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    The Blue Monkey

    3.6 (82 reviews)
    ModerateBars, American

    The Blue Monkey Photos

    Business Info

    THE BLUE MONKEY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Live music
    Loud

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    Recommended Reviews - The Blue Monkey

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    Tiffany J.

    OMG!!! This was my first time visiting and the food was amazing! I had the fish plate with onion rings and cream spinach for my sides. The fish was fried and seasoned really well, plus they give a huge portion. I had a craving for onion rings and they definitely satisfied it! They were light and crispy just like I like the. The spinach was so good that I wanted to try the recipe to have at home! It was a great balance of cream, cheese, and spinach. I loved it! The service was really great as well. Our waitress did an excellent job of making sure that we were well accommodated. She checked on us often. I had experience!

    Semaria S.

    It's been such a long time since I've been here. We intended for this to be a quick stop after work but plans changed. We started out with a strawberry lemon drop martini. It was tasty but we thought it was little week. Little did we know a Parton at the bar for our martinis. Next, as the encouragement of our hostess, we decided to try the Skyy Suicide. It's a cocktail with various Skyy vodka flavors. This one was tasty and had a slightly stronger kick than the martini. I ordered the blackened chicken served over a bed of wild rice. I chose the sautéed veggies and fries as my sides. I just want to say everything was seasoned perfectly. The chicken was tender and juicy. The veggies were amazing. Before leaving, reposado shots were ordered. Omg, I felt like that kicked in quickly. Overall, an amazing experience today.

    Fried fish, hush puppies, fries, Mac n cheese
    Mark S.

    This is a corner bar and grill that has been around for a long time. When you enter, there is a large bar with several tvs. I got a Philly cheese steak and my wife got fried fish. Both of our dishes were very good. The menu has many options for those that have a variety of tastes. Would recommend this place again in the future!

    Chicken fried steak burger with creamed spinach
    Noah C.

    The food was good and was served very quickly. The service was good but could have been better.

    Bar food   Bbq Bacon Burger French Fries
    Antonio D.

    Live this place, great food, friendly, great service, and it's into midtown. And if you get here at this time! It's happy hour! Come and enjoy! Hopefully I'll see you here.

    Hot Wing Eggrolls
    Tiffany A.

    I'm so glad my husband and I finally tried this place for an impromptu day date today! We were greeted warmly as soon as we came in and were made to feel extremely welcome. Our waitress was so sweet! I can't remember her name for the life of me, but she had some lavender highlights in her hair and was extremely pleasant and perky! Our drinks were strong & reasonable & the food was so good & fresh! We will definitely be back!

    When you google "fried shrimp"
    Danshell J.

    Very mediocre meal I actually expressed my dislike of the food to server asked for something else instead cause as you can see I at least tried this expensive school lunch.The other two pictures are what I expected.Instead this meal was literally forced on me never again!

    Angus salad
    Joelle P.

    Oh Blue Monkey...I have a love/hate relationship with you. First off the SMOKE! Oh my heavens...the smoke...I know that is the appeal to some people but I just feel like I'm too old to have to throw out my clothes to get rid of that awful smell and then wash my hair 10 times. What's that saying, "Smoking kills...but at least you look cool"? Yeah, I'm over it. That being said, I had the BEST steak salad of my life. Seriously. I don't know what was going on (and this is literally why they get that 4th star instead of just 3) but holy moly, I stopped talking to my friends and just stared into the plate because I couldn't believe such culinary magic was happening at a bar like this. Other pluses, they have live music - and they are 90% of the time really awesome bands! Plus the drinks are stout and not that expensive. Win, win! Is this a dive bar? I guess but it really isn't a dive dive...maybe kinda sorter but a teensy bit better? I've worn heels here on multiple occasions...are you allowed to wear heels at a true dive bar? I don't think so...not to mention their food is leaps and bounds above typical bar food... If you can stand smoke, you won't be disappointed - bottom line!

    Dining area
    Butterbean M.

    Came back today and got the country fried steak wiith the fries and wild rice. Awesome meal need to try it oUt if u stop by. Also as always on sundays from 11 to 2 pm there brunch is FIRE !!!!

