We made the drive from Bradenton to try The Clever Monkey, and it was 100% worth it! I'm gluten-free and it's hard to find places that have good options. Especially good gluten free bread. I ordered the Classic Monkey Burger on a gluten-free bun and it was absolutely fantastic! Everything tasted so fresh and delicious, and the gluten-free bun was one of the best I've had. A WINNER FOR ME! ;) The fries were amazing too, and my fiancé loved his sandwich (I can't remember exactly which one he ordered.. lol! but he definitely approved!) The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the staff were incredibly friendly, helpful, and accommodating. Oh and one last important thing... the ranch is ranch connoisseur approved! We'll definitely be making the drive back again. Cannot wait! read more

Clever Monkey Craft Grill & Bar - New American Near Me - Osprey, Florida

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I've been here several times and really wished they had PBR I've had the big fish sandwich and it's huge! The pulled pork and our last visit we got the salmon bowl. The salmon was delicious and cannot stop thinking about it. Do not even mention the Mac n' Cheese OMG I'm dying it's that good best restaurant Mac n' Cheese I've ever had in a restaurant read more

The Clever Monkey was outstanding! The smash burger with brie cheese and spinach was one of the best burgers I've had--perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection with an incredible combination of flavors. The Buffalo Trace Whiskey Sour was absolutely on point. Smooth, balanced, and exactly what you'd hope for in a great whiskey cocktail. The tempura-style chicken tenders were another surprise hit--crispy, light, and incredibly delicious. Great food, excellent drinks, and a menu that clearly pays attention to quality. We'll definitely be back! read more

Clever Monkey Craft Grill & Bar - Whisky sour *chef kiss - New American Near Me - Osprey, Florida

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I passed this place constantly and I finally made it in to try. The location is surprisingly large inside and has tons of room. Our server was extremely friendly and made a few recommendations one of them being their lamb sandwich so that's exactly what I got and I'm glad I did. The food was absolutely delicious and it couldn't have been more tender. If you haven't tried it, you need to give it a whirl. read more

Clever Monkey Craft Grill & Bar - *Aussie Lamb Sandwich - New American Near Me - Osprey, Florida

Beautiful evening so we sat outside which is much quieter. Ordered the Reuben with onion straws and my wife got the Grouper Basket. I usually pay $6 for extra meat on the Reuben however, I wasn't very hungry. We both enjoyed our dinners. They were very busy because of Trivia night however, the service was spot on and the food came out in a timely manner. read more

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Fries and ketchup were the best food of all we ordered. The cuban sandwich was okay, but the rest of our meal was terrible. The "Holy Grail" prime rib sandwich was so thick and tasteless, see photo of the meat that was inside. the potato salad tasted like nothing but big potato chunks in a jar of mayonnaise . Mediterranean flat bread sure looked beautiful, but had no flavor at all. We did complain about our Prime Rib sandwiches, and the manager replaced them with the Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches which were tasty, but I think would have tasted even better dipped in some au jus sauce. read more

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I hate telling people about the best places but the Clever Monkey, Consistently great food and great service!! Doesn't matter what your cravings are, delicious!! read more

Quick lunch before checking into our beach house down the road. We sat outside on the covered front porch. I never went inside so I can't comment on that. The Grouper Reuben was a unique sandwich. I was a little nervous but the flavors went together well. My friends said his cheeseburger checked all of the boxes read more

Clever Monkey Craft Grill & Bar - Grouper Reuben - New American Near Me - Osprey, Florida

Stopped in here for a light dinner. Bar was packed & it was nice out so we sat outside. It overlooks a parking lot so nothing special. Waitress was friendly & quickly brought out our drinks. We shared steamers which were very small despite the waitress telling me they were cherrystone clams. They were good & I enjoyed the sauce they were in. We also shared stuffed jalapeños. They were good! Interior-wise it's casual; the bar is tight & small. All in all, we enjoyed it! read more

