This was a great find!! We were looking for somewhere we could eat with great food but in the neighborhood instead of having to travel down south philly. We found this place on the internet and never knew we were passing it everyday! The place was decorated alittle weird but the food was awesome. The pasta was fresh and the sauce was so good! There must be alot of regulars because the chef was out at the tables chatting and checking on everyone! Definitely going back! BYOB
(4)
bill c.
fine dining in Mayfair? You betcha. This very reasonably priced BYOB serves a good variety of entrees. Had the lamb chop last time since they were out of the filet mignon. It was outstanding!!
(5)
Frank P.
Took mom-in-law and family here for Mother's Day. Best Italian food in the Northeast, at the very least. Salads were fresh and dressed nicely. Pasta was excellent--still had some body when it came to the table piping hot. I had a seafood pasta dish, and seafood was tender (shrimp, calamari). Wife had Eggplant Parmesan--which for her is the test of an Italian restaurant. Very well balanced - just enough of all the parts--eggplant, breading, sauce, cheese, nothing overwhelmed the dish. Everyone raved. Desserts were good. Wife and I split Tiramisu and Creme Brulee. Best Tiramisu I've had in a while. It is BYOB, but frankly, that's a plus--you can bring a bottle of your favorite and not get taken to the cleaners by the markup. I've seen the comments on the staff in other reviews and while I wouldn't call it "attentive", it wasn't inattentive either. Which, for a mother's day meal gave us plenty of time for good conversation with the moms at the table.
(5)
Tina C.
Emma's website, as well as the Yelp website, state that Emma's is open on Monday evenings. I made a reservation via their website two weeks prior to our dinner party there. This is a half way point for 4 friends to meet. When we all arrived this past Monday, we found out that Emma's was closed. When I called the restaurant on Tuesday to complain--all I heard was that they were having problems contacting their website company--never an apology for the error or the inconvenience to 4 people. I was thanked for letting them know their website was wrong. Terrible customer service--and I won't be back. We found another location that was happy to have us --and that will be our meeting spot in the future.
(1)
Mary D.
We surprised our parents for their anniversary with dinner here, there were 14 of us. The service was fantastic! The food was out of this world. It's was more then enough food to share but not so much that you felt overly stuffed when you left. We had everything on the table from truffle ravioli, caesar salad to scallops for apps and veal parmesan, beef tips with gnocchi (yum!) ,lobster ravioli and linguini with shrimp and crab. Everything was fresh and made to order and you could totally tell. We all enjoyed our food and we're impressed with how well they handled our large party. Thank Emma's! We will defiantly be back
This was our first visit at the recommendation of yelp. The food we had was good however they were out of many of the choices on the menu. I don't feel I can give an honest review due to what I ordered being changed do to them being out porcini mushrooms. I do love that they are a BYOB and it is a quiet, cozy atmosphere. I think their portions could be a little bigger. Sorry to say this will be our only visit.
(3)
Gary C.
1st time at this place was great, i called tonight to see if i could order food to go, and they slamed the phone down on me, i called back and with much attuitude he told me they dont do take out, instead of just telling me sorry we dont offer that, he just hung up on me, RUDE, I wont go back
(1)
Liza O.
Really? I'm shocked by the reviews on here after eating here for v-day (but not on valentine's day itself). This was a huge disappointment. Excited to go to an italian place in the NE that gets great reviews AND is a BYOB, I had high hopes and had read great things on yelp. The fiance and I had at least 5 different servers, which complicated things when it came to orders and requesting more water or bread. The many waiters/waitresses we had were on the ruder side and and it felt very impersonal. We also felt rushed, yet we were the ones waiting on the servers. The portions were small for the price - my fish special was about 3 bites. And it was close to $30! Everything was just kind of meh - not impressed.They were out of a lot of the desserts so we got the chocolate lava cake which was most definitely a frozen dessert - the whole point of the lava cake is the lava! This was more like a brownie and the "lava" barely moved. For not ordering any alcoholic beverages, our bill was shocking. Not to bash the Olive Garden, but we've had way better meals there and the food was much better, we've spent less money, and the service was far superior. Sorry, Emma's, we wanted to like you :( Oh, and there was a tv on in the dining room the whole time showing some weird infomercials or something. There's not even a bar.. what's up with that?
(2)
Joe W.
Great food. Great service. Also the best mussels I ever had. Its BYOB so stop by the liquor store first.
(5)
Alicia K.
