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

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

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

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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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

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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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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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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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

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

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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Best mussels in the city! FOod is great, beer list extensive, service great. Borderline dive bar but really like it a lot!.

Tiny but cute. Broad selection of Belgian beers which is why I was interested. The food just ok. The burger was sub par, the fries were really good, the mayo really good, the Spanish flies were disappointing and not hot or spicy despite egregious warnings, they need to travel to the south if they think that is super not kidding hot. Overall I enjoyed it with friends but I wouldn't go back. The Philly cheesesteak was only veggie... what???? read more

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

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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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

such an amazing restaurant! a neighborhood staple, and rightfully so. i've wanted to come here multiple times, but they are walk-in only and do not accept reservations. my friend and i finally had a chance to check it out, and the food was phenomenal. i'm not even a beer drinker, but i completely understand the hype. this place would be even better if you liked beer, highly recommend. service was fast and efficient. the restaurant was busy, classic brewpub style. my friend and i shared the thai curry mussels and the spanish flies. the wings were solid, though definitely not as hot as advertised. they were a little spicy, but at a very tolerable level. i probably would not order the spanish flies again, but that is in part because they have so many other items i want to try/reorder. the mussels were delicious. they were flavorful and juicy, probably some of the best mussels i've had in the city. for my main, i had the duck salad sandwich which was mind blowing. the duck was tender and each bite was amazing. this sandwich lives rent free in my brain. my mouth is watering as i write about how great of a meal i had here. monk's is an absolute must visit and they deserve all the hype. can't wait to come back! read more

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As always, service was great. Becca was great behind the bar. She was knowledgeable and personable! read more

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

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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

No tv. I googled Arsenol bars in Phila and this was #4. How can this be a soccer sports bar with no tv? Stupid. No tv is stupid anyway in this day and age. read more

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 beer. Good mussels. Terrible fries. They were all quarter inch sad scraps. Super friendly staff.

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

i like all the beer options it feels endless and i always get a burger with fries it's really yummy but my wife gets mussels and those are good too read more

Very mixed feelings about this place. Service was wonderful. Nice chill atmosphere. Huge selection of very good beers on tap, but $8 for a 6ounce beer? Seemed a bit much. We had the Monk's mussels-very good, fresh tasting, plenty of them. Pomme frites were on point, but over salted. Hubby had the burger, I had the duck salad sandwich. Possibly the lousiest bread I've ever had in my life. It reminded me of packaged bread from a supermarket, no crustiness to the roll at all, and not much flavor either. As it detracted from what was on the bread, we both took the filling out of the bread to eat. The burger and the duck were both perfectly cooked, no complaints there, but I really was shocked at the lack of quality in the bread. read more

Food is excellent! Beer selection is amazing! Top notch service in an unpretentious atmosphere. Highly recommend! read more

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

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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(Visited on 1112/24.) Awesome vibe and atmosphere; there's absolutely nothing "cookie cutter" about this place. The staff was very pleasant and attentive as well. I got an order of the "Ghent" mussels, and I was slightly underwhelmed; nothing was off-putting, but for a dish made with blue cheese, bacon, garlic, and caramelized leeks, it was closer to bland than robust (it didn't live up to the sum of it's parts). However, the fries and bourbon mayo were world-class! The star of the show is the beer selection; there's something for everyone - it's probably the best selection I've ever seen, with some offerings that you may never see elsewhere in the Northeast. If you're a craft brew enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to make a pilgrimage here. read more

Monk's Cafe - Neon sign in the window. - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

What an unassuming place. Would never have guessed 1) how large it actually is and 2) the theme of the place before walking in. Ultimately, it's a lovely Belgian restaurant that rests upon its choices of beers and mussel steampots, which I'm not mad about. It seems super small but there is a very large back area so our wait was not so significant. We ordered some beer while we waited and by the time it was given to us our table was ready. The menu is not so extensive and there wasn't SO much that I was interested in but it had enough that we had some options. Started with the short rib. This was the biggest let down of the night, as the texture of the potatoes was nice but the meat was super under-seasoned and just so very bland despite how tender the meat was. The sauce was nice? But absolutely would avoid this going forward. For the mains, we narrowed it to the duck salad sandwich and a Ghent mussel pot. The former was nice. Truly it does not need to be a sandwich, but the meat and the toppings were delicious. The side salad does nothing for it (not sure if there was anything beside lettuce?) so again maybe this would be better as an entree non-sandwich dish. Our mussel pot was great: bacon, blue cheese, 1.5 pounds of open mussels? Excellent. Our only complaint about it would be how small the tables are as we were truly at a loss for room for such an extensive dish. So glad it came with bread to dip into the broth at the end. The Pommes frites and the sauce- unparalleled. And finally the service. Such a delight. Even though we were stuck in the corner of the back bar and could easily have been ignored, we really were not and had such a pleasant time. The place overall probably needs to expand 2.5 times so that the bathroom and tables aren't so cramped together, but really this place is worth the visit. Not sure if I'd go back for any other parts of the menu but certainly would bring friends here who have not experienced such Belgian food. read more

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I have come here so many times. The food and drink is some of the best in the city. The beers are amazing and stuff I can't hardly find elsewhere. They know some of the best brewers in the world. The fries are to die for. The ambiance is extremely cool. The only issue is how small it is can often lead to overcrowding, but it is always worth it read more

Famous beer spot with an extraordinary amount of options. Hundreds of rare beers from all over the world to choose from. There is a front bar area, a dining room in the middle, and then a back room bar as well with a few more tables. Just the sheer amount of choices rates them highly, but on top of that their food is great as well. The fries have an interesting seasoning on them, and for $6 a basket they're a nice snack while you have a few drinks. It's always really busy here for good reason. Definitely recommend for any beer lovers. read more

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Monk's reminds me of my trip to Brugge, Belgium. As soon as you walk in you can feel the history and the vibes are similar to some of the renowned ale houses across the pond. Monk's offer a wealth of high quality craft beer and delectable bites. The beer selection is large enough to cater to any beer lover's fancy. I had a high ABV Trippel and it was delicious! The fries are a perfect pair for the cold beer. Service is prompt and friendly. If you consider yourself a lover or connoisseur of beer and your in Philly, Monk's Cafe should high on your list of destinations. read more

Does Monk's need any more reccomendations?? Best mussels this side of Belgium and a top shelf beer menu and draft selection that only a few places on earth can rival. read more

Ordered the smoked trout dip appetizer and it was wonderful. We also ordered the cured salmon app. It's supposed to have a blood orange and fennel salad as well as lime crème fraiche. Ours had zero blood oranges and the missing citrus really took so much away from the overall dish. We had an order of Monk Style Moules and pommes frites. The basket of frites were disappointing to say the least. They weren't served in an appealing paper cone, but instead, in a basket. Ours must've been from the bottom of the bag, as every frites was an inch-long tops. They weren't crispy and were over-seasoned and just greasy and limp. It was such a big disappointment. On the plus side, the Chimay Bleu was delicious and our server in the little back room with a small bar was terrific. We won't hurry back for the food. read more

It is my favorite spot in Philly. Best beer selection around. The food is also very tasty.