Monk's Cafe Reviews

This place looks like a dive. It's not, world class beer selection and the food and service is excellent. And not at all pretentious.

For the pure of heart when it comes to beer, this is the spot. However, it is less than instagram able......Remarkable outdated, and dank and dirty......but when it comes to beer selection in Central Phily, THIS IS THE PLACE.

Great brew pub with delicious food. Our family of 3 really enjoyed the food, french fries are really good as were the mussels. Highly recommend you take the time to visit this terrific place.

This place is quite interesting and has an enormous selection of brews. The bartender introduced me to something new which is always nice. It was a bit pricey.

I was surprised that even on a Monday this place was packed and loud. Wish they had one more server working, as it was a bit slow due to the crowds. But it was all worth it for that sweet Russian River nectar of Pliny. Hard to believe despite me living 2,000 miles closer to the brewery than Monk's Cafe I can't get RR at home, so this was a necessary pilgrimage. The mussels were good, although I wish there was a better broth to mussel ratio--the top mussels were not as brothy as I'd like, and stirring the full pot to try to coat them was not easy. But still tasty food and the beer was 100% worth coming for and waiting for.

My party of 4 had about a 45 minute wait on a Friday evening, but we passed the time by at the bar. We were here for the beer, but in order to get a table at that time you needed to order food. It was our first official visit. The last time we were in town to meet up with friends it was packed, so we left at the time. I'm glad we gave it another try. Extensive beer list and kegs were getting kicked and changed over so fast we couldn't keep up! Waiter was good and beers came out fast. We were here the week after beer week events, but the night before the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp which we were attending so we got to try some of the beer camp beers early. It's a nice place to catch up with friends over drinks. We had a few appetizers, which were okay. I hear the mussels are great but no one at our table ordered them. I'm glad we went with a couple who lives nearby and is familiar with this place. For those who may not know, there is a bar in the back and you can get the same beers that are on tap up front and vice versa. Ask for the bottle list at the bar if you don't see anything you like on tap. We didn't get Pliny the Elder this particular night, but the next evening - very late we heard they tapped it and made another trip over just for this beer.

Belgian beers are their specialty but they do have so many other beers as well. Lots of the selections in their well-curated list are hard to find beers. They often have days offering very special brews. The food menu has many choices too, but I always get one of their mussels selections with frites. The Thai Curry and Mexican are both delicious- we asked for extra bread to dunk in the sauce. Monk’s does get crowded, as you’d expect, but it’s worth it.

Not only does Monk's Cafe boast a comprehensive connoisseur's list of heady brews, but the food and atmosphere made this a special night out.

Met family for a Fringe play at the Drake my son was a cast member. Group of 10 took over the back bar. We pretty much ordered everything on the menu and everything was excellent. I can personally recommend the Trappist Burger and mussels. Love the draft and bottle beer selection. If I didn't have to got to the play I would have stayed and tried one or two more beers. A do-over for my son's next play at the Drake.

Monk’s is one of my all-time favorite eateries. Excellent value, great ambiance and the food and drinks are absolutely epic. You will not find better moules et frites anywhere outside Belgium. The hearty steaming bowls of mussels and perfectly cooked frites are reasons enough to visit, but Monk’s also has a stellar beer list. The extensive list of world beers has an emphasis on superb Belgian ales – both draft and bottled. You won’t find the likes of Chimay and d'Achouffe on tap anywhere else. I can’t recommend Monk’s Café highly enough. If you found any part of this review in some way helpful, please hit the “Thanks” button below.

Actually, you can also have many choices of food here, but I particularly recall this place because of its great beer selection. In addition to the other bears we had here, we had an expensive imported dark beer, the name of which I forgot, that almost got me thinking it could have been wine. But, really, it's a beer, just looking like wine because of the bottle. Also, we had small plates of potato fries, which were excellent (don't miss them when you're here). I also had their chicken breast burger, which came with a salad. Service was friendly and helpful.

This is a must it location for anyone who is interested in drinking some good beers while in Philly. I have been here a few times and enjoyed every single drink. They have a great selection of foreign beers, in particular Belgians. The staff has been friendly each time and very knowledge about the beers (which isn't easy with that large of a selection). The food to me is good, but not what I would go there for personally. They are known for their burgers and I would say my burger was good, but after a handful of the Belgian beer, I'm not sure I would be the best taste test. Head here and stay for a while.

Great bartenders, friendly atmosphere, even out of town solo on business, awesome food, mussels and French fries are the bomb, great ambiance

I went with a group of ten for an early dinner.. it gets crowded so early is better..we were seated right away at two neighboring tables. The waitress was excellent..she knew all the food dishes,craft beers and on tap beers. Our meals were all done at the same time and her service was excellent.i recommend any of the mussels,the scallops and the soups.

Hole in the wall type of place with a large beer selection. I’m not a huge beer drinker, but enjoyed the sour beer and my friends raved about several other, more rare beer choices. The staff have extensive knowledge of all the beers and are very helpful. The food is also good and the dip they bring with the fries is absolutely delicious.

This place came highly recommended as a smaller, locals, great beer and food establishment. 5 min walk from hotel. Bartender recommended a German brewed Kolsh style by the Trapp family. The same family that inspired The sound of Music movie! Beer was great. Also had to try the highly recommended curry mussels.

Monk's has a great beer list and good food. The atmosphere is more alternative. It can be noisy and a bit overwhelming but that comes with the territory of a cool bar in Philly. If you love beer, make sure you don't miss this place.

Monk’s Cafe is intensely noisy, and you might think that’s a good thing. It’s buzzing, but it means it means if your English is imperfect, if your grasp of America slang is uncertain, you may be put to a loss. It happened late Sat. afternoon to me at this place. My friend, in her first week in America from Budapest, wanted to go to the bar to order, doubtless because she wanted to pay. I’d been treating her all day. I told her, tell the bartender I want a gin martini straight up with a twist, and if he asks what gin, say Beefeater. She asked for a dark beer, and the bartender suggested “Russian River” and said it was sour. Well, it turns out the dark beer was too sour. She couldn’t drink it. Let me go and talk to the bartender. And you know what he said? He said, it’s a good beer; if there were something wrong with the beer, I would refund your money, but it’s a good beer. What? I didn’t want a refund, just a less sour beer, and what is this about it’s being a good beer if it’s too sour for the customer who ordered and paid for it? He went on: he’s been a bartender for a long time, and this is the policy “in a thousand bars across the world: there is no exchange.” He doesn’t appreciate that in the case of food and drink “good” and “bad” does not rest on his pronouncement, but on the taste of the eater and drinker. He’s never been to Pub and Kitchen, the happeningest place in Philly currently. I was there the evening before, ordered a specialty cocktail, found I didn’t like it, asked the waitress to take it back and bring me instead a Beefeater martini straight up with a twist. I can understand that working in the din of this busy, bustling place can have a degrading effect on a bartender’s sensibility, though it wasn’t evening yet. When I recounted my story to a waitress there, she then said the same as the bartender. Only Tom is empowered to let the customer send something back if they don’t like it. So don’t go here if you’re a playful mood and might want to try a new beer, or at least make sure Tom is on the premises when you taste it. By the way, the bartender never asked what gin I wanted for my martini, and it came with an olive instead. Is it Tom’s fault, as his staff suggests, or do they all share the same contempt for the people they take money from?

No changes since the last time I visited about 12 years ago. Solid beer selection with minimal room.

We have family in Cherry Hill, NJ so we had eaten in Monk's before and enjoyed it so we're back to enjoy it again. My wife drinks beer and is impressed with the selection that Monk's has, I'm not a beer drinker so the wine selection was great for me. We're both mussels fans and Monk's has an awesome selection of delicious mussels to choose from and they frites are excellent. I had a Pulled Pork Sandwich which was very good too. Our server Augusta was fun, nice and helpful which adds to a great experience.

