Delicious Monkey Dish

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Delicious Monkey Dish

April 20, 2007 by nbc5

Janelle Rominski, NBC5 Street Team (Video)

A hip, new, urban-style restaurant opened in the northern suburb of Gurnee, Illinois this week. The Monkey Dish Bar & Grill, owned by Phil Marienthal and Dave Potesta opened on Tuesday, April 17th. Located on the northeast corner of Grand Avenue and Dilleys Road – Monkey Dish brings a new vibe to this suburb otherwise full of chain restaurants.

The name Monkey Dish stands for the restaurant term for a small bowl; however, there is nothing small about this place. When you walk in the door, you will see a huge non-smoking dining room to your right and a large bar/dining room – smoking section to your left. The dining room has exposed ceilings and gorgeous, colorful lighting fixtures, as well as an enormous artistic mural. The bar also has a mural stretching the entire length of the room, flat screen televisions, and a grill in the front of the bar where the appetizers are made.

Every table gets an unlimited amount of the restaurant’s signature cheesy monkey bread with an herbed garlic dipping sauce that is actually served in a monkey dish. For an appetizer – I chose the warm artichoke cheese dip which was amazing and full of flavor. It was served with pita chips so you could dig in to the dip without the chip breaking apart.

Slideshow: Monkey Dish Bar & Grill

My main course was the Penne Alla Roma which consisted of penne pasta tossed with garlic, olive oil, fire-roasted eggplant, pine nuts, golden raisins, Kalamata olives, zucchini, hot peppers and parmesan cheese – definitely a great array of flavors. My dessert choice was the double chocolate tower which stood at least six inches tall on the plate and was accompanied by caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.

The bar serves their own signature cocktails and martinis such as The Funky Monkey (Rum and Citrus), Mojito Frescos and my favorite, the Scarlet O’Hara martini that contained Skyy Berry Vodka, Chambord Liqueur, pomegranate juice, fresh citrus squeeze and champagne float. The bar also serves traditional domestic beers and malt beverages.

Monkey Dish Bar & Grill Information
Address: 5572 Grand Avenue, Gurnee, IL 60031
Phone: 847-599-8888
Hours: Monday-Thursday : 11 a.m. – 12 a.m.
Friday-Saturday : 11 a.m. -1 a.m.
Sunday : 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Website: http://www.monkeydishgrill.com

Special thanks to Denise O’Handley (Monkey Dish Public Relations), Owners Phil Marienthal & Dave Potesta and my friend Tina who came to Monkey Dish with me for dinner.

To view all Monkey Dish photos visit my online photo album:

by janellepics

Janelle’s Previous Blogs:

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Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

9 Responses

on April 24, 2007 at 12:57 am | Reply Anonymous

This place is outstanding!!!
on April 28, 2007 at 5:06 am | Reply Anonymous

Wow, I went to this place because of this review, thinking that it would be one of the greatest places to eat in the Gurnee area. Was I wrong.

Their menu is very limited. 25 bucks for an 8 oz steak that wasn’t even cook the way the way my friend has specified? No thanks.

Thin Fry’s? If I wanted “Thin Fry’s” I’d go down the street to Steak and Shake for half the price.

As for the slab of ribs that I ordered, If I wanted that type food I’d head down to the Applebee’s, once again, down the road, and again for half the price.

Our waitress there did not have the best attitude commenting on the fact that we came in as a large party at 11 o’clock at night. I’m sorry, if I was a waitress I would glad to have a large party of people, bigger tips.

All in all the food is medicore at best, the booze, when they finally got the order right was not the way we wanted it, and we could have gotten the same type of food for half the price.

This is place is not outstanding, it was very unsatisfying to say the least.
on April 29, 2007 at 4:42 pm | Reply Anonymous

I have known David Potesta since his grade school days. His father started the chain of Potesta’s which had previous restaurants in Gurnee, Waukegan, Vernon Hills, Zion and Schaumburg. D

David has always been concerned with the customer experience and quality of food served in his establishments.

I wish him wellin this endeavor.
on May 2, 2007 at 1:23 am | Reply Janelle

I was very pleased with my experience there and with my food! Thank you for all your comments (good or bad).
on May 3, 2007 at 3:05 pm | Reply Anonymous

May, 3, 2007-Very disappointing experience.

Went to dinner with my husband and two children. Limited menu and very expensive for burgers, ribs and pasta. Service initially attentive, but after a wait of over 1-hour and 10 minutes for burgers, my son was ready to throw a riot. Ordered an appetizer of pot-stickers (8) which arrive to the table cold. Sent the remaining 5 back to the kitchen to warm up and returned with 4! Should have received a new order! I ordered the Adobe Fettucine to be later told that the kitchen had run out of Fettucine noodles (how does that happen on a Wednesday night?). Offered a replacement with penne pasta, but decided to try the $25 ribs instead. Ribs were dried out and burnt on the bottom. Waiter offered the Adobe Fettucine with the penne substitute. Sauce was thin and runny-more than like the penne pasta was not drained completely when the sauce was added. Husband’s Ahi Tuna was undercooked and to use his words “mediocre”. Ordered the side of 4-sliders (mini-hamburgers) with cheese minus onions and pickles for the kids. Monkey sauce on burgers had WAY too much pepper in it. I had to remove the bottom part of the bun, dump ketchup on the burgers and double the patties and bun tops to get the kids to eat them. Overall rating: 1/4
Pricing: $$$
Recommendation: go to Chili’s or Applebee’s for basic menu for much less $$
on May 7, 2007 at 1:22 am | Reply Anonymous

It sounds like some of those people need to get out more.
on May 10, 2007 at 11:55 pm | Reply Anonymous

We’re going there tonight and I can’t wait. We live in Gurnee, and did before we had children, and am glad that there are upscale restaurants coming to the area. I agree that some of these people need to GET A LIFE (and get out a little more).
on July 3, 2007 at 6:09 am | Reply Anonymous

I live in Gurnee and we’ve been waiting for more restaurants other than the standard chains. Been to Monkey Dish a few times. First visit was not memorable but was only after being open two weeks. Slow service, cold food, waitress with an attitude. Thought we would give it a chance again and subsequent visits have been quite good. Food is very tasty and the price is right for what you are getting. Still service needs to improve – takes too long for the food to arrive. Overall a 3 out of 5.
on February 6, 2008 at 6:32 am | Reply Anonymous

fianlly a change from chain restaurants…. i know of the potestas and think they are the greatest family. This monkey dish was amazingg and im addicted. Those of you that think its not outstanding then you dnt knw the restaurant business at all….stop being cheap its good food if you knw what that is

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