Come enjoy a delectable dish at Monkey Joe's Bar & Grill. They are open at night Sunday and throughout week-ends. You can get there by car. They are established in a surrounding packed with parks.
average sports bar, good choice of sandwiches and burgers. I enjoyed the selection of beers on tap. my onky concern is that the cleanliness can be slightly better.
Horrible service, we had to ask to order drinks, food and extra cutlery. Our server ignored us all night until we were her only table and then when she got another table we were ignored again. I was told I was doing the restaurant a favor when I asked to pay my bill first when my 6 month old was getting a little fussy because we had been there for almost 3 hours because of the horrible and slow service.
I will never ever return nor will I ever recommend this restaurant to anyone even though the food was good.
Monkey Joe's used to be a place where I would go for a few drinks once or twice a month. Until then, the only issue I had with that place was the filthy washroom. Some time ago, I was sitting at the bar and decided to try the menu and ordered chicken wings. It took at least 25 minutes for the food to arrive. The restaurant was not very busy. The chicken had turned so badly that it was evident not just by the taste, the smell from the first wing that I ripped opened was repulsive. I asked the bartender to return my dish to the kitchen. She comes back with the manager a few minutes later. I explained to him that all he needs to do is smell the dish that was served to me to understand why I refused it. He said that it smelled and tasted just fine. I then just asked for my bill and walked out. Others that were sitting near me and smelled that chicken and heard what the manager had to say also left along with me and my guest. We all went to another restaurant. The only positive that came out that evening is the new friends I made. The indifferent looks and comments I got from the bartender while she was getting my bill was pushing me over the edge. I can accept a mistake from the kitchen. However, the lack of service and professionalism, unwilliness to listen to a customer complaint and all around lack of caring from both the server and her manager was appalling. Never again.
We recently went in with a large group to Monkey Joes for a friday lunch party. The selection was pretty good and the prices were pretty fair. The server suggested I order the nachos, server said" they were best in the city". Overall the food has that homemade feel to it. Was very happy with the nachos, and would return again for them. The service was great, kept coming over to make sure our group was satisfied and that our drinks were always filled.
The gentlemen at the front door was very accommodating in setting up our table, my boss requested to sit in the private back area. Excellent place for a large work group to hold a party or meeting.
Alright, I have been to this restaurant about 3-4 times this year because it is located beside the cruise night car shows we attend and I am always disapointed. The waitresses are rude, slow and lacking general personality. These people should be taring tickets at a theatre or involved in road kill clean up...I think that was what we have been served?? Plain and simple pricey food, horrible service and the food is worse than cancer. if anyone has something nice to say about this place they are eithor the owners or being paid to say it is a nice place.
The food is always great here. Great nachos! Nice portions. We usually eat on the patio and the staff is helpful and attentive. I really like this place and can't understand the poor rating.
It's hard to hire good people in this kind of business but it is important to hire mature people and those who know how to coordinate a meal, drinks ect. This has happened for us on quite a few occasions that the waitress was AWOL or rude if I had asked for something extra. We tip very well but not as of late with this place.
the quesadillas are delicious. best in the city...
the quesadillas are delicious. best in the city.
the waitstaff is unbelievable though. i think the only time i've ever not tipped a waitress AT ALL was at MJs. she was out of sight 99% of the time, and she was REALLY rude when i complained that my quesadillas had meat in them (i'm vegetarian!)
also once the owner or GM of the place pretty much yelled at my boyfriend because i had been waiting in a booth for him for a while.. how's that any of HIS business???
we went a few times, but i think we're done with the place..
I eat at Monkey Joe's about 8 times a summer when my sports are nearby. The food is always good...I've never been disappointed nor has the rest of the team expressed dissatisfaction with the food. Their veggie burger is one of the best in the city...really, really good. Their fajitas are tasty...lots of guac, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, onions and the veggies weren't too big. The service sometimes is a little slow but it's hard to tell what it would be like if we weren't a group of 10 or more. When the food comes out though, it's all at the same time which is nice. That takes a lot of coordination with groups that big. The staff is friendly even with some "trying" people. I'd go more if I lived in the area.
My husband I decided to meet last night on the patio at Monkey Joes' for drinks & dinner. (August 20, 2008) Husband arrived at 6:30 pm and took a seat on the outdoor patio which we wanted to do is have dinner somewhere on an outdoor patio...so I suggested MJ's.
There were 3 servers out on the patio and no one acknowledged him. 10 min went by and he went inside to the bar to purchase a beer. He came back out on the patio and asked a server if he could sit anywhere and one server said "sure".
I arrived at 6:50 pm and joined my husband on the patio. Another 10 min went by and no server acknowledged me whatsoever. They were all serving the tables surrounding us and I was starting to wonder is there something wrong with us as not to get service?
