The Monkey Bar, a trendy corner bar located in Midtown, is definitely the bar to be seen in. The bar is conveniently close to many of the other downtown bars, making this a prime spot to visit during an evening of bar hopping.

I visited this bar on a Friday night and it was packed wall-to-wall with twenty and thirty-something yuppie types, clad in black and animal print.

The room buzzed with noisy chatter and popular alternative hits from the jukebox, making a lengthy conversation nearly impossible to carry.

The drink prices were reasonable, however, the wait time was a little lengthy. The bartenders were also friendly, despite the crowd of eager-to-be-drunk college students holding out their $5 bills.

The bar itself is far from a dive, with its zinc covered bar-top and colorful light display behind the bar. This Paragary’s owned establishment looked clean and crisp, and had a look that makes the Monkey Bar stand out from all the other downtown bars.

The Monkey Bar carries a variety of top-shelf liquors and has numerous imported and domestic beers on tap.

After getting a drink, I found difficulty in finding a seat, let alone making it through the walkway without being bumped into by every-other leather-wearing patron in the bar.

I made my way to the patio, where smokers united under the numerous heat lamps.

The patio faces the Victorian houses on Capital Avenue making it an excellent place to people watch. And trust me, downtown, on a late Friday night, you’re sure to see quite a few interesting characters.

The outside temperature was typical of a Sacramento winter night, however, I stayed warm and toasty under the heat lamps. If you don’t mind the smoke from Marlboro Lights and an occasional cigar, then The Monkey Bar’s patio is a great place to sit back and enjoy a cocktail.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience of The Monkey Bar and I recommend visiting this bar on a weeknight, when the bar is less populated.

However, if your motto is the more the merrier, then this is your weekend bar.