Friends of Cad: Sam Lucas
A Gentleman in the Jungle: Sam Lucas GM of Monkey Bar.
Tucked inside the Hotel Elysee, Monkey Bar has been a Midtown classic since 1936, equal parts charm, cocktails, and New York lore. It’s where murals smirk, martinis sparkle and the past still lingers in the corners.
At the heart of it is Sam Lucas, the sharply suited, quietly magnetic General Manager overseeing the whole operation. A Cad & The Dandy friend, Sam blends British polish with Brooklyn grounding and a deep love for hospitality. His résumé might be impressive, but his style is effortless and his leadership, refreshingly human.
We caught up with him for a quick chat, light and easy, the kind of conversation best had over a proper Manhattan or a strong cup of tea.
Cad: When you first stepped into Monkey Bar, what hit you, not just as a GM, but as someone who’s lived hospitality for years?
Sam: It’s a space made for chaos and people. You feel the history the moment you walk in, it’s quintessential New York. There’s this coolness baked into the walls. It’s a New York restaurant for New Yorkers. It wouldn’t make sense anywhere else… well, maybe LA, but even that’s a stretch.
Cad: Monkey Bar has a certain legacy and mood. What do you think people really love about it and how do you keep that feeling alive, night after night?
Sam: It’s not one single thing, it’s how everything works together. The burger doesn’t taste as good without the murals. The martini isn’t as cold without the noise. The conversation isn’t as interesting without the chaos. Every part of the restaurant feeds into the other. When you’re standing at the top of the steps at 7pm, looking out over a full room, it just clicks. It makes sense.
Cad: What does great hospitality mean to you, not in theory, but in how you try to make people feel?
Sam: It has to be genuine. Real. Intentional. Don’t ask someone how they are if you don’t care. Go out to dinner and watch how many people ask that question on autopilot. If you answer with something unexpected, it throws them off, they weren’t really listening. Hospitality starts with presence.
Cad: How do you build and sustain a team culture that lives up to that vision?
Sam: You’ve got to figure out what makes people tick, what gets them excited to come to work. How do I get the best out of them? What can we talk about that feels real? It’s a big restaurant with a big team, and you’ve got to make people feel like people, not numbers. If they’re happy, they’ll give you their best.
Cad: Has your idea of hospitality changed over time, or is there something you’ve always held onto?
Sam: I’m not sure if it’s changed or if what I want has changed. These days, I want real interactions and tight service. We dined out recently and the server couldn’t wait to walk away every time we asked for something, so much so that we never even got to give our full order. That’s the opposite of what I’m after.
Cad: You’ve worked in some iconic places, and now you lead another. What’s a lesson only experience could’ve taught you?
Sam: Don’t lie to a guest, it only creates more problems (ask Jack Settle at The Ledbury). And don’t make decisions on emotion. I’d rather someone think I didn’t react in the moment and then get a great outcome after I’ve thought it through, than rush and make a bad call. At the end of the day, it’s just food. Make sure people get what they ordered, and everything else is just details.
Cad: You split your time between Brooklyn and Midtown. Does that contrast shape how you show up at work?
Sam: My tie goes on as the F train leaves High Street. I love living in Brooklyn, it’s just easier. You arrive in the city more relaxed, knowing you’ll head back to some kind of quiet. It’s a good balance.
Cad: When you’re not at Monkey Bar, where do you go for a proper night out, or to feel well looked after?
Sam: Red Hook Tavern is my go-to. I’m always happy there, great food, best burger in New York, and the service is top-notch. Phil, the GM, is a gent who knows his stuff and takes great care of us. For fancier nights, I’m a sucker for Major Food Group spots. Torrisi is the best restaurant in New York, in my opinion. We love Carbone, The Grill is great. My fiancée loves Polo Bar, it took me seven years, but I finally get it. Now I love it too.
Cad: You’re always suited with intention. How does personal style factor into how you lead?
Sam: When I first got into restaurants, I was 20, fresh from London, a little fat lad from the north of England with a strong accent. I stood out in a two-Michelin-star restaurant. Someone told me to wear a better suit, sharpen up, and people would take me more seriously. Annoyingly, they were right. As you get older, you care less about what people think, but I still get a kick out of someone complimenting what I wear. I’ve got go-to pieces in my wardrobe that make me feel untouchable. If it’s a big night or an event, I reach for them, they give me that extra inch. A whole 5’9”.
Cad: You’ve helped create a lot of unforgettable nights for guests. What makes one unforgettable for you?
Sam: You don’t get many perfect meals in life, maybe two in 35 years. Everything has to click: the service, the food, the company, even how your day was. We dined at Melisse a few years ago, and by the end of the night, at a two-star restaurant, they had Meatloaf blasting and we were drinking ’95 Pichon. It was one of those rare nights where everything just made sense.
Thanks to Sam, for reminding us that true hospitality isn’t just about service, it’s about making people feel seen. Monkey Bar has that magic and he’s at the heart of it.
