Monk's Cafe has been a favorite of mine for years - I love Belgian beers, and this is one of the best spots in the city for them. Small, rustic, a little loud, Monk's Cafe is exactly what you want from a proper Belgian beer bar. Original plan was to sneak away solo for a bit during our Labor Day weekend trip, since we had two families with young kids in tow, but in the end everyone decided to come along, and it turned out to be a great call. There are plenty of kid-friendly food options, so nobody was stuck without something to eat. The real treat this visit was a tap takeover by Cantillon, the legendary Belgian lambic brewery out of Brussels. Getting to try a couple of their beers on tap was honestly a bit of a dream - it's the kind of thing you don't expect to find outside of Belgium, so I definitely took advantage. Food-wise[1], we ordered the pork belly, the duck salad, and the squash & mushrooms - all excellent, but the duck salad was the standout of the table. The also offer 5 different kinds of mussels, each version prepared with a different kind of beer, and multiple vegetarian options. This is a step above typical pub food, more refined without losing any of the coziness. We went as a group of six on a Saturday late afternoon, no reservation, and waited about 30 minutes for a table - not bad at all for a Saturday. We grabbed a couple of beers at the bar while we waited, and ended up getting seated at one of the large round tables up front, which worked perfectly for our group. Already looking forward to going back. ------------------------------------ [1] Menu: https://www.monkscafe.com/menu read more

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just as fantastic, if not better than last time! my friend and i swung by after our original plans to go to happy hour fell through, and we were easily able to get a seat around 4 pm. we shared one serving of the duck salad, and our waitress was so so sweet to split it into two plates for us. we also share the thai curry mussels and frites which i had last time as well. their fries are so good and the sauce is amazing. the broth of mussels was also so flavorful and we loved dipping the bread in. we had a great time and were both full afterwards! the highlight was definitely the amazing service, everyone was so so sweet and checked in on us several times. by the time we left, it was definitely getting busy, so i recommend going early! it can get quite loud as well when it's busier because of the intimate seating, so be warned. read more

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We had such a great experience at Monk's cafe. An adorable wood paneled warren with booths and awesome art, this place definitely matched my vibe. As a vegetarian, I can't recommend their seitan cheese steak highly enough - it was savory comfort food wrapped in a perfectly balanced amount of delicate hoagie bun. The mixed greens salad was also pretty top notch. My husband loved his steak frites and didn't expect such a nice cut of meat. We both had beers recommended by our attentive server and she nailed it. She also knew we were in a rush and got us in and out with time to spare. We will be back! read more

Wanted to have beers at this neighborhood bar that was our last stop on our Philly Bar Crawl. The guy at front told us that we could not sit at a table and only order cocktails. Since the bar seats were full, we had the choice to head all the way to the 2nd rear bar. We took the short journey to the secluded small bar that was also full and took refuge at one of the four tables. We took a look at the "Beer Bible" or their version of a drink menu. The bartender informed us that we could not sit at the table unless we were ordering food. At this point we ended our pub crawl and left defeated scratching our heads. This was far from a classy place without a line out the door during the week which made it even more alarming. Interesting experience as our last taste of Philly. read more

Monk's Cafe - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This is hands-down my favorite bar in Philly! Every time I'm in town, I make it a point to stop by. If you're a fan of Belgian beer or rare brews that are almost impossible to find elsewhere, this place is heaven on earth. The first thing I did was head straight for my favorite, Cantillon from Belgium. This visit, I tried their Kriek LG, a fruited lambic made by adding sour cherries to a two-year-old aged lambic. All I can say is... WOW! Tart, complex, refreshing, and dangerously drinkable. If beer could win an Academy Award, this one would be giving an acceptance speech. Now, let's talk food. I ordered the Thai Curry Mussels, and they were absolutely outstanding. The broth was packed with flavor, and the mussels were cooked perfectly. They easily rank in the top five mussel dishes I've ever had, and I've done my research! Pro tip: Don't make the rookie mistake of eating all the bread first. Save some for the end so you can soak up every last drop of that incredible curry broth at the bottom of the bowl. Trust me, you'll thank me later. The service is always excellent. John usually takes care of us in the back, and he consistently makes the experience even better with great recommendations and friendly service. In side is cozy and friendly! If you live in Philly and haven't been here yet, what are you waiting for? Great beer, amazing food, and outstanding service--this place checks every box. Just be warned: one visit and you'll be planning your next trip back before you even leave. read more

