Beautiful place, but food was very underwhelming. The only dish I would give 5 stars are the lamb lollipops. The sides took me out, especially when I saw what they considered "Mediterranean rice". It resembled more of a school lunch side with peas in it. The apps were ok too, just pricey for the amount that they give. Also, if you are only a party of 2, be prepared that you may bump elbows with the tables next to you as they are placed so close together. Our server, although his first day was super prompt and attentive. read more

See all

they charged a $10 operational fee on my check and I asked them to remove it and they refused. charging customers to run your business is a big no for me. I will not return. good part is the ambiance is pretty and the server was great. read more

Great spot for dinner with friends. We ordered a bunch of dishes: from mussels, to the hummus sampler to the branzino and everything was flawless. No notes. Server was great and everything came out pretty fast. My only critique would be my mojito. It wasn't good and very sour but would def come back! read more

Michele and Christos are the bartenders to see when you are in Philly! The drinks were pure perfection! They have a happy hour that was wonderful, the atmosphere can't be beat, but I am telling you the service at the bar WILL bring you back! Can't wait to return! read more

Mona - The best drinks! - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This place has great ambiance soon as u walk in the door. U may want to be dressed nice or somewhat presentable here but the vibes are great. I went for drinks on a Friday early evening. Giavanna was my bartender and she was amazing. My favorite drink was the Baklava Old Fashioned read more

Mona - Baklava Old Fashioned - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Went on a Saturday night. Very lively, the veggie entree with bechamel sauce was good. Love the decor. I enjoyed myself! read more

See all

We reserved a table downstairs for an anniversary, the hostess was rude and said we couldn't sit down there because they let a party of ten. We don't mind but maybe train your hostesses to not be rude when they're already not accommodating for paying customers. read more

Mona itself is a beautifully designed restaurant. The staff were friendly and attentive. The dips are a must try. The pasta choices were misses. Mines being too salty and my friend's being too spicy. We did visit on a busy Saturday night. With clientele only seemingly worried about creating social media content, the loud music, and loud birthday celebrations going off every 4 minutes, it's not a place I'd personally go back to. Definitely a good choice if you're looking for a lively night out or a venue to create social media content - there were a lot of distracting video and photo shoots going on by people who didn't seem to actually be dining there. But not a great choice for people who appreciate the art of enjoying a night out at a great restaurant. read more

Great place and an amazing ambiance! The menu has so many good Greek dishes to try! Definitely get the 4 sampler of dips, the flaming cheese and plus the cocktails. Would definitely visit, but hopefully we are not rushed like last time! read more

Beautiful space, and wonderful lighting. However, I don't think this space lives up to the hype. I wish more photography was allowed, and the service could have been a little better. Staff seemed a little short fused, but nonetheless they took good care of us. Food was good, and I would recommend the chicken kabobs. Overall it was just mid. read more

I would go back to Mona, solely based on how pretty this restaurant is. The vibes are immaculate here, and seem like it would be a great date night spot. I visited during a work trip with coworkers, and we enjoyed our experience there. Service was ok, with our waiter disappearing for extended periods of time during our dinner. Everyone seemed to like their food, which made up for it. Pro tip: order the flaming cheese! The presentation alone was very memorable. If you're in downtown Philly, make sure to give this place a visit! read more

I made a reservation for 2 people. The hostess sat us but then when the waitress greeted us she explained it's a fixed menu for $70 per person. As a last minute reservation on New Year's Eve I didn't want to take the chance and go else where. But upon making the reservation it wasn't clear it was a fixed menu. That's not the problem- We were there less then an hour. Completely rushed. The timing and spacing between courses was so fast. The entrees hit the table while we were still eating the appetizer. Then the waitress was trying to take our entrees before we were done, to drop the desert. Then before we could even sign the check , the bussers were shuffling around us to clear the table before we could even put on our coats. THEY WERE NOT BUSY NOR PACKED . They didn't know how to space out courses with a fixed menu because all the dishes were already made so it's not like they had the kitchen to wait for. read more

Mona - The entrance - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Very inviting dining room and bar. Highly attentive staff. We were told the Lower level was a group event space and upper level is still under construction. Food was good. Spreads, mussels, kabobs, lamb chops. Nice cocktails. Each dish arrives as it is ready. As we three were seated at a small hi top table, there was little room for rapidly arriving dishes. Just a couple concerns to look into: The flaming cheese was recommended and while dramatic, was dried out and rubbery in the cast iron skillet our waitperson struggled to hold while the impressive flames died down. A smoke alarm went off for unknown reasons and we were told by passing staff that was a regular occurrence although no announcements were made. I look forward to visiting again to see how things evolve. read more