Ive been to Emma's two times and both times we enjoyed ourselves. I went once for a girls night out and the other time was with a large party including children. The food is very good and the fact that it is BYOB is just great. The whole staff was very friendly and they seem to wait on you as a team instead of just having one server (which some people do not like). The place is very small so I did not mind their serving technique. We were not rushed at all. Food was paced perfectly. I will be back.
(4)
alex t.
It was our second time there and we couldn't have walked out of there happier! For the portion and quality, the price was great! We got the calamari (tomato sauce was really gooood), caprese, white mussels (the white mussels being our favorite--the sauce was creamy, buttery and lemony--we left that plate squeaky clean!), bruschetta (on the house and so flavorful!), the gorgonzola cream gnocchi (super decadent), and the tiramisu.
(5)
Joseph G.
this place is great , food is excellent . people are very friendly . BYOB
(4)
Michelle C.
Can't remember our 1st time there but I know we won't ever have a Last time there! Everything is great. everything is made from scratch so its not instant food, BYOB always good for me. And dessert is fresh and delicious
(5)
Cara T.
They have the most delicious homemade bread here!! We went for Valentine's Day. Even with the crowd, the service and the food were great. It's on an unimpressive corner of Frankford Ave (we almost missed it!). It doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside, it's delicious!
(4)
Nick Y.
Showed up with groupon now voucher and was turned away. They said they were closed but the groupon said use by 10pm. They need to take down the groupon if its not applicable. Fortunately there was a Asian fusion byob next door. Won't be going back to Emma's.
This is the 4th or 5th time i have eaten here at Emma's and each time the food gets better and better. This time i had the chicken Parm and it was perfectly cooked. Emma's is a BYOB which helps with the price of drinks. Emma's is small and a bit crowed when it is busy but it is certainly worth the food. Will be returning soon!!
(4)
Kelly W.
The food is so wonderful, truly the best I've ever had, but the staff is inattentive and borderline rude.
(4)
Ed W.
Went there for a birthday dinner witha party of 5. Every dish was cooked to perfection and the portions were more than enough. Had 1 appetizer which was excellent and they gave our table a complimentary appetizer. Total for 5 was $94.00 Great place for a nice dinner, We will be back soon. It is a BYOB.
(5)
A B.
This place was just OK as it had some pluses and some minuses. I thought it was expensive for what it was. ~$20 per entree is fine if it's a nice, upscale restaurant, but it's not. It wants to be, but it's not. Appetizer salads are $6.50 and, while they're quite good, they're very small. My entree was above average, but quite small, almost to the point of justifying a complaint. Everyone else in my party enjoyed their entrees so that's definitely a plus. Service was nice albeit not very good. We went on an early Friday evening and I'm pretty sure they only have one waitress, one food runner, and one cook. We waited about an hour for our entrees which is unacceptable. It's BYOB which is good and they run a special where your meal is 50% if you pay cash from 4-6 pm. I'd definitely go back for that deal as the price would be more agreeable for what you get and the short staff situation probably wouldn't be an issue during that time.
(3)
Mallory D.
After being recommended by a fellow yelper, I finally got around to trying Emma's, and I definitely was not disappointed. I went with a $25 restaurant.com coupon, so I needed to run my bill up to $50. Surprisingly two apps and two entrees only came to $45, so I was "forced" to order dessert. The clams in white and bruschetta were both delicious. However, I dock one star forany Italian restaurant that gives you pads of butter instead of olive oil with your bread! That's the Italian in me, I can't help it. Anyway, my penne porcini was great, as was my husband's chicken dish. Their gravy (red sauce) was better than some south Philly establishments I've tried. Mayfair isn't exactly a culinary Mecca, but that being said, Emma's is one of the best restaurants around. The only thing better than the food is the fabulous service.
This is a BYOB,home cooking, little join for a hit and run dinner,not fine dinning.
(4)
Sean M.
This establishment is most certainly a diamond in the rough. If you aren't looking for it you would drive right by. Who would have thought that Albanians could prepare better Italian food than Italians. When it comes to Emma's this is definitely the case. They have a small menu however everything on it is amazing. My favorite dish was the meat bolinaise with papperdale pasta. My only complaint is that they switch up the menu seasonally so my favorite dish isn't always available. The staff will bend over backwards to accommodate you. If you want to take a chance on a place and want a nice quiet dinner give Emma's a shot.
(5)
Liz L.