Clever Monkey Craft Grill & Bar - Good stuffed jalapeños - New American Near Me - Osprey, Florida

Stopped here on our Siesta Beach vacation for some burgers and they did not disappoint!! Probably the best stuffed fresh jalapeños and burger we've had in years! YEARS people!! Super attentive staff, my family thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We were not able to return the next day as we had hoped but we left with buying a T-shirt for the memories! Thank you so much. We will definitely be back when we are in that area again. read more

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I had the smash burger and it could possible be the juiciest burger I've ever had I love it! The onion rings were really good and the Cuban sandwich was also great. Steve serviced ice cold beers, we are coming back for sure! Definitely our new spot! read more

Clever Monkey Craft Grill & Bar - Ice cold - New American Near Me - Osprey, Florida

Dinner tonight was a complete FAIL. Ordered a smash burger and a monkey burger with fries. The burgers had no flavor. It's as thought they forgot to season the meat. The fries were bland, no flavor. And the worst of all, for me, was the monkey burger comes with a pickle so I ordered it minus pickle. The pickle was included and it wet the bottom bun of my burger. It was wet, soggy and smelled all pickle. I HATE PICKLES! Had to eat it minus bun. The chocolate cake was also not very good. Perhaps I should have rated my review a one star but I've eaten here many times and have enjoyed the food so perhaps Clever Monkey's kitchen was off today. It's disappointing to spend over $45 & tip and received such unacceptable food. VERY DISAPPOINTED! It feels like new ownership. Something is just not the same. read more

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Picked up a smash burger expecting it to be well done...i.e. smash burger...I mean really, the expectation is well done or tell me it comes pink. Order side of vegetables, didn't even fill the cup???? When I called, they were willing to provide more broccoli and redo burger, but I really didn't feel like making the effort to go back. Should have been clear about burger not being cooked through. Lack of a complete side was clearly avoidable. read more

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Great bar/restaurant! Bartender very attentive and made great drinks. We had the Aussie Lamb Sandwich with corn on the cob and Spinach Brie Burger with fries. Sandwiches both at requested temperature and tasted great! French fries are delicious! read more

This place never misses. I've tried numerous things on the menu and always leave super happy. And even when they're busy, you get your food pretty quick. read more

Staying in Nokomis for a few days and wanted to go out for a burger. This place is well reviewed, has a bunch of burger options, has WiFi (needed to work, too) and has gluten free buns. Count me in. Got a knob creek manhattan-acceptable, a cup of New England clam chowder-good, but not spectacular, and the blackened blue cheese burger-good. The inside is just a sports bar. It's cool that all of the booths have their own TVs in addition to the plethora of TVs on the walls. Service was okay. Took a while to be greeted but then everything was fine. Server was friendly and managed the meal well even though she had a couple large parties. It's a solid 3.5 star meal. My issues are the soup and drink were only okay and the gluten free buns just sort of broke apart. That's a common gluten free bun problem, so I'm not killing them for it. But the burger was just good, not great. Solid 3.5 to 4 stars but with the drink and soup, I can't justify the extra star. read more

This is one of the best places that I've had lunch in a while. It was my first time at Clever Monkey and didn't know what to expect. I ordered the Salmon BLT and a friend ordered a burger. The salmon BLT was very generous in size, an actual salmon steak with lettuce, tomato and bacon between two pieces of Texas toast. The fries were big and were nice and hot when they came out. I was very impressed and would definitely go back. There was just one lady working and it got a bit busy, but she was very nice and is actually the one that recommended the salmon BLT (was originally going to get the salmon bowl). The restaurant itself is in a plaza next to Publix with some out door seating, a main room, and a cozy bar area in the back. read more

Clever Monkey Craft Grill & Bar - Salmon BLT - New American Near Me - Osprey, Florida