Noisy, crowded, cramped bar but the mussels are the best we've had since visiting PEI and eating at FLEX Mussels several years ago. We had the Monk's version (Gueuze, fumé, garlic & parsley) and the Ghent version (Ommegang Hennepin, fumé, parsley, carmelized leeks, bacon, bleu cheese & garlic) and both were excellent. The bleu cheese in the Ghent mussels seemed like a weird addition but it worked very well. I can't wait to return and try the other versions. Frites were very good too.

Stopped here for a late lunch early dinner on the 4th. I was under the impression that this was a seafood spot due to lack of info from a friend, but was interested in the mussels nonetheless. I immediately became agitated at the way they seat you right up under someone else. The cafe is fair in size, but the seating is just not my taste for comfort. When dining with someone I like I prefer a little space and privacy so I can't hear another couple's convo and vise versa. That's my only complaint. The food was really good. The Thai Curry mussels were excellent. The service was also really good, but because of the closeness of the tables, I won't return.

A friend who used to live here told us to visit Monk's Cafe and I'll glad we did, it was great. The service was quick, the food was prepared exactly as ordered and the ambience was fun.

Made a trip to Monk’s on the recommendation of a friend. In a somewhat unfortunate circumstance, construction was going on. This prevented me from seeing the facility from a complete view. Access is still easy. Small, but having a lot a character, the atmosphere was enjoyable. The staff was great! I had several different draft offerings that were solid. If you are an IPA or Craft fan, I think you will enjoy!

This is a must stop if in Philadelphia. Great food and beer choices and cider too. It is run by the monks in Belgium. Rated one of the best bars in the world. A Must see.

This bar has a fantastic range of beers, both draught and bottled. If you are into beer it is well worth visiting it for a drink or two.

I am being going to Monk's since more than 20 years. I was back to Philly for work... so naturally I stopped by Monk's Cafe to check things out. Their beer list - locally known as the bible - is impressive and they offer a large rotating selection of drafts. If you are looking for suggestion and advice, be assured that waiters had done their homework and know their stuff! Food wise, you should not be disappointed too: The Ghent mussels are quite good; My favorites are the local burgers - I had the Monk's burger during my last visit - juicy, tasty and are served with fries + chipotle mayo. A must go if you are in a mood for beers and a burger!

the history behind the owner and this bar is out of this world. The crowd is a big eclectic mix and everyone is amazing. Oh and the beer is endless. Don't sleep on this.

A must for the Belgian Beer person. What a great variety of beers to choose from. The food is also delicious. We tried the mussels and the sauce was fabulous. We also tried the duck sandwich, salad with goat cheese and the basket of frites. Those fries are totally amazing with the dipping sauce. We finished every last piece. Enjoy!

Classic specialty beer tavern with surprisingly good food. And if you are luck, there is Pliny the Elder on tap. Apparently they have the best connection on the East Coast for this world famous, West Coast IPA. The service is excellent and knowledgeable, especially about beer.

After finding out this was one of a very few places on the east coast to carry Pliny the Elder beer, we stopped in. We were lucky that they had it on tap. The bar is the main attraction and has a number of really good rare beers. A cool place to sit down and talk to people passing through. We sat down for lunch and it was awesome. The mussels are excellent and we shared a number of sides. Probably my #1 place to visit when in town.

Always a good choice for a night out with friends or business associates. Choose the mussels and pomme frites for a simple but satisfying dinner. World-class selection of beers.

I loved the food here! I'm not a beer person so I wasn't pleased when my boyfriend took me here, but it was so much better than I expected! The food was amazing.

I'm sure some of you remember when beer was just not a big deal. There were the big labels, mostly fizzy yellow pilsners. There were regional brands, occasionally a little better than the big brewers. Then there were imports...exotic brands like Corona, Molson, and Heineken! There was a vague awareness that other countries brewed beer, and that there were different styles, but it just wasn't a thing. In the mid '80's places started to pop up around Philadelphia that carried some of the more unusual offerings from around the country and the world. Philly even started micro-brewing with the appearance of Dock Street. And then came Monk's. By the late '90's discerning beer drinkers were very much in need of a place to satisfy their newfound snobbery (and I say that with peace and love), and Monk's filled the bill. Its cozy (small) surroundings belie the fact that Philly's biggest selection of brews from around the world, particularly Belgium, are cellared here in this former row home. The local, national, and international accolades Monk's has received are well-earned. They are not just pioneers, they continue to work hard to still be the best beer bar in the city. Then there is the food. Monk's outstanding kitchen cranks out some serious pub grub, including a variety of preparations of mussels, mouth-watering burgers, and maybe the best fries this side of Ostend. Service here is outstanding. Parking is nearly impossible, some nights there is a line out the door, and there are only 2 WC's, but if you can get in the door and fight your way to the bar, you won't regret it. If you have the luxury of visiting in the daytime, it's not as busy, especially on a weekend.

This was a bit of a cab ride for me, but wanted to try their beer selection. Restaraunt Upon pulling up it looks unassuming and perhaps a bit of a dive. Inside the place was long and narrow, but had quite a few customers, with more comin in later. Based on the clientele I saw, it is not a place for the younger set, but instead caters to an older crowd. The host at the door was a bit creepy, as he either starred at you, or looked right through you...what ever it was he was a tad creepy. Service Felicia was great, she was prompt with my drinks and food, and she knew her beers, and had a few of her reccomendations. Food I ordered a burger and it was pretty good in taste. The portion was good, and they did not over do how much food they gave you. Overall a good place and worth checking out

As name sorta implies, expect Belgian beers and a lot of them. I settled for a Russian River beer and a couple of helles. Just awesome. Best fries ever and I could order just a side instead of whole basket! I’ll go every time in Philly!

Monks cafe is the go to place for great drinks and a friendly staff! From the moment we walked in we were greeted by a friendly host who quickly showed us to some seats at the bar while he got a table ready for us. At the bar, the bartender was full of knowledge and suggestions on what to drink. The Westmalle on draft was fairly new and it was great in taste. The food was also great! Definitely coming back to this place!

Nice restaurant/bar with a great selection of Belgian and Belgian style beers. Nice hamburgers too, but a little pricey. Fries come with mayo for dipping. Decor is nice. Service personnel are attentive and knowledgeable.

We ordered a burger and a sausage sandwich.. The burger was really good, the sausage sandwich was ok a bit on the plain side. But dont forget to order the fries, they were the best! The restaurant was busy and loud with lots of people at the bar. We would go back

We walked quickly from the Kimmel Center to Monks and luckily we did because it filled up quickly. We sat at the bar waiting for our table. If you don’t get a spot at the bar, or at the standup bar along the side wall, then there is no place else to wait. You can wait outside, but without a drink. The food was very good. We started with 2 types of mussels- the Monk and the Mexican ( we ordered them not as spicy). They come from fries with a dipping sauce and bread to soak up the gravy. The mussels ranged in sizes, but were tasty, juicy and not smelly. We then enjoyed the Caesar salad (minus the kale), the duck salad and Mac n cheese. We then ordered the Red Light and another order of the Monks mussels for dessert. The waitress was on top of things and friendly. Monks is also known from their huge variety of beer but since I don’t drink beer, I can’t tell you about them. The place was packed and we’d definitely return.

Monk's is truly unique. The beer list is insane-- most of it you won't find on tap anywhere else. If you like Belgian beer this place is a must-visit. The food is really good too, especially the mussels. It's a downtown bar so seating is limited and crowded, some go early and be flexible.

