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Royal Tavern

4.1 (719 reviews)
Closed 4:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

Royal Tavern Photos

ROYAL TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Hipster
Casual
Juke Box

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Recommended Reviews - Royal Tavern

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Seasonal appetizer
Kalani G.

Went here on a whim with friends and the friendly guy at the front got back to us with a table super fast for a busy night. This whole place is a vibe, dark woods, music, great conversation as the background. But the food is good too. The server suggested a seasonal appetizer that I was unsure about and it was banging. You're gonna spend some money of course but for a night out it's a great choice.

Tim A.

Great spot with a fun pub vibe, good food, and really crispy fries. Everyone was so friendly. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and came out just right. Would definitely come back.

Rebecca K.

Our friends always rave about the Royal Tavern burger ... so totally on a whim, we left our already-made dinner behind and joined them on a summer night to finally join in the hype. Royal Tavern is nestled in Bella Vista, so close to home for us. We had a group of 7, and Royal Tavern isn't the largest establishment so we weren't surprised to wait a bit. Luckily, Dive Bar is right next door, so we ducked in there for a drink while we waited but we ultimately were seated fairly quickly. Royal certainly has bar vibes - large bar when you walk in, high top tables around the dining room, dim lighting, loud sounds, eclectic personalities. It was a weekday night but still bumping - we were all about it. Our server was helpful, but service was a bit slow at times (our fries took forever to come out, and without any explanation or apology). We did a few rounds of drinks (mostly beers for the table but some cocktails), and their vast menu was appreciated so we could easily find multiple options we were into. I noticed they had a few NA beer / cocktail options, which was a nice touch given the changing drinking climate. Our friends encouraged us to try the pickled eggs, a dish my husband and I had never enjoyed before. I was not expecting their presentation in the most adorable little cups - that honestly made all the difference. The egg itself was curious; the creamy texture mixed with the sourness of the pickling blending well together. It's something I would never make myself nor seek out on a menu but enjoyed nonetheless! We had to get the burger to feel the hype, and it definitely disappoint. The price point is probably one of the more "affordable" in the city - $15 for a burger with gouda, caramelized onion, bacon, chili mayo, and long hots. I loved all the toppings, and while it was extremely messy (I wound up fork and knifing it for the most part), it hit the spot. I loved the kick from the mayo and peppers balanced by the sweet caramelized onion. The patty was juicy and paired nicely with the crisp bacon. All in all, 10/10 burger! We all wanted to split a few orders of fries, which came out significantly later than our burgers, delaying our evening a little bit but not the biggest deal. The fries were solid - shoestring variety with a vinegary mayo to pair. I was fairly stuffed after the burger but still felt myself reaching for many fries. We all had a great meal at Royal, and even though we waited and food was slightly delayed, it hit the spot. I can easily see myself returning to Royal to try more bevvies and menu items (perhaps for the Dog Days of Summer 2026?!), hopefully someday claiming it as my neighborhood bar to frequent!

Angie B.

Great neighborhood vibes and good bar food! Of course, try the burger. They are known for it. It's a delicious patty with bacon and the long hots make each bite worth taking. My daughter ordered a pasta special and we shared the delicious fries. It's a lively place with Philly flair. If you want great pub flavor with a French spin, this is your place.

Crisped mushroom sandwich
J. T.

After helping a family member move into the neighborhood, we walked over to Royal on a Sunday night. The bustling atmosphere was an immediate vibe - Royal felt very friendly as soon as we walked in. It's a classic pub style place, with emerald green walls, a long bar frequented by regulars (or so it seems), and spacious tables along the side and in back. For all that, it's not loud - you can easily share a conversation without straining. Greeted by a delightful concierge, they quickly cleared and reset a table for our party of five. The wait staff is terrific. They seem very dedicated to making it a great experience, know the menu well, talked a bit about the chef in glowing terms, who apparently not only crafts the dishes but is an amazing pastry chef! I had the crisped mushroom sandwich, which is inventive and delicious. My table mates had a handmade sizeable burger, a yummy flatbread, and a home-made veggie burger - kudos all around. Almost skipped the dessert menu but so glad we didn't - the coconut cake in particular was .

Fish Sandwich with Herby Tartar Sauce
beth h.

This is a really great neighborhood spot for good drinks, food, and service! There were 6 of us and while they don't take reservations, we called ahead and they had a table waiting for us when we arrived. Cocktails were creative, draft list was adequate, and we were impressed to see a long list of amari and digestifs as well. The clarified milk punch cocktail was very well balanced and delicious. We split chicken wings, seitan wings, and 3 orders of fries. Both varieties of wings were well-seasoned and crispy. And the FRIES!! They were served with a malt vinegar mayo that was so good! I had the fish sandwich which was quite a generous portion and cooked perfectly. It was served alongside an herby tartar sauce that really complemented the fish. TBH, their sauce game is really on point (the sauces with the wings were also a highlight)! The grilled cheese was perfectly toasted and had the right amount of cheese-to-bread ratio. The burgers received high marks as well from those in our group. Service was very prompt - nothing took longer than 5-10 mins and our waitress was very helpful answering any questions we had. Although we are not in the area often, we would love to come back!

