Cheeky Monkey — Restaurant in Melbourne

3s (Melbourne eateries with good solid tucker that I wouldn't mind eating fairly regularly. Food is competent)[63]: Allegro (CBD) Alma (Geelong) A Minor Place (Brunswick) Bar Idda (East Brunswick) Bekendales (Croydon) Bellarine Estate (Bellarine) Bistro Guillaume (Southbank) Bistro Thierry (Toorak) Boire (Collingwood)[RIP] Brunswick Flour Mill (Bunswick) Cafe Terroni (Yarraville) Carlton Wine Room (Carlton) Carsons (Yarraville) Chapelli's (South Yarra) Cheeky Monkey (Richmond) Chez Bob (Armadale) Chez Olivier (South Yarra) Chris's Beacon Point Restaurant (Apollo Bay) Cicciolina (St Kilda) Collins Kitchen (CBD) Cornershop (Yarraville) Di Palma's (East Kew) D.O.C. Mozzarella Bar (Carlton) Donnini's (Carlton) Dragon Boat (CBD)[RIP] Emerge (Geelong) Empire Cafe Gallery (Brunswick)[RIP] En Izakaya (Balaclava)[RIP] Enoteca Vino Bar (Carlton North) Feast Of Merit (Richmond)[RIP] Fiorelli (Hawthorn East) France-Soir (South Yarra) Grossi Florentino: The Restaurant (CBD) Ides (Collingwood) Izakaya Chuji (CBD) Kinya (Docklands)[RIP] Kofi Beans (Croydon) Laurent Boulangerie Patisserie (Toorak) Lau's Family Kitchen (St Kilda)[RIP] Lindt Chocolat Cafe (CBD)[RIP] Little Creatures Dining Hall (Fitzroy)[RIP] Miss Marple's Tearoom (Sassafras) Monsieur Truffe (East Brunswick) Mr. Wolf (St Kilda) Orange (Windsor)[RIP] Pumphouse Hotel (Fitzroy) Punch Lane (CBD) Reunion Cafe And Dining (Surrey Hills) Sapa Hills (Footscray) Secret Kitchen (Doncaster) Shujinko (CBD) Thanh Phong (Richmond)[RIP] The Carlisle Wine Bar (Balaclava)[RIP] The Green Refectory (Brunswick) The Hardware Societe (CBD) The Kent Hotel (Carlton North) The Perch At Lavers Hill (Lavers Hill) Tim Ho Wan (CBD) Truffles Patisserie (Balaclava) Vines Restaurant at Helen's Hill (Coldstream) Wing Loong (CBD)[RIP] Zelena Cafe Bar & Restaurant (Croydon) Zen (Hawthorn)

4s (Melbourne eateries with great food. Food is a strength[32]): APTE Cafe (Alphington)[RIP] Attica (Ripponlea) Bamboo House (CBD) Biagio's (Niddrie) Brae (Birregurra) Chin Chin's at Koto Moon (Carlton North) Choi's (Hawthorn) Cumulus Inc. (CBD) El Mirage (Brunswick) Estivo (Kew)[RIP] Ezard (CBD)[RIP] Flower Drum (CBD) I Carusi (East Brunswick) Igni (Geelong)[RIP] Jack Rabbit (Bellarine) Junior Tan Hawker Kitchen (Bayswater) Ladro (Prahran)[RIP] Le Petit Bistro (Kooyong) Locale at De Bortoli (Dixons Creek) Mule (Brunswick)[RIP] Papa Goose (CBD)[RIP] Paris Go Bistro (Carlton) Pioneer Kitchen @ The Grovedale (Grovedale) +39 Pizzeria (CBD) Ribs & Burgers (Hawthorn) Riche (Richmond) SUD Food And Wine (CBD) Tao's (Bulleen)[RIP] The European (CBD) The Grand Dining Room (Richmond)[RIP] Vue de Monde (CBD) Wall Two 80 (Balaclava)

5's (The Best Melbourne Eateries. Food is very much a strength)[5]: La Fantaisie (Richmond)[RIP] LeTAO (CBD) L'uccellino (Yarraville) Rockpool (Southbank) Tulip (Geelong)

Eatery of the Year 2011: Tao's (Bulleen) [RIP] Eatery of the Year 2016: Ladro (Prahran) [RIP] Eatery of the Year 2017: The European (CBD) Eatery of the Year 2022: Paris Go Bistro (Carlton) Eatery of the Year 2023:...

I really enjoyed my breakfast burrito (cant recall the exact name) and the coffee was really good, Prana Chai is always a hit. But I can’t get over lukewarm coffee, not even after nearly 10yrs I worked as a (3rd wave) barista… I notice in one of the pics here the cups on the coffee machine cup warmer are right side up… I know they stack better that way, but they don’t keep the heat as well as upside down (also the seemed to high to keep warm)… I used to keep a tea towel on top of the cups to trap more warmth… Next time… I’ll try to remember to ask for not necessarily an “extra hot” coffee (60deg in the cup when it reaches me is warm enough).. but to heat my cup up first (boiling water).. that’s usually does the trick.

The sit down eating at the back was a bit too loud for me, I wish I’d chosen the bar at the front.

The prices seemed really reasonable, but I did notice some of the portion sizes are on the small side.

I was a bit sad I missed the green wall (and only by weeks), what happened?? The waiter told me cold, but it hasn’t been super cold yet. I assumed the irrigation system failed.. I’m yet to see an old still successful green wall.. such a great concept… but such high maintenance. Plant in pots are difficult as is, let alone on a wall. I can’t wait to come back and see it in all its glory again tho. :)

Edit - I’ve just noticed in other photos the bulk of the plants are deciduous! Another layer of complexity… with the plants under needing to survive full shade in summer and full...

I have eaten here many times, when it was at the old spot, and now the new. Food and coffee is always outstanding and staff are very friendly!

The last 2 times I have been in, I have eaten for free. I’ll explain why....

First time I was eating in, ordered an omelette and a coffee, coffee came quickly. About half an hour later, I asked the waitress where my meal was, and the waitress who took my order (another girl) had forgot to put it in. Came out quickly and they comped my whole meal. Apart from getting a bit hangry, no harm done.

Second time was 10am on a Saturday, super busy, so I ordered an omelette to take away. Was told about 15 minute wait, no dramas. Again, about half an hour later I asked at the counter where my meal was. Some other guy called Joel (my name is John) took my omelette! He left his Bacon and Egg roll. This happened about 15 minutes before I asked, and none of the staff thought to come and tell me. Anyway, the guy at the counter refunded my omelette, and offered me the bacon and egg roll. I was super hungry by then so took it.

Overall some bad luck I reckon, but because they handled it well in both situations, it won’t stop me coming back! Would be 5...