The Bad Monkey Bar is dedicated to those who serve their country or community. You will know you are at the right place if you see 6 full sized 105 mm howitzer shells sitting on the bar with craft beer taps sticking out of them, as well as a full-sized “Flying Tigers” P-40 Warhawk crashing through the wall overhead.

Taps can be “owned” for the night on a pay-as-you-pour basis and you can go upstairs to the VIP Lounge to play pool or relax in our outdoor “Back Monkey” Patio Bar. 11 televisions make this a great place to watch your favorite sports team and host watch parties. If you are hungry you can order from our pub grub menu (all options $10). We offer 12 beers on tap including locally brewed favorites and a premium well with the best Happy Hour in Ybor.  We are cigar friendly with hand made house cigars made right here in Ybor City.

The Bad Monkey Venue

Main Bar

Our main bar offers a premium well, 12 favorite and local craft brews flowing from 105mm howitzer shells front and center on the bar.  Our selection of top shelf liquor can’t be matched.  Ask the bartender to show you our merchandise, which includes an assortment of regular, “bling”, and special event t-shirts, caps, and koozies, as well as hand-crafted cigars rolled by Yanko a block down the street.  If you are hungry order from our menu of pub grub – all items $10.  For special occasions with groups of 10 or more, you can reserve your own beer tap – we will hook up one of our center bar beer towers and let you manage your own fun.  Just pay for what you pour.  Socialize, watch what’s on TV, build a giant Jenga tower, throw darts, or play shuffleboard at the Bad Monkey Ybor.  Groups of up to 150 may reserve the East bay of the bar for private functions.

Back Monkey Patio Bar

Visit the Back Monkey patio bar to relax in the great Ybor outdoors.  Full bar available with four draft beers for events or special occasions, with plenty of seating at the bar or under one of Ybor City’s oldest trees.  The area is equipped with big screen TVs so you can catch the game and a grill if you want to exercise your tailgating skills.  Book this unique area for your next party of up to 100 or just come on back next time you visit the bar to get away from the crowd.

VIP Lounge (Upstairs)

The upper level of the Bad Monkey, known as the VIP lounge, gives guests the feeling of being on the bridge of an aircraft carrier looking down over the flight deck.  This open space has private couch seating, a pool table, and a big screen TV that can be used to project slides for business meetings.  The pool table can also be converted into a conference or buffet table upon request.  Book this area for meetings or small private events of 25 to 30 people.

The Origin of a Bad Monkey

Circa 1993 Seal Team Five Bravo Platoon (ST-5 Bravo) operating out of the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado California, was a platoon of excellent capability and solid frogman character. Because of this and due to a few unmentionable events they had earned the distinctive platoon call sign “Bad Bravo”. During a deployment to Perth, Australia, where Bravo Platoon was conducting bilateral training with the Aussie SAS, they found and began to frequent a local watering hole. The bar was called the “Brass Monkey”. Bad Bravo and their SAS counterparts both shared the characteristics of a life dedicated to special operations and more importantly, a constant unquenchable thirst for good beer. The Brass Monkey immediately became an everyday meeting location, it was a perfect fit. Friendships were made, stories were told – most of them lies of course, and the bond of the SOF Brotherhood was expanded. Upon completion of their deployment to Perth, ST-5 Bravo Platoon adopted a new call sign in recognition of the mates they had made and the times they shared. The Name “Bad Monkey” was born. Several years later one of the members of ST-5 Bravo Platoon, in a conversation with his friend General Dave Scott, suggested the name “Bad Monkey” as a great name for a bar dedicated to friends, warriors, patriots, and defenders of freedom.