Plain cheeseburger for the kid
Casey M.

Burger is 2L2Q. Do yourself a favor and stop in today. The ambiance is terrific. The beer is cold. And the fries are crispy.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Sherri W.

The Grilled Cheese sold me on this place. It has three cheeses (cooper sharp, smoked gouda, and boursin), diced tomatoes, bacon, and garlic confit served on country white bread. When I tell you it was a great combination. I'm willing to drive all the way back down South Philly for another and I don't like to drive. The atmosphere is laid back with low lighting which draws you to the beautiful ceiling. We went on a Thursday evening so it wasn't crowded. It's on street parking with a 2 hour time limit on most blocks.

Retna S.

We came here on a Tuesday night and I was shocked that it was full. We were lucky that there was one empty table. Our waiter Bob was awesome. He was so personable and I felt like we had known him for a long time. The tavern is quite dark. There are some tea candles on the tables. So if you want to take a nice instagrammable picture you definitely need to have additional lighting. Music was a bit loud but you can still have an enjoyable conversation. Burger wasn't big. It was served with some crispy bacon. The burger was not greasy. I was underwhelmed with the burger as I was expecting more flavor from the burger. Side dish kale was more enjoyable. Kale was not tough to chew and had a hint of heat with some rain. Dessert: Payday pudding was very delicious. It had a layer of vanilla and chocolate pudding with caramel topped with roasted sweet and salty peanuts. It can be shared with another person.

John Michael S.

Never had a meal at Royal tavern I didn't like! It's always great! Amazing staff! And like you just can't go Wrong!

One of the dog days of summer hotdogs
Dominique S.

Good food! The food came out extremely fast and everything we had was very good. I would definitely go back again.

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3 months ago

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2 months ago

Great service, very good cheese sammi and interesting beverages! Bar is a bit tight but fun patrons

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1 year ago

Good ambiance, drinks, and service. Came for lunch and enjoyed the breakfast burger. Recommend if needing a bite or drink in the area

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

The ambiance is kinda divvy in a good way and Eric, the bartender, is the best in the city hands down.

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2 years ago

Good bartender and service. So so wings. The smores dessert was amazing, one of the best in the city.

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Ask the Community - Royal Tavern

When will y'all reopen!?

They're open!

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Yes, it is still open

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Review Highlights - Royal Tavern

All the food is delicious but I have only just recently discovered the tempeh club with vegan bacon & basil aioli.

Mentioned in 48 reviews

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Our favorite spot in Philly!…read more My husband claims that Claude AI recommended this place. We absolutely loved it! The entrance is so charming. With potted flowers all over the restaurant. Smattering of patio tables on both Eighth Street and Carpenter. When I saw it, I said yes before even looking at the menu. We ordered drinks at the bar and took them outside. It's very chic but also casual. There were mostly pairs or trios - no families. Not th. We saw people ordering a little bit of everything. Honestly, the menu looked great! The kale Caesar salad, the piri piri buffalo chicken dip, bacon wrapped plums, etc. The drinks were the best we had on our Philly trip! The Spanish Monk which had gin, lemon juice, frothed egg white and smoked paprika. I had the GGG which they carried over from their old menu. Can't remember what was in it but she said it was similar to Bee's Knees which is one of my favorite! There's self service still water and sparkling water in the back of the restaurant. Perfectly chilled. Perfectly bubbled! Such a lovely spot!

This is an interesting bar to grab drinks. The menu is cool. The vibe is chill. Ive never heard of…read morethis place before but I would definitely recommend. The bartenders were nice. The drinking water comes out the sink! Now wait! Before we jump to conclusions, the sparkling water comes out the sink which I thought was pretty cool. Now you do have it self serve which is fine. We didnt have any food as we just left dinner.

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Le Caveau - chips & roe

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We came to Good King Tavern an hour before our res because we are a couple psychopaths, and they…read moresaid they couldn't seat us but have a cute wine bar upstairs if we wanted to kill some time. Reasonable. We walked upstairs into the cutest little dimly lit romantic wine bar I've ever seen. That was a lot of descriptors, but I felt them in my soul. We ordered a bottle of Pinot Noir and got a side of fries ($5) and pickles ($5), as there is no better date night than wine and fries. One of the most underrated combinations in the food game. They are oddly reminiscent of Brandon Roy and Lamarcus Aldridge, just so underappreciated. We sat there, watching the USC and Florida football games on our respective phones between sips of Pinot Noir and bites of these phenomenal fries. These Good King Tavern fries are my favorite I've had in Philly. Both of our teams suck this year, but both won that night. HUGE! Le Caveau delivering miracles... IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews

Such a nice wine bar! Glasses are on the pricier side in my opinion, but their $12 Negroni was…read moredelicious and felt like a steal. Ambiance was pleasant with romantic dim lighting, but definitely on the louder side. Food wise, we ordered some fries, their French hot dog (came on a sizable baguette) and chocolate mousse which was the perfect finish. Would definitely come back! Was also nice to get a table without having to wait on a Saturday night

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The Good King Tavern - Mussels Marseillaise

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Love this French restaurant I went to last week and already want to go back…read more I had the escargot which were a little lemony but delicious and hard to find at most restaurants. We tried the Leeks all dolled up, the vegetable was healthy and very tasty. I had myself a fortified wine for the first time! This is really the reason I tried this place, as I have never had fortified wine before. What is it you ask? Basically, wine with brandy in it making the cocktail come in at approx 15-20% bac. Fortified wine is poured in much smaller glasses than a normal wine pour, but I am thankful I got to try it. I got the duck of the day, which was duck confit, and it was amazing. My friend got the steak frites and I was very impressed with the quality steak, was ordered medium but came out beautifully medium rare which my friend was happy about as he immediately regretted telling the server he wanted it medium. I didn't have room for dessert, but this unique restaurant has so many items that you cannot find everywhere, and it makes me want to come back ASAP. As always people SYOY!!!!

Wanted to stop in here for a while and finally made it. Cozy booths and a bar downstairs, and there…read moreis a separate wine bar upstairs. Somewhat of a small space so reservations may be necessary. There is a changing special / additions menu so watch it if you're looking for some specific French dishes. Tried the croquettes and they were small and tasty bites. The creamy aioli was so thick, almost like a cheese sauce. The tavern burger was nicely cooked and meaty. There is raclette cheese melted on but the taste was subtle. Good bun that held up well to the big patties. The fries are crisped and seasoned nicely. A few other menu items I'd like to stop in and try, thanks.

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Bistro Romano has a lovely ambiance between the lighting, music, charming interior, and friendly…read morestaff. We ordered the whipped goat cheese appetizer, chicken parm, roasted pork chop, whipped potatoes, and chocolate tiramisu and everything was delicious! We were also able to order the wine pairings that typically can be added to the prixe fix menu which was such a fun and relaxed way to try new wines during our date night. I really appreciated the coat check as well. All in all, I would highly recommend for your next girl's night or date night!

Went for an early Valentine's Day meal because we didn't like the tasting menu for the actual…read moreweekend. We wanted to go and be able to choose all the options rather than the limited choices of the Valentine's Day special. We ordered the Caesar salad, calamari, and whipped goat cheese to start. Then the Chicken parm and the branzino for our mains. And finished with the carrot cake and espresso gelato. The Caesar salad was very good but the lettuce was very large and it would've been nice to have the lettuce chopped into smaller pieces. The goat cheese dip was amazing and then calamari was perfectly fried and came with warm marinara. Our mains were very good and flavorful, but came out slow. We ended up taking the chicken parm to go since it took a while to come out and we had ordered several apps. The desserts were rich but good and we split and espresso martini which our server said container actual espresso rather than just coffee liquor.

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The food, the service, the ambiance, everything was amazing from start to finish. The cocktails…read morewere creative and complex, the oysters were extremely fresh, and the chicken lollipops were the perfect way to finish off a meal full of seafood. The tuna crudo was one of my favorites, with the coconut aioli, but honestly none of these dishes disappointed. Our server was super attentive, while also letting us relax and enjoy our meal at our own pace. The courses came out timely and our water (and wine!) glasses were always filled. We even asked if we could get a side of fried oysters (not on the menu) and she happily obliged. Overall very pleasant experience. My only complaint - I wish Tesiny did happy hour (at least a few nights a week!) so that I could come back for some more delicious oysters at less than $4 a piece.

My friends took me here for my birthday dinner, and overall it was a great experience trying a new…read morespot! We had a reservation and arrived on time, but still had to wait about 10-15 minutes to be seated. It was a bit annoying since we had to stand right by the entrance while people kept coming in. That said, we loved the ambiance inside, very classy with a beautiful full display bar. The vibe is definitely a highlight. We ordered almost everything on the menu, and while the food was good, the portions were a bit disappointing for the price. We expected a little more. The oysters were very fresh, and I especially loved the chicken lollipop and the burger! those were definitely the standouts! I'd honestly go back just for those two. Everything else was just okay. Drinks were really good with lots of options, which we enjoyed. The staff were also friendly and helpful. Overall, a solid spot to try something new, but I do wish the portions matched the pricing a bit better.

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Royal Tavern - sandwiches - Updated May 2026

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