    Crab cake po boy
    Kerry C.

    I've been to the Blue Monkey for drinks plenty of times, but until today, I hadn't ever tried the food. The menu is fairly basic, full of mostly standards like sandwiches, salads, po boys, pizzas and baked potatoes. I had the crabcake po boy, which came with my choice of side. The sandwich was two crabcakes with lettuce, tomato and remoulade on a French roll. It was a little spicier than I was expecting, but the kick wasn't unwelcome. The side of fries was awesome -they had a good crispiness-to-softness ratio and weren't overly salted. The service was quick and friendly - I was seated, fed and out of there in less than 45 minutes, but I never felt rushed. When I went to the Blue Monkey for lunch today, the restaurant still smelled like last night. The nearly empty dining room was dark and there was a more-than-faint smell of stale smoke. On the windowed porch, though, everything was bright and happy. The Blue Monkey has two locations - downtown and midtown - that are open daily for lunch and dinner. Both have full bars and allow smoking, which means that you've got to be 21 or older to get in.

    Cesar salad
    Valerie D.

    I've always went to Blue Monkey to enjoy a drink, but decided to try the menu since it was steak night. I added a cesar salad to my order for extra $, which I don't recommend. I ordered the steak with creamed spinach. Don't get the creamed spinach!!! The steak was amazing though!! My friend ordered the steak and twice baked potato, that was a much better option!! Both of those were amazing!! Service at a table was lacking and he wasn't very knowledgeable about the menu or choices.

    Vu N.

    Pulling up to The Blue Monkey, parking was plentiful although we parked across the street and walked over. Walking in, we were informed we had to pay a $5 cover. Wth? Was there a concert? A live band? Or a theme night? Nope, just standard for their establishment to keep the rift raft out. We paid the cover and proceeded to seat ourselves by the bar since me and my buddies just wanted a place to have a few drinks and munch on something. The bartender was friendly as we ordered some mixed drinks. They had a pretty big menu so we asked one of the patrons who sat next to us who seemed to be a regular what she would recommend. She suggested the fish dish and her husband recommended the Philly cheese steak. We tried out the Philly cheese steak, chicken cheese steak, and the country fried steak platter. We ordered a few more rounds before our food came out. The dishes itself was okay. Nothing to brag about. Just typical frozen foods that was heated up. But it was good for bar food. Honestly, I was just a little disappointed that we had to pay $5 each just to eat and drink. They should wave that if the patrons are eating or apply that to the tab. Especially with no event going on. Im not cheap by any means since I know we generously tipped the bartender. But Oh well, atleast the drinks got me giddy and I did leave full.

    Patio Sunday
    Jacqueline W.

    It is such a beautiful day outside here at the blue monkey sitting on the patio with a great view I can see the last burger on earth restaurant as well as the whatever smokeshop I have a lovely view pediatrician they walk by and the staff here in At the Blue Monkey are so friendly and sociable ability so sweet the food is good I ordered blue monkey sandwich the blue monkey burger it comes loaded with Blue cheese lettuce tomato red onions dill pickles with a sesame -seed bun in your choice of a side item I chose for my side item the twice baked potatoes -please excuse the typos I'm using voice text

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    3 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Bar setting. Lunch menu food was good, especially blacken chicken breast with mushrooms and sautéed vegetables! Great customer service!

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    Ask the Community - The Blue Monkey

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    We checked out the new location yesterday, 8/25/26. It was a Monday night so not as busy as busy as…read morethe weekend; the new spot is cozy and has a fun vibe. The menu was excellent, there were lots of things that sounded tasty and we had to pick. I got a roast beef poboy with Swiss cheese and a side of red beans and rice, and my wife got crawfish etoufee. All of the food was superb, I can't say enough good things about this place. You can tell having both restaurants back together really lets chef Kelly focus on quality. We will be back regularly.

