Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia

What a local gem. I was in town for a conference and wanted to experience some local food. The beer and service was wonderful and the food was a truly unique and tasty experience.

The beer was the star of the show! I got the red light mussels and they were so bland. And while there are A LOT of mussels, there is no taste. And some of them were sandy. I’ll stick to fries and beers next time. I got the monks ale, soooooooo good omg.

Right when I stepped in this place it felt very authentic. Ive been to Belgium and this felt just like the bars you see over there. The beer list is something you wont find anywhere; really unique Belgian beers. I got the Ghent mussels and frittes to eat and they were delicious as well. A philly staple worth the try.

Food? Excellent. Beer selection? Very good. I would give Monk’s a 5 out of 5, had it not been for my awful experience there my 2nd trip. Granted, it was a busy Friday night, but I had such a bad experience that I was literally staring at my watch waiting for it to be over. To be fair, the blame rests on the shoulders of my waiter, who was clearly oblivious to how awful he was at his job. Take him out and Monk’s is the place to be. Love the vibe, food, and drinks. Let me put it this way: my experience was so bad this time that I did my first ever Google review as a result.

Great for craft beer, especially if you love sours and Belgiums.For food, famous for the burgers, mussels, and pommes frites.Its worth a special trip if you love beer and are in Philly.

Monks Cafe is pretty much a historical Philadelphia Beer bar and restaurant. With an ever-changing list of boutique craft and macro ales and loggers monks stans out because it has no television. You go to monks to drink beer and have conversations. Food is incredible smells great and is really known for its mussels. No Im serious you got to get the muscles, red or white I dont care get the muscles.

Got in as they were closing and staff kindly asked if we could be ready to order once we were sat - great job managing expectations. Our party sampled a few beers, the mussels, mushroom pasta and duck salad sandwich. Every dish was hot, flavorful and thoughtfully prepared. I have no doubt I’ll visit again next time I’m in town

Best Beer bar in Philly. If you like Belgian style beers, this is a must stop! They have Westmalle on tap which is amazing. Food was really REALLY good as well and reasonably priced.

Great service. Interesting old building. The mussels were plentiful and delicious. Allagash white beer was a big hit!!!

What can I say that hasn’t already been said about this place. One of the best beer bars in the world! This is my second trip to monks. The first was pre pandemic. Monks has an extraordinary draft list curated by Tom Peters. He also happens to have connections with hill farmstead and alchemist and gets focal and heady on the regular. This is one of the few places in the northeast that has hill farmstead on draft and they even had bottles to take home!

Happy we found this spot. Great drinks, cool atmosphere, and the muscles are delicious. Plan ahead as this is a pretty small space. We got lucky and we’re seated after a very short wait.

Unparalleled draft beer selection, amazing burgers.

What can I say that hasnt been said. TOP. Great beer selection excellent food.

Great beer selection of craft beers. Not a ton of seating, but does have two bars to spread people out. John the bartender was funny and knowledgeable about the beers and the town. Will definitely be back when in town again.

Ive walked by many times but I never got a chance to try until very recently. Im really glad that I did! All of the food was delicious. We had the mussels, pate, duck salad sandwich, and the pasta. They have a great beer selection too! A lot of different sours to choose from if thats your thing. Looking forward to coming back in the future.

It took me a year to visit this spot, and soon after looking over their beer selection, I was kicking myself for waiting so long. First, I went when earlier in the day, so it was on the quiet side. The bartender was super friendly and knowledgeable, explained the beer menu, and even offered his preference. The food was deluxe as well. Probably one of the better vegan cheesesteaks in the city, The prices are also reasonable. Its a must for beer enthusiest.

THE Belgian Beer spot, not just in Philly, but maybe in the states. Their bottle list is second to none and draft list is full of Belgian classics and rarities. Food is on point - definitely get the mussels and frites if its your first time. Love the spot and we stop in for a meal or a beer any time were in the neighborhood.

The best beer bar in Philly, if not the entire country. Amazing bar food. The prices are reasonable. I always look forward to my next trip to Monks!

