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.

An institution!! From burgers to the steak frites salad (which yes is in the salad section), you can't go wrong. The Thai Curry is the best mussel flavor, obviously. They do cocktails well too! But of course the beer selection is always top notch.

(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.

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.

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.

Long bar and tight space. If you want a table, I would recommend going as a party of 3. Otherwise they will have no issue placing you on the small side/corner tables or the end of a larger party. There are TWO bars and service is prompt and hot food. Variety of foods including some veggie options. I enjoyed the smoked trout. My wife does not eat fish and she enjoyed the chicken burger. I had the mussels Alagash. Probably the lowest flavored ones of the bunch. Many many given and prepared well. All come with deliciously seasoned French fries. Them alone are worth the 5 stars. I would come back again definitely. The beer selection is huge! They do not take reservations come to sit at he bar, party of 3 or more or be ready to sit in a tight cramped space as a single or party of 2.

Monk's Cafe is a must visit. Whenever I'm in Philly, I make it a point to dine in. The beer selection, muscles and burger (juicy and cooked to temperature perfectly) are awesome. They get packed quickly and typically have a wait, but it's worth it. There's a small bar in the front and the back. Chill atmosphere.

The only thing I dislike about this place is the fact that they don't take reservations, but that just ensures that only the people that WANT to be there, will end up being there. Food is amazing, it's never a miss, and Monk's has the best, and most diverse, rotating tap/bottle list in the area. Want something special? Monks probably has it or has the connection. I'm a diehard burger girl, but also love their fries. I don't know what they put in those little things, but I could eat two whole baskets by myself, and that sauce they give you is addicting. Muscles are also a great god to and are never overly salty.