Such a great atmosphere...I am not a bar person...but this was so much more than just a bar. We were outside....so fun and energetic. Unbelievable friendly service. All ages were there:kids, teens, adults. Music was at perfect level...not overwhelming but not non existent. Didn't stay for the band but I've heard good things about the entertainment they provide. What a great place to meet up with friends and family. Right between the bike trail and Little Miami River. I'm old enough to have experienced this place when Sam the chimp was drinking beers and smoking cigarettes (not socially acceptable but that's what happened back then). My grandma lived near here so the nostalgia is strong for me.... read more

I go here fairly often. New management has REALLY turned this place around, i am so impressed. That being said, there are still some things that need worked on. Regardless, I will keep going back because I love it and have such a great time! PROS: -So nicely remodeled, the upstairs bathrooms are beautiful -Very dynamic; a space for everyone... you can sit outside on the porch by the stage with fireplaces, on the front patio, or at the bar inside on one of two levels -Owners are constantly improving things it seems like (adding on, remodeling, planting trees, blacktopping, etc.) -Aesthetically pleasing and good atmosphere -Mostly friendly staff and skilled bartenders -Pretty good live music/bands but also has music from a jukebox inside -Holds some fun events for holidays or different things -Nice view of the river -Lots of sitting room available -Sometimes have food trucks during the day there CONS: -Closes at midnight, so if you're going out for the night you have to leave by 12, and no other bars are really around so it's a bit of a drive -Only have a few individual bathrooms available -They don't serve food, but do have different themed food trucks that come on busy nights -If it's really busy parking can be a nightmare/very limited read more

Neat place with a large clientele. Very friendly service at the bar. They had a great band last week and looks like it's a regular thing. Keep it up! On a negative note, bathroom facilities are terrible. One person at a time, locked doors, and long lines. Time to spruce it up. Last time I was there, I monkeyed around and farted. read more

Cool bar along the Little Miami. They have plenty of seating inside and on their spacious patio. Live music as well. While they don't serve food, there are food trucks in the parking lot. read more

Absolutely the worst service you could get from a bar. 4 servers - 13 tables of customers and still couldn't get a drink if your life depended on it. TIP - go to the bar when you first get there and get a bucket. This way you can serve yourself all night and not be at the mercy of any of the employees! read more

Hubby and I decided to stop here after a long bike ride on the Loveland Trail. They had live music going on and the service was great! Nice selection of beers AND a food truck is usually parked just outside. We ordered food, brought it onto the patio, and sat and enjoyed a nice bite with a cold beer by the water. Noticed a gas fire pit lit up as it got dark, and except for the mosquitoes, we had a nice time here! read more

Always good bands and great food trucks. Beautiful view on the river and a great starting point if your biking to loveland. This is definitely a must. read more

The worst! They added stuff to our tab that was not ours hoping we wouldn't notice. They up-charged for premium liquor when I asked for well and I honestly don't think there was any liquor in the drink at all. I saw a server sneeze into her hand, didn't wash, wipe or sanitize then handled the brim of drinks she delivered. Too bad..we keep trying but they keep giving reasons not to go. Enjoy getting ripped off. read more

Food and drinks are great! It's my go to place when it's a nice day to enjoy their huge patio. Unfortunately, it takes forever to get drinks. read more