I have been visiting Emma's for a couple years now, after getting a Restaurant.com coupon and trying it the first time in 2011 or 2012. I loved Emma's when we first started going, definitely a "five star" experience (on the yelp scale anyway!). The menu was always fairly limited, but the pasta was freshly made, the bread on the table is DELICIOUS, and the service is fine (just fine, nothing special). However, we recently went back on Valentine's day after a six month or so hiatus, and found that the menu was pretty different. The options now are very limited, and the prices seem higher, though I can't verify as I don't have a copy of the old menu. I was pretty disappointed in my meal, and my boyfriend called his meal "average". I was tempted to give it three stars, but I still have a soft spot for what they used to be (a five star operation), and it's possible that their offerings are just more aligned now with "traditional italian" versus americanized italian. Either way, it's no longer for me, so I don't think I would plan to return.
(4)
Michael L.
YEAH for BYOB! Went here with my parents for my B-day. Our meals were good. They tolerated us being there for three hours. (it was a slow Tuesday) I will be returning regularly. That is a promise.
(4)
Umi R.
There are only two reasons this is not a full five stars: Price & Portion sizes. The food is outstanding and the staff is very friendly. Their homemade bread is INCREDIBLE but I did find their desserts were 'okay'. Great place to stop by for some early dinner but I would never want to pay the full price.
(4)
Cindy C.
Always a treat and a pleasure to visit Emma's. The owner, Eddie, and his wife always make you feel welcome. The food took a little longer than usual to come out of the kitchen, but when it did, it was well worth the wait. Everything was cooked to perfection and looked beautiful on the plate. Thank you, Emma's Cafe, for another delightful dining experience!
(5)
Phyllis A.
Unless you don't enjoy genuine, well prepared Italian food that arrives at your table piping hot, then don't bother coming to Emma's Cafe. Our table ordered the veal marsala, spinach ravioli, plus a chicken and shrimp dish that was tasty and plentiful. Bring a bottle of wine and relax as each dish is carefully prepared which means you may have to wait longer to eat than you'd like. The atmosphere is clean and comfortable and the prices are reasonable. Family owned and operated, you feel the pride that goes into every aspect of this dining experience at Emma's Cafe.
(4)
Amanda M.
Absolutely delicious! Just bought my parents there for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and everybody (all seven of us) where beyond pleased! The place is adorable and the family atmosphere is perfect. The chef is beyond accommodating and will mix any sauce with and entree upon request. If you live in the northeast, or anywhere in Philly really, and are looking for a fun, lighthearted night out, I highly suggest Emma's. Not only will you be delighted by there menu but there prices are perfect as well!
My first visit and sorry to say my last. Although the food was very good, the wait for food and only one waitress on duty was unacceptable, even for a wed night. We waited for water, menus and ice to chill the wine way to long. I am not even kidding when I say we asked for a coke six times and more bread for the mussels as many times. We got the coke, but never the bread. It's a shame, if I need an Italian place in the northeast will go back to Tuscany on Rhawn St.
(2)
Falissa M.
We've eaten here many times and are always happy with our meal! A couple of our favorites are the mussles in red/white sauce and the filet mignon steak tips over gnocchi gorgonzola. The food is fresh and prices are really affordable. This place is a great BYOB too!!!
(5)
Lisa M.
Hows this place still open food is far from italian we got coupon from restaurant.com 30 for 20 ok we decided to try this place when we called to make a reservation they say its have to be n only between 2 -4 pm n u cant get anything from lunch SPECIAL or any other special we said ok fine so they left us with nothing to chhose from only two things pasta with meatball or mussels neither was was cooked well no flavor overall this place sucks 2 stars for the bread
(2)
Sean D.
The lobster ravioli is amazing. The scallops were phenomenal. Great BYOB. Scallops were phenomenal.
I ordered my dessert at the same time I ordered my meal (I only went there for the dessert ) as we were eating our meal we over heard the group next to us order the same dessert the staff brought them out their dessert then walked over to our table and told us they were out....basicly they gave our dessert to the other table because they finished first soooo disappointed....
(1)
kevin h.
Another great meal at Emmas (3 courses $24) started with the crab risotto cakes; two large cakes served with marinara, then onto the salmon filet over pasta in a blush sauce; excellent. I had to try the tiramasu, great choice. The $24 special is the summer menu with a lot of choices. Emma's is a BYOB. Will be back next week to try the scallops
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Kathy S.