Very unique place to eat. The menu is not large and this is not your typical place for bar food. The mussels are good. The location is very old and worth a look. There are 300 kinds of beer here. There are some you will not find anywhere else!

Very interesting, vintage, great place! Our friend told us about this place and it didn’t disappoint! We are avid beer connoisseurs and we have a love of Pliny The Elder and Blind Pig from Russian River Brewing and they have (or had it) on tap. One of the very few places that serve it on tap. The server was so friendly and personable. Great atmosphere! Highly recommend!

Monk's is authentic, excellent, professional, friendly, welcoming and reasonably priced. Our server Gabriella was well versed in the menu and the beers/beverages available and provided expert advice throughout. The service itself was prompt and impeccable. This team has their timing down perfectly. You do not see any staff side-bar chit chat that distracts from the timing in many businesses--they are a team getting the job done and clearly get along with one another. We were near the kitchen and a wait station and detected no frictions, just friendly interactions among the staff. The food was superb. Portions generous. We started with the light and delicious chicken pate, which we shared. Bread, mustard and jam served alongside were perfect accompaniments. The Mussels portions were abundant. We had Ghent Mussels, the frites, the burger (perfectly cooked MR on brioche), and the desserts (pear tart and chocolate creme brûlée) were a great finish. The beer that Gabriella paired for us with dinner were excellent choices, as well.

We typically stop here when in Rittenhouse as they often have beers that we cannot get a home. The bar is small, cramped and always busy. Beer is fresh and the pom frites are a great midday snack! Bartender is very knowledgeable.

Stopped here for 8pm Saturday dinner and drinks. We waited about half an hour for a table, which was a bit awkward as the place is very small and gets cramped. But we figured that the wait meant it had to be good food, so we were patient. While we were waiting we noticed almost everyone was ordering mussels, so when we finally got our lovely little table by the window, we decided to try them. We ordered the Monk's mussels and were absolutely blown away. They were by far the best mussels I have ever had, and the portion size made for the perfect appetizer for two hungry people. For an entree, I ordered the Ghent veggie burger and my boyfriend ordered the Mac and cheese. I was not blown away by the veggie burger, but my boyfriend loved the Mac and cheese. He tried a couple beers as well, and in particular really enjoyed one with a sour taste, though I can't remember the name. Even I liked it when I tried a sip, and I tend to strongly dislike beer! We were really impressed with the service - the place was absolutely packed, and the staff really work hard to keep up.

A stellar assortment of beers, and delicious food. Short visit to Philadelphia and this place was recommended. I'm glad I decided to give it a shot. It's beyond worth it

Have been here a couple of times while in Philly for work. I'm a beer nerd, so always searching out places to catch rare beers. This place is great and worthy of a trip for anyone into Belgians. Had some old vintages of one of my favorite beers of all time, De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva. Would definitely go back...

Initially came to Monk's just to get a Russian River Beer that we couldn't even get when we went to the brewery in CA. My wife got the bucket of mussels (again) I had a few, they were VERY good. I had the duck confit. It was as good as any, especially for the price which I thought was very reasonable. I will be back again next trip to Philly

I was on vacation in Philadelphia with my family and we visited this bar/restaurant twice. It had delicious food, great ambience, and awesome desserts. Lots of vegetarian options!

Spent a lovely night here with my husband and a friend. I was really impressed with both the beer and food menus. You can indulge as much as you want, but there are lots of veggie options and everything is high quality. Our service was awesome, and the authentic, old Philly ambiance is just what you want from a bar like this. Highly recommend.

Great meal and beer selection. I had the mussels and frittes with Thai sauce, my wife had the trout. Friendly service, happy customers; I'd go back!

I was here with a group of people after training to relax. The waiter was friendly and was knowledgeable about all the beers they had on tab and in bottles. We were there for an hour and had appetizers & beers. The beer selection was impressive, I ended up with a really good stout. The food was really good, chicken was tender and scallops were tasty. Definatly a place to go back to when in Phili

Having just traveled to Belgium this past summer, I was excited when my cousin told me about this place during my visit to Philadelphia. There are two bars in the restaurant, but be warned that even on a Sunday night they were both fairly crowded. Luckily we got there at just the right time and the four of us were able to sit at the bar. Their selection of beers is amazing. You could easily break the bank on some of their rarer imports, but there was plenty to choose from within normal range. I would also highly recommend the Ghent mussels. They were amazing, and I'm not normally a muscles fan. The bar tender was friendly and decently attentive and was very knowledgeable about the beer selection. A true gem!

Tried Monk's Cafe on a recommendation from friends while in town for a weekend. We entered the restaurant and it had the typical Belgian beer joint vibe. After a tight walk back to the rear bar we were seated in a corner. It was tight, but manageable. A review of the menu showed a wide assortment of beers from across Europe with a focus on Belgium and Germany. We had a pilsner and a wit beer, both were very good. The menu has a good variety of items with a major focus on various types of mussels from Ghent, to Russian or the Monks house style. The best part is any order comes with over a pound and a half of mussels for under $20, which is a great deal. We ordered the Russian mussels and the chicken tenders. The mussels were excellent and tenders were good bar fare. We left happy after several beers and some good food.

We had great burgers and skinny fries, which are my favorite way to have them, with homemade seasoned mayonnaise. Nice brioche bun too! They open at 11:30 for lunch.

Ridiculous assortment of bottled and draft beers at Monk”s Cafe that will satisfy the most obnoxious beer snob, but this place is so chill and comfortable that non-beer snobs need not be afraid. My bartender was awesome, quick with refills and suggestions for whoever wanted one. His descriptions of the beers were a little over the top but whatever. Make sure you get the fries, errr, pommes frites. Five stars easy, if you like beer you have to come to Monk’s.

Charming restaurant with an amazing selection of beers. The beer menu ("Beer Bible") on every table makes for enjoyable and informative reading. Staff are knowledgeable and friendly and the beer and the food were both excellent. Great value for money.

We had a party of 6, they wouldn’t seat 2 of us while the rest were 10 min away, then told we had to wait yet another half hour after they came- we left for The Black Sheep around the block- much better customer service there

Not one but two cozy bars. We fought our way on foot through driving snow and were very happy to get inside. The beer collection is nothing short of amazing. I had a very nice hearty beef stew, and my daughter was happy with the steak frites salad. Now we need to go back for mussels (they have five varieties)

Beer list is off the charts!!! Pic is the “primary tap list” with more than double what is seen in pic available. Pliny the Elder, Hill Farmstead Edward and the 25th anniversary bottle were all amazing! We both enjoyed our meals as well (house made chicken fingers and steak salad).

Monk’s Café in Philly exceeded all expectations! The burger I had was absolutely amazing—perfectly cooked, juicy, and packed with flavor. The atmosphere was cozy, and the service was excellent. Can’t wait to go back!

Accommodated a party of 10 with 5 teenagers on Easter Sunday at 9pm quickly . Pub was sought out by member of group for the craft beer selection but the food was a phenomenal find as well!! Muscles aplenty for $16.95 and plenty of other delicious options, absolutely no one was disappointed with their meal that were all reasonably priced.

Great food and service! The mussels are a must! And the bread they give is great for soaking up all delicious broth. Their hamburgers are great as well. We stopped here for lunch before seeing a show at the Music Academy of Philadelphia.

As advertised, the beer list is outstanding for your typical beer snob. We ordered Veal Cheeks for a starter, duck confit and mussels. The food was higher quality than expected at a dive bar, but it also cost a lot more than you’d expect. The decor is nonexistent and the service was below average. They were there to provide the service, but they weren’t at all pleasant about it. Overall it’s just not all it’s cracked up to be.

We went to monk's cafe for the drinks and we weren't disappointed. This bar has the best selection of Belgium beers that I've encountered. Definitely recommend.

