'This is a blow': Monkey Bar & Grille seriously damaged in overnight kitchen fire

A popular Mainville eatery along the Little Miami River caught fire early Wednesday morning, its owners said in a Facebook post.

The Monkey Bar & Grille suffered serious fire damage in the kitchen area, where much of the blaze was contained, as well as smoke and water damage elsewhere in the restaurant, according to the post. No one was injured.

"This is a blow, but we are blessed with so many things," the post reads, adding that pictures and even the statute of Sam the chimpanzee, the restaurant's namesake, survived the fire.

It's unknown how long it will take to repair the damage.

"It is going to take a lot of work, but we and (our) staff are no strangers to hard work!" the owners said in their post.

The blaze broke out just after midnight Wednesday, Hamilton Township fire officials told Enquirer media partner Fox19, adding they are still investigating the cause of the blaze.

The building that houses the Monkey Bar & Grille was first built in 1841, according to the restaurant's website. During its previous iteration in the 1970s as the Train Stop Inn, the building caught fire twice. It was rebuilt from brick, rock and concrete to avoid future fires.

In an effort to provide some relief to the restaurant's staff, Cartridge Brewing is offering a daily meal and beer to all Monkey Bar & Grille employees through the end of May.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 contributed to this report