This was a great find!! We were looking for somewhere we could eat with great food but in the neighborhood instead of having to travel down south philly. We found this place on the internet and never knew we were passing it everyday! The place was decorated alittle weird but the food was awesome. The pasta was fresh and the sauce was so good! There must be alot of regulars because the chef was out at the tables chatting and checking on everyone! Definitely going back! BYOB
(4)bill c.
fine dining in Mayfair? You betcha. This very reasonably priced BYOB serves a good variety of entrees. Had the lamb chop last time since they were out of the filet mignon. It was outstanding!!
(5)Frank P.
Took mom-in-law and family here for Mother's Day. Best Italian food in the Northeast, at the very least. Salads were fresh and dressed nicely. Pasta was excellent--still had some body when it came to the table piping hot. I had a seafood pasta dish, and seafood was tender (shrimp, calamari). Wife had Eggplant Parmesan--which for her is the test of an Italian restaurant. Very well balanced - just enough of all the parts--eggplant, breading, sauce, cheese, nothing overwhelmed the dish. Everyone raved. Desserts were good. Wife and I split Tiramisu and Creme Brulee. Best Tiramisu I've had in a while. It is BYOB, but frankly, that's a plus--you can bring a bottle of your favorite and not get taken to the cleaners by the markup. I've seen the comments on the staff in other reviews and while I wouldn't call it "attentive", it wasn't inattentive either. Which, for a mother's day meal gave us plenty of time for good conversation with the moms at the table.
(5)Tina C.
Emma's website, as well as the Yelp website, state that Emma's is open on Monday evenings. I made a reservation via their website two weeks prior to our dinner party there. This is a half way point for 4 friends to meet. When we all arrived this past Monday, we found out that Emma's was closed. When I called the restaurant on Tuesday to complain--all I heard was that they were having problems contacting their website company--never an apology for the error or the inconvenience to 4 people. I was thanked for letting them know their website was wrong. Terrible customer service--and I won't be back. We found another location that was happy to have us --and that will be our meeting spot in the future.
(1)Mary D.
We surprised our parents for their anniversary with dinner here, there were 14 of us. The service was fantastic! The food was out of this world. It's was more then enough food to share but not so much that you felt overly stuffed when you left. We had everything on the table from truffle ravioli, caesar salad to scallops for apps and veal parmesan, beef tips with gnocchi (yum!) ,lobster ravioli and linguini with shrimp and crab. Everything was fresh and made to order and you could totally tell. We all enjoyed our food and we're impressed with how well they handled our large party. Thank Emma's! We will defiantly be back
(5)Carly A.
We ate here last weekend based on Yelp reviews since we were in the area and not too familiar with the restaurant scene. The décor was cuter and cozier than the outside would suggest! The owner explained all of the delicious sounding specials and then explained that if we paid in cash, we could do a prix fix menu! We went with that option, and we were each able to get an app, entrée, and dessert for under $50!! And its BYOB! The food was really good and tasted super fresh. I had the salmon special, and it wasn't huge but just a good size, and my boyfriend had the lasagna special which was huge and delicious. We live in South Philly where Italian restaurants are a dime a dozen, but the next time we are in this neighborhood we will definitely return! One other thing to note, there were a few larger groups there, so I would consider this place for doing a bday dinner or something with a semi-large crowd!
(4)Georgianna G.
This was our first visit at the recommendation of yelp. The food we had was good however they were out of many of the choices on the menu. I don't feel I can give an honest review due to what I ordered being changed do to them being out porcini mushrooms. I do love that they are a BYOB and it is a quiet, cozy atmosphere. I think their portions could be a little bigger. Sorry to say this will be our only visit.
(3)Gary C.
1st time at this place was great, i called tonight to see if i could order food to go, and they slamed the phone down on me, i called back and with much attuitude he told me they dont do take out, instead of just telling me sorry we dont offer that, he just hung up on me, RUDE, I wont go back
(1)Liza O.
