Cowboy Monkey is a bar in an alleyway in downtown Champaign. The bar itself is small and set up for dancing and live music shows. In fact they do have tango and salsa dancing every Wednesday night, and djs throughout the week. They have frequent live shows, usually by local bands. The bar can get crowded and live shows tend to be very loud. They also have karoke nights. In the summer though, the situation changes entirely. They take over a large chunk of the alley and use it as a beer garden. The setting is comfortable, relaxing, and intimate. People frequently wander down the alley to see who they know and stop to talk. The waitstaff is efficient and highly competent. There are umbrellas available for when it rains, and scattered heaters for chilly nights. They have an excellant bar menu, with the best garlic potato salad around. It is a pick-up scene with people frequently glancing around at other tables to check out who's there and open to possibilities. It gets crowded quickly, so go early.
more