Love Drunken Monkey!!! We've had this place on our radar for some time and finally made our way to the east side to check it out. The one thing that stood out for us was how the staff and patrons all interacted like a family. The wait staff had a true camaraderie and seemed to interact with each other like an well-oiled machine who truly cared about their jobs, the patrons, and one another! How refreshing. As for drinks and food, you likely can't go wrong with any of their menu selections. "Must try" items include the Lemon Dahl -- a.k.a. yellow lentils (trust me; get this) -- the Chicken Tikka, and Seekh Kabab (ground lamb). But every dish we saw come out to nearby tables looked yummy!! I can't wait to go back and try even more dishes! The interior is eclectic and feels cozy! We sat at the bar during our visit, but DM would definitely be great for a date night, too, because it's so intimate feeling inside. Try Drunken Monkey if you are ever in the UES and on the lookout for some unique Indian food! We'll definitely return for another visit soon! read more

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My wife and I had a great time the music was fun, the food was Delicious and the Bees Knees was Excellent. We recommend the Garlic Naan, and Butter Chicken Tikki Masala. Our server was attentive, kind, and assisted in our night going smoothly. The Perfect Date night spot, a Gem in a quiet Neighborhood. read more

Some people are calling it the best Biryani in the city. I agree. A delightful restaurant. Great service, beautiful simian decor deliver a great venue for great food. Don't sleep on the cocktail. All around great spot. read more

The Drunken Munkey - UES - Royal Munkey Lamb Biryani - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

Went there to get out of the cold and had a couple of hot drinks. We already ate but the food looked so good that we came back the next night. If I lived in NYC I would be a regular here. The food was amazing! Service was excellent too. Don't miss enjoying a delicious dining experience at this restaurant! read more

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Me and some girlfriends walked in here the other night for dinner. We ordered a few mains which were all good but nothing really special, the portions were probably just right, if you're hungry it may be a little small. The highlight of the meal was the mango lassi, I could have had half a dozen of them in one. It felt like a community staple inside, everyone was chatting and having fun. The staff was nice but not around too often. Over all really nice vibe with average food. read more

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My husband and I had the loveliest dinner last night. From the first step inside everyone was so friendly and welcoming. The ambiance, music and vibe were wonderful. Our server was so nice,helpful and really pleasant.We started with cocktails; I chose the la vie en rose which was delicious. We shared the vegetable samosas, vegetable korma, and vegetable biryani. All were incredibly delicious and flavourful. We will be returning to try more dishes soon....... read more

We've enjoyed the Drunken Munkey many times over the years- always making a point to visit when we're in the city. The intimate, low-lit dining room paired with the quality of drinks and dishes make for a welcoming and cozy experience every time. Whether you want to just grab a drink at the bar or you want to take in a full meal, the team will be sure to make your visit memorable. read more

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Very cute petite restaurant with dark wood & mirrored decor. Very cozy feel. Service was great and attentive. Unfortunately, the food didn't meet our expectations. The pani puri had lots of curry vinegar water, but no potatoes or chickpeas inside. The mango salad was bland and dressing felt like it was straight vinegar. The Chicken Tikka Masala was okay flavor wise and the chicken was tender, but the sauce was watery. The rice was mushy but well flavored. Not sure if we came on an off day for the restaurant- we were looking forward to good indian food based on the yelp reviews. Will continue our search for great Indian food in Manhattan. read more

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This place has been on my bookmark for years, honestly. Stopped by yesterday to grab a drink and some snacks. Lily loved her Lady Mountbatten drink and honestly I did too. I had a glass of the cab and it was good. Ragz got the wise old munkey and liked it okay. For food we shared chilli cheese toast, which was absolutely delicious. The bread was crispy and soft, the cheese ooey-gooey and you could taste the Indian green chilli on it, which is the whole point in my opinion. I'm not even a big spice eater but this was so good! The crispy potatoes were also very well made and delicious, we could have totally inhaled another bowl if we wanted to. I also really liked the paneer tikka sizzler. Both the sweet and spicy sauces were authentically delicious and it was very well made. Finally, we shared the paneer pao and this was also very well done. The bun was soft, the paneer was flavorful. Definitely recommend this dish to anyone ordering. Honestly, there wasn't anything on the menu I didn't enjoy! The place has a very classic nyc cozy vibe. Our server, Karla was great and overall we enjoyed our time here. I'd love to come by again! read more

