Funky Monkey - Diani

January 19, 2024

Funky Monkey is a nice little spot along Diani beach road. I’ve been to Diani many times but I have never been here so I was very excited to have lunch here.

It was an overcast day so I didn’t get to capture its vibrancy as much had it been sunny. That aside - it’s still very well put together, tropical themes all through with the leso roofing, the vibrant murals on the walls and a nice open-air seating style.

Their menu is just as colourful with a great array of appetising dishes that you really can’t just choose one thing. A LOT of seafood options of course for the seafood lovers and for us who still have burgers and chicken at the coast, there’s plenty of options for that too.

I opted for the Cheeky Prawn Tacos (KSH1050/) with chips and a Pineapple Express mocktail (KSH400/). My friend had the traditional fish & chunky chips (KSH1350/) and of course a whiskey sour - I’ll let him attest to whether that drink was made well or not… the mocktail I had was very refreshing in case anyone was wondering.

The tacos were a nice portion, filled with many prawns which I liked and love the brilliant green taco shells so much! Such a nice tropical looking meal in the middle of tropical Diani. The pan-fried prawns sit on a bed of coleslaw and wasabi mayo is drizzled on top. Our server said these tacos would be spicy but I barely felt anything, even with the wasabi mayo so that was a bit disappointing. It still tasted really good, the prawns were fleshy and full of flavour and the slaw was good, it just wasn’t spicy as expected. I would have added some chillies to it to give that cheeky kick given to the name of the dish😉

The fish & chips dish though was exquisite! A nice big serving of battered white snapper fish with a block of chunky chips spread over a pea pureè and of course a side of tartar sauce. The fish was perfectly deep fried, the batter wasn’t overpowering, the taste was great and those chunky chips… you eat two and you’re done for the day😅 That was a great meal.

Our server (I think his name was either Max or Sam) was super hospitable, very friendly and didn’t skip a beat. It’s always nice when the servers not only do their job well but can also have small small bants with you for good measure.

I think the one thing Funky Monkey is missing is an ocean front view. I feel like if they were located elsewhere it would really make the experience even better because the vibes were already there but not everyone can be alongside the beach so I can’t fault them for that.

I peeped a few other dishes other tables had ordered and they all looked so good, especially the pasta! I’d like to visit this place again to try more food and maybe even stick around for happy hour (tea for me:))

If you’re in Diani and looking for a nice chill place to hangout with good food and great drinks as well - Funky Monkey is a good go-to. I’d suggest making reservations in advance especially on weekends because it feels like a place that can get busy quickly depending on the season you’re in Diani.