March 9, 2024 - 4 for dinner. Wow it's been a 2 years plus. Stopped in with friends. Had a pretty good meal, and the service was not bad. Bar was slammed and we ate in the dining room. Good place, very predictable and good food items and product. read more

First time in from out of state and the food, service and atmosphere was fantastic! Upbeat and personal staff made sure we had everything we needed to have a pleasant experience! I had the lamb spring rolls (lamb cushion with feta) and the ribs. They were delicious. A good variety of beverages. I will be going back. read more

The cowboy burger was cooked to order and served with my favorite beer. Great see from the waiter. The place was showing a playoff NFL game and was it was alive. The wine my friend ordered was just ok. read more

Only giving them a 2 because the food was good when we were finally got it. I have been there 3 times and every time I'm there the service sucks. It's like begging somebody to take your money. 1st time the lady at the bar was less then pleasant spouting her political views and yelling at the other staff because the pos system was down. Won't sit at the bar anymore. 2nd time sat out side waited for ever to get out food and The 3rd waited for someone to come to out and no one showed up. Won't be back. read more

DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU HAVE FOOD ALLERGIES!!! I have a gluten and nut allergy and asked multiple times if there were certain things I should order / stay away from. The server told me they have gluten free buns and the salad dressings are gluten free so I ordered a salad with salmon. I stated my allergies again while ordering asking her to tell the kitchen as well. They brought my salad with a cup of soy sauce on top, touching everything. I explained that I couldn't eat it and even a drop of it it could make me really sick and she picks up the cup and says ok it's gone now. I then actually apologized for being difficult but I need the kitchen to remake it because I don't know if the soy sauce was spilled onto anything. She comes back a few minutes later and tells us the salmon is back on the grill now...and I ask if it's a new piece and she says no and gives me a blank stare. This restaurant clearly has zero understanding of allergies or doesn't care about their customers health. Avoid at all costs. read more

For casual good bar type food, awesome! Sandwiches delicious! Ambiance ok. Service was ok not great but it was very busy ! read more

Great food and drinks. Friendly servers, especially Kristina and Amber. Trivia on Wednesday nights and poker on Sundays at 1 are lots of fun. Many TV's for watching sports. Lots of free parking. read more

Great food but our service experience was abysmal. We will try again but ask for an alternate server.

A nice restaurant. It feels more like a neighborhood restaurant than a tourist spot. Decent menu and you can find something on the menu you will like, but choose wisely. Parking can be tough but you will find a spot. read more

Delicious burgers! This is a great local spot to enjoy a drink and watch the game. The service was a bit slow but the drinks and food were delicious. I definitely recommend checking it out! read more

Best food in Osprey - I hope people don't start finding out about this place. Service is great, food is high-quality. Owner and Chef is in the kitchen making sure everything is prepared with high standards. The bartenders are awesome; cocktails are made well. Best pork ribeye you'll find. Anywhere. I know, pork, right. Don't sleep on it! Fried green tomatoes are outstanding, too! Great place for sports - TV's all around the bar. I've never sat in the dining area, but it's nice and clean from what i see. read more

Great time. Great server (Maren) and great food. We were specifically looking for Happy Hour fare. We started at a restaurant down the road which was crowded, noisy, way too sunny and had a parking lot atmosphere. We left and ended up back at Clever Monkey which is a known great choice. Here is why. After 4, the sun is on the OTHER side of the building. Although we sat outside which has a wonderful canopy and fan, inside is fine too and not too noisy except on Trivia night. We ordered wine, ($2 off per glass until 6), wings and Mediterranean flat bread. It was a terrific dinner. Maren was a wonderful server - we will ask for her next time too! read more

Our server Jena was wonderful, efficient and cared to make sure we were happy. I had the pork sliders with onion straws, my husband had the sliders with sweet potato fries. It was excellent!! What a gem! read more