Really? I'm shocked by the reviews on here after eating here for v-day (but not on valentine's day itself). This was a huge disappointment. Excited to go to an italian place in the NE that gets great reviews AND is a BYOB, I had high hopes and had read great things on yelp. The fiance and I had at least 5 different servers, which complicated things when it came to orders and requesting more water or bread. The many waiters/waitresses we had were on the ruder side and and it felt very impersonal. We also felt rushed, yet we were the ones waiting on the servers. The portions were small for the price - my fish special was about 3 bites. And it was close to $30! Everything was just kind of meh - not impressed.They were out of a lot of the desserts so we got the chocolate lava cake which was most definitely a frozen dessert - the whole point of the lava cake is the lava! This was more like a brownie and the "lava" barely moved. For not ordering any alcoholic beverages, our bill was shocking. Not to bash the Olive Garden, but we've had way better meals there and the food was much better, we've spent less money, and the service was far superior. Sorry, Emma's, we wanted to like you :( Oh, and there was a tv on in the dining room the whole time showing some weird infomercials or something. There's not even a bar.. what's up with that?
(2)Joe W.
Great food. Great service. Also the best mussels I ever had. Its BYOB so stop by the liquor store first.
(5)Alicia K.
Ive been to Emma's two times and both times we enjoyed ourselves. I went once for a girls night out and the other time was with a large party including children. The food is very good and the fact that it is BYOB is just great. The whole staff was very friendly and they seem to wait on you as a team instead of just having one server (which some people do not like). The place is very small so I did not mind their serving technique. We were not rushed at all. Food was paced perfectly. I will be back.
(4)alex t.
It was our second time there and we couldn't have walked out of there happier! For the portion and quality, the price was great! We got the calamari (tomato sauce was really gooood), caprese, white mussels (the white mussels being our favorite--the sauce was creamy, buttery and lemony--we left that plate squeaky clean!), bruschetta (on the house and so flavorful!), the gorgonzola cream gnocchi (super decadent), and the tiramisu.
(5)Joseph G.
this place is great , food is excellent . people are very friendly . BYOB
(4)Michelle C.
Can't remember our 1st time there but I know we won't ever have a Last time there! Everything is great. everything is made from scratch so its not instant food, BYOB always good for me. And dessert is fresh and delicious
(5)Cara T.
They have the most delicious homemade bread here!! We went for Valentine's Day. Even with the crowd, the service and the food were great. It's on an unimpressive corner of Frankford Ave (we almost missed it!). It doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside, it's delicious!
(4)Nick Y.
Showed up with groupon now voucher and was turned away. They said they were closed but the groupon said use by 10pm. They need to take down the groupon if its not applicable. Fortunately there was a Asian fusion byob next door. Won't be going back to Emma's.
(1)Agnes A.
Just had dinner at Emma's. Everything we had was fresh and tasty. I had the spinach ravioli and my husband had the veal Marsala. We had creme brûlée for dessert. All wonderful! We will be back with family and friends. Very friendly people as well.
(5)Michael D.
This is the 4th or 5th time i have eaten here at Emma's and each time the food gets better and better. This time i had the chicken Parm and it was perfectly cooked. Emma's is a BYOB which helps with the price of drinks. Emma's is small and a bit crowed when it is busy but it is certainly worth the food. Will be returning soon!!
(4)Kelly W.
The food is so wonderful, truly the best I've ever had, but the staff is inattentive and borderline rude.
(4)Ed W.
Went there for a birthday dinner witha party of 5. Every dish was cooked to perfection and the portions were more than enough. Had 1 appetizer which was excellent and they gave our table a complimentary appetizer. Total for 5 was $94.00 Great place for a nice dinner, We will be back soon. It is a BYOB.
(5)A B.
This place was just OK as it had some pluses and some minuses. I thought it was expensive for what it was. ~$20 per entree is fine if it's a nice, upscale restaurant, but it's not. It wants to be, but it's not. Appetizer salads are $6.50 and, while they're quite good, they're very small. My entree was above average, but quite small, almost to the point of justifying a complaint. Everyone else in my party enjoyed their entrees so that's definitely a plus. Service was nice albeit not very good. We went on an early Friday evening and I'm pretty sure they only have one waitress, one food runner, and one cook. We waited about an hour for our entrees which is unacceptable. It's BYOB which is good and they run a special where your meal is 50% if you pay cash from 4-6 pm. I'd definitely go back for that deal as the price would be more agreeable for what you get and the short staff situation probably wouldn't be an issue during that time.
(3)Mallory D.
