Small and cozy spot to dine; perfect on a cold Toronto winter evening. Service was warm, friendly and attentive. We loved everything we ordered. Braised short ribs, pecan-crusted chicken, the breaded eggplant and the pasta with shrimp were all thoroughly enjoyed. We couldn't resist the desserts so we shared the molten chocolate cake, Apple strudel (my personal favourite) and warm banana & rum with vanilla ice cream. Delish! What a lovely and varied menu. We will be back again soon! read more

Always a great time at the Monkey Bar, with delicious food and warm service. This time, I tried their pecan crusted chicken breast. I normally don't order chicken at a nicer restaurant but I had to try because of the positive reviews. I don't know how they do it but this is possibly the juiciest chicken breast I remember ever having. Literally cooked to perfection. This restaurant is a must try! read more

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Small menu with everything prepared beautifully. Simple but delicious. Service though is the highlight like being at your best friends house or maybe grandma's house. Wine list is expensive and could do with a few choices for week night dinner. read more

Superb staff and good always exceptional!! The owners son is amazing with all his customers !!! Bravo to this restaurent !! It's an A in my list!! read more

Exceptional cusine. Everything tastes fresh and homemade. It is apparent that the owner/chef takes takes time in creating & crafting delicious & unique dishes to please anyones pallet. read more

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Food was good, small tight space but service was not great, just enough to get a pass and they weren't even that busy. Staff was just friends enough with an air of indifference. Sometimes we felt like we were bothering them when we needed something. Will not return again read more

I have been here twice now and both time with a business colleagues. Both times, it was a great experience. The first time I had the braised beef short ribs and the second was panko-crusted eggplant. Both excellent. It's clear there is a deep passion for good food. The last time we requested the warm goat cheese starter for three. The waiter rocked on his feet for a few seconds and said, "well it's really for two". He rocked for a few seconds again and disappeared. When he returned the Chef had made it for three. Well done sir, well done! The ambiance is quiet, the staff is attentive, unassuming, and make it look very easy. Clearly many are returning as many seemed to know each other. Try to sit in the back during the cold months as the door opening can get your attention very fast. The place isn't very big, so I suggest you make reservations. The Chef came out to us both times as were leaving, and he thanked us for coming. Parking can be exciting so pay attention. There might be some opening on Snowden which is the next street south on Yonge. read more

Doesn't get better than this anywhere in Toronto. Fabulous food cooked perfect, great service. Their bison burger( only as a special) is the best burger in Toronto and frites as well. The rack of lamb is my wife's favorite and a perfect medium rare. This was our last weekend in Toronto, celebrated with close friends and when we do return to visit this will be the first restaurant on our list. Thank you Richard and Melissa for all the fabulous memories. Don't miss this family owned gem read more

First things first, this place is on the pricey end. Don't let the word "bar" fool you. I got a groupon daily deal $30 for $60 worth of food (if I remember correctly). It is best to try to reserve a spot because it was pretty crowded although it was Friday around 8. We ordered one set course meal ($35) and one entree ($19). The set course meal consisted of: one salad, one entree and one dessert. We got the brie salad which was 2 lettuce with 2 fried brie pieces which was nice and gooey, entree was bison meatloaf which was a bit salty for me but still very very tasty and lastly and the best we got eton mess for dessert. Eton mess was lemon curds with maccaron layer and strawberries, it was the perfect sweetness and tartness . The other entree we got was angel hair tiger shrimp pasta which was delicious and the shrimp was huge. The reason why I gave it 3 stars is because although it was tasty, I wouldn't go again because its just a once in a long while thing cause it was just too pricey for me (I'm a student). I would rather get a steak at the price. I went for the experience but I would recommend it to someone with a fatter wallet! read more

