HOMOSASSA, Fla. -- Monkey Bar and Grill, an iconic eatery in Homosassa, has reopened after being closed for over a year.

  • The Monkey Bar and Grill reopens after year-long closure
  • The restaurant was damaged by Hurricane Irma

The restaurant had to close its doors after Hurricane Irma damaged the building. 

But now, once again, residents are flocking to the new restaurant
 
"It means a lot because it's kind of a historical landmark in the community," Captain Don Chancey said.

Chancey has been a regular at the restaurant for years. He runs his charter business from the nearby marina.
 
"Everybody missed it," he said. "It's just nice to have it back open and going again."
 
The original restaurant opened over 50 years ago.

The old Yardarm Lounge, also known as the Riverside Crab House and the Monkey Bar, closed in January 2018 after cracks and holes were found in the roof of the building following Irma.
 
The goal was to be back open by the summer, but the process took longer than expected.
 
"The weather, it was a horrible summer," food and beverage manager Devin Oldenburg said. "it rained all summer long so it kind of hindered the work a little bit."

But now the wait is over.

It may be a little different for those that have been to the area before. The classic glass windows are gone, and the entire area is completely open.
 
It's a change staff and customers are excited about. And they are eager to make memories in the new space.
 
"They've done a great job! It’s beautiful," Chancey said.

"I think that it's going to be better, better than it was. Change is good. I think it's more updated," Oldenburg added.

Monkey Bar and Grill is open from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., seven days a week.