My husband had mussels and beer, my son and I had burgers, and my daughter had chicken tenders. Everyone really enjoyed the meal, the bustle of the place. So glad we got there early (5:00 pm). By the time we left every seat was taken and there was a wait.

great beer and very good food, anyone visiting philly and likes good beer should go to monks. we had mussel appetizer and hamburger, both very good.

Cramped space but outstanding mussels and beer. Just order 3-4 pots of mussels and keep ordering different ones. This is a great pace if you like mussels and beer. Service a tad slow but that is because it is so jammed with people

Recommended by a friend and it did not disappoint. Cozy atmosphere , excellent service and could be the best mussels I've ever had. Waiter recommended Red Light mussels because I like spicy food and it hit the mark. Waiter, unsolicited, brought extra crusty bread to sop up the broth. The sour of the Saison Dupont with the heat of the mussels was delectable. This place is now a destination.

An little out of the way café which my friend and I decided to try for lunch. Interesting Belgian style menu. I had the pulled pork sandwich while my friend had the duck salad. Would have preferred chips or fries with the sandwich but it came with salad greens. The sanndwich was very tasty. My friend loved the duck salad though I thought the duck was hardly cooked. Would have liked a beer but there are work restrictions. Maybe next time. My only criticism was the very long wait for the food. Since the café was lightly patronized it should not have taken so long. Working folks have a limited time for lunch.

Searching for new place and read the reviews. Which is why I’m writing mine they really help! We had a very very good lunch. Beer was great, food was delicious! Cool atmosphere almost knights of the round table. Highly recommend

Went to this restaurant to get a draft beer of Pliny the Elder and ordered mussels. My son had duck salad sandwich, his wife mac and cheese, my wife a burger and kids had chicken tenders. Everything was delicious, the atmosphere was great, alot of activity, our service was exceptional and the Pliny was one of the best. This restaurant is nothing fancy on the inside with several small rooms but all together this place is great.

Monk’s Café is fantastic. The staff was friendly and welcoming, the food was excellent, and the drinks were just as great. The atmosphere made the whole experience even better. More places should be like this—highly recommended.

What a great little place. Although there are plenty of items on the menu, the mussels and fries are the reason for this visit. Plenty of food. An amazing selection of beer and wine. The place fills up fast. Great gluten free options.

This please was a great experience. The food was so good, loved the fries and the sauce given. Beers were new for me but the waitress was very helpful to my needs

A charming warren of rooms with lots of wood and old posters and beer logos. Friendly staff, decent food, and excellent beer list with a number of Belgian/Belgian-style items.

Ok...so this place has a lot of Hype. Well...it is deserved. Cozy place with a focus on BEER and a simple but amazing food menu. The BEST Fries I have had anywhere. We were there for a tap takeover by wicked weed out of NC. French Toast Imp. Stout is amazing as were others. The special taps were nice...but steep. Settled for Pliny and Blind pig from a little place in California you might have heard of.

Recently dropped by for lunch. Having never been here before and not a beer drinker I asked the waitress for suggestions. She was very helpful. I chose the simple form of mussels and was pleased with the portion size and overall taste. The broth was hot and tasty, not spicy. It was a soothing treat on a cold December day. The dish is served with fries which were skinny and tasty but could have been a bit warmer. The bread provided was perfect for sopping up the mussel broth. As it was mid week I had no trouble getting seated at mid-day. Dessert tray was a pleasing to look at with many great choices but i was full and passed. I will certainly return next time that I am in the neighborhood.

We came here for the beer and unfortunately they don't allow you to sit at a table unless you're ordering food. Seems strange given the price of some of the beers and the fact that our bill would probably have equaled the cost of a meal. Anyway, we stood at the bar and had some drafts. They obviously have a great selection.

Stopped for a late lunch on Friday. Nice beer menu. Started with an appetizer plate of charcuterie. Mediocre pate and ham. Chicken liver mousse was very nice. Arugula was crushed under the jar with the mousse. Rhubarb jelly was nice. Could have used some cornichons and some cheese. Had to ask for more bread - they only served about 4 small slices. Wife got the moules frites. The mussels were just ok. The bacon and broth lacked punch. I had the duck salad sandwich, which was nice, but in my opinion, could have used the nice zippy sauce they served with the fries. The beer was excellent.

I can't believe how much they have cleaned up and brightened up the joint. We went on a Sunday afternoon and had world class beer and world class food. Scallops, mussels, burgers...it's out of this world. Staff is so nice and the place is so "cool". Surprisingly, we saw many families with small kids. That was the exception not the rule for many years. Glad to see it is a great place that welcomes all.

Food was great (enjoyed the duck salad and the frites). Staff was very attentive and gave great advice on beer choices.

Enjoyed a great vegan dish at the cozy pub not too far Rittenhouse Square. Menu was good for everyone; vegans, vegetarians and carnivores. Atmosphere was warm and cozy, and service was really good. Full bar and many options for beer drinkers.

We came for dinner and beer and were wowed by the selection- if you love beer, Belgian-style beer or sour beer - don’t miss this place! Food specialties were the mussels and scallops. A great place for locals and tourists alike.

We wanted to treat daughter and son in law to a birthday meal. They are from CO, we are from NY State. Son in law is a head craft brewer so when he chose this restaurant, we knew he was onto something. We arrived at about noon on Saturday. They do not take reservations and we were almost alone. Spouse started off with a Pliny. SIL ordered a crown jewel: Cantillon Gueuze LG ($40), which we shared and savored. Apparently it is available in very few places in the US. There is also a 20 yr anniversary Cantillon ($60), available in limited quantities. I must tell you about the Beer Bible: a 10+ page book listing about 300 beers from around the world. SIL also enjoyed a DuPont variety. Daughter enjoyed LA Devotion. SIL ordered Monks mussels, a 1 1/2 lb delight, along with frites. There are several varieties of mussels. Spouse enjoyed a Chicken Caesar salad. I had the Duck Salad, baby greens with a very tender sliced duck breast, with Flemish Sour Ale vinaigrette. Daughter had the Vegan entree. Our server Jordan was excellent. He knew and described any beer we wanted and was very patient with our questions. We had a leisurely meal. This is a very special place. When we left the place was packed!

Monk's cafe is an amazing place. Not just your average Brewpub, Monks Cafe has an extensive selection of local and rare craft beers as well as very fine selection of Belgian and Belgian style beers. The menu is designing with the beer lover and the food lover in mind. Almost all of the dishes had some form of beer ingrediant or a beer match for the food. Our table had an eclectic mix of foods. We had the charcuterie board, the Flemish style Scallops, the frog legs, good old chicken wings, mussels, and my favourite, the Duck Salad. You are in Beer lovers heaven at Monks cafe, and if you just happened to be a foodie, then you are in the right place, the food is exceptional. The staff is great, and we were seated comfortably in the back area, where our group of 20 had plenty of room. Did I mention the fries?? This is a Belgian Pub, there are fries galore. Monks takes pride in the crispy, cooked right, served hot fries accompanied by Belgian style dips. This Cafe was a highlight of my visit to Philly.

Monk's Cafe is small so it might be crowded and noisy. But it's a fun place. The waiters are friendly, and the food is much better than the usual pub grub. The beer menu is multi-pages long!

I love Monk's for the atmosphere and the beer selection. I visit every time I'm in Philly and sit at the back bar. I love to down some mussels along with my brew, especially their Flemish Sour!

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a restaurant where it felt like everyone enjoyed working there. All the staff were friendly and knowledgeable and welcoming. My husband and I came to monks maybe 4 years ago and have been looking forward to coming back. We had three different beers each, all draft and all delicious. For food we had the Buffalo frog legs, cheese platter and spicy mussels.! EVERYTHING was delicious. And I have to say again before closing out this review, our waitress was so cool and lovely, she really did make the meal that much better. If you get to stop by Monks you are a lucky patron!!