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Between the beer bible and good conversation I had an amazing time over some great food! The vibe was iconic from the service, ambiance and overall feel of the establishment! A friend recommended this place and we had an amazing time!! I would definitely go back to experience more of the menu and great time! Located in a beautiful area of Philly, this is a place you don't want to miss. read more

Monk's Cafe - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Went to the back bar area (since there are two bars). This place has the best sour beers in the city. The bartender really helped guide me correctly. I tried the crooked stave earl grey. It was a farmhouse ale fermented with Brettanomyces and infused with Earl Grey tea. I highly recommend it. I also ended up getting the Boon Geuze Sélection. This was amazing as well. It was a lambic from specific foeders selected to best produce a "keg conditioned" geuze. Full bodied with signature sourness and low carbonation. read more

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Ya know, every now and then, you go to a restaurant with decent reviews, and you hit a pathetic, service dis-oriented, small-minded, snooty, full of-herseif. maitre d', and you think.... this is gonna be bad!!! Arrived at 1:30 on a Thursday. The restaurant was half full, so was the bar, and we say a table for two. she asks us if we want to.sit at the bar!!! We say "no a table please." She proceeds to put us at the smallest table wilth a pillar blocking half the seat. We say can't we sit someplace more comfortable. She says no. We push back and say that table is really small and there are lots of emply tables. She gets that schoolmarm look on her face and will not budge. We left and went to Park Restaurant and without asking they put us at a large table for 4 and there were not many tables available. Other reviews complain about snootiness ar Monk's. Well whw wants snootf or lunch? read more

My favorite burger in the city! Every combination is better than the last, and the French fries are to die for. The tavern-y ambiance makes the burger and beer taste even better. I spent some time mulling over the beer menu and our server was super helpful in guiding me to a drink I'd love -- excited to stop back in again!! Keep in mind it's no reservation and gets crowded! I recommend stopping at or before 6/6:30 for dinner. read more

Monk's Cafe - Trappist Burger - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Found Monk's close to our hotel and saw their beer selection, so I had to try them out. It's a cool little place with a laid back bar atmosphere. It was pretty busy when we got there, so we sat at the bar. Andy did a great job keeping up and getting drinks and food orders out. We tried their chicken fingers and the pomme frites. The chicken was good, the fries were out of this world! Seasoned and cooked perfectly! I tried a couple of beers, the DuPont saison and a Einbecker historic pils. Both were good, easy drinkers. I'm sure we'll stop in again before we head back home. read more

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While I was in Philadelphia, a friend mentioned that this unpretentious neighborhood cafe sold west coast Russian River beers and other unique Belgian beers. And it was walking distance from my hotel. Indeed their beer selection was impressive and carried Belgian Tripels, ales and IPAs and the elusive Pliney the Elder on tap at $8.50 a pint. I also learned their food menu boasts some well known choices. However, on this lunch visit the grill was out of service; no burgers, steaks, etc. I pivoted to their popular steamed mussels. A sizable pot of plump mussels in their black shells swimming in their liquor and considerable diced garlic and chopped fresh parsley. Delicious. The meal was accompanied by pommes frites and small slices of baguette for sopping. A chilled pint of Elder finished the monk's testament to excellence. Take a break from the cheesesteak and commit to the Monk. Well worth it. read more

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popped by with my friend after our original dinner plans fell through. it definitely gets busy so i'm glad we were able to score a seat! we ordered the duck salad and the red curry mussels + fries. our server was absolutely delightful, super sweet! i also appreciated the splitting of our salad in separate plates! as for the food, it was overall good, the duck was a bit overcooked + slightly bland in my opinion & i would have preferred for the goat cheese to be a more crumbly texture rather than chunks but it was good all together. the mussels had a wonderful flavor but there was definitely a good amount of sand while i was eating them & some of them were on the tinier side lol overall the broth had a nice kick and we enjoyed having bread to soak up the broth! overall i would recommend - maybe i just got a bad batch of sandy mussels lol read more