During our visit, we saw mice/rodents running around the restaurant, which made the entire experience extremely uncomfortable. While I understand that pest issues can happen, especially in a city, what was most disappointing was how the situation was handled.It took management a long time to come speak with us, and when they finally did, there was little to no empathy. Instead of apologizing, we were told that "mice are nothing to be scared of" and that the problem was because of the business next door. Management also adjusted our bill but never explained what they were taking off or how they were accommodating us. To make matters worse, our waitress told us that there are mice all around the city and implied that we were overreacting. That response was dismissive and unprofessional. This review isn't because I expected my entire bill to be covered. I simply expected a sincere apology, empathy, and professionalism. Unfortunately, the way the staff responded was far more disappointing than the issue itself. Because of that experience, I would not return and cannot recommend this restaurant. read more

We came here on a whim on Opening Night while in Philly. They did not take reservations on this day and were only doing first come first serviced per their social media. We called to get a feel of wait time and they noted it would only be a ~30 min wait if we came. We arrived around 8pm and were told the same and were advice to grab a drink in any one of the 3 floors while we waited, which was a nice touch. Ambiance/decor was very chic. Reminded me of a night in Tulum or Ibiza just based on the music. Actually the music was very loud and got louder as the night progressed so don't come here expecting a quiet intimate dinner because it will Be far from it. Luckily the music was deep house so I didn't mind....as much. Drinks were relatively pricey but solid. We ordered espresso martinis and another specialty tequila cocktail they had on the menu. 1 hour had passed and we were were skeptical if we would actually be seated but when we went to ask the hostess, she was able to seat us within 5 mins. For food we ordered the Tessera which was an assortment of spreads with pita bread (if you order get the Tirokafteri! It was amazing). We also ordered the grilled octopus, gyro dumplings and the Bifteki Kabob which were meh. Octopus was over cooked and chewy, kabob was burnt and dry and the dumplings lacked filling. These were all small plates and apps so maybe the entrees were better ? The my also must have forgot to put in the kabob order in because we waited an extra 40 mins for it to come out but they were nice enough to take it off the bill. Biggest quarrel with this place is that they have an identity crisis. They aren't sure if they want to be an Ibiza type night club or upscale restaurant but they were def trying to accomplish both. By 9:30, I could not hear my date at all because it was sooo loud. They even had a saxophonist which was a stretch but I suppose... All in all it was OK if you want to be ins a dance club eating dinner. It was opening night so will give them some grace but they have some kinks to work out. read more

Mona - Starter - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Step into Mona and immediately be transported to the beaches of Santorini. Authentic Mediterranean food with huge portions. Service was impeccable. Ambiance was immaculate. And speakeasy in the basement will blow you away. I'm going back next weekend. read more

See all

I've frequent this great establishment multiple times during SIPS, and it has been amazing! Today I decided to partake of their happy hour selection sans SIPS and I'm glad I did. My server , Gabby was awesome! Attentive , sweet and a great conversationalist . The lamb sliders, the stuffed gyros.... ‍. I've you've never been please do yourself a favor and do so and make sure that you ask for Gabby. Thank you Mona for the phenomenal experience once again. read more

Absolutely awful experience at Mona. We walked in through the back entrance and a short woman with an RBF met us at the front and told us to go to the back. Me and my date stood around aimlessly until she finally approached us. She didn't say a word until I finally spoke up and stated that we had a reservation. She rolled her eyes and after a loud sigh said "name?" She then took us to a spot near the door and threw our menus onto the table. Since it was very empty I politely asked if we could sit near a window so we could avoid the wind coming in through the open door. She aggressively shrugged, rolled her eyes, and neck rolled and then proceeded to walk away. We decided to just leave after that and found an amazing dinner spot next door!! I hope the managers at Mona see this and have a serious conversation about who they choose as their hostesses. Such a shame read more

The experience is fun because of the decor and vibe of the place, but none of the food is very good, especially for the price!

