The last time we were at Monkey Pants, it was a weird sports bar with enormous televisions, fluorescent lighting and carpeted flooring.
My, how things have changed.
We've been hearing favorable things about the little bar (that, incidentally, shares the same strip as hipster favorite, the Time Out Lounge) so we figured there must have been some kind of makeover. So on Saturday, January 2nd, we decided to pop by.
Monkey Pants still has a dive-y appeal but it's much more cozy these days. The lighting has improved dramatically and they did away with the television overload. The bar is separated into a number of rooms and they even have a mock living room on their small stage, complete with squishy couches, end tables and a fake fireplace.
With a lamp made of mannequin legs and an abundance of leftover holiday decorations (which included a Christmas tree made entirely of beer cans) we can't deny that this place has some serious charm (check the slideshow for proof).
Monkey Pants Bar & Grill, 3223 Mill Avenue South in Tempe, 480-377-8100, www.monkeypantsbar.com.