I've had Monks on my list for some time and tonight presented itself as the right time since I was in Philly, the night before Thanksgiving. Figured lite traffic, chance to find parking nearby. Rolled in following a chore and found a spot 2 blocks away... of a good start. Got a table right away for 2 and Becca was our director of first impressions for this first experience. We kicked off with intros and talked Belgium beers, Becca wanted to assess our flavor palette to help us with our beer selections. We landed on De Halve Maan Bruges Zot and we both loved it (now we need to find where we can buy bottles.) We started off with the Thai Curry muscles which were terrific with a side of pomme frites but they were cold, burn and not appealing hence wny the 4 and not a 5 star review. Next we shared the pulled porak sandwich which was terrific, what a wonderful smokey BBQ flavor with the house slaw. spicy pork slow cooked in Belgian brown ale. We finsihed with the lamb ball app -- 3 lamb meaballs, cauliflower puree, kimchi tahini, cucumber and onion relish--- DELICIOUS! see our food pics and don't blame us if you drool and short circut your smartphone read more

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This was the perfect addition to my philly trip I loved Monk's!!! Best place to catch up with friends and get good food and a huge variety of drinks. I recommend going with the kitchen specials they seem to have a lot of range with what they serve, so happy to see it! Great areas for seating! Not too loud that you can't chat! Get the kielbasa if they have it :) read more

Monk's Cafe has the vibe of a pub and honestly a beer selection to match, but I wasn't there to drink. I was there for the Seitan Cheesesteak and I kid you not, it was the best sandwich I have ever had. The seitan was seasoned perfectly, mixed in with onions, mushrooms, and Gruyère cheese that just made the whole thing sing. If I were handing out awards that sandwich would win every category. Monk's Cafe caught me off guard in the best way possible. read more

Monk's Cafe - Seitan Cheese Steak - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Known for their great selection of beer but the food is also delicious! Burgers, steak and hoagie were all so yummy. Food is a bit on the saltier side. The desserts were seasonal, which I appreciated read more

Monk's Cafe - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Haven't been here in 10 years. Used to be a regular hangout for myself and my team. Service was fast and were swayed quickly. Best to come off peak times as it gets crowded fast. Come for the amazing beer selection and stay for the food. Both are exquisite. Try the mussels, burgers,and Pom frittes . Beware the Spanish flies, hotter than I have Ever had! Portions are much smaller, but quality and freshness is still very good read more

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Monk's Cafe was recommended to me for my first trip in Philadelphia. We had good timing as we were able to get a table without any wait. I first noticed the extensive beer menu. The selection is top tier. There's so many beers available that you will not find elsewhere in the area. It is a beer lover's dream. The food was also great. I'm not going to be anywhere to order mussels again anytime soon, so I felt like that was a must. The mussels were delicious and the pommes frites were addicting. The restaurant filled up quickly soon after we were seated. It's a pub style with a few tables and stools available at the bar. The service was quick and friendly. Our server was very knowledgeable of both the beer and food. Awesome spot for a bite and brew! read more

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The table is covered with delectable Belgium dishes. We're having Monk"s mussels (mussels, smoke, garlic and parsley, with a Chimay Doree. A really delicious duck salad sandwich with goat cheese, spicy walnuts and baby greens on a baguette, washed down with a sour Flemish ale. Both dishes come with pomme fries and a fantastic mayo sauce. Give Monk's a try on your next time in Philadelphia. But be prepared - sometimes there is a long wait for a table, but well worth it! read more

Monk's Cafe - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Nice cold beer of many types (except domestics), and a very good burger with fries. The dark, tavern look was cool. Even though it looked full, they were able to accommodate the 8 of us on two adjacent tables. read more

