Monk's Cafe

Monk's Cafe is a gastropub Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia located in United States.

9 / 10
989
ratings
  • Phone

    (215) 545-7005

  • Website

    monkscafe.com

  • Instagram

    No Instagram

  • X (Twitter)

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    MonksCafePhilly

  • Type

    Gastropub

Address

264 S 16th St (btwn Locust & Spruce St) Philadelphia , PA 19102 United States

Reservations No
Credit Cards Yes (incl. American Express)
Wi-Fi No
Outdoor Seating No
Menus Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks Beer, Wine, Full Bar, Cocktails

Comments / 245


Keywords:

mussels beer sandwiches casual veal cheeks good for dates great value breweries comfortable chicken crowded frog legs pigs cheese dinner bacon rabbit stew brunch food town
Erik Cintron

Belgium bar with over 200 beers . From all over and they make there own house sour beer . It was a big place with 2 bars . The bartender in the back was great. Famous for the mussels . Real nice feel.

Thrillist

Duck away from the Rittenhouse retail flagships to find the beer bar in Philly, which’ll provide you with draft labels like the Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux and Russian River Damnation Read more

Greig Roselli

Sit at the back bar if it's too crowded in the front. Peruse the beer bible. Drink a pint of something delicious.

Peggy Li

Mussels were truly phenomenal. Worth trying even if you usually don't love mussels (I was skeptical, but trusted all the rave reviews about them…).

Michael Leis

A philadelphia institution of great beer selection , frites , duck salad sandwich and of course the mussels .

Sophia H

Thai curry mussels are amazing, and the serving is HUGE, so filling. Fries are the best. Hill Farmstead Everett porter is awesome - very malty, excellent porter . Great service. I love this place.

Jim Crane

One of the best Belgian beer bars in the country . Food has always been very good. Mussels rival what you will find in Brussels

William Alvarado

Mussel all the way! Their mussel 's are from Prince Edward Island , meaning meaty mussel 's and their flavor are on the money. If you like mussel 's you won't go wrong here.

Claire Carlson-Jurich

Epic beer selection - everything from Russian River Brewing to bottles from the 1990s. (Chicken ) burgers are fantastic and their bourbon aioli is now a favorite condiment????

Philly.com

This likable and influential Belgian bistro is the region's undisputed beer paradise. There are surprises beyond the famous burgers and mussels , including stellar octopus and gueuze- stewed rabbit . Read more

Laura

I've always stuck with the burgers and mussels here but the Mac and cheese was by far the best I've ever had! The goat cheese really makes it. Order it!

Jane Peach

Great atmosphere. The trout I had was delicious, and the fries were up to Belgian standard which is very high. There was an amazing choice of beers from domestic craft brewers and Belgian.

Jen Cunningham

Amaaaaazing draft list ! They tend to have Russian River and Hill Farmstead! The food is really good, too (including their fries ).

Sophia H

Good pulled pork sandwich . My friend's seitan is pretty good too. For chocolate stout lovers, I recommend Kasteel Barista Chocolate Quad or Brouwerij De Molen Cease & Desist :)

Leah Vogely

There's not much to say. This is the famous Monk's. Educate yourself in beer and enjoy the bourbon mayo and mussel juice . Always a pleasure.

Danny Trejo

Some of the best burgers and beers in town . Has that small local feel to it of you are trying to avoid all the tourist bars . It's a must place to check out.

Greg S.

Bartenders were knowledgable and the craft beers on tap were super rare. I'd make a trip back to Philly in a heartbeat just to come here.

Patrick W

Be sure to check out the bar in the back. Their burgers are some of the best in town , and don't skip the fries , they're excellent. A good Chimay Triple is always a good pairing.

Fodor's Travel

Whether steamed in classic style with wine and shallots or with cream, mussels are a high point at Monk's. The fries that accompany them draw raves from the regulars who crowd the place. Read more

Michelle C

Impressive beer selection covering every price point (my local microbrew was only $5). I also had the seitan (vegetarian ) cheesesteak , but it was too greasy and the bread was too wet to finish.

