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- Hours:
Tue-Thu, Sun 11:30 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
18 reviews for The Wooden Monkey
All Reviews
A much needed reaffirmation of my love for the Wooden Monk.
I set sail to this resto for a first date (ooh!) just recently. Points to my new friend for suggesting such a lovely setting, as it had been too long since I've graced its confines.
It wasn't a particularly busy night, and as usual, service was prompt. Our waiter was a bit more stiff than Monkey staffers I've had in the past; however, he was still very polite.
After being served our drinks, I noticed that my wine was not Pinot Grigio, but Chardonnay. Ick-- chardonnay is not my forté. Not having the heart to complain, i sipped away at my sweet drink reluctantly. Sigh..
However, dinner made up for it. Both my comrade and I ordered lentil burgers with side apple salads, (Meant to be?) and were completely satisfied. This is my favourite meal on the menu by far. (And decently priced!) Instead of a traditional kaiser bun, the lentil burger is served on a thin, crispy grain pita with sweet savorings of honey mustard and miso. A gluten free option is available as well! (Although not stated on the menu)
A slight ruffle in the drink order did not deter my love for The Monkey. Its relaxed and thoughtful surroundings, and veggie friendly deliciousness can do no wrong.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/18/2010
For those who prefer the full-on experience when dining out, the Wooden Monkey is a venue that… Read more »
Quite a disappointment based on the reviews here and the well known reputation around Halifax. I completely agree with Lacey H. below in that The Wooden Monkey is grasping very close at being truly great, but constantly falls just short, leading to disappointment.
We started with the cheese platter and fish cakes. The cheese platter was very good, although I would have like to have seen a broader spectrum of offerings; they all tended to me fairly mild, hard cheeses, with Dragon's Breath blue being the most different, but still mild in the realm of blue cheeses. The fish cakes were probably the best part of the meal, with good sized chunks of haddock, and brown rice and roasted seaweed lending a toasty depth of flavour that was satisfying.
For a main I had the grilled free range ribeye, and my girlfriend had the lamb burger. As she describes it "the burger was just a burger, and the fries were just fries, it was adequate" - there wasn't really anything there to lift the ingredients above the sum of its parts. The ribeye I had was good, but I was shocked to find the accompanying roasted sweet potatoes hard, and in some cases almost totally raw. At home I can forgive myself for not thoroughly roasting some veg until done, but when I go to a restaurant I'm expecting a bit more.
The dessert was, unfortunately, quite disappointing. I had the fruit crisp, which was tasty, but with a crust that was almost like muesli, it was a bit too heavy and filling. The cheesecake my girlfriend had was, for lack of a better word, bizarre: it had no flavour. We both tried some, and had the texture of cheesecake, but that was about it, there was none of the characteristic deep cheesy dairy flavour in a good cheesecake. We thought perhaps that the waiter had neglected to mention it was made with soy or something similar, which would explain the lack of cheese flavour.
For the prices that The Wooden Monkey is charging, I was expecting a lot more quality. When I'm spending $60 each on a 3 course meal, I at least expect my roasted veg to be cooked through. In the future, I'll be taking my money to somewhere like Jane's, which has never disappointed, nor made me question their prices.
I have heard so much about The Wooden Monkey that I thought it was time to try it out.
Seems that the majority ruled here. The place was full of people who looked like they were having a great time.
It is really has a special atmosphere with the wood all around you and the wonderful tables.
I do like to see what people are ordering, I know , you should not stare, I am really not staring at them, just the food to see what is looks good.
I am a sucker for presentation with food.
So Pizza was on the menu and ordered, also ordered the spinach salad, I love spinach salads, and this one was pretty special.
I have to say, this restaurant has that Wow factor that your friends would be pleased if you took them.
Amazingly good! The seitan sandwich blew me away. The seitan was thinly sliced and cooked somehow (stir-friend?), then had cheese and peppers. It was like an amazing vegetarian philly cheese stake. Highly recommend it!
The Wooden Monkey has a catchy, new-fangled name but an old, somewhat bohemian atmosphere. We ate there on Canada Day and found the place only mediocre in sum. Food: 5 stars, Cleanliness: 3 stars, Service: minus 1 star. The music was SO loud that you could feel your table and chair shaking and it made one edgy and unable to converse. Though the place was busy, it was not completely full and there was ample waitstaff to service their 20 or so tables. Despite this the service was slow, unfriendly and inattentive. They need to train their staff that it is normal for waiters and waitresses to feel rushed but that it is not okay to make customers feel rushed. Their dedication to local and healthy food is laudable and the desserts are fabulous. Many vegetarian and vegan options round out their menu of more traditional fare. Go there for great eats, not for great atmosphere!!!
These guys have a theme of meals made from organic ingredients. The menu is a wonderful variety of healthy and tasty meals and a selection of boutique beers on tap. We had a steak and noodle dish, and a pork chop, accompanied by a pint of stong ipa. The dining room is a cosy space with a view of some of the street bars and the tips of tall ships.
Every time I eat at The Wooden Monkey, I feel as though I sit on the cusp of something great, never quite being propelled into the "awesome, delicious, the best" category.
