Midtown, Manhattan · bar
An art-deco time capsule tucked inside the Hotel Elysée on East 54th, Monkey Bar blends old-New-York swagger with modern polish. The red leather booths wrap around a dramatic mural of monkeys (yes, literal monkeys) that watches over a menu built for indulgence—Wagyu cheeseburgers, French dips, steaks—and cocktails that lean classic with flair. It’s the kind of spot where the lighting dims just enough and the jukebox (or piano) hums so you forget you’re in Midtown.