The original Monkey Bar, which occupied the same space on east 54th street in New York City as the new, renovated incarnation, opened in 1932. Back then, it was frequented by such luminaries of New York City’s upper social echelons as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker, and Fred Astaire; these personalities and others are featured in the mural by Edward Sorel which covers the back wall of the new one.

The painting was commissioned by Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter, one of the owners of this revamped Monkey Bar (the others are hotelier Jeff Klein and British restaurateur Jeremy King) and a veteran of the semiprivate dining experience—his other venture, The Waverly Inn in the West Village, has been proudly denying hungry diners entry since 2006 (it too features a mural by Sorel).

The dimly lit, preposterously romantic space—outfitted with deep, salubrious banquettes and the odd zebra-skin rug—is as equally difficult to gain entry to as the Inn, but this is Manhattan and such games (limiting customers to a pre fixe time frame; not picking up the phone at all) are par for the course. Once inside, patrons have a straightforward and well-executed menu to choose from (put together by chef Larry Forgione), but people come here, and stay, for the company.

At Monkey Bar, if it looks like Richard Meier at the next table, it probably is. Larry Forgione acts as Executive Chef, serving high-end comfort food dishes such as Oysters Rockefeller, Nora’s Meatloaf and Sticky Toffee Pudding.

Amangiri resort, Utah

Read the article: Amangiri resort%A

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Best Made Axes

Read the article: Best Made Axes%A

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Blackman Cruz store, LA

Read the article: Blackman Cruz store, LA

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Commonwealth Utilities S/S 09 collection

Read the article: Commonwealth Utilities

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

BlackWhite House in Bethesda, Maryland by David Jameson Architects

Read the article: David Jameson Architects

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Methow Cabin, by Eggleston Farkas Architects, Seattle

Read the article: Eggleston Farkas Architects

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Hotel Erwin, Venice Beach, California

Read the article: Hotel Erwin

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Illustration from the Monkey Bar by Barry Blitt, New York

Read the article: Monkey Bar, NYC

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Interior of the Monkey Bar

(Image credit: TBC)

Illustration for the Monkey Bar by Paul Cox

(Image credit: TBC)

My Best Fred, NYC

Read the article: My Best Fred

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Neal Creek, Hood River by Paul Mckean, Oregon

Read the article: Paul Mckean, Oregon

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Beaker & Flask, Portland

Read the article: Portland food

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Beast, Portland

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Naomi from Beast, Portland

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Laurelhurst Market, Portland

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Bunks famous sandwiches, Portland

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Le Pigeon, Portland

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Viridian Farms, Portland

Viridian Farms, Portland

(Image credit: TBC)

Installation by Johanna Grawunder in Robert at MAD, NYC

Read the article: Robert at MAD, NYC

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Speakeasy - Rye NYC

Read the article: Speakeasy Rye, NYC

Rye NYC

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Speakeasy - Clover Club, NYC

Read the article: Clover Club, NYC

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Speakeasy - The Violet Hour, Chicago

Read the article: The Violet Hour, Chicago

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Speakeasy - The Varnish, LA

Read the article: The Varnish, LA

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Speakeasy - Bourbon & Branch, San Francisco

Read the article: Bourbon & Branch, LA

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Diamond House, XTEN Architecture, LA

Read the article: XTEN Architecture

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Fab 40: Monkey Bar, New York

(Image credit: TBC)

Melina Keays is the entertaining director of Wallpaper*. She has been part of the brand since the magazine’s launch in 1996, and is responsible for entertaining content across the print and digital platforms, and for Wallpaper’s creative agency Bespoke. A native Londoner, Melina takes inspiration from the whole spectrum of art and design – including film, literature, and fashion. Her work for the brand involves curating content, writing, and creative direction – conceiving luxury interior landscapes with a focus on food, drinks, and entertaining in all its forms