Pan-Asian cocktail bar Monkey Thief, a bar that debuted in Hell’s Kitchen in October 2024, is making a comeback in the neighborhood after it closed in June amid liquor license renewal challenges. Community board filings indicate that it will reopen in a new location at 754 Ninth Ave. It appears to have plans to take over the A Side Pizza & Pasta Bar space at the location.
Avi Singh and David Muhs are behind Monkey Thief. It appears that the new spot will feature the same menu as the original location, including oysters, beef koi, white fish crudo, chicken bao, dumplings, shroom salad, fried chicken and snacks such as corn nuts and calamari. Signature cocktails include 7 Long Years with tequila, green chili, pineapple, lime and sesame, and Too Cool for You with cognac, montenegro, pistachio, rose, raspberry and cardamom.
The spot is expected to feature 17 tables with 83 seats and two bars that will seat 18. The proposed hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, with hours extended to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
In light of the issues with the liquor license at the original location on West 47th Street, Singh and Muhs pivoted to a new concept in that space. They opened Same Same Wine Bar on Oct. 14, featuring wine by the glass alongside shareables like flatbreads, oysters, beef tartare and shrimp toast. That location also features a cocktail list, beer and nonalcoholic beverages.
The team is also opening a new pizza bar, Sama Za, in a nearby space next year.
Efforts to reach the ownership team prior to publication were unsuccessful. However, W42ST recently reported that the team plans to take over a cluster of spots on West 51st Street in January and that buildout on the permanent space for Monkey Thief will commence next year.