Despite their potato salad tasting like it came from a tub at Costco the food was amazing. Perfectly cooked prime rib, crispy Texas toast the onion strings were also delightful. Even takeout! The onion strings were cooked so well that I didn't eat them for a half an hour and they were still perfect The Holy Grail was amazing. The staff was also super friendly. I cannot wait to go back here and try just about everything on the menu. read more

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The food was delicious. We all had sandwiches and each felt like a very good value. The fries and potato salad were very good. You could tell that the meats they use are fresh and not frozen, which we found impressive. Everything was very flavorful compared to a lot of local places that are all bland and fried. The portions are generous. You could easily have a second meal in leftovers from any of the sandwiches. Our server was very sweet, and very attentive too. The inside of the restaurant is nice and clean. We sat outside and there was a fan to keep us cool. It was overall very comfortable. If you're tired of the bland boring local food, this is a great place to try out. And $2 off burgers on Mondays is a good deal. read more

Clever Monkey Craft Grill & Bar - Lamb sandwich (bottom), holy grail (left), Reuben (top), black and blue burger (right) - New American Near Me - Osprey, Florida

If you want to experience the "Cheers" bar, complete with Carla and all the locals, this is the place to go! The food was good, but the people were great! This is a very homey place where you can talk with nice people at the bar. read more

Rained out today and our reservations for Ophelia in Siesta key got pushed 1.5 hours. So continued south on 41 looking for a place to eat. saw Clever Monkey in the Publix parking lot. What a hidden gem! Amber our waitress was great. Food came out quickly and hot. The stuffed jalapeños were awesome with a sausage filling and tasty cheese. My wife had a Reuben and it tasted awesome as well. I had the holy grail, a prime rib sandwich on Texas toast and boy was it good. Very tasty. I also had a bowl of NE clam chowder that rivaled the chowders up north. Im from MA and know my chowders, menu said it was a family recipe and it's a tasty concoction. Also onion strings that rivaled legal seafoods. Drinks we excellent as well. Only thing needed was a little better ambience but that's okay. Foods tremendous! read more

This place used to be great but the service has gone down big time which screws up any dining experience. I used to go there once a week but haven't been in awhile and won't be back. read more

We tried this place the other night since it was 8:40 pm and not much is open nearby. Glad we did because the food was great! The Impossible cheese steak was awesome. The grouper I question if grouper or cod but it was really good. The waitress was nice and the place was clean. The inside is missing a little bit of something, kind of feels a little too generic but the TVs provide a casual atmosphere and it is really a great location. Will be back. Lots of good things on menu. read more

Clever Monkey Craft Grill & Bar - Grouper fish and chips - New American Near Me - Osprey, Florida

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My husband I come here for lunch at least 3x a month. We always get the chili, curly fries and the Reuben. Always good, if you are the area it's definitely worth checking out! read more

Just had the worst experience I've ever had as a local at Clever Monkey. 1st time there, Punky Buster the Bartender from Indiana (not my part of Indiana) was the rudes to my friend....Said here some food (threw it at him) your falling off your bar stool. He just walked in..Never order food???What the duck was that..... read more

We are locals and come here weekly. We have tried so many different menu choices and they are all fantastic. My favorite is the grouper fish and chips. It's in a light tempura batter and it literally melts in your mouth. They also have several burgers to choose from on the menu. The bartenders and wait staff are so friendly, attentive, and always smiling. We enjoy sports so are usually at the bar where there are several TV's and pleasant lighting. You have to try this local gem but save us our seats too! read more

Disappointing Not trying to be dramatic or mean but this the worst service for mediocre food we've had in a long time. We came in at noon on a Saturda. 1rst red flag is that server did not come to the table for 10 minutes. Seating area was less than 25% full and a hand of locals at the bar. The locals at the bar and other customers who came in later got served apps and entrees before us. After us going back to the bar to check on food after 45 minutes (2 hungry kids), said it would be right out. Wife ordered well done sliders were cold. Sent them back and came out rare. Mgr apologize. My grouper was fair. Overall bad experience. read more