Cheeky Monkeys: what we know about the venue change

The iconic backpacker bar at 115 Jonson has been closed since March 2020. Here's the current status.

By Byron Bay Backpackers editorial team

Cheeky Monkeys, the backpacker institution directly across from the old Holiday Village site, closed in March 2020 and has not reopened. Merivale bought the site in 2021. We had it marked "transitioning" on our venues page and have been getting reader emails asking what's actually open.

Status: Cheeky Monkeys is not trading. In March 2026 Byron Shire Council approved Merivale's modified plans for a restaurant and bar on the site. We're holding off on a full review until a new venue opens.

For the de facto replacement: Woody's Surf Shack a block away on Jonson is where the late-night backpacker crowd has migrated. The Beach Hotel sunset lawn still works. The Rails (Railway Friendly Bar) has the live music every night that Cheeky used to run on Wednesdays. None of them are 1:1 — Cheeky was its own thing — but the social density has redistributed.