The Monkey Bar, that is, which soft re-launched last night.
Opened inside the Hotel Elysee in 1936 (and a favorite of Hollywood luminaries like Ava Gardner), the legendary spot shut down in March for an overhaul that would make it sleeker, hipper, less steak-y and more Asian. When you enter off 54th Street, you'll find the bar area's trademark yellow wallpaper (full of playful monkeys, elephants and tuxedoed gents) and low-riding leather armchairs intact and take a sip of a Blueberry Joes: tequila, coffee and muddled blueberry.
Monkey Bar, 60 E. 54th St (between Park and Madison), 212-838-2600, officially opens Monday