Lots of great stuff on the menu, but I usually go for the Ghent mussels or a bacon cheese burger. Fantastic beer selection.

Absolutely loved our visit to Monks. The beer list is top notch and the food is delicious. We had the Mussels Ghent, and we couldn’t have been happier. The decor is old timey European in flavor and the staff was quick and friendly. A great choice if you are near the Rittenhouse or the theatre district in Philly.

Monk's offers Belgian and European fare with a great beer list. The lively bar and the compact dining room offer great people watching and delicious comfort food.

This place always seems to be packed, and noisy, with a happy bar vibe. The mussels are excellent, in a variety of preparations, with a nice broth for sopping with warm bread. You have to be ready for a very casual place, but it fits that bill nicely.

Had to compromise on a anniversary dinner date verses a lunch date due to the Eagles play off game with the Falcons. That being said, great spot! My burger was cooked perfectly (MR) and the beers were delicious, cold with a beautiful head. I was slightly disappointed with the mussels, too many with broken shells. The server took them back immediately and brought another batch, very good but still not sure where the leeks and blue cheese came in. All in all, nice date.

Let me start out that this poor rating is based soley on their no beer taste policy as the food was actually pretty good. So this place was recommended to us by the guy who led our beer tasting experience around Philly the night before. They offer many many beers and therefore I can see why they are in generaly rated very highly. However, if you are relatively new to beer drinking, as I am, and simply want to taste a new beer before you purchase, they don't offer that option, rather instead you have to purchase the beer and if you don't like it ... well too bad so sad, you just wasted your money. Very disappointing as they could have easily accomodated a small taste of the beer on tap that I was interested in tasting. As it was, I didn't like the beer and ended up drinking water with my meal instead. We won't be coming back as there are too many other restaurants that do offer a taste before you buy.

My last review says it all, so no need to be repetitious, but this place has maintained its standards over the years (I've been back several times) and that deserves another shot. Visiting this time on a Saturday night, the place was packed and yet still delivered high quality. My buddy, Young Dave and I went with the burgers. I had the Brussels Burger with Lancaster Cheddar Cheese and Applewood Smoked bacon. Barbecue sauce on the side...really fine... and the classic Pomme Frites were as great as ever. The fine casual vibe still remains and for what you get (including impressive full bar) this is a go-to place.

Dinner was ok - pub food. Disappointed that you can’t taste a $10 beer before purchasing unless you sit at the bar. Diners are prohibited of this benefit.

This place is highly over rated. It's a very small venue. You wait a long time for a table, the food is decent but over priced. My wife's food actually came out burnt the first time. We won't be going back.

Great beers list! Also heard the mussels are amazing but didn't eat there. Great vibe and cool atmosphere!

The Zinnebir (beer) I had was very good, but when you're charged $8, expecting a pint (instead of 10 ounces), is reasonable. The place was very busy on a Saturday night in late April, but the staff did find us a table quickly, and the waiter took our order in a few minutes. We then waited 35 minutes for our dinner. We each had the chicken breast sandwich, served with matchstick fries. The sandwiches were good, but nothing special. The fries were on the spicy side. Overall, just an ok meal.

This is a Belgium-accented Craft Beer Café, just a short walk from the Kimmel Center, Merriam Theater and the Academy of Music where young Philadelphians gather with Theater-goers for Cocktails and Mussels, alive-alive oh! With an ever-changing selection offerring over 200 draught and bottled beers from around the world, I need not review this aspect. I, like many, am a Beer Snob, and take my tasting seriously! Tutti Gusti Sono Gusti, I say, and let the BEER BIBLE they provide guide you through your selection process. Now, on to the award-winning food and fine folks sailing the ship calmly among the chaos. Small, crowded, and they don't take reservations... be prepared to eat elbow-to-elbow at the bar or wait, elbow-to-elbow along a wall up to 45 minutes for a table. That said, I did NOT have to wait long to order drinks while waiting. I didn't catch the Bartender's name, but he was fast and efficient! And on an evening almost marred by what I can only assume were some angry out-of towners, rude to staff as well as the GF and myself, punctuated by demanding they be seated before us only to leave without telling anyone, Hostess Candace handled them with grace and poise and a smile that could diffuse any adversity, found us in the crowd and gave us their vacated table, often stopping by to share laughs reliving the scene. While waiting, we enjoyed watching.. and occasionally chatting with waitress Gabrielle, who bore an uncanny resemblence to a young Gabby Hoffmann, and was smooth in her moves around standing patrons, lightning-quick and agile in serving dinner and all smiles and good-cheer while doing so! Kudos, Gabrielle! I must apologize to bar-back and runner Myles, who I seemingly kept bumping into and was generally in his way the whole time. When we finally did sit, I promised I would not get in his was again for the rest of the night and he thanked me with a smile and a hint of sarcasm appreciated by the GF and me. I commend him oh his patience and the way he went about his work, the hardest working guy in the place, I thought, Our Server was affectionately known as THE FRENCH LADY and was a force to be reckoned with. Sternly warning those who would dare to block her egress from the kitchen to the bar to our table, Katarina was then soft and patient while we ordered, and the JEAN-ny on the spot when our drinks were empty. We never felt alone or lost in the crowd with Katarina always close by, as crowded as it was. So, the food: I did say it was Belgium, right. So, a variety of Mussells and Sausage dishes... i went with the basic Monk's Mussells... which were large, well-cleaned and in a sauce that I finished up with the bread from Metropoltan bakery, the ONLY item NOT made exclusively in the restaurant. This was a fine Belgian dish STILL making my mouth water, The GF went with a DUCK SALAD served Sandwich-style. I rember duck as being oily and fatty, but not at Monk's. Thinly-sliced, well-seasoned and cooked to perfection, it was a pleasure to the palate. A basic assortment of desserts nicely rounded out our dining experience with a sweet La Trappe Quadruple as my apertif. Afterall, this IS a Craft Beer Cafe! So, if you don't mind crowds, long waits to be seated, or the inevitable tourist who simply just doesn't get it.... the fine food and friendly folks will make your experience here a pleasant one... if not the vast selection of BEER! (one final PS: upon leaving, Katarina caught up to us to say that it was folks like us that make the world and the work a better place. Funny, the GF and I were just saying the same about them)

we stopped off for a quick bite to eat on our first day in town, and split a lunch special. The food is wonderful, the carefully curated tap list is out of this world.

Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon. Got a spot at the small bar. The bartender was friendly and enjoyed talking about all the beers they offer. If you are looking for a Belgian beer.. this is the place to go. They have many local beers on tap. Also, they have many difficult beers that are hard to find here. They also have liquor and wine. I didn’t try the food but it looked good. I would definitely go back.

My wife and I visited this place for a late dinner. We were staying at the Dwight D Hotel (excellent by the way) which is upstairs, practically. We asked for a beer (of course) Achel Blonde (USD 10.00) and Anderra Sauv Blanc (USD 10.00). Excellent choice of beer. The wife didn't enjoy the wine as much. We shared the Celery Steak (USD 15.95). In summary, this is a very small place. It gets full of people very quickly and it is difficult to find a table at peak hours. the wait was short and worthy. I think the have the largest selection of beer I have ever seen in a restaurant.

When I walked into the restaurant, I was hesitant. But we waited for a few minutes and they sat us in the back. We ordered the mussels to share and I got a burger. The mussels were incredible. However, the burger had no flavor and I was severely disappointed. The french fries were amazing!

