Monk's Cafe
Gastropub, Belgian Restaurant, and Beer Bar$$$$
Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia
The experts at Men's Health Mag and Philadelphia Magazine recommend this place
"Their Belgian beer selection is one of the best in the city."(11 Tips)
"Best seitan cheesesteak in the city and great beer selection too!"(41 Tips)
"Great burgers but even better mussels, great low key spot downtown."(75 Tips)
"Get the flemish sour beers!"(8 Tips)
245 Tips and reviewsFilter:
- mussels
- beer
- sandwiches
- casual
- veal cheeks
- (15 more)
Sort:
- Popular
- Recent
Erik CintronMarch 27, 2018Belgium bar with over 200 beers. From all over and they make there own house sour beer. It was a big place with 2 bars . The bartender in the back was great. Famous for the mussels. Real nice feel.Upvoted Dec 22, 2024
- Greig RoselliApril 29, 2016Sit at the back bar if it's too crowded in the front. Peruse the beer bible. Drink a pint of something delicious.
Upvoted 3 weeks ago 
Peggy LiJuly 9, 2018Mussels were truly phenomenal. Worth trying even if you usually don't love mussels (I was skeptical, but trusted all the rave reviews about them…).
A philadelphia institution of great beer selection, frites, duck salad sandwich and of course the mussels.
Sophia HMarch 17, 2016Thai curry mussels are amazing, and the serving is HUGE, so filling. Fries are the best. Hill Farmstead Everett porter is awesome - very malty, excellent porter. Great service. I love this place.
One of the best Belgian beer bars in the country. Food has always been very good. Mussels rival what you will find in Brussels
William AlvaradoFebruary 26, 2023Mussel all the way! Their mussel's are from Prince Edward Island, meaning meaty mussel's and their flavor are on the money. If you like mussel's you won't go wrong here.
Claire Carlson-JurichAugust 8, 2019Epic beer selection - everything from Russian River Brewing to bottles from the 1990s. (Chicken) burgers are fantastic and their bourbon aioli is now a favorite condiment😱
Philly.comAugust 3, 2014This likable and influential Belgian bistro is the region's undisputed beer paradise. There are surprises beyond the famous burgers and mussels, including stellar octopus and gueuze- stewed rabbit. Read more
LauraApril 25, 2013I've always stuck with the burgers and mussels here but the Mac and cheese was by far the best I've ever had! The goat cheese really makes it. Order it!
Jane PeachJune 13, 2014Great atmosphere. The trout I had was delicious, and the fries were up to Belgian standard which is very high. There was an amazing choice of beers from domestic craft brewers and Belgian.
Jen CunninghamAugust 21, 2023Amaaaaazing draft list! They tend to have Russian River and Hill Farmstead! The food is really good, too (including their fries).- Sophia HJanuary 21, 2016Good pulled pork sandwich. My friend's seitan is pretty good too. For chocolate stout lovers, I recommend Kasteel Barista Chocolate Quad or Brouwerij De Molen Cease & Desist :)
Leah VogelyJanuary 2, 2015There's not much to say. This is the famous Monk's. Educate yourself in beer and enjoy the bourbon mayo and mussel juice. Always a pleasure.
Danny TrejoOctober 10, 2015Some of the best burgers and beers in town. Has that small local feel to it of you are trying to avoid all the tourist bars. It's a must place to check out.
Greg S.April 16, 2015Bartenders were knowledgable and the craft beers on tap were super rare. I'd make a trip back to Philly in a heartbeat just to come here.
Be sure to check out the bar in the back. Their burgers are some of the best in town, and don't skip the fries, they're excellent. A good Chimay Triple is always a good pairing.- Fodor's TravelAugust 22, 2018Whether steamed in classic style with wine and shallots or with cream, mussels are a high point at Monk's. The fries that accompany them draw raves from the regulars who crowd the place. Read more
Michelle CSeptember 21, 2014Impressive beer selection covering every price point (my local microbrew was only $5). I also had the seitan (vegetarian) cheesesteak, but it was too greasy and the bread was too wet to finish.
Alex GrayMarch 24, 2018Best imported beer selection in Philly, knowledgable staff. Amazing atmosphere. If you want to go for dinner, be prepared to wait for a table
Alex StillOctober 30, 2017Pliny and Blind Pig on tap all the time. The other beers are also great so try them, too
Czarina BehrendsSeptember 19, 2017Everything we had was superb. The mussels are delicious and plentiful.Also comes with fries. The beer selection is out of this world.
Ricky SherrillJuly 31, 2015A top notch beer selection with a comfortable vibe to drink with friends. I am looking forward to coming back & trying their burger.
