Fremont East’s La Mona Rosa is Out, Pink Monkey Is In

By Scott Roeben, on October 30 2026
2 min read 0 comments
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We bumped into La Mona Rosa restaurant’s owner Ryan Doherty the other night, and we mentioned how we hadn’t been to La Mona Rosa in some time.

Doherty agreed, especially given there isn’t really a La Mona Rosa restaurant anymore.

The restaurant is out, Pink Monkey nightclub is in. The reason is pretty straightforward. It’s the margins.

We noticed recently this place turned pink. Now, we know why.

Pink Monkey is half a block south of Fremont Street, just around the corner from Commonwealth (also operated by Ryan Doherty). The address is 100 S. Sixth Street.

La Mona Rosa officially launched as Pink Monkey on Oct. 1, 2026. We missed the memo, as did, oh, everyone.

La Mona Rosa is Spanish for “the pink monkey,” so the venue hasn’t technically changed names. Just don’t try to order a chimichanga, whatever that might actually be. (They can still whip up food, but only for special events and buy-outs.)

La Mona Rosa opened Jan. 6, 2023, replacing longtime Fremont East Mexican restaurant La Comida, which debuted in 2013.

Pink Monkey calls itself the “Temple of Sound,” boasting more than 114,000 watts of sound, which some people apparently believe is a good thing.

The venue also has immersive LED lighting, DJs, cocktails and bottle service.

Pink Monkey’s programming includes disco, funk, hip-hop, Latin music and reggaeton.

We took two photos and we’re damned well going to use them.

Why did La Mona Rosa become the Pink Monkey? We already answered that question! You were skimming again, weren’t you. You only look at the pictures. Who made you like this?

Anyway, restaurants have paper-thin margins. The typical U.S. restaurant operates on a net profit margin of just 3% to 5%. That makes operating a restaurant a slog. Labor and product and marketing, oh, my.

A typical nightclub’s net profit margin is about 5% to 15%. We didn’t ask Ryan Doherty what the profit margin is at Pink Monkey, but suffice to say it’s more than 3% to 5%.

Doherty and his team at Corner Bar Management have turned Fremont East into a nightlife destination.

Downtown, Ryan Doherty is the one who moves the movers and shakes the shakers.

His collection of venues includes the aforementioned Commonwealth (and its speakeasy, The Laundry Room), Cheap Shot, We All Scream, Discopussy, Lucky Day and Park on Fremont.

Here’s a sweet fly-through of Doherty’s hot spots.

Doherty also operates Doberman Drawing Room in the Arts District.

The point is Fremont East has a much different vibe than when your grandpa frequented the block. It’s actually unlikely your grandpa visited Fremont East. Because almost nobody did.

Now, it’s packed. We aren’t the demo, but Doherty understands how to attract attention and enthusiastic bar-hoppers.

Doherty has lifted the boats of nearby businesses, including El Cortez. Oh, and also our new favorite quick bite spot, Istanbul Mediterranean 2. Just try the Doner.

Here’s a story about the evolution of Fremont East from the atrophying Las Vegas Weekly.

Anyway, we thought La Mona Rosa shouldn’t disappear into the annals of downtown without some kind of ode.

Must. Not. Make. Annals. Joke.

Hey, just because there’s an opening doesn’t mean we have to take advantage of it.

Please grow up.