Monk's Cafe

Long bar and tight space. If you want a table, I would recommend going as a party of 3. Otherwise they will have no issue placing you on the small side/corner tables or the end of a larger party. There are TWO bars and service is prompt and hot food.

Variety of foods including some veggie options. I enjoyed the smoked trout. My wife does not eat fish and she enjoyed the chicken burger. I had the mussels Alagash. Probably the lowest flavored ones of the bunch. Many many given and prepared well. All come with deliciously seasoned French fries. Them alone are worth the 5 stars.

I would come back again definitely. The beer selection is huge! They do not take reservations come to sit at he bar, party of 3 or more or be ready to sit in a tight cramped space as a single or party of 2.

This is like I said in my last two reviews, one of the best bars in the entire city of Philadelphia. I will say that the bartender this time I think was a little bit new. At first, he was a little cagey but once he warmed up to us, he ended up being very nice. I think he just realized that we were restaurant hopping & he might've been a little annoyed with one of my guest bc she moved a table too close to our other table. Anyway, everything was absolutely fantastic and I absolutely recommend Monks.

Pro tip - just make sure that you're extra friendly to the bartenders - they don't like tourists. Also, they are CLOSED Mondays.

I only give four stars this time bc the bt/server was a little bit rude. But like I said, he ended up being alright once he realized that we are excellent tippers.

My humblest regards

k.David

Monk's Cafe is a must visit. Whenever I'm in Philly, I make it a point to dine in. The beer selection, muscles and burger (juicy and cooked to temperature perfectly) are awesome.

They get packed quickly and typically have a wait, but it's worth it. There's a small bar in the front and the back. Chill atmosphere.

The only thing I dislike about this place is the fact that they don't take reservations, but that just ensures that only the people that WANT to be there, will end up being there.

Food is amazing, it's never a miss, and Monk's has the best, and most diverse, rotating tap/bottle list in the area. Want something special? Monks probably has it or has the connection.

I'm a diehard burger girl, but also love their fries. I don't know what they put in those little things, but I could eat two whole baskets by myself, and that sauce they give you is addicting. Muscles are also a great god to and are never overly salty.

Wow, rare enough to find a place that serves Monk and Belgian Ales, let alone a place that is solely about it!

Ambiance- Classic pub styling, great atmosphere if you are looking for that classic pub experience. As you can tell by the photo, can get quite crowded.

Food- Beer obviously was great. Food was great. The rumor on the street is that the muscles are the way to go. I ended up with the bacon burger and it was great!

Service- Although it was standing room only, the service was great! Server had some great recommendations.

Bottom line- A must go if you like unique classic beers that are malt forward and want to enjoy some good food while drinking. Cheers

This place is simply amazing and my favorite in Philly, I always come here and don't get tired of it. The beer, burger, mussels, service, ambience amazing. I love this place.

Our go to for specialty beer. Never disappoints - especially the Cantillon. They have quite a wide range that costs from $ to $$$. Very chill and relaxed vibe.

Monk's Cafe is a Belgian-inspired restaurant with great food and a huge beer selection. I'm not a fan of beer, but I have heard great things about what they offer!

I came here for the mussel pots, and they were really good! Great portions that are perfect for sharing. We got 2 flavors: the "Monk's" (garlic and parsley) and Thai curry. The baguette on the side soaks up all the delicious flavors left in the pot. It also comes with a side of skinny fries.

We also got the mushroom pappardelle, which featured 4-5 different mushrooms and this delicious creamy sauce. The pasta was super flavorful and quite light, which was nice.

This place definitely gets busy and they don't do reservations, so expect to wait a decent while. Service was a little slow due to the volume, but that was to be expected!

I am not a philly native so I can't comment on how accurate their vegan philly cheesesteak is but I absolutely loved it! I'm usually not a huge fan of seitan but it is cooked so well here that the texture is great. There's also a good amount of peppers and onions to give it flavor as well. We asked for it with fries instead of the salad and it was definitely a great choice! The fries here are really crispy and well seasoned. There's also a great sauce that comes with it! Overall would definitely recommend stopping by Monks!

The food is good, the staff were friendly. No complaints there, I was happy with the cook of my burger and the fries were great. The ambiance is cozy. I can see why people like the vibe.

Unfortunately, we had to wait over an hour to be seated as a party of four. I really struggle with saying a place is worth going to when the wait is long and I'm jammed into a tiny hall with servers and other customers elbowing me. Murphs in Fishtown has the same issue and it bums me out every time I try to go.