After being recommended by a fellow yelper, I finally got around to trying Emma's, and I definitely was not disappointed. I went with a $25 restaurant.com coupon, so I needed to run my bill up to $50. Surprisingly two apps and two entrees only came to $45, so I was "forced" to order dessert. The clams in white and bruschetta were both delicious. However, I dock one star forany Italian restaurant that gives you pads of butter instead of olive oil with your bread! That's the Italian in me, I can't help it. Anyway, my penne porcini was great, as was my husband's chicken dish. Their gravy (red sauce) was better than some south Philly establishments I've tried. Mayfair isn't exactly a culinary Mecca, but that being said, Emma's is one of the best restaurants around. The only thing better than the food is the fabulous service.
(4)Gina M.
Yelp, you've done it again. Thank you for steering me in the right direction! Although I am almost half Italian, I hate gravy. So my eyes automatically went to the chicken San Nicola dish. It was chicken and shrimp with crabmeat over a Demi glacé sauce. Absolutely amazing. The mussels appetizer was incredible too. I especially loved when the chef came around and introduced himself and talked for a bit. I'll admit, from the outside of is place, I was worried. But the food was amazing. The service is incredible. Definitely a great place to go to in the neighborhood.
(4)Chiller G.
This is a BYOB,home cooking, little join for a hit and run dinner,not fine dinning.
(4)Sean M.
This establishment is most certainly a diamond in the rough. If you aren't looking for it you would drive right by. Who would have thought that Albanians could prepare better Italian food than Italians. When it comes to Emma's this is definitely the case. They have a small menu however everything on it is amazing. My favorite dish was the meat bolinaise with papperdale pasta. My only complaint is that they switch up the menu seasonally so my favorite dish isn't always available. The staff will bend over backwards to accommodate you. If you want to take a chance on a place and want a nice quiet dinner give Emma's a shot.
(5)Liz L.
I have been visiting Emma's for a couple years now, after getting a Restaurant.com coupon and trying it the first time in 2011 or 2012. I loved Emma's when we first started going, definitely a "five star" experience (on the yelp scale anyway!). The menu was always fairly limited, but the pasta was freshly made, the bread on the table is DELICIOUS, and the service is fine (just fine, nothing special). However, we recently went back on Valentine's day after a six month or so hiatus, and found that the menu was pretty different. The options now are very limited, and the prices seem higher, though I can't verify as I don't have a copy of the old menu. I was pretty disappointed in my meal, and my boyfriend called his meal "average". I was tempted to give it three stars, but I still have a soft spot for what they used to be (a five star operation), and it's possible that their offerings are just more aligned now with "traditional italian" versus americanized italian. Either way, it's no longer for me, so I don't think I would plan to return.
(4)Michael L.
YEAH for BYOB! Went here with my parents for my B-day. Our meals were good. They tolerated us being there for three hours. (it was a slow Tuesday) I will be returning regularly. That is a promise.
(4)Umi R.
There are only two reasons this is not a full five stars: Price & Portion sizes. The food is outstanding and the staff is very friendly. Their homemade bread is INCREDIBLE but I did find their desserts were 'okay'. Great place to stop by for some early dinner but I would never want to pay the full price.
(4)Cindy C.
Always a treat and a pleasure to visit Emma's. The owner, Eddie, and his wife always make you feel welcome. The food took a little longer than usual to come out of the kitchen, but when it did, it was well worth the wait. Everything was cooked to perfection and looked beautiful on the plate. Thank you, Emma's Cafe, for another delightful dining experience!
(5)Phyllis A.
Unless you don't enjoy genuine, well prepared Italian food that arrives at your table piping hot, then don't bother coming to Emma's Cafe. Our table ordered the veal marsala, spinach ravioli, plus a chicken and shrimp dish that was tasty and plentiful. Bring a bottle of wine and relax as each dish is carefully prepared which means you may have to wait longer to eat than you'd like. The atmosphere is clean and comfortable and the prices are reasonable. Family owned and operated, you feel the pride that goes into every aspect of this dining experience at Emma's Cafe.
(4)Amanda M.
Absolutely delicious! Just bought my parents there for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary and everybody (all seven of us) where beyond pleased! The place is adorable and the family atmosphere is perfect. The chef is beyond accommodating and will mix any sauce with and entree upon request. If you live in the northeast, or anywhere in Philly really, and are looking for a fun, lighthearted night out, I highly suggest Emma's. Not only will you be delighted by there menu but there prices are perfect as well!
(5)Robyn H.
