Monkey Bar at Monkey Island Riverside Resort

5297 S Cherokee Way, Homosassa, FL, 34448

The Monkey Bar has a view no other bar in Florida can claim. It sits on the Homosassa River at Monkey Island Riverside Resort, looking directly across the water at Monkey Island, a small island in the middle of the river that is home to a troop of spider monkeys. They are genuinely there, they are genuinely visible from a bar stool, and watching them is the reason a good share of the customers turn up. The bar operates as the food and drink side of the resort, which describes itself as the home of historic Monkey Island and traces its site on the river back to the late 1800s. Google files the Monkey Bar as a grill, and the typical spend runs $10 to $20 per person, which places it as a casual riverfront stop rather than a destination dining room. Reviewers return to the same two points: the staff are friendly and the view of the island is the draw. That is a fair summary of what the place is for. It works as a stop after a morning on the river, as somewhere to take visiting family who want to see something they have not seen before, and as a straightforward waterfront bar the rest of the time. Worth knowing before you go: the Monkey Bar and Florida Cracker share the same address on South Cherokee Way, so if you are meeting someone, specify which. The resort itself is a separate listing again, with its own front desk on (352) 628-2474. The bar is open Tuesday to Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 11 PM, and Sunday from 11 AM to 9 PM. Monday opening varies, so call ahead at (352) 648-9137 if that is the day you are planning around. Resort information is at monkeyislandriversideresort.com, and the bar posts to its own Facebook page.