Monkey Chews

Now, I’m not one to usually do a lot of eating in pubs. Pub food is usually stodgy, frozen and not particularly vegetarian-​friendly.
But Monkey Chews’ veggie burger, FTW.
It came out piping hot and full of amazing. Yeah, I ate it with a fork and knife because a) it was falling apart and b) I didn’t want to eat it with the bun because, greedy thing that I am, I wanted to eat ALL of the rosemary chips accompanying it before getting too full.
And, as for a) someone came out to ask me how I was enjoying my veggie burger, and after I told him that it was fabulous he explained how the kitchen has been trying to get it to a consistency that would hold itself together (I suggested vital wheat gluten, and he seemed appreciative). Points given for genuine interest in a customer’s satisfaction.
As for b) the fresh rosemary-​encrusted chip rounds were crazy good.
Seriously, Monkey Chews does some great pub food. It’s way classier than regular pub food, but it is humble enough not to beg for a ‘gastro’ prefix.

Before you ask, I don’t know! No, there were no monkeys and no one was chewing anything! Still, at least it’s an interesting name will remember rather than the Sheep & Squirrel or the King Helmut the 3^rd!
Monkey Chews is located off the main road but seems to thrive on a loyal local clientele.
The decoration is a bit of an eclectic mix with the overall theme being slightly retro and gothic rather than modern. The drinks menu is impressive though I stuck with my non alcoholic fare. The snacks I’ve eaten here were tasty and some effort had to made to prepare them fresh rather then cooking pre-​packaged food.
It’s not the sort of place I would normally frequent but I did enjoy my visit here. Would have been nice to see the odd monkey around though!

Monkey Chew is tucked away and it’s a little gem. It has the feel of a rock and roll pub and some great decoration, the old school film posters had me intrigued. The music is a good mix of the unusual and the main stream
There is a good drinks choice on display and very friendly bar staff.
The bar menu has a good range and my pick was the BBQ ribs with chips & salad. Now when they say ribs they mean ribs, these things were huge, meaty and slavered in lovely, tangy BBQ sauce. The chips were of the thin variety (my favourite) and the salad was a good mixture of leaves (could have done with some cherry tomatoes IMO) and the portion was suitably filling. For £8.50 you cannot complain and I am not!

Monkey Chews — the name says it all! How could you possibly not love a pub with this funny name?!
This pub is seriously chilled out and yet seriously fun.
It looks kinda gothic, with blood red walls, dim candle light and wooden floors. It’s definitely a nice cozy place have a drink when it’s raining outside.
The staff are cool as cucumbers, and they have a selection of very schnazzy vodka infusions to offer you… chilli and lime vodka, lemongrass and ginger vodka, BUTTERSCOTCH VODKA (sooooooooo gooooooood)…the list goes on…
They get good djs and bands in too, and have a selection of foods (they also cater for parties, with platters etc).
The only problem I have with Monkey Chews, is finding it! I have been here a few times, but always led by others and always after a few drinkies… it is slightly off the beaten track of Camden, in a residential area, but I think this probably adds to its charm and makes it a more relaxed place to hang out.

Monkey Chews seems a bit out of place since the surrounding area is all residential. nonetheless, it is a lively bar with little monkey motifs scattered about. where else can you spy carved monkey coconuts hanging from the ceiling and accidentally sit on a stuffed monkey? at first it seemed a bit grungy and dead but once more people started coming it, it was ok. feels like a very locals kind of place. bartenders are quick and drinks are good.

Like a magic lair in the red light district, walls adorned with 1930’s movie posters and breathy voices serenading my ears, Monkey Chews is sexy, the dirty forbidden kind of sexy.
The candles and red lighting are a perfect mix and the place has atmosphere. It has a vibe that I haven’t felt in a bar in a long time.
Hidden amongst housing and offering all the things a pub should do, this is a locale I’ve somehow missed for the year I’ve lived around the corner. Plenty of beer options on tap, a basic pub menu with some Oriental dishes randomly slotted in and friendly staff.

Think one of the scarier scenes in Max Payne, fully serviced with the accompanying music and lighting. It’s a deep red ruby lighting that adorns this place. Strange posters of years gone by cling to some walls, it reminds me of a crazed stalker. Then there is dark wood panelled or red finish, just to add to the sinister, or is it sultry vampiric scene. With stairs in strange places, random clutter and the deep purposeful beats of Portishead lulling me into a dark dream, I expect it won’t be long before I am taken by a creature of the night.
Welcome to Monkey Chews. It is a musty dark bar that borders on the precipice of alternative into demonic. It truly belongs in a Blade movie. I love it. Reasonably priced beer and the lulling morbid nature of this place is totally hypnotising.
Head in the back and you have an open kitchen making a surprisingly small menu. Nevertheless this is a great hideaway place to chill with a date or a friend.

Seek and you shall find, is that how the saying goes?
Well, when in North London, i recommend you seek out Monkey Chews. The first time i ever visited was for an after party of a local gallery, i was really amused by the name so skipped of happily to enjoy the night. And enjoy i did.
It’s a fantastic, small bar with a great atmosphere. They have great nights here with some amazing DJ’s AND it’s available for private parties, of which I’ve been to many here and it’s a favourite venue of mine for such events. Check it out.

I stumbled across Monkey Chews by complete accident after showing up for a gig on the wrong night at another venue. It hidden away in a residential street a stones throw from Chalk Farm Station.
My first impressions of the place were not good. It looked quite grubby with leather seats which were very worn and a table that was well scratched into. However, having already had a bad day I decided to give it a go anyway. The seats, despite being worn, were quite comfy and a welcome change from the stiff wooden ones in other pubs. Once I had settled in my seat, everything else fell into place. The dark red walls and dim lighting set up an atmosphere which made me feel really relaxed, warm and settled. It was a little like sitting in someones living room.
The main attraction to Monkey Chews upon my visit was the open mic night. Open mic night was enjoyable. Fun was the main thing on the agenda and the acts (of varying quality) seemed to appreciate having an audience. Anybody could step up and have a go and no-​one was judged for their performance. It seems like a good place to try out material if you are an artist on the circuit looking to get started.
When visiting the toilet I noticed the restaurant area at the back which looked a lot tidier than the pub at the front and although in this case it was empty, it looked like a nice place to share a meal with friends.
Another thing I quite liked about Monkey Chews was that because of its location it meant that it was not packed out and held a handful of regulars who had specifically sought that venue for their night out. Service at the bar was good and the bar staff appeared to have a rapport with the locals.

This used to be my local, when I lived in North London, Monkey Chews is a lovely bar that serves great comfort food like roast chicken and mash potatoes! mm mm.
It’s off the beaten track but it’s such a gem, the interior reminds me of some of the pubs i used to visit in Brooklyn, it’s quite dark, red walls, lots of candles! just how i like it!
The music is cool and they have live acts some nights and a DJ at the weekends oh and great cocktails too.
Check it out if you are in the neighbourhood.