The Monkey Bar

I stopped in the other night, and they told us that the owner had left town without placing some orders for food. The waiter started telling us what they had available. I doubt I would eat anything they did have knowing that they hadn’t received any recent food deliveries.
The place also had an awful smell.
I had been there once before and had been disappointed. After this very brief visit, I won’t be back.

I was pretty excited for this new spot when I first went in about two months ago. The atmosphere was cool, bartenders were nice and in good spirits and I thought this could be a new spot on my way home. I have been back about six times since and it has continuously gone down hill for me. The biggest issue that keeps making me turn around and walk back out is the music. Punk/​Metal at volumes way too loud for size/​style of the bar. I am all for learning new music but it was screechingly uncomfortable. I gave it another shot about a week later — same issue. I had half a beer and left… that bad. I am not saying they should play pop music or anything but I could never bring my friends or family to join me — they would hate it. The second biggest issue. NO BEERS ON TAP! At first — nice four tap selection, typical of a small bar and the bartenders (owners?) seemed interested in what beers customers would like to see rotated in. The last two or three times I went they were out of all but one seasonal and Old German. I plan to give it one more shot — bring some friends and cross my fingers the music is better.

They are definitely off to a good start and heading in the right direction. Very friendly place, nice selection of food and drinks, and you can get your beer in a boot. For $ 25 you can get your own personal boot and drink at a discount on every visit.
There are some pretty creative sandwiches and salads on the menu; I am looking forward to a burger with roasted beets and blue cheese. But since it is happy hour all day on Mondays, we stuck with that. There is a nice selection of choices, and if my burger was a bit overcooked, I suppose that is my fault for not asking them to prepare it different.
But most importantly, you could tell that Chris would do anything possible to make sure you had a great visit, he was the perfect balance of attentive without getting in your face and had a great attitude and sense of humor.

Oh Monkey Bar, why do you have to be like this? I spent months and months trying to find things wrong with you after Sagittarius decided to leave me all destitute and alone.
I visited you on a number of occasions, still I did not dare write a bad review of you in fear that it would be taken as backlash for the whole Sagittarius ordeal. You don’t deserve backlash, you are just a couple of new owners with jerks like me as customers with high expectations and things. I forgave you when you took my favorite sandwich off the menu, (the Cassiopeia). I dealt with the weird hipster who was too good to come back and ask if I needed another drink.
Tonight you made me really happy when I noticed I could get a $ 1 shot of whiskey (served in a mini boot!!) with the purchase of any drink during happy hour. I had it all planned out in my head, how I would write rave reviews about the boot and the happy hour food and the whiskey! How all of my bad thoughts of you were history.
The happy hour pulled pork sliders tasted like a raunchy burp. The $ 1 shot of whiskey was so cheap you should have paid me, $ 1 to drink it. The tater tots were creamy, and then no one ever came when it was time to close our tab. I realize there were only two of you on duty, I do. And honestly, I am easily won over, so a simple apology would have been fine by me. The final straw was when I brought home the leftover pulled pork sliders and tots to my son, he gagged after his first bite, this is the kid who would eat a booger sandwich if it was placed in front of him!
I can no longer put up the façade, Monkey Bar. At last I must tell the truth, I miss Sagittarius everyday and I hope you will get your act together soon.

I like the Monkey Bar. The ambiance is perfect for a drink when the sun is still out or has set. I have ordered a few different items (sandwich, burger, mac n cheese) off the menu and was so pleased with each item my plate was nearly clean or I took a to go box home. The drinks have been great with a decent pour. I will be back this week!

So sad, we went to Saggitarius and instead got some kind of underworld, bad drug trip, tweeker reincarnation of a bar we used to know and love. The owner? bartender? server? seemed like he was on meth, couldn’t decide whether or not there was table service. Honestly the whole vibe just creeped us out.
Our food was burnt and like the ambiance a shell of it’s former self.
So sad to lose one of the few good places to eat and drink in NoPo.

We came for the food carts, but apparently we came at the wrong time, so my husband and I ended up at the Monkey Bar. I had the basil mac and cheese with a side of garlic mashed potatoes (carb overload!), and both were delicious! My husband had a burger that he also really enjoyed. I’ve give the place a 5, except that my drink was a little weak for the price (maybe I just looked like a lightweight). I’d most definitely return though… that mac & cheese was just too good!

I was originally going to try out one of the food carts nearby, but learned the hard way that they were closed on Mondays and Tuesdays when I came to an empty lot. My friend and I decided to try The Monkey Bar out since it was a few feet away. I had a mini-​mac, fire fries, and sangria. The fries were okay – some were crispy and some were soggy (due to the grease and how old they were) and the sangria was a little too citrusy for my liking. The only redeeming part of my meal was the mini-​mac.
Other comments: Our table was sticky (not cool), they leave the doors open which allow flies to swarm around the entrance, and they card you as you enter. At least let me sit down before you ask to see my ID. Just a few annoyances that could easily be fixed. I want to like this place because the staff was friendly, but The Monkey Bar definitely has some kinks to work out.

I totally dug Sagitarrius, but I think I might even dig Monkey Bar more. It’s a straight-​forward bar with a full kitchen– not too big, not too small… it’s just right. There are still remnants of Sagitarrius peppered throughout, but I don’t think they or anyone else care terribly much… it’s more about the booze than an errant logo here or there, right?
So far, I’ve only been on Sundays, and the regular bartender seriously could not be nicer. He committed to Mad Men Sundays and by golly, he’ll keep your glass full while you’re watching, take and run orders, mix drinks, AND remember to lower the volume during the commercial breaks pretty seamlessly. Multitasking at its finest.
The food is similar to before, looks like even more burgers now (with all sorts of gluttonous toppings… including peanut butter), plus salads, soups, mac n cheese, quesadillas, and a handful of appetizers/​snacks. I had a great salad — cherry tomatoes, roasted nuts, blue cheese, beets, on a bed of spinach with mustard-​seed (love) vinaigrette. I also tried their borscht (soup du jour) recently, thumbs up. I’d only ever had totally pureed borscht before, and theirs was quite good with a little texture, the mirepoix left in tact, and a dollop of sour cream on top.
Really nice bar, great service. Plus, I enjoy fiddling with the actual Barrel of Monkeys provided at the bar… it helps my Mad Man anxiety level, I get so nervous whenever Pete Campbell opens his mouth. The Old Fashioneds probably help, too.

Did not take the new owners long to make this place into Yurgo’s II.
blah.

I was a long time fan of Sagittarius and I was deeply saddened when I found out it was sold. Where would I get my girlie Bachelorette drink with a red vine as a straw? You cannot imagine how pleased I was to see it still on the menu. Much of the menu remains the same with an expanded burger selection.
But, was it just me or did they raise the speciality drink prices? $ 8.50 or so is a little steep. And although we recieved table service there was a sign requesting people order at the bar. I hope that never gets enforced.