The Funky Monk to close and become new restaurant with celebrity chef

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) -The Funky Monk bar in downtown Tucson will close and become a new restaurant and lounge by well-known Las Vegas chef Antonio Nunez.

Chef Nunez appeared at a Rio Nuevo meeting with a request to support approximately half of the renovation costs for his team to take over the Former Funky Monk. Rio Nuevo voted unanimously to provide a grant of $150,000 to help accelerate the makeover.

“This will no longer be a college bar, with beer pong and dollar beers,” said Nunez.

The new restaurant will be called 350 Congress, where celebratory Chef Nunez will serve his signature artistic dishes and cocktails to Tucson.

He is known for his iconic restaurants in London and Las Vegas, Nevada, where he owns and operates four popular and highly-rated restaurants. Nunez was one of the original chefs at Le Cirque and then Executive Chef at Primo at age 24.

His business partner Scott Cummings was the season 12 winner of Hell’s Kitchen and then went to work for Gordon Ramsay. He eventually became the Executive Chef at Ramsay’s Pub and Grill at Caesars Palace and most recently, the Executive Chef for Lake Las Vegas.

The newly remodeled restaurant will replace the large bar with open seating and a sit-down venue that converts to music after hours.