    Before Covid, we enjoyed many great date-nights at The Second Line in the Copper-Young area. As a…read morenative of New Orleans, this was one of my FAVORITE casual restaurants. So, we were delighted to find they had moved to the East Memphis area, next to Iris. We did date night there on Friday, 07/17/26. The restaurant was busy and the atmosphere is definitely energetic. Unfortunately, the food (Oyster Poboy, Crawfish Etouffee) was disappointing. Also, the "Levee Breaks", their version of a New Orleans' Hurricane, was a let down. The one positive in our dining experience was Morgan M, our Server. She was attentive and very personable. We will give the restaurant two more chances, because we have faith in Chef/Owner Kelly English, a Louisiana native and James Beard Award semifinalist known for French-Creole and contemporary Southern cuisine.

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    Porch and Parlor - Steak tar tar

    Porch and Parlor

    4.6(369 reviews)
    0.2 miMidtown
    $$$$

    Five stars simply aren't enough. This deserves twenty…read more My husband and I are food people. We travel extensively, we eat everywhere, and we've been fortunate enough to have some truly extraordinary dining experiences over the years. So when I say that Porch & Parlor may be one of the best overall restaurant experiences we've ever had, that is not something I say lightly. And it started before we even made it through the front door. The restaurant itself is absolutely charming from the outside -- whitewashed brick, Southern, understated and beautiful. But before either of us could even reach for the door handle, a gentleman appeared with the warmest smile and opened it for us. Such a tiny thing, perhaps, but it immediately set the tone for the entire evening: You are our guest, and we are delighted you're here. Inside, three lovely attendants greeted us at the front, all smiles and genuine Southern hospitality. We had reservations and were seated immediately in the most gorgeous, moody dining room. Elegant lighting, beautiful raised paneling, rich finishes -- classic steakhouse without feeling stuffy or predictable. As a miniature artist, I spent an embarrassing amount of time mentally figuring out how I could recreate those fabulous light fixtures in miniature. And then came Wade. For years -- and I mean years -- my husband and I have had a benchmark for exceptional service: a wonderful gentleman named Seth in Birmingham who was exceptional at what he did that we still talk about him. Well, Seth... you finally have competition. Wade is an absolute gem. Charming, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and incredibly intuitive, he possesses that rare ability to actually read a table. He listened. He remembered. He made recommendations without ever making us feel "sold." He helped my husband choose a bourbon, shared little tidbits and stories with us, picked up on our personalities and genuinely connected with us. And the timing of this meal was impeccable. We never once felt rushed, yet we never found ourselves wondering where the next course was. Nothing arrived too quickly. Nothing lingered too long. Wade was there exactly when we wanted him and somehow invisible when we didn't need him. The entire evening just moved along smooth as silk. That kind of service is an art, and Wade has it. Of course, none of that would matter if the food didn't deliver. It absolutely did. The steaks were phenomenal, the meal was incredible from beginning to end, and oddly enough, that fabulous bacon rack may be one of the things we talk about forever. It's delicious, ridiculous, memorable and exactly the sort of thing you want to order when you're out having a wonderful evening. By the end, we were far too full for dessert -- which naturally meant we ordered dessert. My husband knew exactly what he wanted. I was torn between two choices, so finally I told Wade, "Go into the kitchen, choose your favorite and surprise me. I don't even want to know what it is. I'll find out when I get back to the hotel." The man understood the assignment. He chose the cheesecake, and good heavens. It was lighter than a cloud, with these gorgeous cherries in a rich syrup whose tartness cut through the creamy cheesecake beautifully, alongside vanilla ice cream that somehow pulled the entire thing together. I opened that box back at the hotel and knew immediately that Wade had once again made exactly the right call. But what really makes Porch & Parlor remarkable is that Wade wasn't the exception. Every single person we encountered -- from the gentleman at the door, to the front desk, to everyone who touched our table -- was gracious, polished, welcoming and genuinely lovely. You can serve an extraordinary steak in a beautiful room and have a great restaurant. But when the hospitality is every bit as exceptional as the food, you create an experience. Porch & Parlor did exactly that. We were told this was considered one of the very best steakhouses in Tennessee. After dining there, I completely understand why. In fact, forget Tennessee. This is one of the best steakhouse experiences we've had anywhere. And Wade, if you happen to read this: Seth held that title for a very long time, young man. You earned this one. Five stars feels woefully inadequate. Give them twenty.