The Monkey Bar - Bison meatloaf - Canadian (New) Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Our Summerlicious pick this year in an effort to explore more restaurants near us. The set menu looked good for $35 tier. Started with the grilled octopus which was very tender and came with chipotle aioli for dipping. My bf had the caesar salad which didn't really stand out as anything particularly special but he liked it. For main course we both got rack of lamb. It was very good. Cooked a perfect med-rare. The garlic mashed potatoes were amazing! My portioning was great, but my bf noted he got an end piece which was mostly bone so it felt like he had one less piece. Dessert was a nice conclusion to the meal. I chose the Eton Mess which was nice and light with a generous serving of raspberry sauce and a large meringue. My bf got the ice cream sandwiches. All in all our food was quite enjoyable and we'll consider coming back. Service was a bit curt at times but they were really busy so perhaps on a regular dinner service they are nicer and less stressed looking read more

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I'm kind of confused as to why this place is so highly rated on Yelp. After going through a few reviews, I noticed that the owner writes comments back on most of them, and when there are any not-so-positive reviews with 3 stars and under, his replies come off a bit rude and pretentious LOL - read it for yourself and see... Interesting! Anyway, I'm giving this place a 2/5 - I came here for Summerlicious and I thought the food was alright, but certainly not worth $43 for their 3-course meals. I specifically got the Spring Rolls to start, the Veal Schnitzel to follow, and the Eton Mess for dessert. Eerything tasted pretty basic - seemed like I could easily make these things for myself at home. The service was strange. I had successfully called in for reservations for 2 people at 6:30pm earlier on in the day, and the guy who was speaking to me was quite nice/friendly. I realized last minute that we were going to be a bit late so I called in again and asked if we could do 7pm instead. A girl picked up the phone this time around and told us they couldn't change the time and that "you must finish within a 1.5 hour limit, which the person you first reserved with told you, so you will only have from 7pm - 8pm". No one told us there was a 1.5 hour limit in our initial call though... But okay, whatever, that's fine - we ended up getting seated at around 6:45pm. When we got in, we tried to rush a bit knowing that they wanted us out by 8pm, but it was SO hard getting anyone's attention for water or to order. After we finally ordered, it took FOREVER to get our food. Our server was not very conversational or attentive - we had a much better experience with the food runner. I don't think restaurants should be giving time constraints to guests when they themselves are causing delays due to their employees' unresponsiveness. By 8pm, we hadn't even put in our dessert order yet because everything was moving so slowly. We ended up leaving around 8:30pm, and no one really mentioned needing the table prior to that, so I'm not sure why the first girl on the phone was so adamant and pushy about it. We rushed for no reason! All in all, the food was okay but overpriced and the service was slow and a bit awkward. The food runner we had was amazing though! But ya, I probably wouldn't return to this place again. read more

Summary: a great choice Service: 8/10 Food Quality: 10/10 Ambiance: 8/10 I've been to the Monkey Bar approx 20 times over 5 years as I live in the area. The quality of the food is outstanding - it's clear the chef/owner takes pride in what he serves his clients; with quality, fresh ingredients. The ambiance is average - nothing special. The service is fine. A summary of some of the items I've had include: Planko-crusted eggplant - 10/10 Shiitake -mushroom egg roll - 5/10 Calamari - 8/10 Pistachio goat cheese -8/10 Penne - 10 Ravioli - 10 (superb) Duck -9/10 Veal Chop -9/10 Rack of Lamb - 8/10 read more

This is amazing overall - there was a couple of dish that I found ok: lamb chops and liver. Everyone in my group loved the soup, my goat cheese salad is amazing,and the steaks were awesome (according to my family). Lamb chops though is a hit and miss everywhere - it's very tricky to make. I like the place overall. It's not a big place and there are enough servers to feed the hungry. Street parking can be tricky - there's not plenty. But it's worth the trip and worth the hassle. My private was freezing because I was sitting beside the door and some people forget to close the double door, who does that? But freezing private (I know TMI) or not, I'll come back here. I recommend this place - order steak and appetizer. read more