Truly amazing selection of beer -- including a whole lot that are extremely expensive. But even in the $10 range, a huge variety to choose from. Really good bar food and cheesecake (the only dessert available on the night we were there). Pleasant, comfortable, friendly and helpful wait staff (very willing to help me sort through the beer options). A little loud -- but t's a bar after all.

If you like beer, in the connoisseur sense, then you have to come here when visiting Philly. Amazing selection, fairly priced, in a cool and cosy interior and a great selection of sandwiches, soups, burgers and mains. You could easily spend hours in here...although go easy otherwise you'll be asleep for most of the time!!

Totally unexpected and delicious. Zucchini ‘noodles’. On the light side for lunch but delightfully complex dish.

One of the best places for beers that I've been to. They had the mythical Pliny the Elder on tap. Their food is also quite delicious and it's a chill atmosphere.

Dinner on a Friday night. Location was busy but service was good and fast.Our waitress was corteuse, attentive, and gave very good suggestions on the food. The draft beer list is impressive, I really liked the Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale, but the outstanding, out-of-this-world thing were the mussels. Served along with delicious fries, in the moules-fites Belgian tradition, they were simply delicious. My mother, who can be picky about food in general and seafood in particular, said that they were "the best mussels I've ever had". Bonus points for bringing extra bread to soak up the juices. Definitely a keeper worth a visit if you are in Philadelphia!

A hole in the wall type of place with a good vibe. Staff was super friendly and the food was excellent. Had the chicken thighs with double veggies and it was delicious. Great beer selection and good prices.

I would have rated Monk’s with 5 stars but the whole host and seating process is extremely inefficient. My wife and I came in and asked for a table, and we saw 3-4 empty tables. The host said there was a 30 minute wait. We ordered some beers and noticed people coming in and getting tables immediately. I asked the host if they took reservations and he said no... He then sat us immediately. Anyway, the beer menu is extremely impressive, with the highlight being Russian River (Pliny) and Lost Abbey (San Diego). My wife had the ribeye and I tried a burger. My wife said the ribeye was very good and came with delicious mashed potatoes. I had the Monk Burger with fried leeks, blue cheese, and bacon. The food was very good. Also, the service was really good a well. The ambience is modeled after a Belgium Pub and is authentic. Only a 300 yer old city could house a legitimate Belgium Pub. I will be back but hope for a better seating experience.

My favorite pub in the city to relax-eat and enjoy-a fresh variety of Belgian brews! I️ had the Ghent mussels with frites, I️ let the waiter select my brew and he came back with a house special that was quite delightful. The vibe at is this pub is cool and nonjudgmental. They allow the bartenders to play music from their personal playlists so you get a variety of tunes. I’ve been to Monks on many occasions, I always leave overly satisfied....and the Burgers are excellent!

Being a California native and a great fan of Russia River’s capstone beer “Pliny the Elder”, I was shocked to discover, while on a business trip to downtown Philly, that Monk’s has a wide variety of beers including Russian River and it was a short walk from the hotel! It was Friday afternoon and I didn’t look up and ended up walking right past the understated edifice, then discovered I had to walk up a little passage, make a 90 degree turn, and open a door. In the middle is a big, lively bar and there is a seating area in the back and a small one in the front, where I sat and ordered their special of the day, Lamb Meatballs (they were great!) My first beer was a draft pint of Blind Pig from Russian River sold cold and fresh. Second I got a half pour of Pliny the Elder - sublime! They had dozens of not hundreds of excellent beers from around the world on their list. A good beer lover’s paradise! Visit this place if you like great beer!

Went with a rather large (for the venue) party of 8 for a birthday dinner and Monks made it a great experience! We showed up a bit early before the dinner rush to ask about putting our names down since we had a larger group. They were incredibly accommodating and held the one big table they had for the rest of our group who were arriving in 10 minutes. I'm truly grateful that they took care of everything and made it a great night for us. The service was great as per usual. The food even better. You can't go wrong with the mussels in my opinion. Beer selections were also on point, but that's nothing new for Monks. I will always recommend Monks to anyone looking for a great meal.

We decided to take a drive to philly for the day. Walked around to see where we could go for lunch. Most of the places we passed were Irish pubs but then we happened to see this place. Belgium food with a unique beer selection. What the heck, we went for it and wow. The mussels were great, almost a pound and half along with fries and a roll. The burgers were just as good and on a brioche roll. No ketchup required for the burger. I got the salad with the burger to give some lightness and it was good. Now here’s the thing, dessert was the best! We ordered the coconut creme pie and a pear pistachio tart. Both were good but the pear pistachio was good, layer of pistachio on the crust and the pear that was just right in softness. If you come to philly I would stop by and give this a whirl

This bar sells over 300 types of beer and has a short but good food menu and mussels in a variety of six sauces are amongst the best

What a great small tavern to visit. Nice staff, really solid menu and great beer collection. I asked someone for a really good Philly Locals spot and this is what they recommended! Wasn’t disappointed!

Came here as part of bar hopping for a bachelorette party on a Saturday. It was hoppin' and there was a wait of about 30 minutes to sit down to eat. We were seated in what seemed like a secret spot in the back. I felt like I was in another country and era here, which was comforting. The beer list was extensive and I tried several of my friends'. The portabella sandwich was so tasty, tasty enough that I was able to finish the whole thing which is rare for me. It came with a side of greens and balsamic vinaigrette. Service was friendly. I'd go back if I was in the area.

I know everyone raves about the beers available at this place. Their reputation is well deserved. The beers in tap were varied and perfectly served. You can't go wrong. Especially when you get really nice food as well - the duck salad was especially good. If you are prepared for a beer centric meal, then you will have a wonderful time.

Monk's was recommended by fellow patrons at a gin distillery in Manayunk. We weren't disappointed! Place was packed on a Saturday afternoon, we got a bite to eat before a concert at the stadium. Didn't take too long to get seated. We had the mussels, which were out of this world and there were plenty for the two of us. We also got the Ghent mussels and shared a duck salad sandwich, also terrific. The beer selection is fantastic, or server was really knowledgeable and super-friendly despite the busyness. We got in and out in plenty of time to catch the train and couldn't have been more pleased.

I’m really glad I read the reviews and came. A rather intimate setting, with more ales than tables. I was surprised by the range of ale types available, and the obvious expertise of the servers And by all means try the mussels - yummy!

Every time I visit Philly I have to stop for Monk's Flemish Sour. And if I'm lucky enough to get a seat at the front bar, I always have a great conversation with those that sit around me. It's almost always about beer and food! The back bar is always a little to stuffy and warm for me but it is beautiful. My only reason for not giving it 5 stars is the prices. Just a tad bit to high for what you get but if you are on vacation...treat yourself!

Service was attentive. As always, the restaurant was busy and the bar was busy. We had pints of Pliny the Elder, a superb IPA only available here. Mussels are a specialty but I went with a Caesar salad (excellent!) as I did not want to get too bloated. The place is simply about beer, and they specialize in Belgian. Surprisingly family friendly.

Monk’s is the place for great beer especially Belgium Beer! The mussels are also fabulous! I had the Monk’s Mussells, they were plump and delicious! Four other preparations are available for the Mussels. My husband had a hamburger, he said it was great. An extensive menu. Is available but I will find it hard to pass up the mussells!

My spouse and I were here on St. Patrick's Day weekend. Crowd was loud and boisterous, which might have to do with when we visited. It had been recommended by a friend. Service was slow, but, again, it was very busy. Food was okay, but nothing exceptional. Had a burger; fries were cold. Spouse had Thai mussels. We probably would not return, but we would not dissuade anyone from trying it, especially if beer takes priority over food.

Thee place for Belgian beer if you’re in Philly. The Cantillon selection was off the hook. One of the highlights of my trip.