I'm a vegetarian and according to the mouths of many, this place is a veggie restaurant - but that's not the case. They are dedicated to local, sustainable food, with an emphasis on organic products, which does not automatically equal a place designed for the herbivores.
Their menu is meat heavy, with lots of interesting sounding items. The service is professional and courteous, and the atmosphere is quite lovely and comfortable.
However, I find the vegetarian/vegan items often lacking in flavor as well as overpriced. The servings aren't bountiful and I usually leave feeling like had I whipped up my meal at home I could have made it tastier.
Give me a little more flavor and creativity on the veg-items, Wooden Monkey. I want to love you!
I went here with two other co-workers, and I was the only one who liked it here. It was a late lunch, there was barely anyone in the restaurant, and the service was slow.
The menu for us was the Lentil Burger, the Seafood Chowder and I had the Lobster on a Croissant. We all agreed the food was tasteless, but that doesn't mean we won't go there again, it just means we won't order the same things again.
The variety of food was boring and very little. The place is small, and it's in a bad location now where the Old CH building is being bulldozed.
The Monkey is great place to take people who have a variety of dietary needs while still eating local and organic. There are plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free items. It is an environmentally-conscious restaurant, known for using fallen trees from Hurricane Juan 2003. It's a little pricey ($11-$22 for veg mains), but most things in Halifax are ...like a university education.
Since the Monkey moved to a new location in the spring of '09 it has more then doubled its seating but lost that nice low-ceiling wooden ambiance they had at the Argyle St. location. They still have the giant tree trunk table and a mish mash of furniture. The painted black chairs are great and I'd love to steal them for my own home. Some of the new furniture added since the move, like a large bar height table that is on the second floor looks like it came from The Brick or Leon's and really doesn't belong. On my most recent trip they hadn't quite got the positioning of all the monkey folk art right. I'm sure the atmosphere will improve as they grow into the new space.
Lunch: Winter in Halifax is wet, windy and cold and that makes you want a hearty vegetable soup for lunch. The daily soup either contains meat or is vegan. I've been disappointed to find on some days it was chicken noodle but when it's something like sweet potato curry, it is amazing. It comes with two slices of lightly toasted porridge bread from 'Big Life' at the Halifax Farmer's Market that will melt in your mouth.
Dinner: Try the Lentil Burger. It is made in house, served in a grilled pita and has tangy-sweet dijon sauce and side of potato-rosemary 'roasties'. I've had all the other veg dinner items and while very healthy - think brown rice and seaweed and veggies - they all kind of missed the taste mark or didn't seem worth it for the price(like the pizza).
Service here is friendly and attentive. The people on the east coast of Canada may just be the friendliest people on the planet. I regret never getting to know the names of some of the tried and true servers here. They are very knowledgeable, polite and will accommodate any request. The kitchen is in the basement of the new location and there are two floors of seating so they do a lot of stair climbing. I know it's expensive but remember to tip these people. Minimum wage is lower in Nova Scotia than in other provinces.
Wine: Red - the local Jost Cabernet. White - Italian organic Sartori Soave (if you're a student: buy at Bishop's Cellar for half the price).
Hot drink: try the Ganocafe red reishi mushroom coffee. It's surprisingly good.
Beer: Garrison IPA.
Dessert: tofu chocolate pie and you're golden.
I love the Wooden Monkey!
There, I said it. I hate the name, but a rose by any other name...
As much as I enjoyed the cramped, but cosy nature of their old location, I'm happy they were able to move to a spot with a little more space. The staff are just as friendly in the new spot and the food tastes just as good.
I'm partial to the Monkey Pita (not made with monkey!), but there are plenty of great dishes on the menu at fairly reasonable prices. Since I am a monster and enjoy Pepsi Cola, I wish that had more options as far as soft drinks go. "Natural Cola" and Propeller Cream Soda don't really do it for me, but I'm sure somebody out there loves them. Anyway, there are other drink options so it doesn't bother me that much.
The Wooden Monkey is arguably my favorite restaurant in the downtown area. The food is delicious, the staff is friendly and their intentions are good. Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones loved the Monkey when his band was in town. This was before Ron Wood went bat-shit crazy so if you can't trust my opinion...trust his!
I liked it but not my favorite. The food was very good, great atmosphere, and friendly staff. The menu is completely organic, with lots of "free-range" dishes, that are not too pricy (sort of) . Overall, it was a nice experience.
This is a classic little restaurant with dark wood and good food. Great old world atmosphere in a relaxed way. The service was good although not particularly speedy. The food was great. I had the lamb burger with a couple of Propeller ales. It was cook perfectly and delicious.
To taste good, or not to taste good. That is the question.
The Wooden Monkey confuses me. Admittedly it doesn't take a lot to confuse me. I only found out a few years ago that cucumbers and pickle's were the same thing. Don't judge me, I just never asked and no one taught me.lol. Ok...judge me. But the Wooden Monkey is a lot more difficult to figure out. Sometimes I walk in there and have a great time, have great food and feel really good about myself because their food is very, very healthy. At other times, I've sworn not to ever go back because their food was bland and I didn't want to spend so much money on tasteless food.