I recently hosted a couple of guests for Winterlicious -- it's a good choice for the neighborhood and price point. The panko-crusted brie with cranberry orange sauce was my favorite started, closely followed by the celery root and apple salad with candied walnuts, parmesan cheese and lemon thyme dressing. Solid choices in the mains categories were the grilled rainbow trout with lemon arugula pesto sauce, vegetables and garlic mash potato and roasted chicken breast with mexican mole sauce, vegetables and sweet potato mash. I was sure that dessert was going to be the best part of meal (eton mess - lemon curd, whipped cream, meringue and pineapple), but it was a bit unwieldy on the plate and quite sticky. Still, it did taste good! The staff were very attentive and accommodating with food intolerances (i.e. gluten) and easily made recommendations. Service is very good. One of the best aspects of this restaurant is the low noise level. Even filled on a Saturday night, the noise level was low enough to speak at a low volume without needing to shout. That's a rare feature nowadays. The bathrooms, on the other hand, were kind of scary. Classic Toronto basement-style restroom down steep stairs and low-hanging ceilings and a bit grimy. read more

The Monkey is truly a local midtown gem. My family and I frequent this establishment when we are in the neighbourhood. It offers a classic menu with a little something for everyone. I would definitely recommend the lamb, short ribs and the calamari. The short ribs are fall of the bone tender dressed in a delicious gravy while the calamari is perfectly seasoned and grilled to perfection. P.S. the bread was so fresh and delicious! read more

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Modern cozy restaurant of smart casual dinning. My experience this evening was wonderful. The restaurant wasn't too busy which made table chat a breeze. The server was gracious, knowledgable, and kind. The food was so authentic and full or flavor. It made me feel that the food I have come accustomed to eating at restaurants is of a much lower quality in comparison to this delicious wake up call. The prices with that said are in line with the quality of the food. Our table average per head was $40 which included desert, drink, tax, and a nice tip. Go visit it sometime and don't be intimidated by the "fancy" dress code Yelp says it has, the establishment still has that warm, locally run feeling which is so welcoming. Yumm. read more

This place is a great "higher end" neighborhood spot. My family has been going for years. The food is consistently good. They arent trying to be anything they're not. This is essentially the only place I ever order chicken on a menu. It's pecan crusted, uber juicy, hearty and comes with this creamy mustard sauce that is rich in the best way. The dude who owns it is also just the kind of guy that you want to route for. He always comes out in his pajama pants (his uniform) and says hi. read more

I dropped by based on the reviews here. Was looking for good food and a glass of wine. Veal was cooked perfectly . Great service. Awesome food. Nice California wine. Resisted dessert this time likely won't next time. Will be back. Owner Mellissa and chef husband run a nice operation here. read more

I've been here a few times and honestly this place never disappoints. Tonight was another amazing dinner. I had the Calamari salad to start. Sooooo juicy and yet had the wonderful char marks that one would associate with grilled calamari. Following that I enjoyed a seared to perfection blue rare 10oz New York striploin (I like it rare) and it was like cutting through butter. My hubby (it's his bday ;)) had the veal chop. OMG. Both dishes had the beefy flavor without the stink. Although the rub is slightly on the salty side ( personal tastes) I have to say the quality has always been amazing. Again what is dinner without amazing service? Well the staff here are stellar. Absolutely amazing. Friendly, personal and smiling. (Even with a few screaming kids) common you have to be an saint. No wonder they've been here for 15yrs and counting. Here's to another 15 read more

Went to the Monkey Bar and Grill last night with a group of 4. Service was great, food came very fast. I had the potato and leek soup to start which was very clean, healthy and delicious. For my main I had the braised short rib with shoestring fries. The ribs were braised to perfection and the fries plentiful. My family had the fish special which they enjoyed and the pecan crusted chicken which I've had before and is amazing. Restaurant is clean, homey, and healthy. Would recommend 10/10. read more