Beautiful restaurant, great cocktails, great service and fun vibe. It was my dad's birthday and he loved it start to finish. read more

Mona - Great fun atmosphere if you wanna have a birthday or eat dinner a late night/Club sensation great cocktails great food beautiful setting - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My boyfriend and I (btw I love him so much) had the best experience at Mona! Great food and vibes. Highly recommend coming. Speakeasy in the basement is crazy cool. read more

If you're considering Mona, might I suggest literally any other option? That halal truck down the street isn't just better - it's James Beard-award winning by comparison. Sure, you'll be eating standing up in the middle of January, possibly getting frostbite, but at least you'll have actual food. Plus, the traffic noise is more pleasant than Mona's impromptu disco inferno, and the truck's flickering "OPEN" sign provides all the ambiance you need without triggering a medical emergency. We left Mona hungry, confused, and wondering if we'd accidentally participated in some sort of performance art piece. Save yourself the trouble. Go to the halal truck. Go to literally any other restaurant. Go forage in your neighbor's garden at midnight. Just don't go to Mona, unless you want to experience what it's like to pay fine dining prices for a children's portion of mediocre Mediterranean while being flashbanged like you're in a SWAT raid. Let's dive deeper: Mona doesn't know if it wants to be a restaurant or a club. The decor is interesting at first...until you realize that the lights change color every minute in the entire restaurant. And then three times during our meal, STROBE LIGHTS SUDDENLY BLASTED ON as the staff, like a club, brought a birthday cake or bottle of bubbly to someone. What in the world is going on?! The drinks were awful. The "sweetest drink" on the menu was tart. The Manhattan and the Old Fashioned were overly sweet...like dessert cocktails. The portions of food, as mentioned here over and over again, were small and meager. We ordered the "little bit of everything" platter of dips and got eight tiny pieces of pita bread. The kebabs were small and not worth the high prices. And the side dishes were "individual sized" according to our server...which we thought would be sufficient to share. Who doesn't want to share a bowl of rice? Well, the side dishes came and they were TINY MINI BOWLS. Imagine going to a Chinese restaurant and they cut a bowl of rice in half. For $8! We paid for a full meal and left hungry...and went and got pizza afterwards instead. I really hope Mona doesn't last. It's a waste of a great space and location. This was one of the worst dining experiences I have had in 15 years in Philadelphia. read more

The ambiance may aim for "upscale," but the experience starts falling apart the moment you're greeted by the hostess. Her attitude was dismissive, cold, and completely out of place for a restaurant trying to deliver high-end hospitality. Management should be far more selective when hiring front-of-house staff, because the hostess is the first impression -- and in this case, it reflected poorly on the entire restaurant. We lost our appetite and ended up leaving -- not just because we didn't get the table we wanted, but because the entire mood was ruined by the hostess's attitude. We were refused a booth because it was for five people while an identical booth nearby sat four people. When we pointed that out, the hostess admitted it but said she needed to keep the other booth open "just in case." For an upscale restaurant, that level of inconsistency and dismissive treatment is unacceptable. I guess the management just do not care that the hostess is the face of the restaurant, and first impressions matter. read more

My friend grabbed a hard-to-get reservation on a Sunday night. I had a very good (dark olive based) filthy martini at the bar and enjoyed the garish ambience/good date lighting while I waited. Although the main floor was only a third full, they sat us close to the front in an already chilly restaurant. While service was slow, every underwhelming warm food item cooled down immediately. Some other reviews mentioned the oversaturated and overpriced Mediterranean food scene in Philly-- Mona falls right in line. The chicken kebabs didn't come with a sauce, the rice was overcooked, and only the spanakopita was exceptionally tasty. Okay, the pita was very good and fluffy. I would return to sit at the bar for drinks and snacks only. read more

