Monkey Bar is widely credited as India’s first gastropub, and the Bangalore original — now relaunched after a refresh — remains a benchmark the rest of the city’s bars are still measured against. Located on the first floor of the erstwhile Museum Inn, directly opposite Church Street, the space gets generous natural light by day and a warm tropical-jungle glow by night, with foliage, monkey motifs, and a DJ booth visible from the long bar. The menu is unabashedly non-conformist — comfort food and quirky, Indian-inflected dishes sit alongside inspired cocktails and a serious bar programme. It’s a reliably fun, slightly irreverent night out rather than a hushed, serious one, and that’s exactly the point.
Address: First Floor, The Museum, Museum Road, Shanthala Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Bangalore 560001
