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Society Hill Hotel to become Monkey Bar & Restaurant
As soon as the Society Hill Hotel at Third and Chestnut closed, a rush of memories flooded in — pianist Ted Gerike and the Ted Head groupies that came by, Blue Maxx Goat from Black Landlord bartending with a fabulously heavy pour. Next came the question of the spot’s future — what would become of a space that has been operating, in some form, since the 1830s? The answer came on Monday night, when I happened by the corner and noticed hiring signs. Next thing you know, Bill Curry from Copabanana dropped me a note saying that the downstairs restaurant and the hotel upstairs got nabbed by The HavanaBanana Group. "[It won't be a] Copa, but an upscale bar with a fun atmosphere," says Curry — Nick Ventura of Headhouse's Café Nola bought the hotel and is opening The Monkey Bar & Restaurant. (The Rittenhouse area saloon of the same name closed awhile back). "Nick is being assisted in the bar and restaurant's design by Joe Cucolo of the Copa, and I am helping him with his menu, graphics and marketing as a consultant," says Curry. "It will evolve over a period of months as both the hotel and the bar will be improved, as will the outside seating area."
Society Hill Hotel to become Monkey Bar & Restaurant
As soon as the Society Hill Hotel at Third and Chestnut closed, a rush of memories flooded in — pianist Ted Gerike and the Ted Head groupies that came by, Blue Maxx Goat from Black Landlord bartending with a fabulously heavy pour. Next came the question of the spot’s future — what would become of a space that has been operating, in some form, since the 1830s? The answer came on Monday night, when I happened by the corner and noticed hiring signs. Next thing you know, Bill Curry from Copabanana dropped me a note saying that the downstairs restaurant and the hotel upstairs got nabbed by The HavanaBanana Group.
"[It won't be a] Copa, but an upscale bar with a fun atmosphere," says Curry — Nick Ventura of Headhouse's Café Nola bought the hotel and is opening The Monkey Bar & Restaurant. (The Rittenhouse area saloon of the same name closed awhile back). "Nick is being assisted in the bar and restaurant's design by Joe Cucolo of the Copa, and I am helping him with his menu, graphics and marketing as a consultant," says Curry. "It will evolve over a period of months as both the hotel and the bar will be improved, as will the outside seating area."
While the hotel is scheduled to keep the Society Hill name tag (appreciated!), the overall concept of the Monkey Bar will have shades of '40s/'50s Havana, serving some of the Copa’s usual delights in addition to new menu items. Does that mean MB&R will compete with Cuba Libre around the corner when it opens in the spring? Stay tuned. Meanwhile, Larry Cohen and Barry Gutin of Cuba Libre are looking to open their next spot in either Boston or in Georgia. The pair has been having meetings with realtors up north and down south in accordance with building the CL brand.
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