I think that the service was above par. Our water glasses were never empty. Gracias and prompt server. Some of the menu items weren't accurately described which made me feel a little down about my first course. Crab risotto was listed but instead I was served fried rice balls which were good, but I would not have ordered. We were offered an additional small soup course on the house. It was a French onion soup. A small serving but large enough to get big taste of the multiple layers of onions working their way through the heavy broth. My entree scallops all had small bites of sand. The pasta needed more if the sauce and way more seasoning. My friend ordered chicken parmagania and that looked like ir was winning dish! Desserts weren't anything I found special or unique. I had cream brûlée. It was larger then usual but not very deep. It was good, but not something I would rave about.
(3)Jill M.
I was between rating 2 or 3 stars, but the waitress was really nice so I gave it three. First of all the place is adorable and inviting and it's BYOB and that's great. Me and my girlfriend started off with the calamari and the muscles appetizer. The muscles were AMAZING, big and fresh and the white sauce was DELISH! The calamari was okay, we mixed it in the white sauce the mussels came in and that really improved them. The menu is VERY SMALL! I got the veal marsala and the veal was good but the marsala sauce was strange, like sweet basalmicy, and not enough mushrooms. My friends filet over Gorgonzola gnocchi was good, creme brûlée and tiramisu AMAZING, but we had originally ordered a piece of hazelnut cake that came frozen solid.... Maybe I'll go back. Maybe not. They need more selection
(3)Donna M.
My first visit and sorry to say my last. Although the food was very good, the wait for food and only one waitress on duty was unacceptable, even for a wed night. We waited for water, menus and ice to chill the wine way to long. I am not even kidding when I say we asked for a coke six times and more bread for the mussels as many times. We got the coke, but never the bread. It's a shame, if I need an Italian place in the northeast will go back to Tuscany on Rhawn St.
(2)Falissa M.
We've eaten here many times and are always happy with our meal! A couple of our favorites are the mussles in red/white sauce and the filet mignon steak tips over gnocchi gorgonzola. The food is fresh and prices are really affordable. This place is a great BYOB too!!!
(5)Lisa M.
Hows this place still open food is far from italian we got coupon from restaurant.com 30 for 20 ok we decided to try this place when we called to make a reservation they say its have to be n only between 2 -4 pm n u cant get anything from lunch SPECIAL or any other special we said ok fine so they left us with nothing to chhose from only two things pasta with meatball or mussels neither was was cooked well no flavor overall this place sucks 2 stars for the bread
(2)Sean D.
The lobster ravioli is amazing. The scallops were phenomenal. Great BYOB. Scallops were phenomenal.
(4)Mama O.
Torn between 3 & 4 stars. Reading definitions : "A-OK" (3) & "Yay I'm a Fan" (4). I decided to stick with 3 as I can't say I'm a "Fan" & need to go back. Haven't been there & looking for somewhere good in the area? Then GO!!! This isn't really local for me but we had a group & wanted somewhere in the NE. Byob. Italian. The food didn't disappoint any of the 6 of us. Although the filet tips were a bit over-salted. The marinara sauce is good & not overly tangy or garlicky. They offered a goat cheese salad which I love to see on any menu , tho it could've used a bit more dressing drizzled on the spring mix. They gave 2 prix fix choices of $22 or $27 -the more expensive included the seafood dishes. For the price we received salad or app, entree & dessert. No one had left overs except for me. My chicken parm was "2" large breasts of chicken plus I received a side of rigatoni in the house sauce. I brought home 1 whole piece of chicken along with a bunch of pasta - bravo!!! :). Creme brûlée for dessert was very good & not too heavy. There is 1 waitress running the dining room. She was pleasant however never checked on us. There was 1 other table ,by the time we left 3 other tables. I realllyyyyyy needed grated cheese on my dish but she never even looked over for me to wave her down. After we were served, we never saw her again until she came to take away our plates & offer dessert. Also no drinks or water refills or additional bread were ever offered after our initial arrival. Could've used all of the above. Food is good. Cute. Inexpensive.
(3)Alex B.
I ordered my dessert at the same time I ordered my meal (I only went there for the dessert ) as we were eating our meal we over heard the group next to us order the same dessert the staff brought them out their dessert then walked over to our table and told us they were out....basicly they gave our dessert to the other table because they finished first soooo disappointed....
(1)kevin h.
Another great meal at Emmas (3 courses $24) started with the crab risotto cakes; two large cakes served with marinara, then onto the salmon filet over pasta in a blush sauce; excellent. I had to try the tiramasu, great choice. The $24 special is the summer menu with a lot of choices. Emma's is a BYOB. Will be back next week to try the scallops
(5)