Some days, you can't have everything go 100%. Ok, how about 75%? Today was was one of those "other" days. My wife and I, along with two of her friends, went to Monk's Cafe for a meal before seeing a show at the Kimmel Center. We left a lot of time knowing that you can't rush a good meal. The food was good, but the service was terribly scattered. While well intentioned, the waiter was too busy with so many tables and got things very confused with our meal. Some of the food came out right, some of it didn't, and some of it didn't come out at all! We had two burgers, a pulled chicken sandwich and a roasted veggies plate. The chicken and the roasted veggies were really good. However, the small salad that should have accompanied the chicken didn't show up until we were getting ready to leave, and that was only after asking for it 4 times. One burger was cooked medium-well, but tasted dried out. The other was cooked medium rare and cooked perfectly. The crispy bacon was more like uncooked and the fries were cold. They redid the burger but it took another 20 minutes to get it. In the end, it wasn't a good day for Monk's cafe. Still a nice place, nice attitudes, but if all of the meals were like this, they wouldn't last a week.

well known in philly. monks gets a lot of bottles that you won't see anywhere else. cantillon in bottles pretty often. love it

Small pub restaurant with 2 small bars. Excellent beer choices. Cozy and lively at the same time. Food and service were great.

Totally authentic Belgium Pub. Reasonable prices and look what you save in airfare! Easy to enter the Belgium scene right in downtown Philly! Loved chatting with locals at the bar while waiting for a table. Small number of seats in the front and s few more in the back. The Red Snapper with pickled veggies was fantastic! My colleague loved her mussels and frites! Jim, our waiter, was wonderful! Great stories about the Philly scene. He recommended the Tart Desserts and brought over the tray. I was hard to pick, thru were all so beautiful! We did the chocolate tart with creme Burlee filling. The BEST! 5 stars all the way at Monks Cafe!

I dropped in on a Friday afternoon before dinner and the place was already packed. I stood until a spot opened up at the front bar. Really nice craft beer list. I was shocked to find Russian River - Pliny the Elder on their menu. I had never seen this beer outside of California before so it was a huge score. I noticed many other patrons having mussels so I gave them a shot. Huge portion of meaty mussels cooked in beer and garlic. They were excellent and come with a wonderful fresh roll to sop up the broth with. The mussels were served with some of their famous pomme frites with spicy mayo. They too were wonderful. Prices average and the service was good. I will definitely return.

Last night the Philadelphia orchestra had a popUP concert at 6:30 so at 4:30 we went to Monk's Cafe for dinner. Monk's is known for there beer selections and mussels. A friend and I shared a pit of mussels in a Thai broth and my wife had macaroni and cheese, which had ham, bacon and asparagus combined with macaroni and four different cheeses - delicious. The mussels came in a spicy thai broth also very good. The beer selection is excellent with beers from around the world but specializing in Belgium beers.

We stopped here for a late dinner. The restaurant is so dark I had to use my phone to read the menu. It is also very tight seating....you are basically sitting with your neighbors. Lots of beer choices.

I just remember the delicious fries and I randomly try beers off of their list and haven't been disappointed yet!

Made a special trek to Monk's to land a whale-Pliney the Elder. really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Very old school looking wooden bar - wooden everything! You may consider it a 'dive bar' from the atmosphere but the food was top notch - I had the Monk's Burger and Fries - and the beer list is incredible.

staff need a personality update - otherwise beer good, food ok. It is bigger than you think from the outside. Great theme of beer and mussels and with a bit more enthusiasm from the staff it could have been awesome!

Monk’s is an old-style pub on the outskirts of downtown Philadelphia. The heavy wood decor creates the atmosphere and environment of an overseas bar. This effort is also supported by the extensive - and minimally American - beer menu. The food is tremendous and the kitchen is open late!

Looking for a good beer. This is the place to go. They have a great selection of Belgium Beers combined with nice food including some Belgium specialties!

Really bad when a place that claims to have good draft beer wont let you sample any of them, not even 1. ! That is just bad management and customer service. The place is very sketchy, dont be fooled by these high ratings, must have paid money to get the ratings and nothing to back it up

Ok, Belgian beer is probably the best in a world, and here you can get some in a middle of US, food is nice, but you don’t come here for food, you come here for beer. Bring some friends with you, but only those who will enjoy good talk, music will allow you to talk, those who won’t demand fancy food. Come here with pals, we all know wine is for friends, for pals its a beer! Little bit expensive, but hey, we live only once

Great beer list and good food. Have been here multiple times and would come back again. Good service. Can get crowded and the restaurant doesn't take reservations.

The Monk's was recommended to us twice by our hotel owner so we decided to go there for dinner. When we entered we approached the waitress in order to be seated.The waitress asked for our ID's (which is strange for mid-thirty Europeans but fair enough, your house, your rules) so I handed her my ID. For no apparent reason she decided that my German ID (which is almost equal to an US ID incl. english titels and which was good enough to visit the Pentagon! 3 days ago) wasn't convincing and in a very condescending manner she said we need to bring our passports (which we did not have with us since we only wanted to have dinner). When I explained that we didn't have them with us all we got was yet another condescending: "well, sorry then". If she just would have said: "sorry no tables available" that would have been fine but to be treated like an idiot is of course upsetting. Maybe it's a nice place and and maybe the rest of the staff is as nice as all other people we had the pleasure to meet while being in Philadelphia but that particular waitress made it more than clear to us that we were not welcome at the Monk's.

We stopped in here after seeing a play in town walking around looking for a place to eat. Not a beer drinker so this was purely for food. Place is bigger than looks from outside. The mussel appetizer was delicious fresh & clean. Love the variation of mussel flavors/broths to choose from. Fries that accompany them are terrific. I had the duck confit for dinner which was awesome and daughter had salad. Very interesting food menu. Can't speak on beer as we both had water due to imbibing too much the night before but will go back!

In Philly this weekend and had to go back here. I had eaten here many years ago and looked forward to getting back. The beer list is fantastic and the burgers are amazing. I love the fries but this tome they were just a bit too salty. Still a must do hidden gem on 16th street.

The food was good, the service was great, and the atmosphere was local and cozy. They have a nice beer selection. There is a lot of great food in philly and I wouldn’t say this is top of the list but certainly a solid choice

This place is known for it's excellent selection of rotating craft beers, but the food is really good as well! Have been here several times in the past couple of weeks. The veal cheeks on polenta were amazing, as well as the a perfectly cooked burger, medium rare of course, and the scallops and mussels.

We were in town for a concert at Marian Anderson Hall and this is very close by. My wife and I had the Belgian Burgers and they were amazing, some of the best we’ve had in a very long time. We like our burgers medium rare, and most places can’t get that right, but Monk’s Cafe did them perfectly. My wife had the Bruge Burger - Gruyère and mushrooms; and I had the Brussels Burger - Bacon and Cheddar. The pommes frites were tasty (although they could have been a little hotter). The service was good, despite it being the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day and very busy. They have a very extensive list of beers as well.

Excellent beer selection and food. I had the scallops and Caesar salad - these were the best scallops I’ve ever had. Trendy, hip vibe. Cozy atmosphere.

So one of the best beer bars on the East Coast IMO. Huge bottle and draft selection and you might even be able to snag a bottle of Cantillon if you're lucky. Great food as well. Known for their burgers and mussels. Get the Ghent mussels - saison dupont, fume, parsley, carmelized leeks, bacon, bleu cheese & garlic! If that doesn't interest you they have several other combos. A must visit for the beer connoisseur!

