The Monkey Bar & Grill

What is The Monkey Bar & Grill? Perched along Yonge Street just north of Lawrence Avenue, The Monkey Bar & Grill is an enduring Lawrence Park North bistro run by chef-proprietor Richard Fox-Revett (an alumnus of Splendido, Centro, and The Windsor Arms) alongside his family. The intimate dining room trades fleeting culinary trends for low-lit comfort, framed by warm woodwork, crisp white linens, and a welcoming neighborhood bar counter. Serving midtown Toronto for roughly three decades, it functions as a reliable, upscale dining room anchored by polished hospitality.

The Monkey Bar & Grill Menu & What to Order The kitchen balances classic French bistro sensibilities with contemporary North American comfort, making virtually everything in-house down to the sauces and hand-cranked ice creams. Longtime regulars swear by the roasted rack of lamb with garlic mash in herb jus, the fall-apart braised beef short ribs, and the chickpea-crusted shrimp with citrus chipotle glaze. Plant-forward and gluten-free eaters will appreciate thoughtfully composed options like panko-crusted eggplant with portobello mushrooms, best rounded off with a stiff martini or a selection from the global wine list.

Know Before You Go Given the loyal local following, reservations made directly by phone or email are strongly recommended for weekend dinners. Service runs exclusively for dinner Tuesday through Saturday starting at 5:00 p.m. Lawrence subway station on Line 1 is a short five-minute walk south, while street parking and nearby Green P lots serve drivers along Yonge.