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Went back again in a whim and the food and service are still as excellent. Manhattans for $15 - I'll take two please Dahi puris packed a punch and pretty good. Was cold yogurt so on point. The lamb sheekh kebabs were very well seasoned and perfectly made The short rib sliders are something we love at this place - highly recommend. The ribs melt in your mouth and goes really well with Indian flavors The lamb biryani was maybe a 3.5/5 but I'm a biryani snob and my complaint is about it being a little dry (weirdly). I have had better biryani here The gajar ka halwa we ordered last time and this time - good dessert but maybe we should try other things too lol I know they did great with community service during covid and they feed the homeless so good business in the neighborhood I'll go many times I know read more

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Wow. I have no words. This food was 20/10 - the chicken biryani, the butter chicken tikka masala, the garlic naan, the chili cheese bread. The ambiance was fantastic, drinks were amazing, and service was also great. Would recommend ! read more

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We came here on a late Sunday night. It wasn't too busy but great vibes. Food is excellent.

The most perfect cocktail bar and resto on the Upper East Side. The food is incredible, cocktails devine, decor is elegant and homey like a hug in restaurant form. Also these wonderful humans provide free meals to people down on their luck! This could be any one of us so I highly recommended ponying up the 7 bucks they ask for help providing said meals if you are able! Thank you Drunken Munkey! I will be back many times!! xoxo read more

Had a lovely meal here with tasty cocktails, and they have HAPPY HOUR! I like the vibes and decor for a dinner/drinks with friends or would work great for date night as well. I'll have to try more entrees here but I enjoyed the chicken biryani, which they make baked with dough on top! The real winner of our night was the dark rum & chocolate cricket ball dessert, so delicious Also notable was the excellent service! (I believe our server's name was Eleanor). read more

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Such a cute and cozy spot hidden away on the upper east side. The atmosphere and the service is cheerful and inviting. The service was great! We got the lamb biryani, butter chicken tikka masala, butter nan and some lentils! Everything we got was delicious. They had an amazing cocktail menu and a good happy hour. I found the menu a bit pricey but all together would recommend this place to anyone! They do a program where you can contribute to a meal for someone in need. read more

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Strange flavors, with a mixture of options but nothing really to our taste. Much prefer other Indian food in the area. Go if you want a drink heavy meal... not planning to return but wish them well. read more

I absolutely love this place! Their chicken biryani is so fantastic! And their chili cheese toast is absolutely to die for! Every food item is amazing. I've been here countless of times I recommended so many people everybody loves it. Definitely a gem in Manhattan. read more

The atmosphere is cozy and the lighting creates a nice vibe. We tried a few mains--flavors were good, but nothing stood out as exceptional. Portions were decent, though if you're really hungry, you might want to order a bit extra. Service was friendly and attentive. Overall, a pleasant spot for a casual night out, though not something I'd go out of my way for read more

The interior decor is nice and well done. It's a gem in the UES. The staff was very friendly and chivalrous. Good food and reasonably priced. The dessert was great too. Food and sauce were very flavorful. read more

We went there without a reservation for an early dinner. We were promptly seated outside. Service was friendly and attentive. Drinks were very good, and the food was delicious. We had the cauliflower app, butter chicken and lamb curry. All lived up to expectations and we were comped for desert. I can't comment on ambience since we were outside, but the place looked like it was very busy. We will be back. read more

Grabbed the chicken biryani, which is still as good as always from a flavor profile vantage, but they now charge extra for naan and there was noticeably fewer pieces of chicken. The food is still good enough that we will be sure to return but be prepared to pony over a bit more. read more

Came here for my birthday dinner last night and it was great! Nice staff, delicious, flavorful food, dim lighting, and a delicious version of a spicy margarita. The complimentary naan is a nice touch. Service is a little slow and my food wasn't very hot (temperature wise), but those are really the only things of note. Love the sparklers they use for birthdays. The samosas and saag paneer were yummy and everyone else liked their food. The butter chicken was delicious and so was the dessert :) read more

The Drunken Munkey - UES - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

I've dined at Drunken Monkey twice, and both times, our experience has been top-notch. I had the Butter Chicken Masala here, and I would highly recommend it. It had so much flavor! This is the way Butter Chicken is supposed to be! The Biryani here is probably the best around. It's also very unique as they cook it the old-fashioned way with the dough on top. The service was also exceptional. The decor is very cool as the restaurant has an old British-Indian vibe. read more