Alex Gray

Best imported beer selection in Philly, knowledgable staff . Amazing atmosphere. If you want to go for dinner , be prepared to wait for a table

Alex Still

Pliny and Blind Pig on tap all the time. The other beers are also great so try them, too

Czarina Behrends

Everything we had was superb. The mussels are delicious and plentiful.Also comes with fries . The beer selection is out of this world.

Ricky Sherrill

A top notch beer selection with a comfortable vibe to drink with friends. I am looking forward to coming back & trying their burger .

Elizabeth Rice

Love the mussels and the huge beer list ! Plenty of interesting cider and fruit beer choices too. Love the fries and chipotle dipping sauce

John H

I had a nice time on my first visit here. Had a beer that tasted like whisky and a great burger . I will be back.

Lola Bishop

Best seitan cheesesteak !!!!! The back bar is my favorite!

John LeMaire

If it's your first time here you have to get the mussels , right light style is great. Have a go at their specialty brewed beer , you won't be disappointed.

Jeremy Anderson

The beer selection is next level! And if you are feeling puckish the Bruge Burger is the best burger I’ve ever eaten!

Brian Alvarez

They have all the beer . What else is there to say? Oh yeah, the mussels . Get those.

Pablo Vladimir

Great beer selection but can get crowded . I recommend getting a table and ordering appetizers so you don't have to deal with people bumping into you.

Global Highlander

Great place for craft beer and draft beer . Cozy and crowded setting.

Michael Larkin

One of the best beer bars I've ever been to. The beer list was epic (pages) and the duck salad sandwich was amazing.

Untappd

If you go to any bar in Philly, this is place the to go. Tons of great stuff including one of the only places to get Russian River on the East Coast!

Ricardo Seixas

Very authentic pub with a rare compilation of world beers and great environment! Mussels are a try but not killer.

Niraj Desai

Love this place! Can't go wrong with any of the mussels ...but I felt the burgers were pretty boring. I prefer more than just bread , meat, and cheese .

Sarah Raymond

De Koninck (De Koninck Ale , apples , Gruyère , caramelized leeks and garlic ) and the Red Light (Hoegaarden, fumé, chile de arbol peppers , chervil and garlic .

Cate Barrett

Thai curry mussels were fabulous. In my experience, grabbing a place to eat at the bar ended up being more efficient than waiting for the hostess to sear us.

Katie Kaus

What an amazing introduction to Philly! Ahhhhmazing duck salad sandwich ! & the mussels - incredible! (& I'm from Florida where we judge seafood harshly! )

Gary Noe

Wow, one of the best beer menus. It's a small bar , gets crowded fast, excellent service. Food is good.

Emma Carew Grovum

The small bucket of mussels is way bigger than you might think. We split 2 smalls and the pita/hummus appetizer and could barely finish. Staff was amazingly friendly .

Joshua Haftel

Always a great place to come and see what's on tap . Love Belgian beers and this place never disappoints.

Rachel Lomax

The veal cheeks were delicious and their bottle list is crazy good. Great service and cozy atmosphere .

Lance Lacoff

Burgers or chicken sandwiches , excellent mussels , definitely get the frites , best beer list in philly

Rachel Shifman

Their veggie burgers are so delicious and hearty. And all the beer they have is truly impressive.

Examiner.com

Monk's Belgian Cafe has been around for over 25 years and is popularly known as the cafe that started a craft beer revolution in Philadelphia. Experience a menu laced with over a hundred craft beers Read more

MICHAEL RYAN LAWRENCE

Easily one of the coolest places in not only Philly but the entire country to have a beer . Sneak to the back bar to chill with the cool kids ;)

Matt S.

the only place around here that consistently has pliny the elder on tap . so good.

Maureen Kaiser

Voted 'One of the top 5 Places in the World to have a beer ' by All About Beer Magazine. This place has the best mussels and Belgium beers at decent prices.

Sam Krasnik

Great food and amazing beer selection . Loved their private label Flemish sour

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