Heading west, just past the Del Prado intersection on the south side of Cape Coral Parkway lies Monkey Bar and Steakhouse, one of very few fun hangouts that remain in SE Cape. Monkey Bar is located at 1428 Lafayette Street, close to downtown Cape. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this area of the, you should know that Lafayette Street is directly behind the newly renovated Holiday Inn Express and runs parallel to Cape Coral Parkway. You will find this information tremendously useful if you’re anything like me, who continuously misses the turn and drives in circles for 10 minutes until I find it.
Monkey Bar is a unique, Key West style spot that is set-up so the majority of its patrons are seated outside. The main bar area is covered, so you won’t have to worry about getting blasted with rain during hurricane season, but it also contains plenty of fans and air circulation so you won’t break out into a full-body sweat as soon as you sit down.
While Monkey Bar seems to promote steaks as their signature, they also have a variety of Asian, Italian and Southern inspired dishes. They have an particularly large selection of fresh salads, sandwiches and seafood and for those who are looking for a small bite to eat, their appetizer selection is rather extensive, with starters ranging from Chicken Wings and Mozzarella Sticks to Crab Cakes and Grouper Bites (both of which are delicious I might add).
Prices are extremely reasonable, ranging from $6 to $9 for salads, appetizers and sandwiches, up to $23 for their signature steaks.
Along with their tasty food selections, Monkey Bar offers a Happy Hour that includes ½ price draft beer and well drinks everyday from 12pm-8pm and live music 7 days a week.
If you’re looking for a fun, unpretentious place to enjoy the ambiance of Southwest Florida, Monkey Bar is the definitely the place to go. If, by the off chance, you find yourself driving in circles, pleased don’t get discouraged. I can assure you that even though it’s a little hard to find, it’s a lot harder to want to leave!
For directions, menu information and upcoming events go to www.monkeybarandsteakhouse.com or call (239) 549-8800
