Meet us at the Monk!

The Monkey’s Uncle is a locally owned, family-friendly restaurant in the planning stages in Griffin, GA.  At the Monkey’s Uncle we will offer delicious and carefully prepared American fare, remarkable customer service, a large variety of bottled and draught beer, and a welcoming atmosphere to create a dining experience worth raving about.  Guests will design sandwiches, tacos, and burgers, choosing from our unique and sometimes surprising list of accoutrements.  The possibilities are endless! 

We're committed to providing a comfortable and friendly dining room for families with children.  We will strategically create space within the dining area that provides while-you-wait entertainment for kids of all ages beyond the expected coloring page menu. In addition to kid-sized portions of many of our regular menu offerings, our kids menu will include healthy, real food options instead of the ‘prepackaged mac’n’cheese, frozen chicken fingers, and corn dogs’ menus offered in other places. Our kids menu will offer families of young children the kind of food they might prepare and serve at home.

Who's Lee?

Since my teens I've read Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and imagined the hometown scene in The Prancing Pony of Bree, where the friendly innkeeper and restaurateur welcomes all into his house for room and board, waits on them hand and foot, and enjoys their company day in and day out. That book became a dear friend to me, and the common room of the Prancing Pony became a permanent, detailed, and lively scene in my mind.  I've long known I’d make a good master of the house and dreamt of welcoming that company into my place each day, serving wonderful food and encouraging a good time with friends and family.

Since then I've learned much about restaurants in the fast food and fast casual segments, spending a little time with McDonald’s and a long time with Chick-fil-A, including in the original and flagship location in Hapeville, GA.  I've learned that timing is everything, hospitality means the world, and that special things happen around a comfortable table.

Location, Location, Location! Local community involvement!

I've also learned that a local business doesn't last without the support of its community, and that giving back to that community shouldn't just be an option—it’s a responsibility.  The Monkey’s Uncle’s will be known for community involvement. We will work with local teams and clubs, support the arts in Griffin, and give time and resources to local non-profits like the Hope Health Clinic, Spalding Samaritans, and Five Loaves and Two Fish Food Pantry. Service that extends from the restaurant beyond its doors is a real passion for us.

We also intend to develop relationships with local farmers and vendors and incorporate as much Georgia-grown food in our kitchen as possible. We are currently researching grass-fed beef options as well as Georgia produce options. If you have a resource you believe we should investigate, please get in touch with us. We want to find the best balance in profitability while offering Griffin a restaurant you can be proud to support.

The tough part of the story: getting started is expensive!  Restaurant loans are not for just "seeing how it goes.”  We've been working on raising funds and have gotten very close to our goals, but we need you to help us take it over the top!  Every single dollar given is a dollar we’ll be forever grateful for.  Your gifts validate our dreams and empower us to be great!

Funds you contribute through our start-up campaign will be used toward the following goals:

·  Buy shiny equipment for our kitchen, including a refrigerated food prep table for all our fresh sandwich and salad ingredients, and a high capacity commercial smoker for all that smoky meaty goodness we’ll be serving.

·  Install a modern point of sale system, which will help us be profitable and enable us to take advantage of gift cards and digital coupons.

·  Add a little charm and comfort to our dining room—including some family-friendly space and a display area for locally created art.

·  Complete some kitchen and dining area renovations, which will help us serve you more efficiently and improve acoustics in the restaurant space.

·  Install AV equipment and prepare the place to better accommodate live musicians.

·  Outfit our porch with tables and chairs to give you the best outdoor dining in Griffin.

·  Install and update equipment behind the bar, which will allow us to boast Griffin’s greatest beer selection.

The bottom line about funding is that a new business always needs more!  If you run into this page and see we've reached our goal or that we're close, please don't hesitate to give anyway.  Reducing or eliminating our debt would be a dream come true. Placing all the equipment we need would be amazing! Our costs are lofty and will probably outpace what this fundraising campaign will bring, but every penny gets us a step closer to a profitable and successful business—and a business we can be proud to claim as our own.

It’s my dream to provide a comfortable place for you to enjoy an affordable meal with your friends and family.  I know that our fresh ingredients, customized meals, and comfy dining room are going to feel Right for you—but our service to you and our attention to your wants and needs will make you want to come back again and again.  At The Monkey’s Uncle, we’re all about fun with friends and family—and we want our friends and family to include YOU.

The perks listed to the right are our way of thanking you for your gifts.  They are designed to be enjoyed by you and your family, and there is some fine print about how gift cards and discount cards can be used.  If you have questions, please contact us via email (owner at monkeysunclegrill.com) or our Facebook page, and we'll be glad to let you know the specifics.

We've activated the Paypal option for donations so that no one is left out, but it costs us more to use this method.  If it makes no difference to you, please use a credit/debit card and send more of your donation to the Monkey's Uncle.