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Everything we got was decent, nothing absolutely blew me away but nothing was bad by any means. The Mums Lemon Daal and the Naan itself were my favorite parts of the meal. Both the butter chicken and lamb biryani was good but I'm not going out of my way to get them again. The ambiance and decor was really enjoyable as it's a very cozy restaurant and they had decorated for the holidays which added even more! I absolutely love that you can pay an extra $7 to contribute to a meal for someone in need. They hand out hot meals to those in need every night and I would easily spend the $7 every time I came here! Service was awesome and everyone was so kind and welcoming! Amazing atmosphere I will be back! read more

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From start to finish, the Drunken Munkey is a wonderful restaurant. We are lucky to have this gem in the neighborhood. Food is great, Service is wonderful, decor is inviting. I bring out of towners here all the time and they can't believe this neighborhood find. read more

A lovely modern Indian spot in the UEs with friendly bartenders slinging cocktails and elevated Indian dish classics. It's a little more on the expensive side for somewhat small portions, but the ambiance and prettiness of the dishes make it a great date night spot. Also appreciated the Bollywood drama they had playing on the tvs. Would definitely recommend the pani puri appetizer, which was creamy and complex, and looked super cute. read more

The Drunken Munkey - UES - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

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The best Indian restaurant in NYC. Small place with big flavors. Service is spot on. Had lamb Chops and some sort of Chicken Curry.

Rating 6/10 PRO TIP: You can add liquor to any of their mocktails, if what they contain is more interesting! Also do NOT skip dessert! Came here with my South Asian friends who gave this place a solid 7 on authenticity/taste. Overall good option if you're missing Indian food in the area but there's def way better Indian food downtown and in Queens of course. But a fun place to grab a drink and scratch that itch for Indian food. RAILWAY CHICKEN CURRY 4/5 - really tender chicken, pretty good flavor, not spicy, I enjoyed this and am always surprised by how filling these small-appearing portions of Indian food can be. CHICKEN BIRYANI - moist rice, chicken tender, not the best biryani I've ever had but certainly scratches the itch, better than you expect for UES CRISPY OKRA - great shareable item, you eat them like chips PANIPURI - Pretty authentic option, think crispy fried thin outer shell with tamarind sauce and chickpeas, seasonings etc inside. Nice yummy little bite. CRISPY ALOO - good but nothing to write home about GAJA HALWA* - My good friend's favorite dessert, and he was quite pleased by this. I actually really enjoyed this as well; it's technically made of carrots but it's so delicious and it's served with ice cream, nice and warm and satisfying Category: OK to GOOD (Terrible / Bad / Ok / Good / Great / Excellent ) read more

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The Drunken Munkey is a place you visit time and time again! The decor and ambiance is intimate yet lively! Great for an intimate or group moment. The red mood lighting makes the space! The cocktails are amazing! There is so much intentionality in their cocktail menu which you taste. My faves are The Bramble and Bees Knees. Also their food menu is a mix of traditional Indian with specially items. I love their crispy okra and Dahi Puri. This is a place you visit often and recommend to others! read more

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If you're looking for a quintessential New York City cozy spot, The Drunken Monkey is it. Cute drink menu. Amazing food.

My first thought upon walking into restaurant was that this was one of the coziest, homiest, restaurants I have been in this year. I really appreciated the plethora of coat and bag hooks installed, allowing guests to settle comfortably. We came for brunch, a new installment in their menu that they are testing out. Though this is an Indian restaurant, it seemed that Drunken Monkey had embraced the concept of American brunch and attempted some fusion dishes. I spotted a BLT w/ eggs, French toast, a lamb burger, and a Chicken Biryiani rice bowl, which I've been craving for awhile. While the chicken was moist and the rice smothered in spices, the flavor wasn't addictive or tantalizing. I did enjoy eating the buttered toast in between bites but felt that it would taste better with Naan. Our waiter was so friendly and passionate about the restaurant. His enthusiasm was definitely catching. I'm not sure if I would visit again for brunch but I'd return for a cozy Indian dinner! read more

I'd rate the Drunken Munkey three and a half stars. Seems like this was one of the pioneering Indian restaurants that also served alcohol. They have a full bar with a fair selection of whiskeys. They had two Indian options which I don't see as often. I didn't see any drafts, but they had beer on the menu (probably cans/bottles). We walked in on a weeknight and were seated immediately. We shared the okra chips, the lamb biryani, and the black bean daal makhani. Food came out quickly and the pacing of the dishes was on point. Service was very attentive. Water was consistently replenished and plates were briskly cleared. There were two single occupancy restrooms; one was handicap accessible. read more