My girlfriend and I visited MBG over Labor Day weekend and it was the single worst experience I have had at any establishment. This is all going to sound melodramatic but it was worse than I can articulate here. At approximately 6PM, I went upstairs to order LaRosa's due to the volume of the band playing on the patio. As I stood in the upper bar area (with my mask on) I noticed the bartender was not wearing his and another employee had theirs pulled down. The LaRosa's order taker on the other end of the phone had a hard time hearing, so I pulled my mask off for a minute to confirm my order. As I was getting my credit card out, the bartender said "put your mask back on, sir". I started to put my mask on and the call dropped. Of course, I was a little frustrated, so I expressed my frustration to the bartender but never once used an explicative or acted aggressively in any manner. A male server, with dark hair and thin build, spoke to me in an extremely condescending manner. I immediately removed myself from the situation and returned to my table on the patio. Move forward about an hour... While waiting with my girlfriend in line for the bathroom, I noticed several MBG employees and a manager without masks on, or with their masks pulled down near customers. I walked over and commented to the bartender, "So, you mask shame me but you and your staff are not wearing their masks? The bartender and the manager became very contentious, so I turned around and started to leave, and as I was leaving, the male server I mentioned earlier, intentionally went out of his way to bump into me very hard and startled me. It gets worse... After basically being physically assaulted by an employee, I did not retaliate, nor did I say another word to the gentlemen. But, instead, went back to my table and told my friends what had just happened. My girlfriend witnessed the entire ordeal and was appalled. This was her first visit to MBG and probably her last. After about 10-15 minutes, I noticed the gentlemen who ran into me upstairs was standing on the balcony and giving me threatening looks. The next thing that happened was perplexing to everyone in my group. The manager on duty came to our table with the police officer and asked us to leave. I asked to speak with the manager and she indicated that SHE was the manager. She made blatantly false claims, including, "You are being aggressive and you were also aggressive towards me" (although, I never said anything to her), and "You flipped off my server". I asked her what her definition of aggressive was and she had no answer. She just kept repeating herself. I replied, "I am a paying customer and your staff was aggressive and condescending to me!" I also informed her that the server intentionally made contact with me and she said "Well, I don't believe that and I can just pull the video". I replied, "Go ahead". Even after my girlfriend said she witnessed everything, she said you need to leave now and would not listen to logic. The worst part of this entire evening was being escorted out by a police officer and the staff laughing at my group of friends. This was humiliating and demeaning. None of us have been kicked out of any place before. To make matters even worse, there were 2 business associates of mine in the crowd. I wrote an email to the owner and simply asked for an apology. He never even responded to my email or phone call. This is a poorly ran business with twenty-something managers who are clueless. read more

The beer is great and the bank is awesome. We love the new ownership and physical improvements. We look forward to the continued opportunities to stop by whether the bike trail or car. read more

The Monkey Bar & Grille - Great atmosphere! - Bars Near Me - Maineville, Ohio

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I had a great time there last night. The atmosphere is 5stars for sure. The service was slow but the place was packed and they were really trying to keep up with everyone. The reasons I am not giving you 5 stars are: 1. Two food trucks for the amount of people are not enough. You really needed at least 2 more. 2. Bathrooms. They are very clean and very nice but if you are going to pack the place, you need to add more. I waited in line for almost 20 minutes. 3. While not the fault of the owners or staff, we were there with good friends having a great time when a group sat down next to us and proceeded to hurl a disgusting racial slur at my friend. We informed a server who shrugged it off. Not that we expected her to jump to our defense however, the casual way in which she took in the info makes me wonder if this has happened before. Needless to say, we left and will really need to think about returning. It's a shame when 1 or 2 assholes can ruin your evening because had this not happened we would have gladly stayed til the end. read more

Would not recommend taco and margarita night. $32 for 3 small mediocre margaritas with the slowest service, took over 30 minutes to get my second drink and over 20 to get the check after we asked for it. Taco truck had 2 whole food options, I get it was busy but if your entire food menu is only 5 items you should be able to keep that in stock read more

Overall we had a pleasant experience here. There are about 24 craft beers on tap and it is reasonably priced. All our beers tasted fresh, which is not always the case when a place has a lot of taps. We were able to get service from the bar quickly, and a waitress actually came around to us later and asked if we wanted more. It looks like a great place to go when the weather is nice. There is a huge outdoor area with fireplaces. Unfortunately it was still a bit too cold when we went, but the indoor area was still large and nice. The interior gives that old corner bar feel, but a bit more modern and clean. There was also live music when we came on a Saturday night. Since there are two floors, you can avoid the music if you prefer. read more

Nice venue on the little Miami river. Great bourbon and craft beer selection. They don't serve food but their was a food truck there. One of the best patios I've been to around here. In a historical building. Live music etc. I'll definitely go back read more

Lack of staff makes it virtually impossible to ever get a drink quickly. On this busy Saturday night the lower level bar was closed because they accidentally let a bartender go home early....leaving a virtual shit show to get a drink outside or upstairs. Don't get me started on their drink prices, they are absolutely off the charts. Go here to listen to a band and be the designated driver (in other words, don't drink)! read more

Drinks are great, the food trucks they have are always incredible, and the owners are people worth supporting. Love it here. read more

The Monkey Bar & Grille - Nighttime patio atmosphere - Bars Near Me - Maineville, Ohio

