Ralph's Italian Restaurant in Philadelphia

One of the best meals Ive ever had. Will definitely be back.

For starters the bread was older the actual restaurant, not even offered with olive oil on the side like an Italian restaurant would. I ordered a 8$ blue moon that would be colder if it came straight out the box. For dinner we had chicken piccata and chicken fettuccini Alfredo and you would think for 27$ an order of chicken piccata would have at least a bed of pasta… well you would be wrong all you get is two small overbooked pieces of chicken in a sauce that’s literally just oil with a splash of lemon. The fettuccini Alfredo was just as bad the chicken looked like it came out of a can and the pasta was mushy. And the topping to all of this was the shaker bottles of Kraft Parmesan… the type you get at a pizza place.. even Olive Garden serves fresh Parmesan. Bottom line save your money and go to Olive Garden this place is overpriced for the mediocre food.

This place is a wonderful restaurant serving hearty meal!I chose this restaurant bc of its history. I was bragging to my mom when I found out that Roosevelt ate here before. But their food impressed me!Their meatballs and eggplant parmigiana were amazing! My husband was not very impressed with the fettuccini Alfredo (he said it’s okay).This place is cash only so make sure you have cash.

I had the most amazing dinner tonight and I had a guy but my dinner and all. Im so grateful. He didnt have to o do that but he did.

Honestly one of the best Italian restaurants Ive ever ate at. This place is incredible quality food with quality ingredients this is a must try for Italian food if you are in Philadelphia this place should be on your list of places to eat at!!!

the chicken parm is great. the fettuccini alfredo was okay, the chicken was a bit over cooked but i enjoyed my dinner here. it’s definitely old school.

Really disappointing meal for $240 (tip not includedfor 4 people who did not get drinks or dessert (4 appetizers and 4 entreesEverything was either oily, not fresh, or just generally underwhelming. Calamari was fishy and rubbery. Chicken was dry or drowned in oil. We went on a Monday so maybe it was just the wrong day to go. Portions were small. $27 for a chicken dish for two tiny pieces of chicken and no sides. Gave two stars because the service was good and the gnocchi and veal chop were decent.

Excellent food and service. Our waiter Jacob was super kind, friendly and very patient. We will definitely be coming back and we will recommend this restaurant to others. Food was amazing. The atmosphere is very homey, too. One of my favorite places to eat at in Philly!

Oldest Italian Restaurant in the United States. Excellent Italian-American / Southern Italian style cooking. Great waitstaff. The upstairs room is always fun, but the downstairs never disappoints.I think I’ve gotten multiple people hooked on their Cavatelli Gorgonzola! Also pictured: Chicken Trombino, always delicious!

Born and raised in Philly and Ive never been so we went with friends todayAll 4 of us were very much underwhelmed. Dont get me wrong. If youre looking to be transported to your nonnas kitchen, the Sunday gravy will do it. Fabulous! I like it much better than my own (my husband disagrees with me). Meatballs look & smell mouth watering! First bite was great. Then you notice they were REALLY heavy-handed with the pecorino Romano. Totally overpowered the otherwise delicious meatball. Hubbys app was Mussels, white. Cooked perfectly but again, very heavy-handed with something strong - crushed red pepper. It was too spicy for me to enjoy. Pasta is well cooked, although my Primavera was a little bland. Veal parm slightly tough. Chicken parm, delicious. Dessert menu was limited to a handful of predictable selections which Im sure were fine. Overall, not bad at all, but nothing exceptional to bring me back. Just not sure it lives up to the hype

I saw Ralphs on a food show. I was glad I went. I had Veal Parmesan, Escarole, and some fabulous bread. The veal was tasty, just cooked a bit too long. The sauce or gravy was so thick it didnt move. The taste was sensational.The restaurant atmosphere was cozy. My biggest disappointment was in the soda and my waiter. The sodas are only half glass size. My waiter never came back to offer a refill, which was needed quite early in the meal. I would go back again if I lived here. So many dishes I would like to try. Enjoy

This was my first time coming here. I absolutely loved it! I loved going to an old, Italian restaurant thats so popular with movie stars, athletes and other celebriities! The service was super friendly and great. It didnt take long to get our food and they make the best Garlic and Oil Ive had! Cant wait to come back!