A Disappointing Experience We visited Drunken Monkey yesterday evening (my wife, son, and I), and unfortunately, what was meant to be a special dinner turned into a disappointing and upsetting experience. We reached the restaurant at 5:25 PM. Having been there before, we were looking forward to it - especially our son, who loved their crispy okra and had been asking to return for a while. Since the restaurant is quite far from our place, it took some planning to make this visit happen. Upon arrival, the manager politely informed us that they had reservations starting later in the evening and asked if we could be done by 7:30 PM. That seemed fair, and we appreciated the transparency. However, what followed was a series of unpleasant interactions that completely ruined the evening. The server assigned to our table was noticeably rude and impatient from the very beginning. He asked for our full order twice within the same minute, seemingly in a rush, even though we clearly mentioned we'd prefer to order appetizers first and then decide on mains based on how much we eat--something fairly common at most restaurants. Still, we went ahead and ordered two curries along with the appetizers. The food took some time to arrive (understandable given the weekend crowd), and while it was just about average this time, we didn't mind much. However, the server's attitude throughout the meal was unacceptable. He appeared irritated when placing the dishes on our table, without any courtesy or basic hospitality. The worst part came when we simply tried to order one additional garlic naan toward the end of our meal. As I tried to get the server's attention, he looked at me and said, "My tables are waiting," in a tone that was dismissive and disrespectful. It left me stunned. In front of my son, I felt genuinely insulted and humiliated. It's hard to put into words how hurtful that moment was. We finished our meal quietly, didn't ask to pack the leftovers or order dessert--just wanted to leave. What should've been a warm family dinner turned into a stressful and disheartening experience. Hospitality is the backbone of any dining establishment. Unfortunately, what we encountered was a hostile and indifferent environment. Based on this experience, I will not be returning to Drunken Monkey with my family again. read more

Ordered takeout from here and enjoyed it so much I forgot to take pictures of my food before it was gone! The mint and tamarind sauces were so fresh and flavorful and paired perfectly with the tandoori chicken and lamb kabob. The veggie samosas were delicious too! Everything arrived well packaged, hot and fresh. Super tasty, can't wait to order again and try more things on the menu! read more

This intimate UES spot is perfect for date night and great food. The service was fast and attentive although the restaurant was completely full. We ended up not waiting too long for two spots at the bar. I highly recommend coming with many people and sharing. All of the food looks so good when it comes out of the kitchen! The maître d' was incredibly friendly and I appreciated when our bartender ran half a block to return my togo box I left behind. read more

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Absolutely love this place. Ask for Carla. She truly makes your experience. The food on top of that is next level. If you're looking for a cozy date this is the place :) read more

Great Atmosphere, great food and great service. A bit more on the expensive side for Indian Food. read more

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Very nice and friendly restaurant with old-timey British Raj vibe. Cold beer, fine cocktails, good Indian food, can't complain! Try the punch behind the bar. read more

Great drinks and 10/10 architecture. Our servers were decently attentive despite an extremely busy Wednesday night! I learned I'm big on naan and I don't care for the lamb dishes at all. I think I'm not crazy for curry either. They charge a lot for their dishes and they're not 5/5 good but they're serviceable and feel good in the tummy. They need to fire whoever is on the aux. Play indian music or bust. Every non Indian song was genuinely bad and ruined the ambiance. read more

The Drunken Munkey - UES - Salad - Indian Near Me - New York, New York

My boyfriend and I are visiting NYC for our anniversary and found this gem after taking the NYC public ferry to East 90th st. I didn't catch her name, but our waitress was amazing and was "in tune" with her service! We got the bramble and the elephant (It was a beer, but I don't quite remember the name) to drink and they were spectacular. However, the real stars of the show were the lamb biryani and Portuguese pork vindaloo. We cleared our dishes! Our waitress even brought out a delightful chocolate lava cake of sorts for our anniversary! Very cute! On top of the great service and delicious food and beverages, the ambience sealed the deal. We went around 8:15 pm and it was lowly lit with yellow lighting and candles while chill music filled the room. We will definitely be coming back next time we are in NYC! read more

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