First time we went to Monas to try out this Mediterranean Greek restaurant on a Sunday and very few people there. We ordered drinks, appetizers and the 6 of us also ordered our individual meals. I am not sure if this place was a bar or trying to be a restaurant. With a lot of competition in the city and opening a new restaurant you have to be at the top of your game and Monas was not. I asked if the Greek owner was there and he was not. Red flag number 1. If you want a new place to succeed you must there all the time! The service was not up to par with the type of establishment it is trying to be-upscale. The people delivering our food and pronounced the names wrong and couldn't even explain what it was. They need training to say Loukaniko or kolokithakia! Bronzino is the same as Lavraki which is a Mediterranean Sea Bass. Your waiters must know how to pronounce the items in the menu and what it is. We ordered the Bronzino and it came whole which is typical however we asked if they could filet it and clean it and they couldn't. Even Estias restaurant if you asked would filet it for you. I was surprised they had Vergina beer because it is the only beer in Greece that is owned by Greeks that is not a microbrewery. I know because I am good friends with the owner Michael and Dimitri Politopoulos who own Vergina Beer in Greece. The saganaki was good and tasty. The kolokithakia or fried zucchini was very oily, too thin and overcooked! Not good. The Horta or greens were very salty as well as the lobster pappardelle. The chef should try the food before they leave the kitchen. The pork kebab was good and tasty. The lemon sorbet was good but the baklava was very dry and baklava should have more syrup in it. We were also surprised they only had espresso and no other types of coffees. We ordered two Dako salads and you can see from the picture they are layers of tomato and cheese stacked high. This is not a dakos salad. Dakos is a hard crust bread that is added to a tomato and feta cheese salad in Greece and it originated from the island of Crete. This is not what we ordered and they took those salads off our bill. We instead ordered the Greek salad which they ran out of at 7pm! They only have 3 salads on the menu the Dakos salad is falsely advertised and they ran out of a Greek salad. How does one restaurant run out of Greek salad? They had feta cheese and tomatoes and olives all you need is to add cucumbers ? I am sure they could have run to a grocery store this morning and get the ingredients on hand so they don't run out. This to me is unacceptable. I don't see this restaurant succeeding unless they change drastically how they run the service and their foods! Sorry but you must be ready to serve, know what you are doing, and as an owner be there always. Mona's was a big disappointment, I will not be going back unless they have an epiphany and get serious about running a Greek Mediterranean restaurant in Philadelphia. I was also not very happy they tacked on another Philadelphia operating fee on top of their high prices and taxes. An operating fee on a restaurant bill is a fixed amount or percentage that restaurants add to the bill to help cover their operating costs. read more

See all

The ambiance and decor was chic and lively. The food was delectable! Loved every bite. Cool staff and management too. read more

See all

Mona's has been opened for two weeks. The 2nd floor has not been completed just yet, but the main dining area and the lounge downstairs look amazing. This is a Mediterranean restaurant with traditional dishes. It opens at 4pm, and that is what time I arrived. Just so you know, it began to get very busy by 6pm. The decor is elegant and the vibe is very chill. It's definitely a date spot for sure. When ordering your food if you are with a group of people, it may not all come out at the same time. With that said, I started with an appetizer. I ordered the Hummus served with grilled pita bread. It was very good. The bread was fresh and charred just right. Next came the lamb chops. They were seared with the right amount of char and crispiness. They were tender and flavorful. The lamb chops do not come with any sides, so I ordered the lemon potatoes. Those were AMAZING. They were the best potatoes I have ever had at any restaurant. Bursting with flavor, soft, melt in your mouth goodness. I highly recommend, no matter what you order, you have to try the lemon potatoes. My final dish was the Shrimp Orecchiette. It's a pasta dish in ouzo sauce and feta cheese. The feta added a different dimension to the taste. It was very good. It was not overpowering and blended nicely. My only complaint is that the tables were too small, and there was not enough room to really have too many dishes on the table at once. I definitely recommend you try it for yourself. Hopefully you enjoy it and get Brooke as your server. She was great. Til we eat again... read more

See all

One of my girlfriends and I decided to check out this new place Friday and we were not disappointed. The vibes are elevated Greek chic and the servers are super friendly and easy to talk to. Special shout out to Seth, Ryan, Sebastian, Michele, and Gabby for making our 1st experience one we will never forget. We will definitely be back. read more

Mona - Have you ever had an espresso martini with your face on it??? - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Absolutely loved this spot! Was invited to the media night prior to their opening and their food, atmosphere and drinks were all amazing. It's a huge place with great entertainment and DJ set. read more

Truly underwhelming to the point of sadness 1. Needs to pick a lane when it comes to food because they clearly cannot execute on all the types they are trying (Greek, Italian, Lebanese/Palestinian) 2. Why does it sound like a club when it's CLEARLY trying to look like something upscale and refined? 3. The drinks were fine. I had a vermentino it was great read more

10/10, went in just for some apps, but it was so good we ordered more! The waitress brought us extra pita for our dips and it was so fresh and warm. The restaurant has a really warm atmosphere and beautiful decorations. read more

