The Hungry Monkey — Restaurant in Kiama

Despite some minor drawbacks, my overall experience at this delightful eatery was incredibly positive, thanks to the fantastic food quality, customer service, and reasonable prices. The amazing flavors and atmosphere make it a must-visit breakfast and lunch destination.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a bustling ambiance, which indicated the popularity of the place. Unfortunately, this also meant a long wait time; we had to wait for 45 minutes before being seated. While I understand the restaurant's popularity, I believe that providing an estimated waiting time and implementing a first-come, first-served system would have been more convenient for the customers. However, this minor inconvenience was quickly overshadowed by the memorable dining experience that followed.

Once seated, the service was attentive and friendly. Our server promptly took our order and answered all our questions about the menu. Although it took another 30 minutes for our food to arrive, the exceptional quality and taste of the dishes made the wait worthwhile.

The breakfast and lunch items were beautifully presented, and the taste was simply divine. The ingredients were fresh, and the flavors were well-balanced. It's evident that the chefs at this eatery take pride in their culinary creations. The menu also offered a good variety, catering to different dietary preferences.

As for the pricing, I was pleasantly surprised. The quality of the food was exceptional, and the prices were quite reasonable, making this restaurant an excellent choice for diners who want a delicious meal without breaking the bank.

In conclusion, this delightful eatery is a must-visit spot for breakfast and lunch enthusiasts. The food and customer service are top-notch, and the minor inconvenience of waiting times can easily be overlooked in light of the extraordinary dining experience. My suggestion to the management would be to display the estimated waiting time and prioritize a first-come, first-served system, making the dining experience even more convenient and enjoyable...

We used The Hungry Monkey to cater our wedding and could not recommend them more, we (and our guests!!) were blown away!! I chose the Hungry Monkey team because their menu fit our brief of relaxed, easy food to share for a reasonable price - which somehow seems to be a rare find in the catering game!! I was impressed with what was included in their prices and completely amazed with the spread on the night. We opted for a grazing table for our cocktail hour, I didn't get to see it but the photos from our guests and photographer omg!! A mini wedding cake made of cheese?!? You guys did us so good... our guests were RAVING! The lovely staff we hired from Hungry Monkey as bar staff even made us each a plate so we could enjoy some food while we were away doing photos. EVERYONE was so friendly, helpful and lovely. From the communication leading up to the event, to the day, we even had a catering team member help me get through the venue in my wedding dress before the ceremony - using umbrellas as shields so no one could spot my dress before I walked down the aisle. ABOVE AND BEYOND SERVICE!! The food - blown away. Absolutely blown away. I told people we had a food truck caterer and you guys just completely showed me up, the food spread was vast, it was ALL delicious, the salads were amazing - and all dietary needs completely covered. I cannot say enough about how lovely your RSA bar staff were, they were such a delight. You guys completely made our wedding - thank you SO much, we are definitely stopping by to try the cafe in person next time we're down South. Thank you Hungry Monkey!!! (Photos courtesy of Dan Cartwright Photography - and a random...

I am surprised how this place is so highly rated. My guess is, it used to be fantastic, but the popularity has made them become lax. When we arrived at the cafe to be seated, there were at least three waitresses right at the entrance, and no one bothered to approach or greet us and have us seated. They were all busy chatting snd laughing with someone who appeared to be an ex-coworker who had stopped by to say hi. When we asked one of them if we could have a table, she just vaguely pointed in the direction of other staff members and said we should talk to them to get seated, and went right back to their chatting and laughing right at the entrance. We saw this happening throughout the time we were there. Being a small town, the waitresses seemed to know every second person walking in, and the whole hugging and chatting continued every 5 minutes, while we waited to be served. The other issue was that many waitresses were petting customers’ dogs (as mentioned, they appeared to personally know quite a few customers). When one is serving food, one should not be touching animals. I am certain no one was sanitising their hands after doing this numerous times. The food was nothing to write home about either. It wasn’t bad, but there was nothing memorable about it. It was barely warm when it arrived at our table and it was definitely not worth the wait or the price. All in all, we were very disappointed with the service. The place was buzzing though, so it appears it is still quite popular. My recommendation to the management would be to not depend on past laurels and to lift their game and train...