I'd like to preface this review by saying I've only been here once and it was during Winterlicious. I've had a lot of bad experiences with Winter/Summer licious dining but I decided to give this a go on a weeknight. OK - $25 for a 3 course dinner instead of for one entree sounds great but it honestly felt like $25 worth of quality food was stretched across the 3 courses. The apps, main and dessert all felt pre-prepared as they came out so quick and a lot of the side dishes were repeated between different meals of schnitzel and veal. I know they have to make money but I was hoping for a bit more. I read a lot of great things about this place and was very excited to try a local neighborhood gem. The atmosphere was nice and I like the diverse nature of the menu. I will come back though and order off the main menu at some point and reassess. read more

Great setting and atmosphere. The design layout is a bit awkward as you have to walk quite a bit into the restaurant/bar area before the waitresses greet you for seating. Overall the food was great, especially their desserts which caught me by surprise. Although the food was great, it doesn't quite stand out as exceptional due to its price but is definitely a candidate to visit again. read more

The name, which is certainly not synonymous with "The Rain Forest Café", doesn't do justice to this restaurant's no-nonsense service and great food. Trust me, I hate fish. After one meal, this chef has convinced me that there's hope. I loved the atmosphere and that certain coziness that comes from have having dinner on a cold Saturday night in a restaurant with a full window view of Yonge St. This restaurant is one of up-towns hidden treasures. read more

Everything about this place was amazing, from the service, ambiance, drink and FOOD! I had the Chinese pancake as an app, maple glazed salmon for a main, and the eton mess for dessert. I was with a table of 4 and each of us got something different and we were all impressed. Will make the trek back! read more

Friendly, excellent service Wide variety on the menu..everything is great! Nice decor and ambience Great location I just hope it remains viable...most nights it's quite empty. A excellent restaurant...deserves better attendance. read more

Very enjoyable food. Smaller portion sizes but all the flavours and textures were on point. Prices were reasonable for a more upscale dining experience. Small and intimate setting. Very noisy when full. Family run restaurant. Service was alright, except it took forever for our bills to come. However, would not come back as nothing stood out as anything needing to be experienced again. read more

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This is such a romantic restaurant! I wish more guys took me to hidden places like this instead of fancy expensive joints on Wellington. This Italian restaurant is as authentic as it can get. The menu contains diverse dishes to satisfy most people. You can get lamb, duck, liver, veal, steak, pasta so on and such. I had shrimps, which was delicious. The sauce was so tasty! I had an ice cream for dessert, which was amazing too. Men. Listen to my advice. Take your lady here and you will have a date to remember! read more

Googled this restaurant on a whim as during our visit to Toronto we had stayed downtown to eat for the most part. Though about a half hour drive from downtown this restaurant was worth it. Every dish we had (calf's liver and braised short ribs) was delicious. Service was excellent (we were waited on by the owner's daughter). In sum if you live in Toronto or visiting you should make a stop to this restaurant! read more

Came here last night for a dinner with some good friends. We all decided to do the winterlicious menu. App: Chinese Pancake with Duck Confit (2) Main: Salmon with maple chipotle glaze, sides: string beans, bok choy and sweet potato fries Dessert: Brownie with Raspberry Sorbet All the portions were regular size! This was a pleasant surprise. Everything but the dessert was wonderful. I found the brownie a little over cooked let's just say I couldn't cut it in half). The salmon was cooked perfectly. I would go back just for the salmon. Service was quick but I did feel a little rushed near the end. The place is on the small side so it was packed! Make reservations! read more

Great food, great ambience. My wife says the lamb is to die for. I had their cod special and it was fantastic. They even accommodated us for a 9pm sitting. read more