So I want to start off that a five rating is an absolutely perfect experience. To me 4/5 stars is a very good experienceBeers: pretty decent selection of beers. Had some very unique ones 4.5/5Food this is what we orderedGhent mussels. 4/5. The mussels were good. The sauce was a beer based sauce but for some reason it tasted a bit flat. In my opinion maybe a squeeze of lemon could’ve made it pop a bit more. I personally enjoy having the mussels with the sauce and I had a bit of trouble scooping the sauce with the mussels out of the bowl.The fries were fantastic. They were the skinny kind and fries perfectly.Beef cheeks 3.75/5The beef itself was cooked very well the polenta that came with the dish tasted a bit watered down. I was kind of expecting more flavor from the gravy the beef cheeks provided but i couldn’t really taste it. Even with salt and pepper I couldn’t bring the flavor outDuck salad sandwich 4.5/5. When I first got this a saw the roll I was a bit taken aback as it was a typical roll. But the way they spread the goat cheese and layered the remaining ingredients really lent itself to a very good sandwich. I usually prefer if my duck breast had a bit more crisp to them but flavor wise very good. I’m allergic to walnuts so I didn’t get a chance to try them but my wife really enjoyed it so I’m sure it was delicious.Overall 4/5 for my personal ranking is a very good score. Price wise I think it was a fair price. Definitely good place to bring a 2nd or third date that’s a bit more low key and casual.

Great philly experience. The beer is wonderful, I prefer the Monks Flemish Ale which is triple remarkable. The food is truly delicious! The hot wings are genuinely spicy and full of flavor. The flavors of the mussels are just a advertised with tons of broth. Please! Dont miss the Mac and cheese, so rare to find a really strong flavored Mac and cheese.When people visit, I take them to monks cafe!

One of my most loved, entirely unassuming bars in the entire city. The food is incredible (you want the duck salad, trust me). With a beer list that goes on for days, there’s something for everyone. I regularly have casual lunch dates here and will continue to patronize anytime I’m downtown because the service is always fast and solid.

Very cozy and authentic place. They have a gigantic selection of beer from all over the world (also some non-alcoholic ones). We had the seitan cheesesteak which was just delicious and the service was also on point! All in all an awesome experience and well definitely stop by once were back in Philly.

The beer selection is great, especially the Belgian beer. The mussels, the beer, and the beef burger was really good too. The beef patty for the burger was a bit smaller than I expected and they charge extra for that little sauce that comes with the fries if you ask for more.

The beverages and dishes are amazing. Though coming here only once it was a great visit. The bar tenders are amazingly great at doing their job and the atmosphere and aesthetic is calming.

Lovely little bar with a great choice of beers.Enjoyed sitting at the bar drinking some Pliny.Didnt eat on this occasion but will definitely revisit as soon as Im back in Philly

Havent been here in 5 years but I had to come up and get me my Pliney The Elder from Russian River Brewing Company. The only place on the East Coast to get this great IPA on draft. Since it had been 5 years since I had been here, I decided for a couple other beers. I look forward to coming here again in the future as long as they carry Pliney The Elder.

This place is great. They have delicious beers and a good crew. The selections of beer are unique. It is a must stop.

Monks is another gem in Philadelphia. Everyone knows their selection of amazing beer, but not everyone knows theyre incredible food. Mussels, handmade chicken tenders, duck liver mouse, duck salad and frog legs. Tom and his team are incredibly inviting, wonderful service and an atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable and at home

Monks is always a good choice. A quaint and happening bar/restaurant. Ice cold beer on Tap. So many choices! The Absolute best mussels in the area with several choices on how to order them. Delicious burgers and really good fries and dipping sauce.

Very good Belgian and craft beer selection, and the food is also very good. I had the frog legs and mussels, i works definitely have them again and will be back next time i’m in town. service was also very friendly. not much seating so be aware during peak dinner hours.

I can’t say enough about Monk’s. It’s easily one of the best beer menus on the East Coast. Whether it’s the dank IPAs or incredible selections from Belgium. It’s just incredible. The vibe is great and the staff are super helpful. Also! The food. Get the mussels. Out of this world.

Having Chimay Bleue on tap is a rare thing outside of Belgium as well as Westmalle ! I really enjoyed the selection of beers that were available. And my Belgium friends made me discover the Red Dragon that you guys have in bottle 👌 Thanks for that 🖤

Great selection of beer menu. Appropriate for date nights. Not too stiff and a little dim. The wings can be really spicy but would be a fun experience. Staff friendly and never had bad experience. I would go for beer and mussels on Thursday nights.