Mona is very beautiful. I got the herb chicken and we got the shrimp pasta which both were delicious. I also got the jalapeño margarita. The first one was delicious. The next two were pretty bad. I even had them remake it and it was still bad although our host was very nice and sweet. They also do fancy stuff for your birthday or celebrations read more

Spent close to $300 for the NYE package. Bar was out of ingredients, staff was clueless, and no where to put jackets so the stair railings and decor inside had jackets piled up on top of them. Only saw empanadas and chips on the plates the waiter was walking around with. What a rip off... read more

We ordered drinks & they arrived about 30 minutes later. Our waitress Olivia P. had 0 knowledge about the menu. There was no drink menu at the table so we asked her for a drink with brown liquor & she recommended the peach of Poseidon which had Tito's. One of the steak kebabs came out practically raw & Olivia our waitress claimed it just comes that way & had an attitude. She took our orders and returned to let us know 2 items we ordered were sold out and we ordered substitutes. Then proceeded to give us the items that were sold out & our substitutes. We refused the substitutes and they put them on the bill still. When the bill came it had 6 mistakes. The waitress also took about 30 minutes to give us the bill after we asked twice. When she came back with the receipts she quickly disappeared and did not leave a pen for us to sign + tip. The ambiance is okay. Everyone is just standing mingling. The speaker system doesn't sound powerful enough for the space. I wouldn't come back. The manager was fortunately able to fix Olivia's many mistakes on the bill. read more

Mona - Steak kebab - came uncooked. Waitress claimed it comes like that.. - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Amazing food and entertainment. Great for those like a good night out in the city. First date,One on one time, or even a good time out with friends over the weekend. read more

service was horrible. really horrible. did not have a chance to complete meal so cannot comment on food. told them when we arrived that we had 1 hour because of theater tix. we left after an hour having been served two starters and no entrees. i do not think the server understands English very well and may have just not understood what i was saying. read more

We had an amazing birthday celebration at Mona!!! The appetizers, humus, calamari, shrimp, and other treats were great. Shant was a great manager and Alexa did a great job as our server. Drinks were great and it was a nice birthday celebration! We will definitely be back! Yum!! read more

Mona - Mediterranean Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This restaurant was amazing in all spheres! The atmosphere was beautiful and very hip. The wait staff (shout out to our waiter Pete) were amazing and very attentive. Then there is the food, wow...had a sampler of the dips and all were delicious, especially the charred eggplant and the pita that came with it! Had the fattoush salad, chicken kabobs (perfectly cooked and tender), red snapper and lamb chops and every single dish was amazing. Then the desserts, OMG the pistachio bomb was SO GOOD and the lemon sorbet was so fresh. Now for the chef's kiss, the cocktails were wonderful and I especially recommend the spicy meli margarita. Would highly recommend and look forward to returning! read more

The restaurant itself is lovely. The staff is very good too. The hummus and tzatziki were great! The baba ghannoush and bean dip were okay. The pita was fantastic! The vegetable moussaka was mediocre at best. The dumplings were rather flavorless. The filet kabab was awesome, but the $20 lobster add on was a total rip off. My fiance got one small bite out of that $20 add on. Seriously? Basically, here's another pretty restaurant with music that's too loud for a Sunday dinner, food that is hit or miss, and too high a price for food that is underwhelming. We went with a group and had fun, but it reminded me why I prefer great food over a pretty atmosphere. Considering my favorite Philly restaurants have been around for decades speaks to the fact that others probably concur. I don't foresee the longevity of this place. read more

My husband and I got married last night and we're minimooning in rittenhouse. I heard about this 'Must Try' place and made a reservation way in advance. With my reservation, I added a note about us being newlyweds, looking forward to a special evening xyz. Upon arriving I gave my name Gabriella and the host said "last name, Kelly"? We smiled and jokingly said "not as of last night!" Flashed our rings. He said "well we can't change the name." No congrats, nothing. The other two hosts were trying to find a table and I said excitably, "did you see my reservation note"! They looked at me, "yeah". No congratulations, not even a smile. They offered us high top at the bar or a sliver of a two top in between two tables. Smaller/less room than the Cheesecake Factory, for reference. We looked at each other and were like well I guess the high top. Sat there for 10 minutes. No one greeted us, acknowledged us. We left. What a disappointment. read more