The Blue Monkey, a Midtown Memphis mainstay since 1999, is calling last call on its Madison Avenue bar after 27 years, with its final day set for Friday, June 19. The announcement, shared on the restaurant's social media page, thanked customers and employees for their long-running support. The downtown Blue Monkey will stay open as the Midtown spot prepares to close its doors.
Midtown location closing this month
According to Action News 5, the Midtown location at 2012 Madison Avenue will officially shut down on Friday, June 19. The station reports the news came in a Facebook post that thanked customers and staff and confirmed that the downtown bar at 513 South Front Street will continue to operate. The post did not provide a public explanation for why the owners decided to close the Midtown outpost.
Blue Monkey’s history and footprint
Per the restaurant’s website, The Blue Monkey opened in 1999 and lists both its Midtown and Downtown addresses on its locations page. The site promotes late-night hours, a tavern-style menu and regular live-music nights that helped turn the Madison Avenue address into a neighborhood go-to. With the Midtown doors set to close, the downtown restaurant will stand as the brand’s remaining full-service location in Memphis.
Another longtime closure in Midtown
Memphis has already watched other veteran restaurants bow out this year. The Daily Memphian reported that Cooper‑Young favorite Tsunami closed in February after 28 years, with its owner pointing to rising costs and slipping business. That closure and others have helped spark conversations among owners and residents about how to keep longtime independents alive in Midtown. The Blue Monkey news lands squarely in the middle of that churn, prompting neighbors to swap memories of late nights at the bar.
Action News 5 noted that the Facebook post has been the restaurant’s main public statement and did not share additional details about the decision. The Midtown location is expected to serve regulars and curious visitors through the week, with June 19 marked as the final day of service, leaving a short window for one more round on Madison Avenue.