Firstly, the service has been great 90% of the time. We did have a Waitress once who couldn't remember our order and was always late for checking on us and seeing if we needed anything. But that was just one time. I have gone to the "Monkey" more than once or twice and I can honestly say the service is generally quite good and very personable.
Their pizza has always been quite good. Their fish on the other hand seems to always be "iffy." It generally can be watery or just plain old bland. The atmosphere is very nice and it has a warm, intimate feel to it. But you can still bring a group of ten or so friends and can be comfortably seated.
So consistency is the biggest challenge that faces this restaurant. It has a nice atmosphere but there food just can't be trusted enough for someone to want to experiment with other items on the menu that haven't bee tried before. Its easier just to stick with what you know will taste good there. So why is that a problem? Because some nights I don't want pizza. I want fish. But I don't trust how they do the fish. And there lies the problem.
If my friends bend my arm, I still go to the Wooden Monkey. But the restaurant is on the infamous Argyle street where restaurant competition is strong. I have faith they could see the light some day. For now, I won't have the fish.
Here's the thing: you can feel good about yourself after you've eaten at the Wooden Monkey, because the food and the philosophy are all about being organic, local, and healthy.
Unfortunately, a lot of the food just doesn't taste fantastic. At my most recent visit, I tried the haddock fishcakes and a spinach salad, and they were both, just, you know, okay. The fishcakes had a bit of a watery, squishy texture and the salad was drenched in oil and topped with undercooked bacon.
Two of my friends had the lobster sandwich, which really, should be stellar, no matter where you go in Halifax. Here it tasted unseasoned and was overloaded with mayo.
The best dish at our table on this particular evening was the "Monkey Pita" - free-range chicken in an unusual pita-type bread. We all tasted it and agreed it was delicious.
The menu features vegan and gluten-free dishes, but the restaurant is not strictly vegetarian (obviously).
Staff are friendly and welcoming and the space itself is rustic and very comfortable for a casual dinner with friends.
We found out the hard way last night that 'Wooden Monkey' is closed all day Monday throughout January-February. Why, Monkey? You're always full!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/27/2009
The Wooden Monkey, located on the corner of prince and grafton, has become my absolute favorite… Read more »
Arriving to find it packed, my boyfriend and I ordered a beer and perused menus while we waited for something to open up. Though she apologized for having to seat us in the hotter upstairs section, I felt like we'd drawn a lucky number when our waitress led us to what is clearly the coolest table in the restaurant, made out of a huge slab of barely-finished tree. When our meals arrived we both gobbled them down. Neither the boy nor I usually eat seafood, but we each make rare exceptions and were encouraged to on this night by The W.M.'s reputation for supporting healthy fishing practices and their seal of approval from the Ecology Action Centre. I had a scallop salad on spinach tossed with toasted almonds. I give it two thumbs up: yum yum. M had a seared haddock that was equally delicious. I've since been back for vegetarian meals and been just as pleased with things like their lentil burger and rice bowl (all vegan, in fact).
It's higher end than a casual dining restaurant, but nothing crazy. The perfect sort of place to go on a nice but not exorbitant date, or to take visiting friends or parents.
Props for: sustainably caught fish and raised meat, for serving Garrison's incredible IPA on tap, for mismatched tables and chairs throughout.
Mmm, veganism at its finest!
Okay, so not everything we ate was vegan, and I have to admit that the non-vegan food was "three stars", but if you're looking for a tasty (but a little pricey!) meal of locally-grown and/or vegan food, this is the spot.
After a long day of touring the city, we stopped in for a feast. We split a 9" pizza (spicy sausage with vegan cheese) for an app, and I can honestly say I have never had a better piece of diary free (and gluten free!) pizza. EVER. Sorry, TJ's, but Wooden Monkey takes the pie - pun intended. The crust was expertly seasoned, the sauce was appropriately spiced, and the cheese was scarily melty (I get scared when things taste too much like the real thing...it makes my immunoglobuins nervous to max). The pizza really set the mood for the rest of the meal, and I have to say that the entrees were "good" but not as good as that pizza. Can't win 'em all.
On the "glass half full" side: The menu offers a ton of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options that actually TASTE good. The staff is very friendly, in that trendy-crunchy way, and the beverage selection is HUGE. In addition to the usual suspects, there are gluten-free beers; organic sulfite-free wines, organic cocktails and sangrias, and, my personal fave: the soy White Russian (when we make it at home, I call it a Soy Ukranian, just FYI).
An added bonus: the chocolate tofu mousse pie (gluten free & vegan) was an amazing ending to the meal. Even my normal-palleted fiance agrees on that one.
So, if you happen to be in Halifax and have a hunkerin' for a tasty vegan treat, head to Wooden Monkey for a fun dining experience. If you're like the rest of the world, and are in Nova Scotia to enjoy the fabulous sea-fare head elsewhere for an equally enjoyable experience.
we had a really delicious butternut squash soup. it was so good i am changing my initial rating from 2 to 3 stars. the pizza was ok and my boyfriend was not into his fish, which was really bland. and it was way too expensive to make us feel good about our dinners.