At 7:05 pm hubby went inside to speak with the night manager. Manager came out and told one of the servers to serve Table 11. Apparently all servers were under the impression that someone else was assigned to our table.
The server who was instructed to serve us by the manager approached our table with a terrible attitude. The manager never even once apologized for the inconvenience or offer some type of goodwill gesture to make up for the problem wait time. Once our beers were empty no once did the server ask us if we would like another beer (just bad service) - we had to ask for it!!!!
At the end, the manager never once apologized and it was a very bad feeling all around and not to even offer some type of goodwill.
DEFINITELY WON'T BE BACK THERE!!!
Nachos were plentiful and quite tasty. A hefty price for nachos but you do get a lot. The service was not that good at all. They seated us at the bar but the restaurant was not full. We had to endure some loud local boozers when eating our meal which put a big damper on the experience.
I have been going to Monkey Joe's since the doors...
I have been going to Monkey Joe's since the doors opened and am sad to report that I will not go back. I said the same thing last summer and gave it another go but came to the same conclusion.
Our party of 4 arrived at 5pm and despite being seated immediately, we were not acknowledged by a server for 20 minutes and we had to go tell someone that. We then advised that we had to be out by 6pm. An alternate server delivered our food and described my meal as "some sort of chicken wrap thing? when trying to figure out who it belonged to. We then reminded the server to bring our bills as it is now 15 minutes prior to our departure time. The bills were brought promptly but nobody came back to take payment. When they finally did they didn't bring me my change, I had to hunt them down.
The food quality was mediocre and I am not even certain the wrap I got is what I ordered.
It is very disappointing indeed to see a pary of my life history become a thing of the past.
By the way, the last time I was there we complained about the food quality and were told the cooks were fighting, sorry....
Imagine!
Like a previous reviewer, the hostess turned us...
Like a previous reviewer, the hostess turned us away - or at least tried to before the Manager corrected her saying 10-15 minute wait and offered for us to wait at the bar. Upon getting to the bar area, we saw a space with two seats and abandoned drinks. The bartender brusquely informed us that the spots were taken [period]. We then tried to wrangle up some seats nearby (luckily some diners had one spare they let us borrow). Upon shifting one of the chairs, my guest was affronted by the same 'tender with the words "thanks for asking" - implying that the was the God of chairs. When the two drinkers got back from smoking they were offensive. Now normally I wouldn't hold the actions of patrons against the staff, but one would hope that the servers would be trying to mediate rather than appeasing their buddies / bar-toads.
Luckily, at that point a table became available and we were guided away. Our server *almost* made up for the previous treatment. She was on the top of her game, food and drinks were prompt and refills on-time.
My guests pasta was on the bland side, but the server not once but twice came with parmesan (the second time leaving it) to spice it up.
The food was plentiful, and by the end we were too full, not to mention still a bit rankled from our greeting, so we passed on dessert; so I cannot comment on that.
In all, I highly doubt I will ever return, and never during the dinner rush.
Thi splace always seems to get either a really positive review or a terrible one. I have lived in Ottawa my whole Life and have been going to Monkey joes since I was a kid. I personally have never had a problem with this place, the nachos are the best in the city for my money. I will admit the only other things I have had on there menu are the potato skins(excellent). But overall I will keep going back again and again. this place is great
Free salted peanuts are good idea. Mostly the food is good, the service is usually acceptable, but one particular bartender has a revolting attitude. The demeanor of the place isn't what it used to be when the old format "bar" was in the middle of the restaurant, not wedged way over on one side. The tables were better arranged and use of space more efficient.
The food was average. It used to be good enough...
The food was average. It used to be good enough to return to, but not anymore. The service was just bad.
What AMAZED me was that when I pointed out that I was charged the 20 oz price for a 14 oz Stella, both the waiter and manager agrued first that it was 20oz. The waiter got a 20 oz glass of water and could only pour 2/3 of it into my glass. The manager just insisted that this was a 20 oz glass, even though clearly marked 40cl (14oz). No offer to correct the bill. We told them that we were not happy, and still nothing.
We will never go back, just because of the service.
The food was okay, wasn't amazing, but the service was terrible. I could here the manager or owner, not sure who, screaming at the top of there lungs to the servers/bartender. The server dissappeared for 30 minutes, and when we went to ask the bartender where our server was, this 40 yr old man just started yelling at us to wait. Would never go back, obviously this restaurant isn't going to last. Service in all ends is horrific!
Drove through Ottawa and heard ALOT about this place and I just had to go. Everything was fantastic!!!! Met the owner and I tell you they take pride in what they do. Makes you feel as though you were family. LOVE IT!
Much celebrated and always talked about, the nachos at Monkey Joe’s are arguably the best in the city. Made in-house, Joe’s Famous Nacho Supreme gives you a choice of chicken or spiced beef, with white corn chips smothered with melted Monterey Jack, hot jungle salsa, beans, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, green onions and sour cream.