Monkey Bar is a modern upscale restaurant with a homey atmosphere, serving a variety of 'honest' food - the meals weren't overly fussy or trendy, the ingredients are fresh and explicitly stated, but there's a slight twist that just adds something special to the classic dishes. DECOR: The decor is modern and intimate, with a long narrow layout that can be a bit awkward to walk through if you're seated at the back but overall i think it keeps the noises down as it's not your average large square dining room with everyone bustling about. SERVICE: The sever was friendly, took the time to chat with us, and was knowledgeable about the chef's techniques. She made recommendations and wasn't overly obtrusive. MEAL: Our starters included the calamari (which others said was fantastic), and an asparagus soup that was flavourful and creamy, despite being dairy-free! I'd eat my vegetables every day if i had this recipe. The main dishes were the crispy duck legs with shoe string fries and hoi-sin jus vegetables, seared salmon with vegetables and a sweet potato mash, and the pecan-crusted chicken breast with vegetables and a mustard cream sauce, and sweet potato fries. Everything was just perfect. The duck legs were crisped to perfection without having that greasy Swiss Chalet taste which is easy to overdo when it comes to legs. They were seasoned nicely and the shoestring fries were a great light complement to the heavier meat. The salmon was a generous portion size, and the potato mash had a great texture and body. The vegetables all still retained their crunch, and were presented nicely rather than a slapped on side dish. The chicken breast was large and moist, and the mustard cream sauce was a perfect pairing with the crispy coating. The bonus was how nicely the meals were plated. It was a different spin on the classic chicken, duck, and fish dishes you'll usually find, and I'd certainly recommend any of the dishes to a friend. DESSERT: For dessert, we shared the apple strudel. WOW. The portion size was very generous, two large strudel rolls and vanilla ice cream to top it off. The pastry was thick yet flaky, with a unique flavour that was almost reminiscent of baklava with a hint of honey. The apples weren't too syrupy nor too dry, and the pastry to apple ratio was on the money. BOTTOM LINE: I couldn't get enough of this place! Would definitely recommend to others and return again. read more

Rude host/waiter and overpriced food.

We went here with a reservation over winterlicious on a Saturday night. I'm not sure where the name came from because it is a rather small and non descript restaurant. Still very nice and matches the yonge and Lawrence area. I think most other patrons there were in the 40+ age range so I felt a bit out of place. They seated us quickly but it probably in the least comfortable spot. The food was good , no complaints, and the service was timely. nothing exceptional however. read more

Visiting The Monkey Bar and Grill has become an annual tradition for me and my mom. We have been here every winterlicious for the past 3 years (this year will be no different, of course). The food is delicious and the service is extremely warm and attentive. We have been during the "off season" whenever my mom craves a good rack of lamb but it is a bit out of the way for us. Winterlicious definitely keeps us coming. read more

Went with friends tonight for winterlicous. That on a Monday night a restaurant can be so full is a testament to the quality not only of the food, but also of the service. The menu was excellent and the wait staff attentive and personable. We all had a hard time choosing what to eat it all looked so enticing. I chose the tourtière with braised red cabbage and a chicken spring roll starter. The rolls were hot, fresh out of the deep fryer, but not a drip of oil on them. Tasty. The main was so delicious. Comfort food for winter. The portion was so generous I couldn't finish it. For dessert again the choices were difficult. I had the banana muffin with chocolate cream cheese icing. De-lish-ous! We lingered a long time after our meal was finished and the wait staff continued to fill our water glasses and ask if we wanted a top up of our coffees. Our friends now have a new place on their list to go for dinner. I love sharing great places to eat. The only downside for me is will I be able to get a reservation next time? read more

Great place. Awesome food. Would go back for sure. Not cheap but you get what you pay for.

Richard the chef has a no nonsense approach to food. Solid, good flavors with fresh ingredients. I know what I am getting and sometimes I like that. Service was nice but not great. A solid place in my goto list. read more

Good place for special occasion. Ontario beer is good. Try it. We had fish, shrimps and chiken.

Went here for Winterliscious and thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Wait staff was fabulous, very friendly and informative. My chickpea crusted shrimp appetizer was scrumptious followed by Arctic char that was cooked to perfection. I finished my meal with a very tasty sticky toffee pudding and our wine (Riesling) went so well with the meal. Would highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely be going back! read more

Great restaurant. We had the duck confit and the steak frites. Both were cooked to perfection. We shared the Eton mess for dessert. Wow wow wow! Reasonably priced too...with alcohol the bill to $150 all in. read more