Elizabeth RiceAugust 9, 2014Love the mussels and the huge beer list! Plenty of interesting cider and fruit beer choices too. Love the fries and chipotle dipping sauce
I had a nice time on my first visit here. Had a beer that tasted like whisky and a great burger. I will be back.Upvoted Dec 21, 2024
John LeMaireJanuary 8, 2014If it's your first time here you have to get the mussels, right light style is great. Have a go at their specialty brewed beer, you won't be disappointed.
Jeremy AndersonJune 13, 2019The beer selection is next level! And if you are feeling puckish the Bruge Burger is the best burger I’ve ever eaten!
Brian AlvarezJanuary 19, 2017They have all the beer. What else is there to say? Oh yeah, the mussels. Get those.
Pablo VladimirMay 18, 2015Great beer selection but can get crowded. I recommend getting a table and ordering appetizers so you don't have to deal with people bumping into you.
Global HighlanderDecember 25, 2015Great place for craft beer and draft beer. Cozy and crowded setting.
Michael LarkinDecember 2, 2013One of the best beer bars I've ever been to. The beer list was epic (pages) and the duck salad sandwich was amazing.
UntappdAugust 24, 2012If you go to any bar in Philly, this is place the to go. Tons of great stuff including one of the only places to get Russian River on the East Coast!
Ricardo SeixasNovember 15, 2015Very authentic pub with a rare compilation of world beers and great environment! Mussels are a try but not killer.
Niraj DesaiJanuary 29, 2013Love this place! Can't go wrong with any of the mussels...but I felt the burgers were pretty boring. I prefer more than just bread, meat, and cheese.
Sarah RaymondFebruary 7, 2013De Koninck (De Koninck Ale, apples, Gruyère, caramelized leeks and garlic) and the Red Light (Hoegaarden, fumé, chile de arbol peppers, chervil and garlic.
Cate BarrettSeptember 29, 2014Thai curry mussels were fabulous. In my experience, grabbing a place to eat at the bar ended up being more efficient than waiting for the hostess to sear us.
Katie KausJanuary 2, 2013What an amazing introduction to Philly! Ahhhhmazing duck salad sandwich! & the mussels - incredible! (& I'm from Florida where we judge seafood harshly! )
Gary NoeSeptember 18, 2014Wow, one of the best beer menus. It's a small bar, gets crowded fast, excellent service. Food is good.
Emma Carew GrovumApril 27, 2013The small bucket of mussels is way bigger than you might think. We split 2 smalls and the pita/hummus appetizer and could barely finish. Staff was amazingly friendly.
Rachel LomaxApril 25, 2016The veal cheeks were delicious and their bottle list is crazy good. Great service and cozy atmosphere.
Joshua HaftelDecember 27, 2014Always a great place to come and see what's on tap. Love Belgian beers and this place never disappoints.
Lance LacoffOctober 4, 2014Burgers or chicken sandwiches, excellent mussels, definitely get the frites, best beer list in philly
Rachel ShifmanJanuary 5, 2016Their veggie burgers are so delicious and hearty. And all the beer they have is truly impressive.
Examiner.comFebruary 22, 2011Monk's Belgian Cafe has been around for over 25 years and is popularly known as the cafe that started a craft beer revolution in Philadelphia. Experience a menu laced with over a hundred craft beers Read more
Easily one of the coolest places in not only Philly but the entire country to have a beer. Sneak to the back bar to chill with the cool kids ;)
the only place around here that consistently has pliny the elder on tap. so good.
Maureen KaiserSeptember 1, 2011Voted 'One of the top 5 Places in the World to have a beer' by All About Beer Magazine. This place has the best mussels and Belgium beers at decent prices.
Sam KrasnikSeptember 10, 2017Great food and amazing beer selection. Loved their private label Flemish sour
1,990 Photos
Foursquare © 2025 Lovingly made in NYC, CHI, SEA & LA
Closed until 11:30 AM (Show more)
- Mon–Sun
- 11:30 AM–1:00 AM
(215) 545-7005
Features
Reservations
No
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. American Express)
Wi-Fi
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Food & Drink
Menus
Brunch, Lunch, Dinner
Drinks
Beer, Wine, Full Bar, Cocktails
See More
You might also like
Places people like to go after Monk's Cafe
- 8.7
"Really cool place! Excellent sliders :)"
Vincent Vin vol - 8.5
"Cheap margaritas during happy hour, 12 rotating taps, friendly staff and tasty burritos. The Cucumber Margaritas are usually on special and are very refreshing on hot summer nights."
Rob McGowan
- 7.6
"Great service . Full of atmosphere. Sat at bar ... MARTY was most accommodating. Food is delicious. Very nice staff . Lively atmosphere. Great burgers"
C B
Appears on 880 lists
Created by Men's Health Mag
180 items • 506 followers
Thrillist's Best Day of Your Life: Philadelphia
Created by Thrillist
12 items • 562 followers