midtown classic of red booths and a Jazz Age mural — martinis, the burger and a surprisingly great vodka rigatoni.
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IllustrationFounded in the 1930s and now run by the team behind 4 Charles Prime Rib and Au Cheval, Monkey Bar keeps its big sunken dining room of red leather booths beneath a mural of Jazz Age celebrities. Waiters dress for the Philharmonic, the lighting belongs in a jazz club, and there is a zebra-print staircase with a sturdy brass rail.
The menu is enormous and unexpectedly good. Go for the double-patty burger with American cheese or the prime rib French dip, and don't skip the pastas — the vodka rigatoni and the trofie with shrimp and Calabrian chili are far better than they need to be. There's a walk-in tavern up front for a daiquiri and nothing else.
Editor’s tip
Can't get a table? Walk into the front tavern for a cocktail.
Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby
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Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 14, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.