One of the best beer bars in Philadelphia! Always a wide choice of finely selected beers on tap and in bottles. Good spot to get a taste of hard to find rare releases like Russian River brews offered by very knowledgeable staff. Two different bar areas with table seating in between. Cuisine is amazing with a well rounded changing menu of unique pub options like frog legs or venison while the huge portion of Mussels are a well known staple item.

Went there on a Tuesday night and was disappointed with the food. Look the beer list is always stellar and top notch. But we waited over 75 min for burger, pork sandwich, and mussels. Mussels were basically dry and missing the best part- the broth! Burger was small and dry (ordered medium). Pork sandwich came out 7 min after other three dishes. Maybe we caught them on a bad night or there are kitchen staff issues - waitress could do nothing but apologize. 3 out of 4 in our party we’re disappointed. Will go back for beer but not for a while for food.

Fine spot, polite staff. It would be an average “3”, but their global beer selection (while insanely expensivewas impressive. Five versions of their burger. My only complaint was the burger was significantly smaller than the bun (a good burger needs to be proportional to what it’s sandwiched in).

The ambience of this place is amazing! Its a trip outside of time. Hardwood everywhere, a maze of rooms with tables and bars, dark moody lighting. The food is excellent Belgian-inspired, sort of like very high end bar food. I had the Monks burger (caramelized leeks and Bleu cheese - and literally this is all that comes on the burger, a welcomingly simple and great burger), fries, and I samples the blueberry lemon tart and the pecan tart. The pecan tart is 👍🏻👍🏻.

I don’t usually eat potatoes, but if I’m going to cheat, Monk’s frites are the way to do it. Amazing spicy mayo, duck or steak salad, of course mussels, and I’m not a beer guy, but my friends are and they swear by the selection. Don’t miss it!

Amazing beer selection from across the world, with a focus on local craft and traditional Belgian breweries. The food is world class as well, with Belgian moules et frites, as well as local fare.

The mussels (not picturedwere very good! The duck salad sandwich was incredible. If you get the chicken burger ask for some sauce — needed a little extra zing! The staff is friendly and the environment is welcoming!

One of the original legendary beer bars still brings the quality after all these years. Monks, specializing in Belgian beer and food, is fabulous. Cozy atmosphere, great food, and quality beers. Service is excellent and informed - beer recommendations are spot on. Frites are well spiced and excellent. A must visit in Philly.

Every time I come to Philly, Monks is at the top of my to-do list. Their mussels are 👨🏻‍🍳🤌🏼💋 LOVE them. Always fun to find new beers too, especially when you have a server who KNOOOWS their stuff, which is what you get with their staff. Shout out to Gabriella, who was a gem from the moment we sat down to the moment we all-but rolled out of there. Monks is a MUST!!

Tasty Vegan options and all the great Belgium beers you love. So good.

Disclaimer: rating is based in their food only, not their beer.Hamburgers and mussels were ok, Nothing espectacular.Fries and house dressing were delicious.The place was crowded so we had to wait around 50 minutes for a table.

What a Philly gem! Love the vibe here. Theres 2 bars and a small dining area. Friendly staff, tasty food and a great selection of beer and drinks. What more could you ask for. Love it and looking forward to visiting again.

Still fantastic even with Covid struggles going on. The cheese plate appetizer was great tasting and the mussels were the best ive had. That brandy mayo sauce that goes with the burgers and fries is incredible. I like the darker lit atmosphere and the servers were very nice. Monks cafe will always be one of my Philly staples for great, strong belgium beers and food

Cute little bar with an extensive beer collection.Grabbed a some appetisers with a friend and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.Got the fishy dip and the french fries and both were to die for.Will be back again, 10/10 would recommend to a friend!

First time visiting Philadelphia and Monk’s Cafe was at the top of my list of places to go to. It did not disappoint one bit. Bartender was awesome and recommended really great beers! Highly recommend this place if you love beer. Did not order food but everything we saw smelled and looked amazing.

This is one of the best beer bars in the country, if not the world. The draught list is phenomenal and the food is great. A true pilgrimage for any beer fan.

Delicious food! Must try the mussels - had the monk flavor and it’s fresh and yummy. We also had the beef burger and Italian sausage sandwich - both were cooked to perfection and a decent size. For dessert, the chocolate with custard filling was the best thing to finish it off.Service was excellent, atmosphere was lively and comfortable. Highly recommended.