BKK After Dark Returns with Monkey Thief: A One-Night-Only Thai Street Bar Takeover in Midtown

Source: BKK New York

Reported By: Matthew Kennedy

On Sunday, August 3, Midtown’s Thai street food destination BKK New York will turn up the nightlife with the latest installment of its buzzworthy bartender series, BKK After Dark. This time, the spotlight lands on Monkey Thief, the Southeast Asian–inspired cocktail bar from the team behind Greenpoint’s beloved Sama Street.

For one night only, BKK New York’s Head Bartender Tantai “Tan” Khantachavana will join forces with David Muhs, the creative mind behind Monkey Thief’s cocktail program, for a cross-borough collaboration rooted in regional flavors, craftsmanship, and a shared flair for reimagining tradition through a modern lens.

This limited-time menu will feature four distinct cocktails, each designed to celebrate ingredients and culinary traditions found across Southeast Asia, with a playful nod to New York’s dynamic drinking culture.

The collaboration will include:

• Major Tom – a Thai coconut soup–inspired gin cocktail with aromatic, herbaceous complexity

• Same Same – a tequila-based cocktail that’s a fan favorite from Sama Street

• Rice Rice Baby – made with iichiko (a smooth Japanese barley shōchū), another returning standout from the Sama archive

• New Highball – a fresh take on the classic whisky highball with Southeast Asian nuance

BKK After Dark launched just last month and has quickly gained attention for its rotating guest bartender format, drawing some of the city’s most exciting mixologists into BKK New York’s atmospheric Midtown space. Located at 238 W 56th Street, the 70-seat venue immerses guests in a reimagined version of Bangkok’s energetic street food scene—complete with fluted glass panels, glowing neon, and tactile brick finishes that echo the layered textures of the Thai capital.

The beverage program, led by Khantachavana (formerly of Martiny’s and The Mermaid Inn), complements the food menu’s blend of homestyle Thai cooking and playful New York twists with cocktails that lean heavily into ingredient-forward storytelling. Each drink is rooted in flavor and intention—balancing whimsy with technique.

Monkey Thief represents the latest creative endeavor from the team behind Sama Street, a cocktail bar known for its Southeast Asian–inspired drinks and immersive aesthetic. David Muhs, known for building menus that lean into regional specificity with unexpected combinations, brings that same ethos to Monkey Thief—where the drinks are layered, transportive, and distinctly personal.

For cocktail lovers, bartenders, and fans of Southeast Asian cuisine, BKK After Dark has become a go-to evening event for discovering inventive takes on familiar ingredients. The upcoming August 3 collaboration offers a rare chance to see two rising forces in New York’s cocktail scene experiment side-by-side—and sip their results in real time.

Reservations are highly recommended and available via OpenTable. For additional details, visit bkknewyork.com or follow @bkk.newyork on Instagram.