Went to the Monkey bar for the first time this weekend for their Super Bowl party. The large area of the bar wasn't taking reservations for tables in front of the big screen, it was first come first serve. Part of my group arrived at 11 am and I arrived at 1 to secure our spots for the 630 kick off. We had 6 of us securing tables until the others arrived later. Now, I am 5 foot tall and I recently had rib surgery - so I choose to stand at my seat rather than sit and the tables by us assured me we weren't in their view. As others funneled in to get their spots for the game, a 'regular' and her group took the back tables near the exit door - three tables behind me. This regular spent the entire game time yelling at the people in front of her - all the people who arrived extra early just to have good seats. She did have plenty of room to stand herself, or possibly move to another table. Now, the staff was amazing and the food was good and I would have left 5 stars all day long - but this 'regular' decided to walk up behind me as she was leaving and throw her elbow into my back and ribs on purpose out of retaliation for our table and group being in front of her table. Now, had I only been days post-op, she could have caused some real pain and problems. As she left the bar, I tried to follow her and get an apology for her intentionally assaulting me - but she definitely scurried out of the bar fast and hopped into her blue suv. I told our waitress what happened and that's how I found out this customer was a 'regular' - but it completely changed the mood of the evening. Again, I would have given 5 stars but I can't give 5 stars and my full recommendation when people risk being hit by customers who think they are more important than others. If you can go and not have this happen, great. I hope the regulars are not regularly like this. read more

Such a cool vibe! Great for a night out with friends and good music. Only downfalls, takes a whole to get a beer since wait staff shares tables/ no bad service. If you did close to the band, you can't hear the people at your table (maybe that's a good thing)! Great spot! read more

Very neat and cool place. So many different areas inside, upstairs, downstairs, throughour the place and an awesome outdoor area right on the river. A couple different real wood burning fireplaces inside also. read more

I love the atmosphere! Drinks tasted great. Cocktail waitress ( K ) needs to be trained. we ordered two separate margaritas, same kind, charged different prices. A round of drinks were purchased by a friend, only two beverages came, three were paid for. Last drink never came. We had to chase down the server just to close our tab. Will return because we love it there, but hopefully not being served by the same person. I myself work in the Bar/food industry and expect to be served as I would serve patrons. Also, avoiding your customers is not a way to earn a nice tip. read more

June 8th 2021 We went to have a couple drinks and listen to some music. The girl singing was terrible. When we asked for the bill to leave the waitress was rude because we complained about charging us 30.00 for 3 drinks. 2 beers and one Margarita. We will not ever be returning to this bar. You do not rape people of there money by charging this much. And the music sucked. I will take my group else ware. read more

Have been to this location 1 time. Excellent atmosphere and the pizza was awesome. Live band and family friendly place. Next to the river and the scenery was peaceful. Open air eatery. read more

The folks running this place really know what they're doing. Always has that fun vacation type of vibe bc you're on the river, outside, with fire pits, listening to live music, with food trucks to boot! We've lived up the road for the past 18 months and have watched this place continue to expand... such a fun environment! read more

I typically love this bar. However, the bar allows dog owners to bring pets onto the patio. Usually, this isn't a problem as most pet owners control their dogs. This last visit, though, a dog barked incessantly and jumped up on anyone passing by. Neither the owner nor the bar manager acted to control the dog or require the owner to leave; we left instead. There is nothing more uncomfortable or disruptive to a nice afternoon out than an unruly dog and an irresponsible dog owner in a public place. Shame on that man who refused to control his dog, but also shame on the bar manager for allowing it to continue. We were only two tables away from that scene. Never again. So, Monkey Bar: get it together or loose our business for good. read more

This bar accused my friend of being underage and examined her ID (she is 23) they took her ID to the back and stated again that it was a fake ID. Their reasoning being she had an ID from a different state than the rest of us. However she had just moved to Ohio for a job after college. We were extremely disrespected and the people that read IDs here need to apparently go back to training. Will not be going back. read more

Bad service, unacceptable management. Don't waste you time or money at this place. Waiters are only interested in serving liquor to 19 year olds, so don't even try if you're of age. Management will just bend your real license in half and tell you it's fake. read more

Used to love this place, unfortunately it seems to have gone downhill this year... the last two times I've been here it's taken over 30 minutes to get a drink. Very disappointing. read more