    The food (chef's kiss) The ambience ( robust and romantic)…read moreThe service (top notch) A lovely steak house that I can't wait to return to. Our server was amazing (unfortunately I can't remember her name.) Every recommendation was 10 out of 10!

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    Barksdale's - Country Fried Steak. Close up. Bobo ass cornbread!

    Barksdale's

    3.9(215 reviews)
    0.4 miMidtown
    $

    Time for an update! Sucks to write this one, but it's where I stand on this joint!…read more Since my last review, the owner died, the place caught fire and closed under the new owner, was then bought by another restaurateur couple and a their partner. They remodeled it, filled the kitchen with new equipment and food, slapped some paint on the walls, then let er rip! The operators here also own and operate Bain's BBQ just down the road. I've been here three times now since it reopened. It would be more, but here we go... They have daily lunch meat and threes that rotate by day of the week. I always check the website to see what's being offered before I go to places like this so I can see if they have something I want. I really dig these kind of lunches, I seek them out when I want a "solo decompress, don't talk to me lunch", so I want to like this place so much. I quit going to Bain's a year or more ago because of never knowing what they are selling. The menu is never updated on the site, or even there at all now. Every time you walk in it's a surprise! I just checked again to verify, and yep, still no menu, only online order, but 60-70% of it is "out of stock". Ugh. When they do have the menu posted, it's normally wrong. This seems to be a trend between the two places now. The first time I was here I was underwhelmed. Country Fried Steak tasted funny and I had the worst cornbread I had ever had. Not even sure how it was made that terribly. I do hope they fixed it. Second visit and this time the printed menu didn't match the website, but they had the websites menu available, strange. The website showed fried chicken livers available, but the dine in menu did not. When I asked, they said they in fact did have them and it was a mistake on the dine in menu. Huh? That time I did have the chicken livers and they were pretty good, and I also one of the best rolls that I have ever had in my life! Shockingly good!! Better than my grandmothers. Please don't smite me from the grave, Gram. Both times the sides were just fair. Same thing at Bain's, so it makes sense. Today I walk in and there is one table sat in the whole place at 12:15. I got a bad feeling from the jump as I am pretty sure the food is all done and just sitting there being held on a hot well table. If it ain't busy, it just sits. This place used to be packed every single time you walked in! I sit down and the old guy with the really cool hairdo comes and gets my drink order and gives me a menu. The livers are not on the menu again... My last visit was 8 months ago, I checked my pic. I knew what I wanted because I had peeped the site and confirmed they had Fried Chicken Livers just like last time, so it's all good, right? Guess what?!?! Still not on the dine in menu so I'm like "can I get the livers", cool guys says no livers and walked away. 8 months later, it's still not corrected. I sit there for a minute, and got pissed off and then, I looked around, thought about eating old meatloaf or fried chicken, took a sip of my water, and I got up and left without ordering. My advice, (that I understand that absolutely no one gives a shit about) is this. Stop putting so much effort into your Social Media BS and get your shit together on the menu/websites of the business's you run. It's cute and all for you to eat at other Memphis BBQ joints, I like bbq too, but let's shore up your own operations before you do so. That way we can all enjoy all of our meals together and you stay in business. I used to love both of these places, but now I fear they are just going to be memories of was once a couple of my favorites. One more try.... I'll update again if it's all good then. '26 - 19

    Finally got to try Barksdale's in Midtown. Pretty good set up. Very much like a diner that serves…read morebreakfast all day and they do have lunch specials. I ordered the griddle cakes with crispy bacon. The pancakes came with honey butter and syrup. Also had a pretty decent cup of coffee. My friend ordered the club sandwich with fries. The fries were nice and hot. She said it was very good. We had a fin time dining there. There are plenty tables and chairs as well as booths. The place is decorated with a variety of sports pics, articles and Christmas decor. It is a very cozy diner. There is parking in the front and back of the restaurant. Our server Christopher was awesome! He was very nice and friendly. There was a steady flow of customers which is a good sign. I will return to try some lunch specials. Good experience!

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 237 S Cooper St (at Courtland Pl)
 Memphis, TN 38104

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    The Blue Monkey - bars - Updated August 2026

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