I have been coming here for almost 10 years, and I used to really love this place. The service was always great, and between the amazing beer selection and the best mussels I have ever had at a restaurant (I am originally from Maine and I hold my seafood to a high standard) I was in heaven. Things were pretty great and I would go once a month to feast, until a couple of years ago, when they did away with having two sizes of mussels (small for 10$ and large for 20$), and made all of the mussels a uniform size that was closer to the small and cost 16$. While many of my friends complained at this I defended monks and was largely understanding and tolerated the change because the mussels were so darn good. After this change I tapered off to going only once every two or three months. Then a week ago I had one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had. I came in with a friend, and we had several more friends coming about ten minutes later. It was a sunday night and there was maybe one other small group in the front are already sitting down and eating and only a couple of people at the bar. We asked for a table for 8, and possibly 10 people. Server1 barely acknowledged that he has heard our request before leaving and coming to set up the table in front of us. Let me just say that there was no one in front of us or behind us waiting to be seated and the philadelphia streets were pretty empty and the rest of our group was literally around the corner finishing drinks at another bar. We asked if we could sit and start ordering drinks and some snacks while the rest of our party came to meet us. Server1 pretty rudely said that they wouldnt seat incomplete parties and that we would have to wait. We politely asked again, since it seemed like there was no one around, if we could be seated while our party came. Server1 ignored us and walked away. We then asked to speak to the manager, at which point Server1 walked away then came back and with a very spiteful tone, let us sit at the table. We then sat down and started looking over the draft list, as two more people in our party came in and sat down. As they sat down Server 2 came over and pointed to the menus and draft list on the table and spitefully mumbled, as she walked away that the beers were on the paper. At this point, four of our group was here, and the two that had just walked in asked what was wrong with our server. We proceded to explain what had happened and that it appeared that Server 2 was being rude because we had asked to be seated before we had a complete party. At this point we were kind of upset and were voicing our displeasure, in a private conversation amongst ourselves when Server 1, Server 2 and now Server 3 came over and began to yell at us and tell us that we were not being polite and respectful and that we cant call any of the employees names. While we did say, in a conversation between the members of our party, that some of the servers seemed to be acting like jerks, we werent directly adressing any of the staff that had been "helping" us so far. Now as to exactly what happened next I'm not sure. There was a lot of yelling, mostly from the staff at the four members of the party that were there, names were called on both sides of the altercation and we were told to leave just as the other 6-8 members of our party were walking in. It was chaos. my three friends and I left, not wanting our being kicked out to ruin the rest of the groups hankering for mussels. All of what happened above happened in less than 10 minutes. The servers, especially server 3, the shortest of the three, were all extremely rude. I wont be going back again which is unfortunate, because their food is pretty great. the people that work there just kind of suck, theyre a bunch of pretentious hipsters.

HA! Just love this place. Noisy, busy, great music crammed with locals - what a vide! Everything a happening urban bar should be. WE loved sitting at the bar drinking our way through the local beers and cider. John was running the bar when we called in and watching him dance/serve and communicate his way through a busy Saturday night was in itself a class act - a few less busy barman around the globe that provide slow inattentive service should drop by and watch this master at work! Loved the fries, loved the wings (seriously excitingly hot) but also dived into a few glasses of excellent red with a good tasting plate of local cheese. This place has real class, it's confident in what it does and it does it really well. Maybe not the place for a quiet romantic dinner though!

I met friends from Florida for dinner. He brews his own beer and suggested Monk’s for a very specific beer on tap in only 2 places east of the Mississippi and Monks is one. I’m not a beer drinker so I don’t remember the name but it speaks to the “special-ness” of the beer experience here. I can speak for the Mussels! Out of this world!! We had the Mexican, Monks and Red Light. A lot of food for 3 people and delicious. I highly recommend sharing if you are with a group. The place is very popular so try a week night if you can as weekends are packed. Super charming atmosphere in a dive sort of way. This is very casual and pub feeling. Parking in the area can be expensive. There is a surface lot in Spruce east of Broad (ABM) where I was able to park for 2 hours for $16. A bargain compared to $30 for anything over 1 hour in the garage west of Broad on Spruce.

We had a fun time here yesterday. A group of us got together and went to Monk’s. We were recommended to go there because of their large beer/cider selection. We were not disappointed. And the food was excellent as well. We had the burgers, chicken burgers and mussels. It went so well with our beer and ciders. And finally the servers were very friendly and accommodating. We felt at home as our server referred to us as “ friends”. Can’t wait to go back.

Monks is known for Moules Frites and belgian beer. The place is almost always packed and you can be squeezed into an impossibly small table but the mussels are so good.

Short wait for a table, popular and busy restaurant with good vibe. Had a beer (huge menu of beers) at the bar while we waited. I had amazing Mussels with frites, and friends really enjoyed burgers.

I went here mid to late afternoon. Place was recommended by a colleague. Only front bar was open so draft beers were limited. Bottled selection overwhelming. All over priced in my opinion. Had a nice sausage sandwich and frites from limited food menu.

We normally go for the Tap List. Best rare beer menu I’ve ever seen! They have a front bar and back bar with different taps. They constantly rotate them, and give you a list of what beers are up next. Bottle selection is unbeatable! There food is great! Good prices for the city too! My fav food is their mussels.

Very cool vibe. Friendly staff. Had a great drink selection. I ordered a burger cooked perfectly. My friend had the veggie burger and said it was great. Overall a good experience.

Monk's has the soul and atmosphere of a neighborhood bar, but has surprising depth: both physically and metaphorically. There is more seating than it would appear, but don't expect elbow room. We spent our stay wedged into a corner overlooking the storefront window, and enjoyed every moment. The atmosphere was lively and the food was excellent. I ordered salmon, which was simply but perfectly prepared. The portion size was just right. But as good as the food is; Monk's is better known for its selection of beers. The beer list is a small tome. There are brews from around the world, but the cafe is known for its huge selection of Belgians. Our server was knowledgeable. When we asked a question she couldn't answer she promptly consulted the resident beer Yoda and quickly with answer back she came. The atmosphere, service, dining, and beer selection make Monk's Cafe well worth the price of an Uber.

Used to be known for their burgers and mussels. Table adjacent with younger beer nerds said, "This is the best place in town for beer". Well, might be just that. Service for lunch was attentive. Had to scrounge to find two beat-up menus. My burger was overcooked and dry. Another's cheesesteak was unimpressive, at best. Place could use a good cleaning, and a fresh coat of paint. Seemed dirty. Wouldn't go back.

Monk’s Cafe is awesome. We were looking somewhere for lunch before seeing a show at Academy of Music. This place did not disappoint. Got there at 11:30 and by time we left there was a line. Awesome grass fed burgers with bourbon mayo. Frittes incredible.

OK this place gets labelled as a restaurant, but let's get one thing straight it's a pub, and being pub mean tight spaces, dark corners, dims lighting, and a great beer selection. The night I was there with a group of colleagues, they were pouring Russian River's Pliny the Elder, a classic among classics! Being a beer blogger I kind of indulged in stuff I can't get in Virginia, and may have imbibed plenty, and generally our server knew his beer, though I have one gripe, I needed a palette cleanser and asked how old their cans of Firestone Walker Pivo Pils were, to be told they were in that week, I was looking forward to a fresh, great pilsner. The can was a year old already, still tasted ok, but it was a bit on the stale side, and I don't like being misled. The food was excellent, my burger perfectly rare as requested, and the fries very tasty, and the mussels, oh the mussels...We were there on a Wednesday night and the atmosphere was storming. Loved it, just make sure the Pivo is actually fresh.

I had the duck salad and a refreshing Belgium beer. It was a perfect early evening dinner, as I was dining alone. The bar itself it worth the trip- beautiful and authentic. The wait staff and bartender were friendly and welcoming. I can't forget to comment on the delicious fries with their special dipping sauce! I wouldn't hesitate to go back next time I'm in Philadelphia!