One of my friends said you have to try this place so we went. Initial impression was great. Beautiful river views. Nice patio with the bike trail nearby. Busy and nice atmosphere. My significant other went up to the food truck to get some BBQ and that's when the server came. I asked him to give us a few to look over the drink list. After 30 minutes and eating all of our food we left thirsty. The guy never came back. Needless to say we were extremely disappointed. If you can't get a drink at a bar and grille, no reason to stay. Probably won't be referring this place to anyone no matter how great it looked. read more

Really cool spot! Good taste of the local area, scenic outdoor seating, historic building. Open bar, not waited tables, which is a rarity in this are and a great change of place. Great spot to unwind with friends after work or stop in for a drink after biking the little Miami trail. The owner was there on a Friday not and stopped by our table to thank us for coming in. They don't currently serve food but plan to starting winter. In the meantime, they have food trucks outside on busy nights. I would highly recommend! read more

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This WAS a hidden gem but with its cool new upgrades it's a HOT spot! Great service and cool new bands have also aided in its new found fame! The river, the lights and the awesome food trucks make this place a must go! I often take my friends that are in from out of town as well as family members. It's also a great stop for those kayaking of canoeing on the Little Miami! read more

Amazing remodel. Fun environment, especially when it is warm enough to enjoy their fantastic patio. Always quick service

Service was terrible. Waited 30 minutes to order our first beers before I gave up on a server and went to the bar for drinks. They told me they'd bring out our drinks (2 draft beers...seriously?). Twenty minutes later after that, we got our first beers so we went ahead and ordered our seconds. We also ordered sliders and fries. An hour later, we asked the manager to check on our food. She said they didn't have sliders so she put in an order for wings instead. Wings came 20 minutes later without fries and were definitely not worth the wait. Never again... read more

This place is awesome. It's a Great relaxed place to grab and drink for date night and have a nice view of the Little Miami River. It's also great to grab a dinner with the kids. Delicious drinks (like a perfect Bahama mama) , a food truck or two, and a great band playing make this place a nice night out that isn't too far if you live in Loveland, mason, or Maineville. Lots of cool seating like the three level bar or outside under the umbrellas. There is definitely an eclectic feel to this place and a mixed bag of patrons but it's a great place to relax and have a good time. Ok read more

Always a great time at The Monkey Bar!!! This place is simply the best spot to have some drinks with friends, listen to great live music and enjoy the outdoors. I absolutely love hanging out on their patio along the Little Miami! I wish there were more bathrooms for guests but that's nothing that'll keep me from coming back. The bartenders are helpful and efficient and make it easy for guests to relax and enjoy their time. Can't wait for my next hang out at Monkey Bar!!!! read more

You're out of luck if you want to drink here from out of state, my 23 year old friend got denied service because her Michigan ID looked "fake." Not only would they not serve her the single beer she ordered but the damaged her license in the process. The situation was handled horribly and we will not be returning. read more

THE best local tavern and outdoor environment for good weather sipping. Mark and crew have transformed this place from what it used to be, to now one of the hottest, highly historical places that exists today. !!! read more

Nice atmosphere and the service is good. My wife had a margarita which wasn't that great. They do not offer food but did have food trucks on site. We had a sub from Jersey Mike's which unfortunately was soggy on one side from sitting in the cooler. Probably wouldn't do the sub again but would visit the bar again. read more

The Monkey Bar & Grill is one of our favorite places to spend a nice spring/summer/fall evening enjoying live music outside. Nestled on the Little Miami River and Loveland Bike Trail you could also stop here while out on the trail. There are a lot of tables and a few fire pits outside. Follow the Facebook page for a calendar of bands and food trucks. Speaking of food trucks ... there are typically two food trucks and they seem to represent the Grill part of the name. There might be a kitchen inside but I'm not sure. The bourbon selection is extensive - you can try Blanton's for $16. We found out the hard way that it's not a good idea to plan to Uber home. We had no trouble Ubering there but between limited cell service and the slightly remote location we couldn't get an Uber home one night. Thankfully our 16 year old daughter picked us up. Proud mom moment! read more

this place is so interesting. i was misunderstood that they don't actually make food there but have food trucks! really cool if you are down for whatever to eat and try new things! read more