Great food, great beer selection and immaculate vibes. Just an amazing spot. The mussels were plentiful. A giant bowl of mussels with very few duds and a delicious broth to soak your baguette in. However, in my opinion, the fries and that sauce were the star of the show. The beer selection was why I chose this place as they have Russian River on tap. I went with Pliny the Elder which was a good accompaniment to the food. Service was top notch as well. read more

Monk's Cafe - Ploughmans mussels with Frites - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Came in about a week ago. We have been here before and we're excited to come back. We sat at the front bar (cafe). The bartender was great. She was very friendly and helpful. We had the red curry muscles and it was fantastic. My wife drank hlthe broth from the bowl. Going to have to leave her at home next time. The muscles come with the shoestring fries as a standard. It's a generous portion of muscles. We can't wait to come back. read more

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Still my very happy place. Someone asked how often I come here. Maybe once a month? It's worth driving into the city. Service is great. Beer options are always fantastic. Possibly the best fries in Philly. I'll always love their Spanish flies and mussels. Now that my kids are older, they've learned to love it here. :) read more

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Outstanding bar with unique and hard to find brews. The spot to be at for any beer lover, and grab some delicious food to boot! read more

Monk's Cafe - Front of Cafe - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Grabbed a pint here with some friends while we were in town. My friend was really excited to come back here since he remembered it from the last time he was here for a conference. The beer was really good. The bartender was speedy and friendly. There was nowhere to sit with mostly standing room only. The beer was worth the trip but only if you're willing to stand. read more

Monk's Cafe - Pint - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I had an amazing time during an day-drinking excursion from my recent Philly trip. It's kind of funny because we were supposed to chill at Monk's Cafe for like an hour or two, but we ended up staying close to four hours. I think a combination of the low-key vibe, great service, and HUGE selection of beers is what kept us around. Also, it helped that it was a bit of a nasty day outside. For me, the cafe was more like a restaurant that has two bars, so I was a bit surprised when I saw so many folks eating. However, I had no problems with the that. While the cafe has two dining areas (in the front and in the back), I would not say Monk's Cafe is recommended for large parties who solely want to drink. We had a bit of tough time getting four seats at the bar in the back. Actually, I take that back a little bit because there were a couple of large tables in the front of the cafe. Monk's Cafe pretty much has every type of beer (along with a full bar) so everyone can find something they will like. Although we did not eat, with the exception of a couple of plates of fries (errr pomme frittes), I would like to return again just to try the mussels (and more beers) because they mussels smelled so good. It seemed as if every table had at least one order of mussels. Overall, I thought the service was absolutely amazing. Our main bartender, John, made sure that we never longed for anything. If you are a beer lover (especially from the Belgium set), I highly recommend Monk's Cafe. read more

Monk's Cafe - Beer me! - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Ordered mussels, after eating 10 or 12 on the top noticed crunch of dirt. Upon complaining, we were told that it's 1 in 10,000 that has dirt and we SHOULD HAVE said something earlier. Newsflash Dirt washes below so less likely to have dirt in the mussels on top. Did not appreciate being told off, so the offer to replace 1/2 a pot of mussels did not sit well. The fries it came with were sorry ass fries. Beer recommendation was good but the rest was sorry. $50 for lunch was a sorry, dissatisfying meal! read more

First time I've been here and the food was amazing. Bartender was spot on with no hesitation. Very comfortable atmosphere.

I specifically went there for muscles. The quality and quantity was great i did really enjoy the service. I looked that it was open super late. read more

Monk's Cafe - Monks Mussels - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ah Monk's. A true Philly institution. Been here more times over the years than I can count and always love it. Came here most recently on a Saturday night with some friends. They don't take reservations so we put our names in for a table at 6:00 and were told it was an hour and twenty minute wait for a table, but we got the call at 6:50. We sat in the back room which I think is the best space in the restaurant. It's tiny and cozy with its own bar and feels like a true Belgian pub. If you're a beer nerd, the beer list here is one of the best in the city. So many incredible dubbels, quads, Flemish sours, and lambics that you won't find anywhere else. They also have an impressive list of American beers like Hill Farmstead and Russian River. In the unlikely event you can't find something good on tap, set aside a few hours to read their bottle list, because it's as long as War and Peace. The food is also incredible. I got the Brussels burger which was expertly cooked and came with a good portion of fries and homemade spicy mayo dipping sauce. My girlfriend got the duck salad sandwich which she said was perfect. We love Monk's. We've been coming here for years and will continue to come here for many more years to come. read more