Such tasty food, such a good vibe and the attentive wait staff! In this post-covid emergence, service is lacking in so many places....except Ralphs! I look forward to coming back.

Very disappointed..... meatballs where good but not hot all the way through. Clams casino was served in a aluminum clam ashtray unfortunately its the only way I can describe it and did not have any flavor resembling seafood. Pasta was acceptable but honestly better at olive garden that have been forced to eat at at family functions. Very sad for the oldest italian restaurant in America.

Great food in a historic restaurant. Not a great spot for a fast meal, but when you have time the food never disappoints!! Cant wait to go back again.

The restaurants decor takes you back to another time. The decor, service & food are all old school. The food is what your grandmother would make. Nothing nouveau, just basic delicious Italian food.

Despite watching our server get stiffed that night. The food was good and the waiter held it together for my crazy crew of 7. Salads not well dressed. I also should have studied the menu prior. Larger portions. I need to taste the other pasta sauces. But the blush gets a 5/10 from me. It was pretty watered down. Pasta 5/10 barely any jumbo lump, if any at all. I also wish they came around with fresh Parmesan, instead of pizza style on the table with crushed red peppers. But I get the old school feel.Desserts were great. Not sure if made in house. Prices not bad either.Great atmosphere to bring out of town people for the authentic feel for it being the oldest Italian restaurant.

This spot is extremely over rated. Went there on the high ratings in Philadelphia magazine. First impressions were why the tables are so close together? Second it looks more like a diner with the checkerboard tables. Third the mens room had no sink in it. Had to wash your hands outside the bathroom in the hallway. No female waitors. All males. Spaghetti sauce taste just like Ragu. In no way this is fine Italian dining. Clearly they buy those high ratings.

Great Italian food with a great ambience.

There is no need to reiterate the obvious.First class experience from start to finish.If you are looking for an exceptional dining experience from a South Philly landmark...then you come to Ralphs.Being the best Italian cooking is always subject to interpretation.But I can tell you that Ive eaten my grandmothers food and my mothers food 3 times a week ( both being 100% Italian women ). This place is on point.Keep up the great work, the great service, the great food and MOST OF ALL...the great times!!!God bless

Food was mediocre. The only seasoning they know are garlic and salt. Be prepared for that. They had some people who were filming and taking photos of food perhaps for a magazine. They got priority despite us having a reservation. We saw our waiter only 3 times through service. I sat with no beverage after the first one and was not asked for another one. We couldnt find him to ask. There were multiple servers for each floor.The server dropped the knife for the bread and picked it up to continue cutting bread.The salad comes with iceberg lettuce... I havent had that or seen it in over a decade.Our plates were ladened with so much salt several of us couldnt consume them.We decided against desert and coffee due to the length of time it took to get our food.Being open for more than a hundred years is the only notable thing. In fact their placemats are also historic- they have not updated them since Joe Biden was the Vice President and the Speaker of the House was Boehner. The details they miss are exhausting. I expected them to rely on more than the lifespan of the restaurant... What a mistake.

Was this the best Italian food Ive ever had? No. Was it worth going for the delightful and Godfather-esque ambiance and historical significance alone? Absolutely.

Stopped by for lunch, the menu is the same as dinner. The bread is awesome, but dont fill up on it because the entrees are big. I ordered the Cheese Cavatelli Gorgonzola Cream and it was delicious. The wait staff was very good. The drinks were well made too.

Food was delicious and service was great. I had the muscles in white wine sauce, meat balls, and chicken parm. You have to try this place. I went for my birthday , chocolate cake was also yummy.

If everything was amazing including the service I will definitely be going back it was a 10 out of 10

Ralph’s is a true Philly Italian gem. Great for larger parties and attentive service. For food, we got:- Bruschetta: comes with four pieces, as expected nothing special- Meatballs: comes with 2 meatballs, dense but lots of sauce for dipping. We asked for the ricotta on the side and they were very amenable- Penne alla vodka with shrimp: good amount of shrimp, but was super limited on sauce which was a total bummer- Fettuccine Alfredo: status quo, but not a ton of flavor- Gnocchi blush: lots of sauce, good flavor- Chicken parmigiana: large pieces of chicken covered in mozzarella and sauce, great flavor and dishFor dessert, we had the tiramisu (as expectedand the tartuffo (this was great but superrr hard so it was really difficult to scoop a bite until it had time to soften).Not sure if we’ll back, but as one of the oldest Italian restaurants it did the job.

Ralphs has ruined any other Italian restaurant for me! Incredible food and service! Be sure to make a reservation!!! The best!!! And dont forget to order the Tiramisu!

Penne alla vodka. Is tomatoe sauce… very bland and plain. Wont order again.

The oldest Italian restaurant in America lived up to its standards! The gnocchi is unparalleled, and the Chicken Parmesan is beyond flavorful. The Fettuccine Alfredo dish was classic, but simply amazing. Ralph’s is the best around and gives off a great home style, old-school Italian vibe. I highly recommend!

You always hear so many good things about Ralph’s, but just like many of the old Philly staples, Ralph’s hasn’t been able to keep up with the new guard. The food is still good, but it’s just ok compared to many of the Italian spots that have popped up in the last few years

Great all around experience!!! Food tasted great , service was good and atmosphere was fine and loved the owners attitude and interactions with customers , we laughed the whole time he was very straight forward and nothing fake about him , he tells it like it is wether you like it or not lol very refreshing and talked to the customers the way he’s talk to his family and we loved it my daughter and I laughed entire time because we weren’t use to hearing someone be so upfront and honest ! Awesome place and great food !! Try it out if you are in city !!

Best chicken parm ever. Truly is a legendary restaurant in Philly. Great service. A must eat place. Go go go.

So many disappointments with our visit that we will not be returning. Lighting was so low you could barely see the menu and it was daytime. Spaghetti was not fully cooked and had no flavor. Tasted very cheap. Worst than Dollar Store pasta. The sauce was no better. The meatballs were dry and basically just ground beef without the egg, breadcrumbs, etc. and did not appear to be cooked in the gravy (sauce). The bread was hard, dry, and stale not to mention cold. The calamari in gravy was ok but tasted like it came out of a can. My drink tasted like grain alcohol too. But the biggest shocker was the bill. $94 for three plates of spaghetti and meatballs, appetizer calamari, two sodas, and one campari and coke. If everything tasted good for all three of us I wouldnt be complaining but we all agreed on the same points mentioned above. After leaving a tip for our very nice waiter the bill was over $110.00! Sorry Ralphs but youre gonna have to do much better if you expect this native South Philly bunch to ever return.

The food tasted great. Large portions. The veal parmigiana covered the plate, but my plate was the size of a platter that would serve a few people normally. Plus it was thick.The staff was very nice.They have valet parking, which is great because its so hard to find parking in the Italian market on a Saturday night.My family had a great time.

Food is average, nothing special here … we thought since the place is old and authentic Italian, so we expected some great tasting Italian delicacies however it’s just simple homemade food here… if eating vegetarian not recommended! Service was good but parking is impossible… either park at a nearby parking lot (956 carpenter St)for $10 or pay for valet($12 + tips)

Recently took a trip back here and not as good as I remember. Linguine with clams wasn’t very flavorful and gnocchi dish was good, not a huge portion for the price. Also, the chicken and veal dishes only come with the protein. You have to pay extra for pasta. 2nd floor has a nice atmosphere and wait staff were good.

The food was amazing! Tiramisu was 10/10 and the staff were very nice and even told us the history of the place, and took a picture of us for us. Shirley temple was also quality but took oddly long for them to bring it out. 5/5 stars for sure

Overrated restaurant, with mediocre food! I agree with others that the food doesn’t deserve the price. 28 bucks for a small portion of tasteless veal without any sides. The pasta was watery and unfortunately, I don’t have anything good to say about the food. I rate it two stars because of the nice and friendly waiters.

The food was very authentic and good. The building itself is very old and very cool looking. Atmosphere was very nice. The service was just poor. Had to get up and go look for our server at least twice. Other than that we had a great time and enjoyed everything.

During Covid19, me & my frind made a reservation and we had dinner.Foods served were amazing!

Customers are welcomed here. Outdoor seating was comfortable and allowed for private dining. Our waiters were considerate and friendly. The food was served hot and delicious. We were treated to an authentic Italian-style aesthetic experience. Linger as long as you can.

So my photos dont do the meal justice at all, but this was the best Italian food Ive had in at least 10 years.The salad was enormous, piled high with fresh vegetables. It was tasty enough that I actually ate the cauliflower in it.The ravioli were fresh and practically melted in my mouth. The sauce was flavorful, but not overbearing. It was filling without making me feel stuffed.The cannoli cake was perfect. The cake itself wasnt too sweet,the filling was perfect cannoli cream, and the frosting was light and fluffy.The ambiance is perfect, the service is attentive, and the prices are more reasonable than Id expected.Im definitely coming back here in the future.

Good food, good portions, great service and history of the place. Shrimp were big and firm. Chicken sambultica really good. Only drawback is that tables were so close to one another so felt crowded and not a lot of space as eating. Had 2 cakes for birthdays and they were kind enough to let us have it there and even cut for us. Would definitely go back.

Philly Italian Market area institution with a menu offering all the classic Italian dishes.Open since 1900, its the oldest Italian restaurant in the country, popular with tourists and regulars alike. Our family devoured their meatballs and ricotta in gravy appetizer. The pappardelle dishes with shrimp and prosciutto were delicious. The chicken and veal entrees come with a spaghetti side that could have used more gravy. Service was quick and efficient, but the staff seemed a little harried on a holiday weekend. There is valet parking and the 3-level restaurant is bigger than it appears from the outside.

This restaurant is the classic, old school Philadelphia Italian restaurant. From the classic, delicious meatballs, to great old school pasta dishes like tripe and spaghetti. Everything was fairly priced and delicious. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to friends and family.

I had a lovely dinner here on a busy Friday night. We’re able to snag a reservation an hour away and got there 10 min early, and they were able to seat us.Watch your head as you go up the stairs as there are some low clearance if you’re dining on the upper floors. We were brought almost a full loaf of bread for the two of ha. Quite generous.Starters were the arugula salad and clams casino. The salad was presented beautifully, and the clams were huge. I’ve had better clams casino and would skip next time.We both opted for their Signature Veal Parmigiana. Gigantic piece of veal came out with a solid crust and ample amount of red sauce over it. I enjoyed it, but it was not my favorite VP, that goes down the block a bit on 9th at Villa. The breading was a little too thick. There seemed to be panko in the breading. I prefer a pure Italian style bread crumb.Solid restaurant. Give it a shot if your in the area and want to eat at the oldest restaurant in America.

The best Italian Restaurant by far located in the heart of Philly on 9th St. (not the King of Prussia Ralphs). This has a homey Italian feel to it and the service is outstanding. We were here to celebrate my grandsons graduation from Temple and there were 7 of us. We had an appetizer of mussels to share and then I had Shrimp Scampi while others had Veal Parmigiana and Eggplant Parmigiana and one chicken dish. A carafe of wine and a couple of individual glasses topped it off. A great meal for a great celebration.

Can’t rave enough about the food here. It was ridiculously good! The best Italian food I think I’ve ever had. The atmosphere was very homey as well, while the staff was very caring. I encourage everyone to try this place! Hope this helps!

This place is awesome! The veal capriciosa is great and the veal parm is better! The service was professional and friendly. The atmosphere reflects the history of the oldest Italian restaurant in America. The wine was good and well priced, in fact everything was a deal considering the portions and quantity. The cannoli was the best Ive had. I will definitely be back.

We went around 5:30pm and were able to get in without a reservation. We sat on the 2nd floor dining area. I got a negroni. It was probably one of my smoothest versions Ive had. Great way to begin the meal. I got the chicken parmesan with spaghetti and side of veggies. My friend got the special of chicken alfredo with peas and prosciutto. The alfredo sauce was really light. Ralphs has been around for over 100 years and we could see why. Great meal!