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We came on a Friday night and it was super disappointing. I've heard multiple people rave about here - maybe it was the high expectations, maybe it was ordering the wrong thing, but my whole group thought the experience was underwhelming. I got the duck salad sandwich. The duck salad part of the sandwich was good- the duck was cooked well and some sweetness from the cranberries. But the roll it was on was sadder than a grocery store roll. It had that soft, yet incredibly tough, crust on bread where you have to almost pull the sandwich to break and take a bite. Really dragged down the sandwich experience. The fries were soft and flimsy (boo). Occasionally you'd get some flavor with the seasoning, but it was so unevenly spread that the experience was just bad. The aoli it came with was just heavy, especially with how thin the fries are. My friends said the Italian sausage sandwich didn't impress them either and left them disappointed. read more

Monk's Cafe - Duck Salad Sandwich - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

If you're a beer geek, this is the one pilgrimage you have to make. An insane number of Belgian beers you're not likely to experience anywhere else. This was my second or third visit here over the years. It's way bigger on the inside, to paraphrase a well known BBC sci-fi show. There's a front of house bar, followed by a warren of small spaces, that leads you to the equally welcoming backroom bar. Food? Well, moule frite, of course! It rocked, that's all I need to say. I sampled probably too many seasonal/Christmas Belgian beers because, hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. read more

Monk's Cafe - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I had a great evening at Monk's Cafe. They do not accept reservations but there were just two of us and we had no wait to be seated. We shared the smoked trout dip. I really enjoyed this and would order it again. For my main dish, I ordered the Monk's duck salad. This was something different from what I would normally order but I would recommend it and I would order this again. The space is small and does fill quickly. If we are in the area again, I would return. read more

Monk's Cafe - Smoked Trout Dip - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Great value! Whole pot of mussels with the best fries ever for like $20. Could use a little more flavor, the top of the pot doesnt have any sauce since its all at the bottom. But seriously a great place to eat read more

Food was ok. It used to be a lot better. Mussels were ok but sauce was watery. Don't think I will be back.

Really enjoyed this little place! The Flemish Sour Ale was delicious, super light and sweet but still sour. For the food I had the vegan cheesesteak which was also delicious, although I did not enjoy the Daiya mozzarella (which is the only vegan cheese option) as much as the rest of the sandwich. Super fast service and would recommend. read more

Monk's Cafe - Flemish Sour Ale - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The coolest place. Very quaint. It's tight on space, and no reservations are allowed. But, worth the wait. Beers and food are outstanding. The staff knows their stuff. If you like Belgian beer and muscles. This is the place. They also have great hamburgers. read more

Ordered 2 things: mussels + duck sandwich - mussels: good but not better than other places. The fries were the highlight tho! Could not stop eating the fries - duck sandwich: duck was well cooked! However, I didn't read the description and didn't realize there was goat cheese in it Restaurant feels quite cramped. We got put in a tiny table on the side and it was a little uncomfortable. read more

Monk's Cafe - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great drinks, meals and service. Outstanding on all fronts. It gets busy but the crew is so used to it, everything flows really well. Pro tip - sit in the back bar. read more

Monk's Cafe - An excellent German beer recommended by John our bartender - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Sunday night, Jan. 19, 6pm: table of six adults had 2 little girls (4yo?) who were playing loudly all over the front of the dining room where we were seated at a 2 top. I asked hostess to be relocated but she would not. I told the server (large woman in a beanie) that I couldn't be around these uncontrolled kids and she had to GALL to say -- and I quote -- "they are over there now and looks like they're calmed down. I'm sure you can be ok." Neither were true. If she could read a room she'd have noticed every other table was annoyed. read more

Monk's Cafe - Should be the policy adopted at this establishment. - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania