Good meals at all hours. I'm especially fond of Royal Brunch. I've not had to wait more than half an hour for a table yet, even when it is super packed for brunch, later in the evening can be a bit insane however. I've tried a number of different things off the menu, but I fell in love with the grilled sweet potato bahn mi with a fruit salad side, which completely rocks my world, repeatedly. I know their fries are deadly good, which is why I was forced to switch to fruit, which is always super fresh and a great mix (they win me with good berries!). The coffee is very good and kept full. They always have tempting new additions to the changing menu, yummy cocktails and a fantastic vegetarian/vegan selection. Service is usually pretty good, not outstanding. Good juke box but it does get overwhelmingly loud at night, but they generally keep the music in check pre-dinner hours. They do the grastropub thing right and at a very decent price. They will keep me coming back so long as they keep it up!
(4)
Garrett W.
Like just about everyone else who posted, I agree that the burger here is top notch. And the rest of the food I've tried here is great too. The only thing I would change is to expand the beer selection. Otherwise, I'm thrilled to live a couple of blocks away from the Royal.
(5)
Tom A.
This was my first favorite bar when I moved to this neighborhood from port richmond 5 years ago. When the Dive was Low and there was no POPE. It was all I could ask for in a bar. Good Beer and Good Food. Way back when the duck club had a good amount of duck on it and was only 9 bucks. Ah 2003. Beer was always nice, always had my faves. Now its the same. Good beers and good food. Last nights meatlof sandwich was deeeeelicious. As a matter of fact, Royal, you and everyone else has been doing the flavored mayo with fries routine for at least 5 years. Give me that Smoked Ketchup with my fries!!! that was some delicious ketchup. Switch over now. Actually next time I go I will just ask for it. It's better and no one is doing ketchup. Get the upper hand. This place is packed early and nearly empty by 12, it's mainly a dinner vibe, which is fine the food is great, but then you practically get the place to yourself for a lil bit. Prices are the highest of my local joints, but sometimes, and it's rare, that I don't wanna POPE it up, this is choice two. Only sad not... earlier this fall my coat was stolen from the back table by the bathrooms. never got it back. anyone know where it is?
(4)
lisa t.
Oh how it pains me to give my once fav neighborhood bar 3 stars. I am still mourning their legendary duck club and may not ever forgive them. The beer selection is solid and their fries are always delicious. I have since moved on to their burger but seriously, how many times can you eat their delicious burger without suffering from a heart attack? Their mussels are consistently yummy. The jukebox always has a great selection.
(3)
Bill G.
My girlfriend used to live across the street and I spent plenty of nights and mornings here. The atmosphere is dark,night or day, but really comfortable. Their breakfast can be amazing-- we used to set our alarms so that we could get in for eggs before they stopped serving it. The beer selection is great and the bartenders were always attentive and interesting. My only warning is that this place can get super crowded and loud on weekend nights..but if you can get a stool at the table, big suggestion.
(4)
Heather M.
This was my and my husband's first visit to the Royal. We are big fans of Chef Mark McKinney (thinking of making a fridge magnet that says WWMMD), and will happily eat anything that he has a hand in creating. We practically live at Cantina Dos Segundos. For a week prior to our visit, I'd been reading on various local food blogs that the Royal was doing an all vegetarian specials menu to celebrate their anniversary (we may also have gotten the word from the Chef himself, but I'm not saying...). Since the spouse and I eat not of the flesh, we decided to give it a shot. My first impression upon entering the Royal: this is a bar. It smells like a bar. This is not necessarily a bad thing, if you like that stale beer and old cigarettes smell. It's not really our cup of tea, though. I drink, the spouse doesn't, and we don't really hang out in bars. It's also crowded. Being in South Philly, real estate is scarce, and tables are tightly packed. We arrived early enough that we didn't have to fight a crowd to sit in the back area, where the tables are more evenly separated, but upon leaving, I was wishing for a Moses like power to part the mass of people crowded around the bar. Upon receiving the menu, I was overwhelmed with all of the vegetarian options available to me! Even the regular menu is chock full. We went with an order of the vegetarian chicken wings off of the specials menu. I also got the vegetarian sloppy joe. The spouse got the grilled seitan sandwich off of the specials menu. The food was awesome. My only food related complaint: the order of wings was sparse. I wanted a big pile, we got 4 to share. I also needed a bigger serving of the bleu cheese dressing for dipping because I'm a dipaholic. My sloppy joe sandwich was incredible. It was served on a toasted brioche bun, and had a cole slaw which included jalapeno peppers. It came with fries. Oh, the fries! Crispy, skin on, perfection. There was mysterious vinegar flavored white condiment provided along with the fries...some sort of vinegar mayo? I finished both my and my husband's dip (because he hates condiments) using the fries. I may have been making little grunty noises, too, it was that good. My husband said his seitan sandwich was good, but he didn't share, so I have no idea what it tasted like. We finished with a slice of tasty pumpkin cake. The service was eh. When we entered, no one really noticed us, and we didn't know the routine (seat yourself? wait to be seated?), so I approached the bar and was directed to sit anywhere. Ok. We ordered drinks, and they came out quickly. I drink sparsely during a meal, but my husband has some need to guzzle iced teas at every restaurant. He really is a server's nightmare in this regard. Sadly, he judges the quality of service based on how often he has to wait or ask for a refill. I could tell from his face that the service at the Royal was failing. On top of that, the iced tea was actually gross...it had that flavor like the container hasn't been cleaned out in a while, like moldy washcloths. He had to switch to diet soda. When asking for a refill of his soda, he was actually told "it would be a little while" because our server was so busy. Ok. Again, this is not really my issue, but when my husband gets cranky at a restaurant because he's thirsty, it kind of ruins my ability to enjoy my meal properly. Will we go back? Maybe. The food was certainly worth it. The ambiance, though, eh. It would probably be a good place to hit with a group of people and hang out late at night. We tend to eat during "old people hours," though, so I doubt we'll be back on our own anytime soon.
(3)
Lindsay H.
vegan sloppy joe could have used more sauce buttttt...... $2.25 beers during happy hour makes for a happy lass! cant find great deals like that in ny!
(4)
Jon B.
I joined some friends at this fantastic little hide-away. When I arrived they were polishing off some hot wings and sweet potato fries. I was able to sample a wing and it was bold and flavorful! I almost took a star away because their sweet potato fries came out soggy, no joke. However, the real reason they deserve credit is for the burger which is what you've all been waiting for. The burger is out of this world!!! It comes on a plate with delicious crispy fries (maybe sweet fries were a one-off) and a dipping sauce which I can't really remember for some reason. Ok, ok, the burger: This bad boy is probably like 6-7 oz of pure angus heaven. I should preface that I always order a quality burger temp RARE. It came out and it was just the right balance of reddish pink color (not to be confused w med.rare.) As if this weren't enough, there is just the right proportions of crispy bacon, perfectly caramelized onions (I hate when they say caramelized but they're not fried long enough and lack the natural sweetness which comes out... not here) and these delicious hot peppers which I wasn't familiar with called longhots which were pickled and oh so satisfying to the tongue. It is hard to chose the ideal cheese to compliment a sandwich of this caliber but they wisely chose smoked gouda. I don't know if there was some kind of synergistic effect on the palate between the bacon and the gouda or what but it complemented this juicy patty from Above just right. The bun was lightly toasted with a light butter glaze and stayed true throughout until completion. They also spread a slight bit of this chile mayo on it for added punch. Wimps need not apply; so far this is my BBEP (best burger experience in Philly) to date on my quest for Philly's ultimate hamburger. Sorry Good Dog, you've just been served. (Good Dog was my previous top two along with the special aged prime burger at Pub and Kitchen.) I'm a Philly native but have lived all around the world sampling all kinds of delicious cuisine. My current focus is on my burger search, but stay tuned for other great recs and lousy places to avoid.
(5)
Sheri C.
I LOVE this place! Out of the way but definitely worth seeking out. Vegetarian food was outstanding. HUGE portions!
(5)
Caitlin A.
You can't go wrong with the Royal Tavern. It's probably my favorite casual place in the city. They have great options for vegetarian and vegans, and will also make the biggest meat-lovers happy. I have never had an entree I didn't love, and the same goes for everyone I've dined there with. The service is great even when they're super busy. The specials are always to die for. Brunch is also great. I would eat here every night if I could!
(5)
Crystal S.
I had the grilled cheese and tomato basil soup, he had the meatloaf sandwich. We both couldn't have been happier. The beer selection is also delicious, and the bar back is this gorgeous old wood/mirror wall that I found myself admiring. We'll be going back for sure.
(5)
heather j.
love to get there on sunday mornings drink a bloody mary (very spicy) and eat there great food. portions are on the small side, but I dont like to eat more than I can handle. quiche is excellent (changes every week) and comes w/ a small mixed green salad and great fresh fruit. love this place, cause you can tell that everything is fresh.
(4)
John M.
Great Great Burgers. Cool bar/restaurant with a good selection of beer. Gets busy but always worth it. If it's too busy, just put your name in and go to the dive bar (next door) until they're ready to seat you.
(4)
Jules P.
This place is great. The food is awesome and they have a nice selection of beer. My only real concern is that since it's so good, there tends to be a wait to eat there at any time on the weekend.
(5)
Mike H.
This has become a weekend standard for my girlfriend and I. They have vegan and vegetarian on their standard menu and some nice specials. Their brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays is pretty good. Also their portions are pretty big for the price.
(4)
Emma B.
just go here for brunch or for a casual date with someone that does or doesn't eat meat or dairy. everyone wins.
(4)
Jessica K.
Great food- I'm not a vegetarian and the Vegan Sloppy Joe there is one of my favorites. They also always have my favorite Woodchuck Dark & Dry Cider. The smoke used to be excessive, but no longer a problem. Sometimes the service can be a little spotty- depends on who you get. Some of the waitstaff has been there for a while, but the newbies are often not on the ball.
(4)
Alex B.
what can i say that hasn't been said before about this place. great food, great beer selection, and very reasonable (may seem slightly pricey at first, but the quality of the food more than makes up for the extra dollar or two more you'd spend here than for a burger elsewhere). the crowd/vibe is definitely that of the hipster/artsy persuasion, but if you don't mind, they certainly don't. everyone is super nice and helpful. the downsides is it can get very crowded around dinner time, and you may have to wait (and there really isn't a spot inside you can wait without being in the way of someone). also it's not very good for large groups, because of the close quarters inside.
(4)
Ted B.
Easily on my top five list of places to eat in Philly. Excellent (cheap) food, especially appetizers (the hummus plate is a must-have, and don't be skeptical of the popcorn, it's amazing), excellent beer list at a reasonable price, and fun setting. They're always blasting (usually quite good) music, so if you come to socialize, plan to yell. Well worth the walk from South St. after a concert. Hell, it's well worth the trip just for the food!
(4)
Celeste P.
Love, love, love the grilled cheese here. It's amazing. I'm prob the only person reviewing their grilled cheese, but I'm telling you it's very worth ordering. Besides the grilled cheese this place has a nice vibe and ambiance, local crowd, and lots of vegetarian/vegan food options. Wait staff has never been anything to brag about. Go and order their grilled cheese. Thank me.
(4)
Una M.
I love this place for Sunday brunch. I bring both children and staff, though always busy, are attentive and fun. The food is always great and what a selection! In my next life I want to go here at night like a grown up!
(5)
J Q.
Great spot for whatever you are looking for, food beer and atomsphere! Jukebox is killer. Walking in has that calming effect one seeks regularly and can quite capture - except here. Menu specials are always changing but it remains consistent in delivering. In fact while writing this it seems a good idea to go, burger.
(4)
Julie B.
Quite simply the best pub food in town. I recently moved back to Philly from DC and there is not a single place in DC that comes close to the Royal. This place is a gem. The service is great and everything I have tried on the menu is excellent and reasonably priced. The tempeh club is my favorite and I am not normally a tempeh fan. Brunch is awesome. The jukebox is great, too.
(5)
Dave W.
This is what a bar should be. No frills inside. Just a nice long bar, some high tops, and some tables towards the back. A friendly face behind the bar who is well informed about their various offerings. A TV in the corner usually playing old movies on AMC or sports (depending on when you're there and whose bartending). The crowds a little hipstery but if you dont feel comfortable in this place it probably says more about you then the crowd. The beer selection is diverse and very good. The food is excellent- I get the same thing almost every time. The grilled chicken sandwich, arugula, blue cheese, pear, lavendar honey dressing. They will happily sub a salad for fries at no charge if you're trying to keep it on the somewhat healthy tip. It is one damn good sandwich. I finally ordered the much talked about burger yesterday and it is also really, really good. Not for a traditionalist and not for someone with a heart problem, as it comes with bacon, smoked gouda, long hots, and chili mayo on it, but it is very, very tasty. This is currently my favorite bar in philadelphia, though I enjoy it more during off peak hours. The 4-6 happy hour is a good deal too, as you can drink some really good beers on draft at half price.
(5)
patrick k.
The Royal is the best bar in the city. I used to diss this place even though I always admitted that their food and the beer list and the ambiance and the juke box and the location were all perfect. mostly I guess hated how condescending I thought the service was. But that was years ago and nowadays I find all the bartenders and waiters there to be completely attentive and very pleasant if not downright friendly. I often cite their food and service and ambiance as paragons of pub fare. In fact, when I visited the Dogfish Head (my favorite brewery) brew pub in Rehoboth Beach and was disappointed in the food, i wrote to them and told them to check out the Royal for some pointers. The calamari and the meatloaf sandwich and the popcorn and the bloody mary's and mimosas are all just as good as they can be. The Royal is just like a good Simpsons joke, you can't imagine how it could be any better. I brought my love here on an early date and I think somehow I owe a little bit of our relationship to them. And also props for the real tin ceiling and the gorgeous hand-crafted bar.
(5)
Mike H.
Completely laid back place. Amazing menu with tons of vegetarian and vegan options. I definitely plan on visiting this place more often.
(5)
Ray D.
My favorite gastro-pub in Philadelphia. I think that at one point last year I was in serious danger of being charged rent at this place. The burger is one of the tastiest things I've ever had the pleasure of eating. The chipotle bbq wings are a sleeper which I highly recommend. The whole feel of this place has got me smiling as I write the review. Don't judge a book by it's cover though. You may not feel like you fit in with the crowd that flocks here. I'm the furthest thing from being considered hipster or alternative. I have no tattoos, no facial hair, and my ear lobes are not stretched to unusual proportions. You'll be comfortable here regardless of what you're into. If you like good food, good drink, good music, and good times, grab a table and get hooked like the rest of us.
(4)
Dera S.
The Royal has seriously great vegan beef nachos. The stack of deliciousness is so high it seems like an architectural feat and can easily be shared by two (or three) people. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike will dig them. Their beer selection is good too, though sometimes on the pricey side (I wish they would get on board with a Kensinger special or some such thing). My husband and friends love their burger.
(4)
Kristin M.
Royal Tavern is the kind of place where you really don't care that the waitress politely, even cautiously, just asked if you would leave so she can sit a waiting party of eight. This was after paying, of course. And staying more than two hours. So when she asked, we immediately put on our coats and headed for the door. Despite loving Sabrina's for brunch just like everyone else, Royal Tavern has them beat with its bar--and insanely good bloody marys. I've taken my Jersey-living parents here, chain-restaurant loyalists that they are, and I could even see that they thought this place was a find. So what to get: The burger is a winner, as is the chicken sandwich with proscuitto, apples, gorgonzola and lavendar honey mustard on a toasted bread of some sort. The wings are decadent, slathered with sauce and pack some heat. The wine list is surprisingly filled out but most of the food here stands up better with a beer. Order several but, please, smile and grab your stuff when the waitress asks you for the table back.
(4)
kara p.
i've been here at least once a week recently. i don't drink but i've been slowly trying every veg option on the menu. last thing i had was the hummus plate and my god it was incredible. great presentation and taste. and it was huge! i took home the leftover hummus and it lasted me another few days. their fries are great, a doi. the butter snap peas are soooooo good, but i little heavy on the butter for my taste so next time i'll ask for it to be lighter. the stuffed grape leaves have a great kick to them but are a little mushy. the tater tots are nice and crispy. next time i'm going for the sloppy joe! yummmm
(5)
Katy D.
I went on a Monday night, which was surprisingly busy - always a good sign! The beer selection was nice although they didn't have much in the way of lager. It was all Pils, Pale Ale, and IPA - lots of hops and wit beers. I ended up with a Saison Dupont, one of my favorite beers ever. The only reason this place didn't get 5 stars is the service... the waitress wanted to take our order right away. Like the moment we were seated. Then, she disappeared for a bit and after we did order, the food did take quite a while. However, the gnocci and burger were worth the wait. Both delicious! I didn't really care for the mixed green salad I got. It was way too acidic - very vinegary greens, feta, and orange slices, all acidic... It could have used a different cheese or something to balance it out more. Another note on the service... it took two requests to get me parmesean cheese for the gnocci. Strangely, though, they were always right there when our drinks were low, asking if we wanted another. With a bit faster and friendlier service, this place could easily be 5 stars in my book.
(4)
Dave G.
Royal Tavern rules! Highlights: Delicious burgers! Awesome, unique selection of beers (this is the only restaurant I've been to that serves Delirium!) Sriracha sauce! Great service!
(5)
Mindy I.
let me just state right off the bat that the 5 stars are for the tempeh club. it is hands down the best (vegan) sandwich in philadelphia, maybe the world, and i would probably choose it as my last meal on earth. i go here fairly often and always get it. sometimes i am embarrassed when i have the same server each time i go because it feels like they know exactly what i'm going to order. i've had the tofu/tempeh hash and their hummus plate (sans feta) before--and they're both excellent--but they don't compare to the tempeh club. but most things don't. sometimes i want to order the other vegan options because they all look delicious, but i just can't bring myself to. as for the service, it's pretty hit or miss, although it's usually hit. i've had more positive experiences than negative ones, but i have had two memorably rude servers who almost kept me from my beloved tempeh club. however, there's one server (whose name i forget) who is just sweet as pie, and lots of the other servers seem great too.
(5)
Ben K.
I honestly don't know how I've lived in Philadelphia for years and never have been to Royal Tavern. All of the reviews here are dead on. This place is the truth! If you haven't read it enough, here is how they described the Angus burger: caramelized onions, bacon, Smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise. The diameter of the patty was small but it was hand molded and very thick. The sesame seed bun is from Baker Street Bread and was fantastic - dark and crusty on the outside while chewy on the inside. The cheese, mayo, everything was just gooey and delicious. The only thing I'd complain about was the longhots. Perhaps they were overcooked but the skin was a little plasticy - but no worries, I pulled them off easily. Another complaint? Why can't a cook in this city actually make a proper medium-rare burger? I understand people are nervous about food poisoning but come on! When I order a medium-rare burger I expect it to be pink and juicy, not mostly brown. I also highly recommend the meatloaf sandwich. Although my mom never made meatloaf, the thick cut slabs of meat on this thing taste exactly how I'd imagine hers would. It's served on ciabatta with bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini ketchup. This sandwich is enormous, I mean EPIC and I was surprised we couldn't finish it. The fries are amazing, the beer is great. We drank Corsendonk, Brooklyn Brown and Lagunitas IPA. Our waitress was super cute and extremely nice. I will definitely be here again and again.
(4)
Stef A.
I love places like the Royal Tavern.......warm, laid back pub atmsophere with GREAT food. I went here for a small birthday dinner gathering and expected typical pub fare - standard wings, nachos, etc. Not so. With appetizer specials like soft shell crab and truffled popcorn, the Royal Tavern is not your typical pub. The grilled cheese and tomato soup combo is delicious and so is the burger and homemade pickles. Expect a bit of a wait if you go here on the weekend, but it's worth it. After reading the reviews, I definitely want to try their brunch.
(4)
Jon K.
This place is the real deal, if you don't like it you're probably dead. The Meatloaf Sandwich (with bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini mushroom ketchup on ciabatta) is probably the single greatest thing I've ever eaten in my life. The burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun) was listed as the best in Food Network magazine, for whatever that may be worth. Not EVERYTHING there has bacon, and they've got a ton of veggie/vegan options (recommend the Vegan Sloppy Joe and Tempeh Club). Sick beers everywhere, and a great brunch as well. Can get a little loud in there, but well worth enduring.
(5)
Maxwell S.
I like it here. More low key not as crowded as the other places I always go to. I like it because it's a little more mellow. The food has been good every time and the girls are really nice every time I go in. Check it out if you've never been. They always have good salads. Oh and I like the music too.
(5)
Johnny B.
enjoyed half of a bacon-vodka bloody mary- with tater tots, eggs and caramelized onions scrambled together for brunch. ahhh! brunch, lunch and dinner is always good at the royal t. please have the burger. I've had it so many times. one of the best in Philadelphia.
(4)
Kori M.
The best and I went on a "nice weather shopping/stroll aimlessly around Philly" adventure yesterday and decided to go to Royal Tavern. He has been before but I have not. Being a vegetarian/trying to be a vegan they have great options! The sweet potato ban mi was awesome! I love grilled sweet potatoes! They have great fries too and well my Maker's and diet could have been a bit stronger, the price was not bad. I got an angus burger to-go for the boyfriend and he thought it was the best burger he has ever had! I will for sure be back! I need to try the vegan sloppy joe next!
(4)
Erik s.
I always thought the best bar food was in northern libs but royal tavern puts bella vista on the map, though northern libs still rules the roost says I. Their burger is one of my favorites in philly and their mac and cheese is very good too. nachos and wings are good too but North 3rd wings are better. the wait staff is super nice and they actually know bout beer which the Royal has a pretty good selection in. its a pretty diverse mix of people which I like and it is crowded but not the unbearable u want to donkeypunch the person elbowing u in the small of your back crowded. Good food+good service+good beer = good fat and drunken times in my book.
(4)
Christa M.
The best gastro pub in Philadelphia. This is a great "go to" place for great drinks and great food. They have an excellent selection of vegan and vegetarian options while also offering great selections for the carnivores in your life. I've been for brunch, lunch and dinner so many times it is hard to count. Each time I leave satisfied and happy!
(5)
Lauryn Z.
Royal Tavern has been on my list of places to try for a while now, so when we were searching for a place to grab a beer and quick bite too eat on a sunday evening, I was eager to check it out. The menu provided a solid selection of vegetarian and vegan options. I was starving and ordered the tempeh club, my boyfriend and friend both ordered the grilled cheese and soup. The beer selection was varied and we ordered MaredSous 8 (always good to see one of the less popular belgians on draft) and Arrogant Bastard. The soups (Potato and Butternut Squash) arrived first and were rather watery- I understand they were vegan, so that explains the lack of cream used...) My tempeh club was good, except for the fact that the sandwich was stacked so high, that I had to pull it apart to eat or else it would have created a mess on my plate...My boyfriend and friend however, were rather disappointed with the grilled cheese. The sandwich was listed on the menu as containing 'smoked gouda, provolone, and goat cheese' - which it most definitely did not . gouda and goat cheese both have distinctively strong flavors and the cheese in this sandwich was bland. The 'rustic french bread' was also a bit soggy and greasy. Fries were decent. I felt the descriptions of the food on the menu exaggerated what was nothing more than average bar food. Food aside, I really liked the atmosphere of this place- dark and cozy. Good place to go meet for a beer with friends when its not too busy. Service was also friendly. I'll be back here again because of the decent beer selection- perhaps it was just an off night...
(2)
Karen G.
The food was delicious however service was incredibly slow. Our server was overwhelmed, it took thirty minutes to get a cup of coffee n when we received it we had no cream, sugar or spoons.
(2)
Apathy K.
Very excited for this place. The vegan options looked hopeful and the reviews were positive. The waitress forgot to write my order down on the receipt. So the rest of my family received their food and I didn't have anything. I'm patient so I waited and the waitress gave me a drink on the house. My father's medium burger was dry and black but everyone else's food was okay. My food came out when they ordered dessert and the tempeh club was ok. Basil aoili was excellent and the fries well done. The blueberry bread pudding was incredibly dry and the brownie was as well. My uncle thought it was angel food cake and didn't like it. After the waitress missing a few more drink orders from us, we just gave up and asked for the check. Very nice atmosphere so I would go back for a beer, but the service was lower than par. Not worth a $92 lunch. And apparently the waitress was wearing her shirt inside out so if she was drunk, I fully understand. It is St. Patrick's day weekend after all.
(2)
Meredith B.
Whenever I come to visit my sister in Philly, I ask her to take me to the Royal Tavern. The atmosphere is great, the juke box rules, and the drinks are good. It's my favorite place to go for drinks at night and it's also my favorite place to have brunch. Their heuvos rancheros can not be beat! If there was a Royal Tavern in Brooklyn I'd be a regular but since there's not, I look forward to visiting every few months.
(5)
Kate S.
I am a fan of any bar where I can get standard pub fare made in a veggie way and I'm not limited to a makeshift salad that's composed of burger toppings. Royal Tavern has an awesome tempeh club with fries and malt vinegar mayo. It was delicious and they even had Rogue Chocolate Stout on draft!! The staff was also really nice and told me the trick to the tempeh club is to order it without the middle bread because it makes it easier to eat. My favorite part was the cd jukebox which had anything from The Jam to David Bowie to Panda Bear to Vivian Girls to Jay Z to etc. The one bummer, to which I exhaled a disgruntled "harumph" was that the illusive duck-wich is no more. I was excited about this from another review and apparently should have read all reviews and spared myself the disappointment. (Full disclosure: not totally a vegetarian, more like an ugletarian in that I've sworn off all cute animals.)
(4)
Ryan Z.
First just let me state if you want a pure beer bar, this isn't the place. That isn't to say there aren't good beer selections, but this is the gastro-pub you should frequent. They have two staple sandwiches, the meatloaf and the chicken breast sandwich (i wish they still had the duck club), everyone should have at least once when you go. These two sandwiches alone will keep you coming back, and that is not to say that is all there is on the menu, and the specials are always tasty. I've neglected this bar the past couple of years because the pope opened up, but I always enjoy a dinner at the Royal.
(4)
Jen P.
Great beer selection, lots of yummy vegetarian and vegan menu options, a fun jukebox...what more could you want? The staff is usually very friendly, too. May I suggest brunch on Saturday or Sunday? The daily specials are always interesting and delicious. Seriously, you should go.
(4)
Phil P.
Great and friendly service, great beer selection, and the best burger I've ever had. I've only been here once so the sample size is too small to give it 5 stars, but maybe I'll write another review once I start going more often.
(4)
Jimmy A.
always good. always consistent. Great specials and brunch.
(5)
Susanne J.
Some friends and I wandered into the Royal Tavern to continue my birthday celebration after leaving the South Philly Taproom. The place is tiny, but wasn't crowded when we arrived and we were able to grab seats at the bar. The bar tender was attentive and friendly and we didn't have to fight with other patrons to get drinks. We ordered a plate of Nachos which were some of the best I've had - lots of fresh tomatoes and cheese, generous helpings of guacamole and sour cream, and the chips were perfectly crisp instead of soggy or stale. The single strand of holiday lights above the wood bar lend a perfect ambience to the dimly lit tavern. The kitchen is open until 1am which is great for night owls. I was impressed by the beers that they had both in bottles and on draught - enough choices to suit a variety of tastes. I look forward to going back to try more of their culinary offerings, especially their brunch.
(4)
Derrick C.
The Royal Tavern never struck me as a place that I wanted to go to, until I went there. The vibe is cool and the staff is pleasant and nice. I have since been there many times with my wife and it seems that I can't get enough of their burger. For years, I thought that it was impossible to find a burger that was better than Monk's burger, that is until Royal Tavern. There is nothing crazy about the burger, but it is cooked to perfection every time, with the right mix of Gouda cheese, roasted long hot pepper, bacon and spicy mayo. I even get mine with an egg on top to add to its decadence. It would also be dumb of me to forget their great selection of beers, both on tap and in the bottle. They certainly have more choices on the menu and they always have a interesting mix of vegetarian and carnivore specials, but I can't seem to get past the burger. Great place to go if you want a cool place to hang out with good food and drink. Did I mention that the burger comes with fresh cut fries and a malt vinegar mayo?
(5)
Lizzie P.
Yay! Such a fun place! If I lived here I'd come here all the time. Fun hip vibe, great bar and local beers. Good selection of vegan/vegetarian food! We had to wait about ten minutes for a table on a week night, as it was a little packed. The great thing was there is a jukebox with a wonderful indie music selection that kept us occupied. I had the vegan sloppy joe and I have to admit I was a little hesitant. I'm a new vegetarian and sloppy joes is a favorite. I was hoping it would hold up. Oooh, it did. It was soo tasty and huge, I ate the entire thing. It also came with a side order of cole slaw which was great. We shared the mac and cheese, which wasn't too bad, a litte chalky but full of flavor. The fries were very yummy too. We tried their local beers. The local dark beer is very smooth, good but I'm not a big dark beer fan. I ordered the Sweaty Betty beer (honestly just so I could repeat the fun title to the waitress), its a lighter beer with a hint of fruit but with a Miller kick at the end which I could have done without. Overall an awesome place to go, little pricey but totally worth it.
(5)
Amy M.
it's all about the burgers. and the beer, of course. this place is too damn crowded when i go, however!
(5)
Chris Y.
Amazing food! Not sure if there is much more room for elaboration but I will of course make my point. Great beer selection and terrific soft shell crab salad (thanks Nathan). I had eaten his salad by accident. Grilled octopus was out of this world. I got the wing sample and it was delicious. Not Memphis Tap Room good but nonetheless it can hold its own. Next time I'm there I'll have to try the pork chop, which was the largest cut of pork I've seen to date or the burger.
(4)
Sally f.
i have always had good experiences here, despite it being small dark, noisy and crowded. i always get seated eventually - even when there are no tables open when i wak in and i have a group of ppl! and the food is great!
(4)
Dani S.
I love this place! Great staff, cool atmoshphere and most importantly... the best bloody mary, hands down
(5)
Rev. B.
it was going to be "a-ok" until I wrote the review and thought about it for ten minutes. MEZZE PLATE- awesome. very good, smokey baba, hummus was right, cucumber-olive salad with pickled red onions very good...palate cleansing. Good quality feta, perfectly toasted and grilled lavash and pita. Some quality olive oil drizzled around the plate. stuffed grape leaves were on point. traditional. delicate. Excellent dish. CUBAN SPRING ROLLS- eh. very cool idea that just didn't deliver. Nothing really happening on my palate as I ate them. the ancho sauce was weak. the harissa and skordalia that came with the calamari was an entirely better pair of sauces to go with the spring rolls. hint-hint chef. CALAMARI- crispy, good flavor, but I have a feeling they hung in the pass a bit to long waiting for the rest of the apps to join the party. Not hot and fresh fried when they arrived at table. Harissa and skordalia were very, very good sauces. I could put that shit on everything. WINGS- pretty darn good, especially the chipotle bbq. The mango-hab were tasty as well. Cooked right, crispy, flavorful. Sandwiches... MEATLOAF- I call bullshit. gay, weak-ass, poor excuse for a slice of meatloaf, that I'd bet was just a seared or grilled burger patty. And it was about the size of a postage stamp (ok, I'm exaggerating, but you get the point). The bun engulfed the "meatloaf". Quality bread too, but just overshadowed every other flvor on the sandwich. Bacon marmalade? really? where? Cuz it was lost on my sandwich. smoked tomato ketchup? Oh yea? tasted like friggin heinz to me. Gruyere? ninja, please. domestic swiss probably. AND YOU BURNT MY FN BUN. No, I love charcoal with my sandwich; don't worry about it. CHICKEN FRANKIE- actually really good flavor. I'm guessing a house blend of curry spice as it was original and fresh. very good. The wrap fell short only because it was a soggy, muddled mess, leaking out everywhere. Left the lavash wrap with barely any structural integrity. More like a fork and knife affair. FISH AND CHIPS- a friend had this, and I didn't try it, but she said the fish and chips were good, but YOU BURNT THE FN ASPARAGUS. I mean, really guys. So, obviously, grill man sucks. Burnt asparagus and my toasted bun. My other buddy had a meatloaf sandwich and his bun wasn't bad. Which means you're a friggin hack without the discipline to tell yourself you burnt one bun and you should do another. But, no, let's just serve this charcoal...it's cool. Final bullshit; we were ignored after our order was placed. Had to catch peoples attention for more drinks and beer. Also, three out of four plates had fries with them, and guess what? 2 out of 3 were soggy, limp bullshit. One plates portion of fries looked white and translucent, as if they had only taken a quick dip in the fryer. Ridiculous. Apparently, the hardest thing in the world for a pub to do is cook a decent fry. wtf. Congratulations Royal Tavern; you made the boycott list. And folks rave about this place. I don't get it. It's really a shame too, cuz the place is nice, and the apps, for the most part, are so good.
(2)
Brett D.
Sorry Royal, but you're probably the most overrated restaurant on Passy Ave. I think you're prone to the same disease that the Cantina has, which is unfortunate. Don't bother eating here if it's busy. Fill up on their wonderful selections of beer instead.
(3)
Colleen C.
Royal Tavern straight sucks. In all of my years living in Philly and trying all sorts of spots, I have never been treated by staff so poorly, and so insulted. I went with my boyfriend and another couple, our best friends, after a surprise party, because none of us felt like partying hard with drinking or doing the center city bar scene, but wanted a chill drink and some midnight snacks. A friend parked right around the corner, since she lives a block away, and we first tried the ever-friendly and divey 'Dive bar', but turns out they don't serve any food, so we turned around to try the Tavern. My girl friend and I walked in first and as we were lookign around for a spot, we turned behind us to see her boyfriend being cornered into the wall by one of the bouncers. Before we knew it, andother bartender was in our faces telling us to get out. They had apparently been 'watching us from the window and saw (us) get thrown out of the Dive'. That was pretty funny, as we parked right in front of the Dive, walked in, asked about the food sitch, and then turned right around. When I asked the bartender for please explaining why they wouldn't serve us, he retorted 'Uh cause I said so, how about that!' Since it was midnight of April Fools day, we thought for SURE they were messing with us. Never in my life could I imagine that type of treatment or 'flagging' without even speaking to us. If they had spoken to us first, they would have seen they were seriously mistaken and silly for treating potential customers in such an agressive manner. We were humiliated in front of their patrons. We ended up getting beers at the Dive and talked shit on RT with the Dive bartenders for the rest of the night, as their local patrons joined in passionately. Oh, also for its location, it is completely overpriced and pretentious. The Dive 1, Royal Tavern 0.
(1)
michelle p.
I've heard good things about the Royal Tavern, some of them were true. I just really need to go back, I wasn't hungry enough to order their tempeh club so I just got the Old Bay fries. They were a pretty big portion, and I ended up not finishing them even while sharing. The person I was with managed to scarf all his food, it must have been good or he was just really hungry. I've had their popcorn before and that was pretty amazing and I don't eat meat I've had recommendations that the burgers and fried chicken were good. All and all it was an ok experience, the service was a little spotty and it was wicked loud. It also didn't help that game 2 of the World Series was on.
(3)
Michael M.
A quick add to my previous review: after previewing a grilled seitan sandwich as a special in the spring, they added it to the menu full time sometime in the summer/fall. It's amazing (with gruyere!), and solidifies the Royal's place as the king of Philly pubs for vegetarians... pun not intended. Also, Lancaster Milk Stout is back on tap. WHOOHOO!
(5)
Nicole R.
The Royal Tavern has been through a few culinary changes during the time it's been open. They do have pretty good food, although some of the things I really liked are no longer on the menu. It's great for brunch or a lazy afternoon going into happy hour. They have good happy hour specials, good burgers and a decent beer selection. Their draughts are always changing out, which is good because then you don't get bored of the same options all the time. I don't think the staff or the patrons are particularly rude. They tend to be people who live in the neighborhood and they are what they are (some may be bike messengers, others may be hipsters). I've never felt unwelcome or out of place but it might be my hair (which is admittedly pretty hip).
(4)
John P.
Any joint that has Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live in the Juke is certainly alright in my book. The food here is crazy awesome, a good place to grab a bite with your vegetarian and/or vegan friends. There is a great booze selection, and there is a certain ambiance I enjoy about this place. The waitstaff is supercool as well. The only problem I can see is that Im not in here more often
(4)
ezekial f.
one of the best bars in the city. and though i love sabrinas brunch, i do not have the patience on a sunday, so off to royal tavern we go! thats not to downplay the quality of brunch there either, they always switch up the specials and the regular menu is high qual too. i know its been said before but this is one of the top five burgers in the city. i can live without smoked gouda but long hots and bacon, wow! the beer selection is great too! the waitresses are always great even when they are really busy. dont go on sunday because i want to!
(5)
Nikki D.
i come to this place quite often. mainly after roller derby several nights a week. the staff is always awesome and the food rarely disappoints. only a few times did i have fries that were over salted. i am however pretty sad that they took the seitan sandwich off the menu. the beer selection is diverse, although lately i havent been too impressed. all in all this place is great. from the atmosphere to the staff to the food..... go here.
(4)
jenny v.
For your french fries and nachos, Queen Buttermilk Pancakes and King Sloppy Joe, I crown thee, Royal Tavern, a five-star rating. Your food is delicious, your drinks are a-plenty, and all are unhindered by the constraints of time; I want all of it, morning, noon, and knight. Vegetarian-lovely and crawling with cute and friendly wait staff! It's been really cold in the throne, but I'd change my guards at home before missing the royal visit.
(5)
M R.
The food's decent, if uneven, and the beer selection is pretty good. I usually get the burger. The room is way, way too noisy. But I keep coming back: the staff is cool, I enjoy watching the hipsters, and since I live in the neighborhood I often run into friends. I've enjoyed a couple very pleasant New Year's Day brunches. For a neighborhood pub, it's very good.
(4)
Bill M.
Royal Tavern has quite possibly been one of those places that have been on my radar to hit up ever since I started to Yelping. So when a friend mentioned it as a place to meet up at before we went to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams(Seriously see it if you haven't - imdb.com/title/tt1664894 ) There was something about it that seemed apropos. And in the end it gave me good insight into why Royal is well worth the hype that it has maintained. Arriving around 4pm on the dot gave us access to there impeccable happy hour. And while I'm normally not a fan of Happy Hours starting so early, I welcomed it when I was on the receiving end for a change. especially when it lead 1/2 off drafts. The beers rotate fairly frequently and do manage to offer up a fairly eclectic mix. And even though one of the oddly named beers that I went with ended up tasting like un-carbonated soda, I was satisfied. When it came to food options the Angus Burger was the only thing on my mind since many people that I know have dubbed it the best in Philly. and while it fell short of hitting that mark; the smoked gouda, pickled longshots, and chile mayonnaise all provided some exemplary ingredients that I have never before seen utilized. And it was also true testament as to why there's always room for bacon (Although it is possible to get carried away - youtu.be/FCxFn3sAw68 )! After looking around on a Friday afternoon, I ran into plenty of locals that I knew. Including one half of the Spinning Leaves and Flash Mob Productions on their graduation day. I also got satisfactory service and plenty of good reason as to why I'll be back!
(4)
K. B.
Really crowded on a Friday night. Place is really tiny, no place to stand while waiting. Food was above average, would probably try it again.
(3)
L. K.
Best burger in town. Great friendly service. Great soba noodle salad. Fine beer selection. Will Oldham's instrumental album on the iPod -- "Seafarers" -- what?! So up my alley. Used to love to sit in the window and read and watch the sun change the color of the wall across the street. Isaiah Zagar has since done that wall up with what's maybe his mirrored mosaic masterpiece. But before and surely now the bottles and the beautiful mahogany bar illuminate in such a way in the evening that irradiates the soul (especially if you've had a few). Anyway, my first meal in town -- a forgettable tempeh reuben in July 2006 -- but I've since been here dozens of times, mostly sticking to the burger with collards or the soba salad. One of the reasons I love where I live. So stable. Same decor, one or two of the same waitstaff. Hope they never change.
(5)
Ken D.
Great Burgers!!! Went there this past weekend and hear great things on there burgers and wings. The rumors are true. Had the wings and burger and walk out a happy and full man. Great flavors of wings and the burger was really fresh. Can't wait to go back and see what else is on the menu. Plus our server was fast and on top of his game, with the drinks.
(5)
Sophie U.
I -love- Royal Tavern. It's dark, it's got a great layout, the food is AMAZING and the service is friendly. They have a nice selection of vegetarian and vegan food, desserts included! Two dinners at Royal Tavern allowed me and Boyfriend to try a variety of items and to say that we were bathing in gastronomical bliss both times is a bit of an understatement. Dinner #1: - Cubano Spring Rolls (roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, ancho mustard): This was an unfortunate introduction to Royal Tavern; I can't think of a word other than "meh" to describe it. This is what the missing star is for. - Meatloaf Sandwich (bacon marmalade, gruyère, fried onions, smoked tomato ketchup) + fries: My boyfriend loves a lot of things and meatloaf happens to be one of them. So a MEATLOAF sandwich with BACON marmalade? Yes, please! This was delicious. - Angus Burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise) + fries: Whoa. This burger kicked me in the face. It was big and spicy and BOY was it tasty! and those were very, very good fries. - Tiramisu: I'm a big fan of dessert. Unfortunately I never leave enough room in my stomach for sweet little things; this dinner at Royal Tavern was no exception but I absolutely wanted to try the tiramisu. Yes, it was like a piece of Heaven. And yes, I was miserable for a long time afterwards. Nope, no regrets whatsoever. Dinner #2: - Mezze (hummus, smoked eggplant baba ghanoush, feta, grilled stuffed grape leaves, cucumber-olive salad, lovash chips, grilled pita): This has to be the best hummus plate I've had, or at least one of the best. - Chicken Frankie + fries (curry chicken, Indian coleslaw wrapped in lovash): Boyfriend's choice! He liked it. - Mussels (chorizo sausage, poblano peppers, roasted garlic, corn-saffron broth, rustic French bread): Sophie's choice! I love mussels -- these were really tasty, mussel-y despite the surrounding flavors. You really can't go wrong with chorizo! We also got a side of grilled asparagus (for him) and a side of fries (for me); the malt vinegar mayo makes me want to die (in a good, delicious way). The restrooms have chalkboard paint, or just chalkboards -- I don't really remember. Either way if you're still five-years-old inside, like me, you're bound to spend a lot of time in there.
(4)
Danan R.
The chicken frankie wrap in lovash is quite good with a nice, spicy curry kick and a serving of crunchy cole slaw. It's a welcome change for your taste buds. Get it with a side of the truffle-parmesan popcorn. The popcorn is an absolutely delectable steal at $3! It's served hot and fresh and is much better for your arteries than say, the tater tots, although those are pretty good too... Anyhow, definitely try the wrap and popcorn here. They also have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too, which is a nice touch.
(4)
Regina F.
Christmas Morning. Present wrapped in Box. Perfectly packaged puppy. Jumps out. Licks Face. Happiness. Hot day in June. Enter dark pub. Served: Crispy. Medium width. Long. Fries. Dipped. In. Malt. Vinegar. Mayonnaise. Medium rare. Perfectly pink inside. Sweet caramelized onions. Crispy bacon. Smoked Gouda not quite melted. Fluffy brioche bun. Another. Perfect Package. Royal. Tavern. Rules.
(5)
Jason R.
Very good gastropub! Try the burger and sloppy joe sandwich. Great beer selection. Sometimes can be really busy, loud and tough to get a table.
(4)
Kathleen D.
Every few months this happens. It starts as a whisper of a suggestion in the back of my mind, when hunger strikes. "Hey I'm hungry, where should we go?" I might ponder. And then from that part of my memory murmurs, "Reeemember that Royal Tavern burgeeerrrr... Reeeemember thaaat, kathleeeeen?" That's as ghostly and mysterious as it sounds. I try to ignore its call... but eventually I will buckle like a pilgrim's shoe. The hankerin hits me hard, ya see. Royal Tavern is a lovely bar with a good selection of beers and it can get craaazy crowded and you might hafta wait A WHILE and the bar is packed and you might feel like there's nowhere to stand without being in the way and awkward-feelings-levels are on the rise... but then...you finally get seated and you have a delicious burger for yourself, and all is well. That's my story. I really like that burger a lot. When I order it medium, it's medium. Thank you. Smoked gouda, bacon and long hots, I love all you foodstuffs too. All together it's a dope burger indeed. The mezze is a good starter to share. Pita and lovash chips are served up with hummus, smoked eggplant baba ghanoush (LOVE), feta, stuffed grape leaves, and cucumber-olive salad. Definitely good. That truffle-buttery popcorn is great great too, as you're having yourself a beer. I'm down with sharing the hill of nachos with vegan beef as well. But I return for that burger. This is what I'm telling you. And I have to stop thinking about it already! I admit to you that the hushed notion is too soon begining to plague me. Quiet you! Quiet, don't make me resent my own good cooking tonight. Update: And I return for the chicken frankie wrap, annnnd the vegan tempeh club, annnnd bloody marys....and bites of what other people have ordered...
(4)
Aruna A.
I could really go here every time I walk by, and be so very satisfied. It's so predictably good, and the beer selection is always amazing. I'm a big, big, big fan of the vegan sloppy joe (just be careful - it's extra hot and spicy), and the tater tots, and mac and cheese. NOT so much of a fan of the sweet potato banh mi (I was sad about that - I love banh mi). But definitely a huge fan of everything else I've had there!
(5)
Joshua J.
I went here because I was told the burgers here were the best in the city. I'm a big Sketch fan, so I had to compare them. Overall, the experience here was really good. The waitstaff jammed us in a table, even though it was packed, we still got in and out at a pretty normal amount of time. The food took a bit to come out but no big deal. Burger was great, better than Village Whiskey in my opinion, but not up to snuff with Sketch. I'd come here to drink again anytime.
(4)
rachel k.
VEGAN SLOPPY JOES! And sweet potato banh mi. And vegan onion rings. And a delightful peach cocktail and microbrews that make the 'gent happy. My lady beverage/vegan dreams come true.
(5)
Kurt I.
Always awesome food. Always good service. Always fantastic beer selection. Always the darkest bar in town. Chef Mark McKinney always has a fantastic meal for you. If you are veg, get the tempeh club and fall in love with a sandwich.
(4)
Jemma C.
One of the few bars I regularly return to in Philly. Staff are great (ESP the waitress with the short hair), beer selection is spot on and the sloppy joe is PERFECT!
(4)
David A.
Went today for brunch on Memorial Day. Thanks fellow yelpers. Passed this place a zillion times and would have never walked in. A real sleeper! It's an old bar with great food. Nice atmosphere. You walk into a big, old wood bar and it's a narrow place with about 20-25 tables. Servers are friendly and efficient. They were serving the brunch menu that didn't hace a chicken dish I read about. No worries. Everything was really good. Was not in the mood for breakfast so we ordered from lunch side of the menu. They also have lots of vegetarion and vegan choices which we enjoy but didn't take full advantage of on this trip. For starters we had the mezze. Excellent but really big and filling. Pita and flat crackers with hummus, baba ganush, grape leaves, etc. Split the burger and meatloaf sandwich with my daughter Devon. Both were really good (read about the burger and it was great!). Meatloaf well seasoned with great toppings. Burger as well. I preferred the burger but no complaints! Ordered medium rare and served right. Both dishes had fries which were not greasy and addicting. My other daughters had the grilled chicken sandwich which had proscuitto and other good stuff on top. They could have shared one sandwich. Very large. My wife had the buffalo chicken wings. They serve four or five different sauce options. I was stuffed and didn't try them but they were big and she enjoyed them. Had the bloody mary was was spicy and very good. We look forward to trying this place for dinner soon!
(4)
tom s.
Amazing daily specials and a beer list the waitress was actually educated about. If they have the BBQ pork grilled cheese get it!
(5)
Dan B.
This place is excellent. The food is soooo good and it has a great beer selection. It's one of the best gastro pubs I've been to in awhile
(5)
John K.
Went for lunch and had a vegan club made with seitan and vegetarian bacon .It was pretty good.They have an imaginative selection of draft beer and the music isn't too loud- a relief! I sat at the bar and found the bartender pleasant and efficient.It was relaxing and I'd go again .
(4)
Ben S.
I love the Royal. It's great place for lunch, a great place for brunch, a great place to hang out on a weekend, a great place if you are just looking for a place to go. The only burger I have ever eaten that is better than the Royal's was at a place called Kuma's Corner, in Chicago. The Royal's is so delicious, as is their grilled cheese sandwich. They always let you substitute tater tots instead of fries, and the vinegar/mayo aioli beats ketchup anytime for dipping. I don't really like Bloody Mary's, but all of my friends rave about the Royal's. The only slight drawback is that it fills up really quickly, especially during the brunch rush, but that really just means you have some extra time to order a drink before you get seated. The staff are all friendly and accommodating. I love this place. If I wasn't feeling sick right now I'd probably head over there right now.
(5)
Michael S.
So....I waited a couple of weeks since I don't post negative reviews about businesses, but I felt that their other potential customers needed a heads up. 1. The Food at the Royal Tavern is excellent - no complaint. 2. The staff is great when dining in. 3. The atmosphere is very nice and comfortable. Unfortunately, they had fallen short on updating their website to reflect the increased pricing on the menu...as well as menu items that aren't available anymore. My girlfriend and I wanted some food for take-out. We ordered two appetizers. The chicken wings and the nachos. The food, as always, was delicious. The problem is that the online menu on their site had old pricing. Our order ended up being $5 more than we had planned, which isn't a huge deal. But when you walk in with enough money to pay the tab and leave a tip, but end up only having enough to leave a $1 tip, it makes you feel like a jerk. If the price of the order was mentioned on the call when we ordered, it wouldn't have been an issue. Yet, I found myself apologizing for leaving a bad tip when the source of the problem wasn't me. It left for a bad experience, when I've had nothing but good experiences there in the past. It's a great neighborhood place to grab a meal. Just ensure you know what you're going to pay when you do take out. I gave 3 stars because the food was delicious, but only 3 stars when it would have been 5 stars if I hadn't felt like I'd been mildly hoodwinked. I worked for many years in the restaurant and service industry and when pricing is listed and proof is given, the expected price was honored if it was the establishment's error. I was given a shoulder shrug and a "sorry, yeah we need to change that. it's been a problem." I understand it wasn't the server's responsibility to update the website, yet their normally fine customer service was lacking...and on a not so busy night (only 3 or 4 tables being filled and 4 or 5 people at the bar).
(3)
Amy F.
The Royal Tavern is magnificent. The food has never, not once, disappointed me in 7 years of going there. I' ve never had the burger and I just don't care. If something is that hyped, obviously some people are going to feel the item in question has fallen short. But (the few) haters need to recognize this place is for real. The soba noodle and seaweed salad strikes the perfect textural balance with its toothsome noodles, crunchy peanuts, and pillowy soft tofu nuggets. The caesar salad, perfect in its simplicity, gets slightly dressed up with polenta croutons, brilliant! I crave those croutons. And vegan desserts, lots of them. There are items on this menu to accommodate all manner of dietary restriction and they're all good. Herbivores are no longer relegated to picking glumly at some sad array of over balsamic-ed veg on a "grilled vegetable plate", not at the royal tavern. And yes, the tempeh club is as good as everybody says.
(5)
Kate W.
This is a great place when you are in the mood for great food in a casual atmosphere! We stumbled upon this place this afternoon for lunch, and we were delightfully surprised with how refined and fresh the menu was for a bar. I had the chicken sandwich. It was delicious.. So delicious that I ate my leftovers before I got home! My husband ordered the burger. He eats burgers all the time and said this was a contender for the best burger he's ever had. Both were served with fries with malt vinegar mayo... Yummy!! The place was packed, so I think my love for this new find is shared by many others.
(5)
Ken M.
We were surprised to find a nearby parking lot (owned by the notorious Philadelphia Parking Authority) down the block from the Royal Tavern...... It is a 3-hour limit lot and think it was free. I say 'I think' as I didn't see any kiosks/signage about paying and I didn't get a ticket on my windshield. + Plus one !! ...... As for the Royal Tavern: It's fairly small but not claustrophobic..... was cozy. The fellow patrons didn't seem pretentious, good mix of people. They have good Happy Hour specials. Our server was cool, friendly, had a sense of humor, gave us good beer suggestions, kept our water glasses refreshed, cleared the dishes off the table in a timely fashion. She gave us the right mix of attention and space. The bathroom was clean. - hummus plate: excellent - house Angus burger: excellent (would of liked the smoked gouda cheese to be a little more melted) - Kobe beef burger special: very good. - tater tots: good, would of liked em a little more crispier. - french fries: very good, skin-on, crispy - beer selection: not extensive but decent. Yeah, it's a solid 4 stars and we will be back. Until then......
(4)
Louis V.
My reasons for heading out to Royal Tavern was based on overall Yelp reviews. Since I would be dining with a vegan, vegetarian, and two meat eaters I wanted to find a great over all place that everyone could be happy with. The Royal Tavern is small inside. It's layout is typical for a Philadelphia restaurant and there is good utilization of space. The seating arrangements are perfect for couples, however larger groups will suffer on finding a spot. On the night that my party visited the Royal Tavern was filled in pretty good. There were 6 open tables spread out in pairs and 2 open seats at the bar. None of these accommodated my party of 4 and we ended up going first on the wait list. We were told 15-20 minutes for a table. However, after 30 minutes of waiting and no sign of a table opening up anytime soon, we decided it was best to cancel our wait and order take-away. While we waited, we decided to watch how the waitstaff operated. There were four employee's working the floor this particular night. There was one bartender, a waiter and a waitress, and what appeared to be a runner. They all seemed friendly, but very frantic and disorganized. No one really seemed to have a grasp on what was going on. There seemed to be confusion at points on who was suppose to be seated next, or who was waiting on who. The bartender seemed overwhelmed to the point that I noticed the runner making drinks just to help her out. It's a shame, as if they would have had one more person to keep everyone on track the service would have been much better. Our take-away was estimated to be out in 25 minutes. Half of our order came out in about 35 minutes and the remaining half came out in 45 minutes. This was a real disappointment as there is nothing worse than seeing food die on a person's plate (in this case, a take-away container) while they sit there waiting for the rest of their friends food to come out. It's also disturbing that the only reason we got our food in 45 minutes is because we informed the waiter that we had to leave and could no longer wait for the order. As soon as we had this conversation he came back in seconds with our order, bagged and ready to go. The only thing I could think of when I was walking out was, 'how likely is it that my food done with my friends and it ended up sitting there for an additional 10 minutes, dying at the window, with no one noticing?' The saving grace of this visit was the food. After waiting an hour and 15 minutes for some vegan sandwiches with fries - the food was fantastic and the wait was worth it. It's a real shame that the food couldn't have been enjoyed in the right atmosphere and that it came bundled with some aggravation. In a less busy night with good service this would have been a 4, if not 5 star review. I plan to revisit the Royal Tavern with some extra time build into my schedule. When I do, I will update my review to include details of a hopefully better experience. Overall, I believe that this place can live up to it's hype - I think I just caught it in a bad night. Update ----------- I recently had the opportunity to revisit the Royal Diner and as promised here is my update. On the night that I visited the Royal Tavern was at half capacity and the service was much faster then my previous visit. The customer service was still nothing to brag about, average at best. The waiter seemed rushed and didn't check back with us after our food was delivered to make sure everything was alright. Lucky for us it was, but we could have used another round of drinks. The food was just as good as the first time so it's nice to know there is a level of consistency there. Lastly, at no fault to the tavern, finding parking took over 20 minutes and we almost gave up until we found a spot a few blocks away. Overall, 3/5 still seems like a honest review. It's a great place to go with good food, but the service is nothing special.
(3)
Francis U.
Another C+, B- pub. There is no shortage of pubs in the city with slightly better than average food and trendy beer lists. Royal Tavern fits right into that groove. I have to admit that the burger was good. It had a bit of kick to it, with the addition of pickled longhots. Decidedly above average, but nothing I couldn't make better at home. The 'Korean Chicken' is a glorified chicken wing dish for $16...one may want to avoid that. Some of the appetizers we sampled had fairly developed flavour, but are also overpriced for what they are. The draft list isn't bad, but I need to ask pub owners a question. Why all the big, heavy beers in the summer? As a foodie, and an a fairly scrupulous critic, I wouldn't be mad at a couple 'fast balls' on the draught list. 1 Lager and 1 Ale is all I'm asking. Be as trendy as you like, but keep 2 staples for the traditionalists among us. They did however have Pilsner Urquell in bottles, which was nice. I went with a party after an event we attended. A few beers, and some light comida wound up at $80/couple. I can't say that I'm in a hurry to do that again. I'd rather cook circles around the chef at home for around $40, or take a major step up restaurant wise if I want to move closer to a three digit meal.
(3)
Vinny P.
Now my local bar. It still rocks. Great specials and reasonably priced. The draft list, albeit small always has a few beers that are "very drinkable." When I use that term, I mean, I probably drank a few too many of them. Oh and the popcorn is amazing. That's the best 3 bucks you will ever spend. The popcorn is so good, it inspires fist-pumps.
(5)
Bora M.
Good food, good ambiance, good vibe, good music, great service.... Five stars across the board ! p.s. I asked if I can substitute fries on my burger for something else and they offered me grilled asparagus (can't get that anywhere else in the city).
(5)
Rebecca P.
I love this place and I eat here often. When I first started eating here I would dream about their fries and mayo and drag all of my friends here so I could consume them. Luckily my girlfriend was into the nachos (and now they have a 1/2 order! Yay!), so it has worked out for me. I also love the Wakame salad. It's healthy, fresh, and includes seaweed salad! Their grilled cheese is awesome, add a tomato, but per square inch it's probably one of the most caloric things you can consume. Also the wings are delicious and of course the burger is awesome! I do think their dinner food is better than their breakfast though. But if you get breakfast get the huevos rancheros. The tater tot scramble was actually kind of small and included too few tater tots! One thing I haven't liked was the grape leaves. Small, soggy, icky. I usually stick to the regular menu but I have ordered the fish tacos were kind of tasteless and I would not recommend them. Otherwise you can't go wrong with the RT! In terms of beverages, I am almost always into their draft selection, even though the list is smaller than many. I can almost always find something I'm excited to order. Oh and their bloody mary is reasonably priced and delicious.
(5)
erika t.
Freddie and i totally dig this place. If we go local-it's royal tavern. I highly suggest the grilled cheese sandwich! The bartender was great and had me sample a few beers that were close to the type of beers i like. We'd rather sit at the bar here than be seated at a table. Good stuff!
(4)
Kass H.
I love this place. Great food, good beer, not too hipster. Everyone is cool and relaxed. And the service is great. THANKS, Brian!
(4)
Kathleen T.
basically, the royal is a good time. they've definitely had their ups & downs as far as cooking staff goes, but--when they're good?? they're freaking awesome. too bad that when they're bad, they're bellyache inducing. the prices are higher than i wanna pay for brunch food of the royal ilk nowadays, but that's my issue, so i can't fault them.
(3)
Vicki H.
I really love the Royal Tavern, and so has everyone I've ever brought here-- out of towners, my dad, you name em, they've loved it. I really like the revolving beer list; it keeps things nice and fresh and seasonal (i wish the same could be said for their menu-- it could use a revamp every once in a while, not saying that the stuff isn't good, but a few new dishes to shake things up would be nice). For dinner, the burger is really amazing, but my favorite is the chicken sandwish with pear and gorgonzola-- it is the most amazing thing in the universe. On the lighter side, the mezze plate leaves nothing to be desired. Less favorite items: the sweet potato banh mi was a little too dry and the chicken frankie was super greasy and messy. Brunch here is also divine-- some of the best bloody maries in town (tried the bacon one, but it kind of freaked me out), I love that they put a ton of horseradish in there. Sometimes it's a little awkward getting a table...you walk in and stand there and kind of feel like you're in the way until someone notices you. So, I feel like I've written a lot of pros AND cons, but the bottom line is-- the place is close to me, the food is, on the whole, AMAZING, good beer list, good seasonal cocktails, won't break the bank-- yup, I dig the Royal.
(4)
s l.
Me and Royal Tavern are going to be BFFs 4EvR! Having more than one vegetarian thing on the menu really tests my decision making skills and everything looked so good. I got the tempeh club (like a BLT for vegans, akin to Mugshot's awesome vegan BLT). Anyway it was so good I almost didn't want to eat it. You know when you're reading a really great book and you keep saving the last few pages b/c you don't want it to end? It was like that. Also got the grilled stuffed grape leaves - wow, I never ate them warm before and now I wonder why. The gentleman had the burger and he did say it was one of his all time favorites. Hi, La Chouffe, I love you! Duvel? Yes. Too many great beers to remember or name. And everyone in there is nice. Oh Royal, Ima eat every veggie thing on your menu some day.
(5)
Benjamin B.
Enjoy the sandwiches and soups, the brunch is also pretty awesome, the tofu scramble is great as are the tator tots. Atmosphere is tolerable so long as a bunch of boners aren't playing their shitty favorites on the jukebox.
(5)
Jay O.
I love the Royal. I always will. Things have gone downhill though. Two years ago, I'd give it five stars without hesitation, but today I'm struggling to hit 4. Their beer list has gone to shit. A while ago, it was constantly turning and usually offered a few really nice beers. These days, it stays the same for too long and always features a "Philadelphia Brewing Company" beer. I love my city, but I wish PBC could make a beer like Yard's, Victory, or Sly Fox. Anyway, the selection is still okay, and of the 7 or 8, I usually like at least three. The spirits are pretty overpriced, but the Bloody Mary is freakin' amazing, even if Casey is no longer there to make it. The food has stayed the same: excellent. The burger is unrivaled, perhaps the best in Philly, and the malt vinegar mayo is crazy good. The meatloaf sandwich is also a favorite, and the Banh Mi is great. The specials are usually amazing, which is too bad because they can take a while to come back. The service is generally very good, and excellent, if you get Brian (ask for him, he's a good man).
(4)
Daniel B.
Ye Old Stomping Grounds...congrats on the #1 burger in PA from FoodTV, you've earned it. Still crave the duck-club every day.
(4)
Brayne W.
I really love the brunch here - we take out-of-town guests. Honestly, I never got the fascination with some of the other brunch places around, because this place has much better atmosphere and the food is awesome. Duck sandwich was really good, great beers + burgers, and the owner is a stickler for spelling! Waitstaff are friendly and helpful. The place just gives off a really good vibe.
(5)
Heavenly O.
I went there for brunch, and the food was great. Simple and homemade-like, in a good way. Also, my friend's Bloody Mary was on the house. Nice.
(4)
Kristen H.
Not that Royal Tavern needs another glowing review, but I'll put my two cents in. Whenever I have friends or family in from out of town, I take them to the tavern. Love the burger, love the hummus plate (I make everyone try it), love the sauce that comes with the fries. The pomegranate sangria is delicious. Beer selection is incredible. Brunch isn't too bad either, but given the choice, I'd go for dinner. Atmosphere is spot on. (Can we talk about their gorgeous carved-wood bar back?) Reasonably priced. Go early! It fills up fast.
(5)
Michael B.
Man, know that this place is great! Great food, great beer - it works from there for me. I agree with most people below about good food. I will add emphatically: CHECK OUT THE POPCORN APPETIZER - fresh popped corn with truffle butter and parmesan. It made two of us cower in its deliciousness and was worth every penny of the $3 we spent on it!
(4)
Tim H.
Alright Royal Tavern, you got my attention. That was a f'n good burger. No joke, I think it's the best I've ever had. In an unrelated note, "Best I Ever Had" is a pleasant song by David Grey (or Gray, not sure). Back to burgers, that was a damn good burger. Meat was good, sauce was good, bacon was good, smoked cheese was good, and the pepper was freaking hot! Beyond that, the beer selection was good, but choices 1 and 2 were out. We decided to go experimental rather than door 3, and that was okay. I forget what we got. It wasn't memorable. The hot cider drink was good. Which reminds me, if you plan to go camping when it's cold out, definitely make it a priority to bring something that burns (wood, stove, witches), something that holds liquid without burning (pot - metal, you know what I mean), Captain Morgans, and Apple Cider. "Back to the lesson at hand." The Cuban rolls were very good, good thinking on that one. Friendly staff, and the one youngish guy with the blond hair knew his beer. Props to him. That's it.
(4)
Carlie E.
To the point- Go here and get a fun appetizer .. salty buttery pop corn.. etc. then get the burger. If you don't like spice.. don't get it with the hot pepper.. You'll be breathing out fire for the night. Get a good beer to drink it down with and enjoy the dark bar atmosphere. My Favorite bar and burger spot. fries are tasty too.
(4)
Dan K.
While not in love with the Royal, I think I lean more towards the P.O.P.E for my East Pazz bar experience. Granted, the place looks awesome inside, good jukebox, nice folks, decent service and pretty rad food, I always seem to forget about this place. For sure get the grilled cheese, the burgers are tasty and if you want some yummy vegan fare, get the vegan sloppy joe, it will blow you're mind. Then hit the P.O.P.E and compare.
(3)
Thuong D.
The burger is excellent everytime! Maybe it tasted so good because every time i stopped here i am a bit intoxicated. Service is good.
(4)
Matt D.
Decided to check this South Philly pub out on Tuesday since my girlfriend and I had a friend in town who loves beer and vegan food. Thankfully, this little secret is known for both and it definitely lived up to expectations. For an appetizer, I tried the Fried Shrimp wrapped in bacon and some Old Bay Fries and both were awesome. The shrimp were tempura style and the bacon inside was totally tasty and crispy. For my meal, I got the mussels and basically ate 90% of my girlfriend's Smoked Gouda Grilled Cheese, because she wasn't feelin' it. Our vegan friend got the Vegan Sloppy Joe and she said that it was well spiced and a nice alternative to the original. That's a good sign, since it's often hard to find a decent bar with a menu full of vegan and vegetarian options. The beer selection was very nice, if not totally exceptional. All the usual favorites were on tap or in bottles and our table got a bottle of Chimay Red, two Franziskaner Hefes, Delirium Tremens and a glass of Bell's Kalamazoo Stout (which still didn't really live up to its hefty reputation). Our waitress was extremely friendly, offering up several menu and beer recommendations and the crowd was laid back and made some superb jukebox selections. All in all, this place is a total diamond in the rough and a watering hole I plan to return to as often as possible.
(4)
D M.
This place isn't for hipsters, yuppies, or old timers, but for the rest of us. I came here this Saturday night at 10. The decor is classy with probably 20 tables, all full, so we sat at the bar. The beers on tap weren't your usual victory / dogfish / y lager, which was a nice change (although I like those beers). The menu was vegetarian friendly, although we just had two sides, the fries and tater tots, both greasy delicious. Maybe the best way to describe this bar is as the compliment to its next door neighbor, Dive Bar. One is smoky and dingy, the crowds are five years and several pay grades apart, but both are friendly. I've also been here at closing time, and then the place was deserted. Still, a good place to know and visit.
(4)
Katrina C.
The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is because the food can seriously take forever. However, it is always good. The malt mayo stuff they serve the fries with is awesome. The nachos are huge, but the chips and salsa (homemade/fresh) is a great app to have while waiting for the food. They serve Franziskaner beer which is my favorite. The vegan panini is awesome as is the grilled cheese. The soups are always great. There are specials every night of the week. Great place! I come here often! Brunch is good too - mimosas are only $5.
(4)
Kris M.
I hadn't been to The Royal in at least 6 years. The food was just as good as I remembered! My friend and I had the short ribs and veal special for dinner. We were both impressed. Great place for a casual and inexpensive meal.
(5)
Deann M.
Definitely in my top five places to eat in Philly. Amazing food with a selection of vegetarian foods too. Also, the specials keep it fresh (one time I had a plaintain w/ smoked chili soup! Sweet and spicy!! Mmmm. I wanted to lick the bowl). The nachos are a challenge for even the biggest of eaters. I recommend going during Happy hour if you can, there's no fighting for a table and 1/2 off drinks. I only eat red meat once a month and the last three months its been the Royal for a burger. The only cons I would say are how small it is (one time we waited over an hour), also, I ordered one of the specials (some type of fish tostada) and it was only two tiny little portions for $15. I was still hungry, luckily a friend of mine shared her mound of fries with me. Otherwise, the staff, the food, the ambience, the creative menu, everything is awesome! The servers even deal with large parties trying to split their checks on several credit cards, which must be annoying. (sorry... thanks!)
(5)
Neil K.
This place is my favorite place for a hungover Saturday or Sunday lunch. I have tried almost all the sandwiches on the menu and they are all very good, the only exception for me is the Vegan Sloppy Joe(not good). Although I am not vegan or vegetarian but this place has a great selection for anyone who is. My personal favorites on the menu are the Burger, the Meatloaf, and the chicken sandwich. I like that the chef has put together some really interesting twists on traditional pub grub. There is one downside to Royal Tavern...be prepared to wait for a seat lunch or dinner. I suggest going at 3 o'clock if you want to sit right away. The staff are always friendly and helpful...if you haven't been go here now!
(5)
JEAN S.
I can't believe I have never reviewed this place because I have been having a love affair with the Royal for years. I'm in love with the grilled cheese, the mac and cheese, and the Caesar salad with the little polenta croutons. Their bloody mary cures what ails me. The food specials are usually delicious and the beer selection is great.
(5)
Robert H.
This place delivers everytime I go there. Just had a meal there the week before Christmas. My friend and I started with Chimay (can't go wrong there) and the most delicious homemade soup. She had the braised short ribs which melted in your mouth as did the buttery spaetzel and roasted parsnips (which have become my new favorite veggie). I had a pork loin stuffed with provolone, spinach, and pesto. This was one of the best pork dishes I have had in years. We finished with with a decadent black and white cake. Simply awesome!
(4)
Justin L.
This review is about brunch. More specifically, it is about huevos rancheros. Royal Tavern gets my vote for BEST huevos rancheros in town and I have tried it just about everywhere. I've had other things at Royal that were also really good, but whenever I go its hard not to get the huevos. They are perfection.
(5)
Stevie S.
Favorite brunch spot in Philly for real. Went for dinner the other night after a long time and it was awesome. Always great beer on the menu and the food is siiiiick. The staff is great too! Very friendly and personable
(5)
Adam R.
My fiance and i wanted to go to a nice brunch spot today and chose The Royal Tavern. We got their early and it was a good idea because as soon as we sat down the place filled up. Upon entering we were told to sit at any two top table we liked, so we picked the one next to the stairs. We were served water right away but no menus. in the seven minutes we were waiting for menus we saw the bartender seat two separate couples at tables and give them menus. As if on cue when I told my fiance that maybe we should pick a better place our waitress showed up with menus. At that point we were ready to order drinks but she had left just as fast as she had dropped the menus. Another five minute wait and she was back to take our drink order. She seemed rushed and was not even going to take the food order till I told her that we were ready to order. Our order was as follows: Me - A Bacon Bloody Mary A cup of coffee Nachos A Burger (since I heard they were good here) My fiance - A cup of tea The Cubano Omelette I got my bloody mary first and took a sip. Wow, super concentrated taste and a little heavy on the vodka. My fiance said that is what I get for ordering a bloody mary but I told her to look at the bartender when she makes one. The bartender poured in the vodka and then out of a tupperware container poured in the mix. Now don't get me wrong, using a pre-made mix is fine but you have to shake the drink to mix all of the ingredients together before you serve it. So basically I was served a thick bloody mary shake with a kick of vodka at the bottom. As for the cup of coffee I ordered our server forgot it until I asked. At that point she seems to busy to care and threw down a cup that was maybe 3/4s full. She never refilled it again the whole time we were there. We got the nachos and they were good. Piled high with fresh sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and jalepenos. My fiance said that they were a bit salty but I found no problem with them. It's really hard to make a plate of nachos I don't like. As we waited for our main course I noticed the bartender taking new champagne glasses out of a cardboard box. I asked my fiance if she thought the bartender was going to wash them. Well, I am sorry to say that she did not. Each time a person ordered a mimosa, she just used one of the new, out of the box, unwashed flutes. Disgusting. Our food got there and was decent. My burger was cooked well and had good flavor. What disappointed me were the fries. Though fresh, some of them were soggy with grease, or under done. Her omelette was good. We ended up taking home half of each dish since we were stuffed because of the nachos. As soon as we stepped outside of the place I started feeling sick. This feeling has not left me. As soon as we got back home I ran to the bathroom. I have been running there every hour since. The only reason I gave the Royal Tavern one star was because the food was decent, and I hope I am sick from something else. I don't think we'll be back there anytime soon.
(1)
Caitlin C.
Who would think that this establishment would have good food? I used to come here with coworkers for a drink after work. It is dark and small and usually loud, but that's what a bar usually is. The service is exceptional, and the crowd is a bit indie punk. But the food is amazing (popcorn with truffle oil) and this could definitely be classified as a gastropub. I would recommend this bar to anyone looking to get away from city chic lounges, but is still a food/beer snoob.
(4)
june g.
Royal Tavern is very hit or miss. Often times, the service has been very slow, and inattentive. But note, I say often times, not all the time. But I have waited 10 minutes to have my name taken for the wait list to the point that I'd have to tug at a servers shirt only to be asked "Are you on the list?" Obviously, I'm not, or I wouldn't be asking for a table. Today, our server forgot our drinks after I reminded him twice, but at least we ended up not having to pay for them. Food has sometimes taken 45 min+ to come out of the kitchen. I also saw a server snort a line. I've had some snooty servers who choose favorites but also some very pleasant ones. As for the food, that's hit or miss too. My grilled cheese has come out hot and crispy, but also soggy and warm sometimes. It's very, very oily as well. My 'spicy' tomato soup has tasted like Campells with too much chili and cayenne pepper. My seitan sandwich has been soggy and falling apart but still tasty, although at different times other friends seitan sandwich's have been well constructed with a natural toasted whole grain bread. I've heard rave reviews regarding their burgers and sloppy joes. I've noticed, lunch portions, although at the same price, are smaller than those at dinner. I have not tried their brunch. I'm not a fan of how my bartenders have made my simple cocktails, although the beer list is okay if you don't mind waiting 10+ minutes if you're seated at a table. Young and old, hipster and trendy, all dine here. The inside has an old philadelphia charm to it, and a half decent jukebox. But sometimes, the place can smell of piss. It could be the scruffy servers. I have frequently given it many chances but I feel as any future visits that my friends may coerce me into coming along will be few and far inbetween. I'm giving it 3 stars for some good food I have had there at okay prices, and for the servers who have been friendly and accomodating. Also, mostly everyone on yelp likes it, so I could just be missing something.
(3)
Jaime K.
Best burger in the city. There, I said it.
(5)
Brian K.
I was visiting a friend in Philly who took me to Royal Tavern for breakfast. The strawberry crumble pancakes were amazing! Super friendly staff with great food, can't beat that. I will definitely be back next time I am in the area!
(5)
Scott F.
Royal Tavern has long been atop my list of places to try, specifically to try their burger. I decided after being on that list for over a year it was time to get my fill of their recommended fare. In a word, pretty good. Pretty damn good. Not my favorite burger in the city and maybe not even in my top 5, but usually anticipation that simmers as long as it does will ultimate deflate the overall reaction. Fair beer selection combined with a decent food menu and comfortable atmosphere creates a pretty solid trilogy of reasons for me to return to Royal, but with so many other places on my list to try.... I hope I can return again....
(4)
Bob S.
I have been coming here for about 4 years and I have yet to have a bad experience at Royal Tavern. Try: Burgers Specials (some very unusual and tasty choices are on the board) Soups Grilled Cheese Salads Enjoy the atmosphere the partrons taking people here for the first time. the music Waiters/Waitresses are polite efficient and helpful. Also the bathrooms are clean. Also they are consistent!
(5)
Jon D.
Royal's my standard-bearer of bars. It's my basis of comparison for most other bars, and the neighborhood place I drank at the most over the past few years. Royal's food is great. All of their specials (though sometimes pricey) are always delicious. The nachos with vegan beef were my long-time favorite until they switched-up their tempeh club recipe - it's by far the best in town. Their vegan sloppy joe is the best greasy vegetarian sandwich around, and the grilled octopus salad is great when you're in the mood for something healthy. (By healthy I mean green and smothered in olive oil). Royal always has a great rotating list of beers at prices that have unfortunately become the standard in town ($5-$6.50 a pint). Overall it's easily one of the best gastropubs in the city.
(4)
David B.
Listen, I have been here a handful of times and I have only had the burger...because it is one of the best burger's I have ever had. They are always busy but the wait staff does a great job of keeping up with it. Expect a wait for a table anytime after 7pm, but it's worth it.
(5)
Christine R.
Simply put: I love this place. I have been here several times and always leave happy. Royal Tavern has a divey atmosphere, dimly lit, but cozy. I especially love coming here in the cooler months to enjoy a beer and one of their soups. The place is a bit on the small side but I have yet to wait a long time to get a seat. They usually have food specials written on the board. And the food.... is delicious! I've had their grilled cheese, and vegan sloppy joe. I've also tried two of their desserts, which was a chocolate mouse cake and a pumpkin cake. Both amazing, which is significant because I feel bars aren't obligated to produce above average desserts. I've also been here for brunch a couple of times and enjoyed my experience. They have good coffee which is an important standard for me when it comes to brunch. I've never had to wait for brunch either which is great because most brunch spots in the south philly area are packed on the weekends, with an average of 40 minute wait. I came here at 11 a.m. on a Sunday and got seated fairly quickly. They have a couple of vegan and vegetarian options too. And as stated in previous reviews, Royal has a solid draft list.
(5)
Heather F.
There's something special about the Royal Tavern. It's dimly lit, and they have a single strand of holiday lights that seems to stay up all year long. The bar is gorgeous, too. It must be original to the building. I've been there several times, and the food is very consistent, and very good. I am a fan of the hummus platter, however, it's too big for just one person. They have a fantastic grilled cheese sandwich, too. I'm a grilled cheese sandwich snob, so trust me when I say it's awesome. If you're used to American cheese, however, then you won't like this sandwich. They use different cheeses, such as provolone and gruyere. Delish! If you're looking for comfort food, and grilled cheese isn't your thing, then maybe you'll enjoy the mac and cheese. The beer selection is pretty awesome, as well. They carry different types of brews, ranging from local microbrews, to Belgian delights. If you have a more "refined" palate for beer, you'll be happy at the Royal.
(4)
Kevin J.
Not a place one would expect great vegetarian dish but "all" can enjoy a wonderful experience! A must!
(5)
Carlos L.
This place is CONSISTENTLY one of my favorite restaurants every time I'm asked for a list. Love it... fantastic VEGAN food (try the tempeh club. it will rock your afternoon), super friendly staff, the best jukebox in philadelphia, good prices, awesome (albeit small) rotating draft list, vegan desserts, nice atmosphere, yadda yadda yadda. The only complaint i have is the line for brunch if you show up too far after 11. But honestly, i can't blame success on a business that deserves it this much. I don't live in the area (haven't for about four years), but i still make sure to get my friends cross-town for a night of food and drinks at the Royal Tavern more than just once in a blue moon.
(5)
Sarah B.
I live right down the street and I go here about once a week- great food and prices. Truffle butter ppopcorn is to die for. I love the grilled chicken sandwich. Variety of beers on tap and they always have seasonal cocktails. Great to come for dinner, drinks, etc. Love it here!
(5)
Heather R.
Best Burger in Philly, enough said.
(4)
Rob R.
The Royal Tavern has a great menu, I've had both the chicken sandwich and the burger. The burger was very good, a bit spicy, I'd say it ranks among the top 5 burgers in the city behind Village Whiskey, Butcher and Singer, and Rouge. My only complaint about this place is that the wait staff seems to be overutilized and when its crowded (which it always is) that creates a problem, also the air conditioning or lack there of makes the restaurant very uncomfortable.
(4)
Jen C.
The food is great, the service is pleasant, and I can always get a table. Try the wings, their amazing, and I love the spicy sauce on the angus burger. A little tip for you: Play MGMT on the juke box and you might get a dance from one of the servers (I wont tell you who).
(5)
Stacey S.
UPDATE: I've since been back for dinner, and although we had to wait ages for a table, it was TOTALLY WORTH IT! The food was FANTASTIC! Yummmmmm. After gorging myself on the truffle butter parmesan popcorn again, I wasn't quite up for a full meal, so I got the appetizer gnocchi and it was a super generous portion and super delicious!
(4)
Sara H.
there's lots to like about the royal: 1. good beer 2. vegan and veggie-friendly food items that are delicious, especially with #1. i recommend the vegan sloppy joe. 3. relatively chill and down-to-earth atmosphere, although it often gets crowded quickly. one of my favorite bars in philadelphia.
(4)
JJ N.
Great spot. Everything I've had on the menu including specials has been fantastic. Great beer selection as well.
(4)
Anna B.
The Royal Tavern is pretty awesome. It is ridiculously nondescript from the outside but is so quaint and cozy inside. This tavern is tucked inside a converted row home on Passyunk amidst a very residential area (save for The Dive, a few doors down). It is a small space but is super lively every time I've been. The service is good; some waitresses are a bit friendlier than others but the entire staff seems to be knowledgeable and to take their job seriously. The food is awesome as well. A portobello/arugula pizza special they had once was AMAZING. Really awesome bar fare mixed with interesting entrees and sandwiches. There are a ton of bar/restaurants within a few blocks of here but the Royal Tavern is BY FAR the best. *One complaint: My boyfriend gets pick up from here at least once a week. One time he didn't tip, just left the change he was owed, and the bartender threw the change back down on the bar angrily and told him to keep it. Having been a server for years, I know not to EXPECT a tip on take out orders. Also, my boyfriend had tipped this guy plenty of times before this. UNNECESSARY.
(4)
Liz R.
I'm not vegan and pride myself on an unapologetic love of meat -- but the vegan sloppy joe may be my favorite item on the menu. The sloppy joe sauce is out-of-this-world good. Paired with a beer and some crab fries with a game on the TV at the bar -- it's transcendant. If you prefer a table experience, there are plenty of seating options away from the TVs at the bar. The place is rightfully a popular neighborhood hang out, so be prepared to wait to get a seat if you go at a peak evening time.
(5)
Justin W.
I Sampled the Angus Burger... Extremely tasty. Oh and they had Rouge Chocolate on draft. The atmosphere is more urban contemporary.
(3)
Jake V.
I kind of see a trend going on here where the No. Libs and Bella Vista have some sort of alter ego thing going on. While No. Libs has the Abbaye, Bella Vista has the Royal Tavern. Both have delicious beers and really, really delicious food that tend to lean towards the veggie side. I prefer the Abbaye due to it's proximity to my homestead, though. Royal Tavern is basically the same thing for when I'm in South Philly.
(4)
keith m.
I approve of the royal tavern. I went friday and got pan fried gnocci with spinach, grape tomatoes and mushrooms. it was tasty and really hit the spot. The atmosphere is nice, the juke box has a lot of great music, and the beer selection is good. The prices are also fair. All around a nice bar.
(4)
Joseph W.
This place clearly does a lot of things right. I'm not sure where they lost me. I like the decor and ambiance, and the service was good. The food wasn't too great, nothing looked great to me and I ended up with mussles which I normally love. They put their own spin on it by using a curry sauce. I liked the curry sauce, although it made a messy dish messier. The only thing that I didn't like was that they had many fully cooked cloves of garlic in their. I love garlic as much as the next person but I kept on inadvertantly eating the whole garlic cloves. Again, I like garlic, but I like my friends much more so I imagine it made me more difficult to be around as the night went on.
(3)
Andrea F.
I've been looking forward to the Royal Tavern burger for like 6 years now, anticipating that it would taste eons better than my favorites in the city (Good Dog, Rembrandt's, etc.). Much to my dismay, it didn't live up to the hype everyone gave it. But it was still a GOOD burger and the bar itself was nice, so I'd definitely come back and try something else off their extensive and creative menu. For me, it was so messy (which is fine), but the bun was kinda blah and flimsy (which isn't fine) and couldn't hold up to the juicy burger and its toppings. A friend ordered some chicken thing which looked okay and then my other friend ordered the fish and chips, which looked like it could serve like 5 people when it came out it was so gigantic. Needless to say, I tried it and it was also underwhelming- the batter had no flavor (St. Stephen's Green is far superior). The nachos were surprisingly tasty with a smoky flavor in the cheese. The drink list was good. The place was too dark, even for a "dive" bar (I put dive in quotes cause when you're serving up gourmet food at those prices in that area, it's not really dive anymore). Overall, I would still go back and try other stuff on the menu.
(3)
Larissa G.
I am amazed that this place flew under my radar for so long, but I'm not in south Philly that often. I stopped by today for a late lunch (errr it was 4pm and my roommates and I were all starving because we hadn't eaten all day and didn't want the fake food at Ikea) today. The place was much more crowded than I thought it would be for that hour and the interior is dark with a beautiful, huge, dark wood bar. We didn't get drinks because we have been on spring break this week and none of us thought we could handle any more alcohol at the moment... I liked the place instantly because I wanted to be friends with most the people working there. Our server reminded me a lot of a friend who had moved away and the other servers seemed really cool too (ahem- we all liked the "cats in outer space" leggings). I split the vegan beef nachos and the tempeh club with my boyfriend, per Kathleen V's suggestion. I really wanted the chipotle seitan taco special, but they were out :( Both dishes were good. Not awesome, but good. The nachos were piled high with plenty of toppings, but I should have ordered the small. My only complaint was that the vegan beef honestly added no flavor at all. The texture was good, but maybe not worth the extra $4? Next time, I will get a sans-meat nacho plate. The grilled tempeh club was very visually appealing and the bread was good. The basil aioli is by far the best part of the sandwich. The vegan bacon got a little lost in the mix and the tempeh tasted like it was made and packaged elsewhere. Overall, for all the components involved, this sandwich lacked flavor. The service was great and I liked the atmosphere. This is another Philly gastropub that's definitely worth frequenting, and this one actually gives you a physical menu instead of having to read it off the chalkboard on the wall! The food itself was 3-stars, but I'm giving it 4 because this place has the best vegetarian/vegan options of anywhere I have been in awhile. I'll be back... probably pretty soon.
(4)
Lindsay V.
A-OK describes this place pretty well. M and I came here for dinner on a Friday night and were seated promptly. The beer list was decent, but none of the food really grabbed me too much. I ordered an entree size of the gnocchi (with tomatoes, pine nuts, spinach, and some strange brown gravy deal). It was pretty tasty, but it got boring after a little while. M got the burger and said it was good. He also got the wings sampler and I got to taste the buffalo wings and BBQ wings -- both were pretty solid. The guy that waited on us clearly didn't care about waiting on us, but I didn't really expect too much.
(3)
Michelle C.
I have always liked Royal, but found it generally unremarkable. And then I had the burger. I like burgers, but I don't love them, and I generally am loathe to pay more than $10 for one (or any sandwich) but nothing else on the menu last night was catching my eye, and apparently it was "National Cheeseburger Day," so I acquiesced. What have I been missing? The most glorious mix of ingredients partied upon my tastebuds as I stuffed my face. The patty? Perfectly sized and cooked...and all those delectable ingredients stayed ensconced between the two buns! Sorcery! And that perfectly crispy bacon. I regret nothing. As a bonus, Royal, like all its sister bar/restaurants has lots of vegetarian options to keep my lover happy. He enjoyed the tempeh club. Subtract 1 star for a tap list I wish was longer and lighting so dim I nearly need a flashlight to read the menu. I think I can die happy now.
(4)
Jamie R.
Home of the 2015 Best Vegan Cheesesteak (which my non-veg friends couldn't tell from the real thing) and other plant-based dishes. It's great to be able to walk into a pub with your friends and know there is something lovingly cooked for you, that you won't have to watch everyone else eat. Super-friendly staff and a fantastic chef.
(5)
Kendel S.
This is THE best dive bar in Philly. The food is always on point and the people are friendly. Don't bother going on a Friday/Saturday night though because you'll be waiting forever.
(4)
Patricia B.
I wish I could give Royal 10 stars!! It's a fav spot of mine. I don't get down to the neighborhood enough, but when I do, I make sure to visit Royal Tavern. Their vegan entree options are so refreshing...not to mention delicious! I highly recommend the Tempeh Club and the Vegan Sloppy Joe--they're equally out of this world. The portions are sizable, so share with a buddy, if you're not starving. I visited Royal for my birthday about a month ago. They were able to accommodate a group of 12 for dinner within about an hour at 7 pm on a Saturday night--and did so graciously! Our server, whose name I think was Stephen, was THE BEST. He was just the right amount of attentive and super helpful with anything our big group needed. He didn't make us feel like we were a burden, as I think sometimes is the case with big groups. Thank you, Royal Tavern, for being you. See you soon!
(5)
Beef M.
Wow, great brunch! I got croque madame eggs bennedict, hot damn it was good. Good potatoes too, very well seasoned. I do think the meal was heavy, and I would not eat here everyday for that reason, but as a special treat, which it was, this place takes the cake. My friend got the burger and loved it, I think everyone I was with loved what they got. Great service and a great vibe to the place. It's dark and spooky, but also kind of basic in decor (unlike the wacky decor of north 3rd, which I love). Would be good for a date (though not quiet), taking out the parents, or just getting some beer with a glutenous meal (also GREAT beer selection). I'm sure some of the food there might be healthy, maybe, but if I really want to eat healthy, I'll probably be eating at home.
(5)
Steve B.
The hype is warranted; this place was highly recommended by my friends and it didn't disappoint. Stopped in for a late lunch over the weekend and enjoyed one of the best burgers I've ever had. The smoked gouda, pickled longhots, and chile mayo all came together to complement, but not overpower, the perfectly-cooked, medium-rare glory of the angus beef. I also enjoyed a side of old bay fries which were highly addicting, and tried my friend's stuffed grape leaf, also very tasty. Great craft beers on tap; a really friendly (but not overbearing) wait staff; decent prices; just an all-around awesome experience. As others have mentioned they have vegan/vegetarian options that are just as amazing. If I was in Philly more often, this would be a routine stop. Whenever I do get back down there, I'll be sure to pay a visit. Other bars take heed, this is how it should be done.
(5)
Larry M.
I have been here a handful of times mostly for brunch usually with lager group of friends. The service has always been good. Although a friend of mine had a very bad experience once. I wasn't there for it but the manager took care of the situation and all was well in the end. They have an ample beer selection and the food is good. My favorite is their burgers.
(4)
Matt B.
They told us we would wait 30 minutes until we could sit down to eat but they really made us wait 60 minutes!!! The food was good though.
(3)
Edwardius W.
I absolutely love the Angus burger w/ bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled longed hots and chile mayo! Paired with a side of tater tots because that's how I roll here. I wash it down with a icy cold draft of Miller Lite draft because I'm not classy.
(5)
Laur A.
This is our "go to" spot in my neighborhood. Food is great, the staff is cool, the music is pretty good, And the Bacon Bloody Mary is the best Bloody Mary I've ever had...and I've tried lots. Hands down the best.
(4)
Sonia C.
Came here on a busy Sunday night with my sister-in-law's entire family (including the 2 children). When I first walked in, I was sure they were going to kick us out because of the kids (the tavern, as the namesake implies, is mostly a bar), but it turns out that there are a few tables at the back of the place for minor diners. It is a place not conducive to conversation and I found myself needing to use my outdoor voice just to be heard! My brother-in-law started us off with some appetizers. The truffle butter popcorn was pretty good, hot with no burnt parts, but I could feel the butter bursting from the kernels under my teeth. Maybe they could be a little less aggressive with the butter and a bit more heavy-handed with the Parmesan (good on popcorn). The fried calamari was average, nothing to rave or complain about. We were still full from dim sum earlier in the day, so my husband and I opted to split a burger with steak fries. I loved how they allowed diners to substitute any side for another (except the mac and cheese). The burger was pretty great, a plump juicy medium rare with smoky bacon and grilled onions, served atop a soft brioche bun. The steak fries were good, but if it were up to me, I would have chosen tater tots as my side (mostly because I lurve tots). My nieces got them and I spent the whole dinner surreptitiously mooching off their shared plate. Service was pleasant - despite being busy, our server managed to always keep our soda glasses full and brought us anything we asked with a smile. I'd come here again.
(4)
Cameron P.
This place is great. The food lives up to the hype. Burger, meatloaf sandwich, fish and chips, Indian chicken sandwich are all amazing. The have great specials for brunch and dinner. I seriously doubt you could get a bad dish here bar is small and tables are hard to come by. Well worth the wait.
(5)
A X.
Based on my first and only time eating here I think it's 5 stars, but I feel uncertain and not experienced enough, so I will have to re-confirm the 5 star status that I hope remains. I will have to go back a couple more times before I can really say for sure. Had the Mezze. It was great. Good for couples to share. Definitely worth occasional visits and trying every vegan option. The atmosphere is really good and makes it all worth it. It has very dim lighting, which is perfect with the dark wooden interior. Good selection of vegan and vegetarian options. Nice service. I definitely recommend this place to anyone vegan or vegetarian.
(5)
Alyssa N.
I've lived in Philly for years and never knew about this place! What a great find. My friend and I got the grilled sweet potato banh mi and the meatloaf sandwich. The banh mi was on the perfect crusty bread and had a generous amount of shredded daikon radish, carrot and cilantro on top. I neeeever eat meatloaf but their version may have converted me with the addition of gruyere, bacon marmalade and smoked ketchup. The draft list didn't disappoint either. Next time I'm in town, we'll definitely be going back!
(4)
Leo I.
Nothing to complain about other than I wish I got a chance to try their korean fried chicken wings! It was a special on the board and I wasn't aware of it until after I placed my order for their delicious burger.
(4)
Sara N.
Dining at the Royal Tavern is slightly above munching on bar food but far from impressing a dinner date (e.g., dark cluttered bar, overwhelming ceiling fans, History Channel on the television?). The menu boasts some rich comfort foods, such as tater tots dressed up as nachos, but don't expect a gastronomic experience. The bland grilled sweet potato "banh mi" is a Westernized bastardization of the Vietnamese original. The service was pleasant and very accommodating, but it was still a disappointing meal (e.g., overcooked burgers, greasy sandwiches, cardboard salads). Overall, there are much more misses than hits at this gastropub.
(2)
Joe W.
My experience with Royal fully embodies the text prompt for two stars - "Meh. I've experienced better." I know this place is über popular, as the majority of reviews here will show, but I have never had anything close to a mind-blowing experience at Royal, and do not intend to go back by design based on my most recent encounter. First, the good. What everyone has to say about the food is spot-on. The wings are unreal good, and the burger definitely lives up to reputation. And that's where it all stops. Part of me wonders if it is, indeed, that very reputation getting to the head of the establishment and its staff that contributed to my sub-par experience... The service we received was nothing short of pathetic. A friend arrived a bit ahead of our group to grab seats by the bar so we could watch game 7 of the World Series. She ordered a drink but definitely felt like she was given a bit of an attitude for "holding" the table. I am always turned off by places that feel they're too good to let someone stake real estate (especially in a case like this, where we were only going out to watch the game, and Royal only has one t.v.). Strike 1. When I arrived, I sat for 15 minutes before the server came over to take a drink order. It was another 15 minutes before he came back to take our food order, and it was another 30 minutes before we saw him again after that. A runner brought out our wings and just left us there with the plate - no place settings, no small plates, nothing. We ended up having to be "that annoying table" and ask for a bunch of stuff that is pretty standard to have brought to your table without request. Strike 2 (3? 4?) As the game was winding down, our server came over twice and kind of awkwardly asked us if we wanted any more drinks (it's worth noting that all of our interactions were a bit awkward). After we all indicated that we weren't sure/might have another drink in a bit/etc., he stated in an annoyed tone that he was leaving and would have to give us our check. Now, I've been in this situation many, many times before - a server's shift is over, wants to close out, and will hand you off to the bartender or whoever's around - but will typically do so in an inviting and courteous manner. Not the case this night at Royal. Strike 3. A word of advice: If you're going to be cranky about holding a table, don't disappear and miss opportunities to add drinks to the bill, and definitely don't make like you're trying to skip town at the end of the night, when you again are passing on opportunities for sales. Again, the food was on par, but the service was terrible (something I've heard from folks who have frequented Royal more than myself), and the draft list was far from impressive; now that there are more options for decent bars in the area, there are definitely better draft selections elsewhere. I know this is only one experience, and would certainly invite folks to see what Royal has in store, but I don't expect to end up within their doors any time soon...
(2)
Pig E.
It's a Tavern, not a gourmet restaurant. Exceptional Beer list, knowledgeable bartenders and a good tasting burger as advertised. Everything at a good value and not overpriced
(5)
Anthony C.
I eat here often and I've never had a bad meal. Great food, beer and reasonable prices. Service was excellent . The crowd was a pleasant mix which included hipsters.
(4)
Dae S.
I still remember when this place opened in 2002, I was shy two years of being 21 when they open their doors, so I waited till I was 21 before I went there to eat and drink. Not once in the twelve years I have been going here have I been disappointed. Everything from the Nachos, Burgers (yes it is the best burger in that city), and vegan entree's are top notch. No matter if I was going here by myself or taking friends from out of the city here, I always felt comfortable. This place was where me and my girl first went on the first couple of dates we had back in 2007. I have since moved out of Phila last year after living there my whole life. I now live in Maine, people ask me if I miss the food (typical phila foods, cheese steaks, hard rolls, etc) The only foods I miss at this point are those served from The Royal. I make it a point when I visit to at least eat here once during that visit.
(5)
Helen V.
I'm so fortunate to have my favorite restaurant in my neighborhood. I'm probably here every other week. I would think the servers would recognize me by now. The reason why I keep going back is for the burger and the specials. I always recommend the burger for my first-time friends. Never disappoints. The specials change often and I've never had a bad meal. Everything is full of flavor, but nothing overpowering. Royal Tavern puts a great gourmet twist to all of your favorite foods. The vegetarian and vegan options are pretty darn good too for us loyal carnivores. Any time there's a vegetarian chili special I am all over it. (And I loveeeeee meat!) I'm not too fond of the vegan desserts though. It can get busy on the weekends at night, but during the day and on weeknights there's always a seat. Sit. Eat. Enjoy.
(5)
Brian D.
Going to stay for dinner but had a wait. Asked bartender in Jeff cap to please turn on College Football Playoffs instead of some meaningless show on CW. Told us he was too busy. He wasn't busy. So we decided to take our business elsewhere. And he forgot to bring our drinks.
(1)
Kathleen V.
I WANT TO EAT HERE EVERYDAY! Vegan Beef Nachos v. Tempeh Club! zesty chips, vegan beef, pico, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and jalapenos! The vegan beef is perfect on this, like it's scary how perfect it is. v. bangin' bread, grilled tempeh, vegan bacon, lettuce, tomato, basil aioli! I'm pretty sold on the basil aioli. This also comes with fries that are served with malt mayo, I'm a tad hesitant to dip fries in mayo but not here. (This is a good setting for a first date)
(5)
Nary K.
By far, the best burger I've tasted in Philly!!!! You have to get the burger with long hots and Gouda Cheese - it's delish and affordable (burger with fries, $11). Can't wait to go back. Thier chicken wings are awesome too!
(5)
Sarah P.
The Royal Tavern name is fitting, because I am unofficially crowning this place the king/queen of South Philly dive bars/gastropubs (apologies to its holiness, the P.O.P.E). Don't be fooled by the understated exterior and dark interior, this place is a shining gem in the neighborhood. It's the perfect spot to grab some beers with old friends or to take someone on a casual date, especially if you are vegan or vegetarian like me. With its well-executed variety of vegan entrees and its constantly-changing, inventive specials, Royal Tavern never disappoints. Royal Tavern's instagram feed regularly features tantalizing photos of new, limited-time specials. Even though I haven't had the luck of trying each and every vegan special, I'm always impressed with the creativity of their new veg offerings and their ability to create complex and satisfying meatless entrees that escape the boring veggie burger and pasta trap. My regular favorites are the surprisingly refreshing vegan sweet potato bahn mi and the comically large tempeh club. The sweet potato bahn mi is full of bright flavors and satisfying crunch and the tempeh club is divine. The vegan bacon provides a deep, smoky flavor while the tempeh is grilled and seasoned to compliment its delicious, slightly nutty flavor. The basil aoli is just as good as everyone says it is. The fries accompanying all of the sandwiches are crispy and perfectly seasoned, with a vegan mayo that keeps you coming back for fry after fry even when you KNOW you're full. Easily one of my top 5 bars in the city and my favorite in the neighborhood.
(5)
Judy C.
Nice drink selection... Although the kona beer I tried seemed a little watered down? Really had only 1 thing we liked from everything we ordered- the pulled pork tater tot nachos! Absolutely delicious! Roommie and I shared it and killed it. It was soo good. Definitely order this! If we ever came back, it would be for this dish. Everything else we ordered was disappointing... The grilled cheese was good... But it's not something you want to order out and pay $8(?) for. I heard the burgers were supposed to be really good... Instead of ordering the one on the regular menu, I opted for the special- Kobe beef patty stuffed with goat cheese with bacon, mushroom, a little bit of BBQ sauce, and a fried egg. Sounds good right? ...I was disappointed. I asked for medium rare- the burger was closer to medium well. What a waste of Kobe beef. I just couldn't eat it. I tried... But the party itself was tasteless and tough... Medium well!! Maybe I should've returned it and asked them to make it medium rare again and maybe the review would be different. Anyway, disappointed by the burger- can't anticipate the regular menu burger being better... Other roommie was disappointed by her banh mi. So she's Vietnamese... I understand "Americanizing" some cultural foods to make it "fusion" style, but it was so bland she had to ask for extra sauce! We prob won't be back... But if we do come back, I'd definitely get the pulled pork tater tot nachos again... Check out the specials and beer selection...
(3)
Ginger K.
One of our oldies but goodies! Always a great place to land for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cool atmosphere, very creative chef, specials are always different. Food is great! Thanks for always being consistently good!
(5)
Allie E.
Really great dive bar with amazing food! Love their popcorn. Great drink selection and fun atmosphere. Close quarters, so plan to stand around the bar if you go on a Saturday night. Highly recommended!
(5)
Allison I.
Get the nachos with everything!! Always nice service and savory offerings. Thanks Royal!
(4)
Chloe R.
Royal tavern has the best burger in the city, and I am having one on saturday!
(5)
Vlad G.
I had their burger last night, and, it was one of the best I have ever experienced. It was a burger so good, so nuanced, that I almost didn't want to eat it at all. (For what it's worth, I also enjoyed a plate of their chicken wings the first time I came here to watch America lose to Belgium, and they were exquisite.)
(5)
Nico L.
I came here on hype that was the greatest burger in Pennsylvania. The ambiance of the place was great, friendly, and enough space to maneuver around. The table we had was barely large enough for three. The server we had, was awesome. I wish I remembered her name. Friendly, straight to the point. All three of us had burgers, though with different sides. Luckily, they were all the same price. I had the steak fries, which were massive and delicious. And piping hot. Give them a second to cool. I ordered the house burger (Angus Burger I think it was on the menu). The pepper was a nice little twist. However, I wasn't blown away. The bread was delicious, the bacon was great. The meat left something to be desired however. I would come back here to try the other menu items, but the burger is probably something I would opt against.
(3)
Douglas K.
I visit Royal Tavern with my partner and some of his teacher friends from time to time and always have a good time. We usually go there after school and have a late lunch/early dinner. This last time we were lucky enough to have the peach sangria - yum. For us, it's a nice little quiet place to go after a day at work. I always leave happy.
(4)
Anya M.
Went for the first time last night for dinner with friends. Service was friendly and never felt rushed even though the place was packed. Food was delicious - I had the meatloaf sandwich. My only complaint was that seating was tight because they were so busy and those of us seated on the bar side of the table felt a little in the way of others coming and going. 4.5 stars.
(5)
Lou P.
I the Royal Poutine and it was a grand slam! Great fries topped with cheese curds, loads up shredded duck confit, and gravy topped with two eggs. Brunch heaven! The service was on point and the place was jumping. WELL DONE ROYAL TAVERN...we'll be back?!?
(5)
Brendan L.
You just have to have the burger. For any burger lover out there.... The royal tavern burger has it all! It's like a religious pilgrimage every time I go there. Great laid back service and out of this world food. I always want to try something else on the menu, but the burger is so good I rarely have the courage to order something different. The atmosphere is great too!
(5)
Courtney J.
I have had two pleasant visits to Royal Tavern in the past month. This place is related to the extremely delicious Mexican restaurant Dos Segundos, so I am not surprised that I had a very well-cooked and flavorful meal there! The first time I came, I had a tuna steak sandwich that was on special. The tuna was cooked perfectly with a nice pink center and topped with a rich kalamata olive spread and crisp fennel, and placed on ciabatta bread. The malt vinegar aoli was tangy and the fries were fresh. The server knew the food and drink menus well. I had a couple of cocktails, a white peach sangria and a tea vodka lemonade drink. While they were not the most amazing cocktails I've ever had, the price was right at around $6 a piece, and they didn't skimp on the booze. My husband had a bacon burger on special that he really enjoyed. I didn't hesitate to come back here a few weeks later when co-workers choose it as a happy hour spot. Again, the service was great, and the drinks were good pours. I ordered a few cocktails not on the menu, a Zombie and a Mojito, and the bartender had no problems. The ginger beer mixed with rum drink that was on special was quite tasty as well. However, I am deducting one star because the main course I ordered on this visit was just okay, and nothing special. I had the sweet potato banh mi that was on the regular menu. The description sounded amazing with crunchy daikon pickles, spicy jalapenos, roasted sweet potato, and a cilantro sauce. However, the actual sandwich was just really bland and missing that oomph. The daikon could have been more vinegary and tangy, and the cilantro sauce was just boring. The flavors didn't really meld together. It was a big disappointment compared to the amazing sandwich I'd had there a few weeks before. On the plus side, the smoked coleslaw that I subbed for the fries was smokey, crispy and some of the best coleslaw I've ever had. It was much more impressive than my sandwich. I also love that they are flexible and will let you substitute any of their many side dishes without an up-charge. I think the only one that cost more to sub out was the mac and cheese. I can't wait to come back and try the bread pudding that I was too full for both times, and also check out some other new specials. I can see myself coming here quite often!
(4)
Elsa U.
So many choices, so many beers, awesome servers, open late. Our favorite place to go when it's late!
(5)
Abbie D.
EPIC BURGER - perfectly done to temperature and the toppings were spot on! The long hot was the perfect amount of heat to this delicious mouth watering piece of meat! YUM YUM YUM malt mayo is killer too!
(5)
Courtney H.
Went for brunch. Menu had plenty of choices but I went for the grilled cheese so that I could add the soup of the day (bacon & white bean). I was surprised (and disappointed) to see that the soup was tomato based and I could barely find any bacon. The grilled cheese was also underwhelming, as it lacked flavor in the cheese blend and bread that tasted like it was dipped in butter. Ordered a side of tots which were greasy and unseasoned. I hope my next brunch experience is better. On the plus side, the food delivery was lightening fast.
(3)
Mike G.
Bad bartender=me gone. Ive been to this bar a few times and eaten there a couple of those times. It's overrated in my opinion. Ive had way better food in most bars these days and the service has always been just OK at best. I recently met a friend there. We had planned on dinner and drinks to catch up at the bar. My friend ordered me a wheat beer , as I requested, and himself an IPA - just before happy hour was over. The female bartender (4/10/13) poured my beer then informed my friend that she could only serve one drink at a time. He explained I was only a couple blocks away, but he offered to just buy one at happy hr price and asked for his beer. She claimed it was against the law to ever sell more than one drink to one customer. Staring in dismay, at the beer he didn't want to drink, at that point he finally just asked if he could have whiskey. She poured him his whiskey and removed my beer from the bar, with a stern bitchy face you see on an abused people-hating nun. My friend quietly explained to me what happened when I arrived 3 minutes later and she was rude enough, eavesdropping and directing comments at me with a snotty look "It's against the law" even though we clearly were not speaking loudly or to her. Well, I don't know if there is actually some archaic law like this, but it's safe to say she didn't handle it very nicely. It's my opinion that NO bar in the city has ever claimed such policy. If that was the law, then someone needs to explain the "city-wide" drink or a Boiler maker. We paid our tab and left quickly and took our long night's business elsewhere. The experience made it clear that this mediocre bar isn't worth ever returning to. It's on my grudge-list now.
(1)
Akshay M.
There are days when I feel like a Kei$ha song brushing my teeth with bottle of jack, and leave for the night not coming back , and the next day morning I feel like Diddy, maybe worse. With a throbbing headache to cure there is only one place in the city my dilapidated senses can think of - Enter Royal Tavern. As there isn't a better cure to a hangover than a juicy burger and a bloody Mary concoction. Though the hike to the tavern frm my crib is a tedious one , each step towards it just builds on the anticipation of another great meal for the books. The service at the bar and the tables is pretty prompt even though this place has a laid back feel to it. The place is abuzz with mostly regular locals from around the area who like me can't resist the charm of the place. We generally grab the seat at the bar and indulge in sipping bloody marys and Mimosas till the food arrives. They probably have the best bloody mary to rule the roost of brunch Concoction in the neighborhood. They generally have a good stock of beautiful beers flowing thru their taps and bottles along with a list of other libations, to keep u quenched. U'd find me nibble on those truffle Parmesan butter flavored popcorn most days while the wait continues. This place ignited the Burger snob in me as far as can think of, I used to be happily content with a decent grill of the meat at most places, but NOT anymore. The 8oz burger was topped with bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled long hot peppers, and chili mayonnaise on a seeded brioche bun. I need to issue a drool alert cos it takes in a while for the beauty of the burger to sink in. The first bite wakes u up with the explosions of the Chili Mayo and Pickled hot peppers making a dent on the palate in a good way. The patty is fluffy made to ur order, and with each bite it keeps getting harder to keep track if the intoxication is because of last night's alcohol or the juicy goodness dripping off the burger. They also have a wicked meatloaf sandwich and a bunch of Vegan options that though I haven't bothered with yet, as I have unrequited love for the burger. So if you are on a quest for "One" of the best burgers in phila, I shall stand like a tall lighthouse and guide ur exploits to Royal Tavern.
(5)
C T.
The service I received here tonight for a to-go order was completely unacceptable. And yes, I am posting this already because I am so bothered about the terrible service. I ordered two burgers to go on the phone and was told that it would be ready in 15 minutes. I showed up at Royal about 15 minutes later and was told by a waitress that it wasn't ready yet. Ok, totally fine with that. About a half hour later, I notice a to-go order come out and the SAME waitress who I spoke to when I came in, looked at the ticket and then put it above the bar. Obviously I assume it's not mine since she knows I've been waiting in the bar for well over 30 minutes and sees me standing there. Bartender finally goes over and checks the order about 15 minutes after she brought it out- wouldn't you know, it's my order. Then my fiance and I got to come home and eat cold, soggy burgers. I've worked in the restaurant business and understand that to-go orders are annoying and don't usually result in tips; however that waitress' behavior was completely unacceptable. I don't care how much I like their burgers, I will never return to a place that employs people who don't care about the customers and only care about their tips. The waitress was the one with the really long hair.
(1)
Adam L.
The Royal Tavern is one of my favorite destinations for good eats in Philadelphia. The Food Girl and I have been frequenting The Royal (thats what its fans call it) for years now. There are just so many reasons to go, really. Where do I even start? Are you a blood-thirsty, unapologetic carnivore? Well then the Royal is the place for you. Their angus burger is the apex of the recent burger resurgence in Philly. Piled high with long hots, smoked Gouda, bacon and a spicy mayo, this is as good as it gets. It comes served with a generous portion of fries alongside their patented malt vinegar mayo. YUM. Or maybe you are a tree-hugging hand-across-the-world vegetarian type, like my lovely fiance. You're covered too. Their tempeh club is out of this world, and just one of many vegetarian-friendly options. Perhaps- like us- you love brunch. Again, the Royal is a winner. It's as alive at 11am on a Sunday as it is midnite on a Friday. There are always interesting specials, reliable standbys & damn good coffee and bloody marys. Or maybe you are just a stone-cold drunk who cares about nothing more than satisfying the pathetic lush who lives inside all of us. I suggest you go to the Royal as well. Theirs is a fantastic drinking spot, with a reliable and rotating list of beers. As you can the see, the Royal Tavern is many things for many folks. Go there and see for yourself. You wont regret it.
(5)
Kevin W.
When I went in here my first thought was,this is a pretty run down lookin place so why is their burger rated so highly on the Internet? Bun--high quality and tastes great Meat--really good Toppings--comes with a delicious fried egg
(4)
Colleen M.
After multiple times of trying to get into the Royal Tavern, we were finally successful on Saturday. Usually any time we try to go there, they are so busy that we can't find a place to sit, but with Saturday being on Labor Day weekend, they weren't as busy as usual. I have to say, this place lived up to the hype. I had the meatloaf sandwich, and the meatloaf was delicious. I love a good meatloaf, but it seems like so many places don't do it well, obviously not the case with the Royal Tavern. I had mac and cheese on the side, and it was also delicious. I try mac and cheese at a lot of places, and it's another dish that's hard to get prepared correctly. My husband had tilapia tacos, and he thought they were delicious. Service was also attentive; they replaced my Magner's quickly when I said it didn't taste right. If we can ever get in the door again, we wil definitely be back.
(4)
Michael M.
I have never had bad food here ever. Everything I have ever tried from breakfast to burgers to mixed drinks. A great place.
(5)
Kristine D.
I am about to go on record and say that Royal Tavern has the best burger in the city. Other notable mention goes to the Chicken Frankie (curry chicken wrap, but the size of a burrito). Never really impressed with their draft beers. And the service is usually pretty surly, so I never feel comfortable asking for a recommendation. But the food is really good and you can usually get a table, so I do like to frequent this place a lot.
(4)
Walter K.
The "Royal Burger" is a hot item. If you don't believe me, steer over to the write up about it on Food Network, which calls it the best burger in the state. A more credible write up can be seen at A Hamburger Today. And if you still need more reading material, check Unbreaded. I needed to add myself to this laundry list of bloggers who have written about this famed burger. I've been to the Royal a few times, and it's never struck me as a great place. The tap list is small, the prices aren't great ($9 for the burger is decent however), and the bar doesn't have much character. I went hoping the burger would be a reason to bring me in. Before I finished my visit, I had another reason to avoid the Royal. I had the worst service I've experienced in Philadelphia in quite some time. Our drinks took far too long, as did the check. Empty glasses were left on our table, and I was brought the wrong beer. One or two of these may have been understandable, but the overall result was pretty poor. I was dining with my friend Danny, and he ordered the chicken sandwich. He enjoyed it, but didn't really have too much to say, either. Nothing special. I was hoping that my burger would be something to rave about. On paper, it sounded fantastic: bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled long hot peppers, and chili mayo. The pickled long hot peppers had great taste, but they weren't strong enough to stand out with the rest of the flavors. That may be the problem with the burger; too many good flavors mixed together in a way that they just cover up each other. The bun was thick and dense, and left a lot to be desired. I ordered medium rare, and it came out medium. The result was a dry burger, which wasn't even remedied by the chili mayo. I was underwhelmed by the burger. Bottom Line: Not the best burger in Philadelphia, or even South Philly. Poor service and a limited beer selection leave a lot to be desired. I haven't been for brunch in years, but I remember liking this spot. They have a lot of veggie options. $17 for fish and chips is a complete joke.
(2)
E J.
Salad was not as described (where was the advertised cheese? bacon? surprise unmentioned grapefruit segments don't make up for those lacking components, y'all!) and boyfriend's chicken and brie sandwich fair at best. At least the fries/beverages were decent.
(2)
Matthew B.
The RT seems like a slightly toned down version of the South Philly Tap room IMHO. Good food, decent prices. Somewhat less adventorous on the menu and a not quite as broad a draft beer selection. Good by the bottle selection. Had the mussels - unusual preparation - seemed like a cream of Tomato base? but tasty and nice portion. Crab fries were good and well portioned - but lacked a bit on the old bay flavor. I'd go back again. Btw - Is it just me, or has "the burger" become a competition in phila? It seems that way to me. Everybody has thier own twist. Not complaining, just saying it seems it has become the ubiqitous menu signiture item for taverns these days.
(3)
Brad P.
This is an amazing burger. It has bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on brioche bun. If you do not enjoy this burger, then you are either a vegetarian or you hate great things. Don't hate great things. Their fries, service, and laid back-bar ambiance are very good. Right now, Royal Tavern's Angus burger and Village Whiskey's Village burger are engaged in a brutal struggle for my loyalty. Both burgers know what is at stake here - The official title of "The best burger in Philadelphia according to Brad P." They are fighting hard, each landing well-executed attacks against the other. As I write this review, the battle becomes more heated. The Angus has broken a chair over the Village's spine. Undaunted, the Village Springs up and starts choking the Angus over the ropes. The referee was knocked out by a flying elbow but nobody cares...the fight just keeps getting worse. It is brutal. I can't watch anymore. When the smoke clears, I see both fighters still standing...a draw. Here's the deal- As a raw, solo burger, the Village Burger beats out the Angus burger by a slim margin. However, as a full burger-fries-bar package, the Angus burger wins the match. When you go to Village Whiskey for dinner, you will wait an extraordinary amount of time to be seated. You will have to order your side items a la carte. You will spend more money. You will consume inferior fries. There is also an element of fine tuning at Village Whiskey, as you are responsible for choosing some of your own toppings that don't automatically come with the burger. This may lead two different people to have two different experiences of the burger...but it is a phenomenal burger. By contrast, Royal Tavern is not nearly as crowded, the fries are better, and your order comes with all of the fixings that they feel go best with their beef. The quality is consistent and reliable. They choose the toppings for me. They don't make me panic over whether the bleu cheese will be better than the chevre or if I should get avocado instead of a fried egg. I appreciate them for taking the guesswork out of the best way to top my burger and just serving it how they feel it should be. The longhot is a great touch to add a little spice to the experience. In conclusion, I am very positive about Royal Tavern. I take my burgers very seriously and this place is definitely worth heading to. I have not tried anything else but I don't know if I will ever be able to order anything but the burger because it is so damn tasty.
(5)
Nicole V.
I like the atmosphere of this place. The waitress was friendly and attentive. I had the two egg breakfast special and it was good. Nothing amazing but better than a lot of diners. I would like to come back at night and try some of the other food though. I would have if it wasn't 11:30am and I didn't have an egg and cheese craving.
(4)
Christian M.
One of my favorite places to eat, period. The vegan sloppy Joe is my favorite. I order this 99% of the time. The sauce that comes with your fries is so good. Friends who eat meat swear by the burger. More than one has said it is the best. They have rotating specials that are always worth eating. Don't get me started on the desserts. Since it is such a great place to eat, it gets very crowded really fast. If you arrive and there's a little bit of a wait, stay put. The food more than makes up for it. As for the service, some people will say negative things while others rave about it. The service is fine. They know what they are serving you. I think the service is great. I no longer live in South Philly. I miss this place the most.
(5)
Eliza P.
As a single girl, a lot of my "social engagements" involve me crashing the dates of friends - I'm basically making a career out of being a Third Wheel (the pay sucks, but it's fairly entertaining). Last night, I went out with a couple that...has their moments...so I was a little nervous to take them up on their dinner invitation, but my apprehension immediately turned to overwhelming excitement when I found out we were going to Royal Tavern. I had been to the bar once a few months ago, loved it, swore I would go back..but obviously never did because, well, I have no reason. Anyway, the place is awesome. Great atmosphere, great vibe, great ambiance (I think that's all the same, but go with it). Think Trendy Dive Bar, or something like that. Friendly servers and fellow patrons, if a little on the emo/hipster side for my taste, but it's worth noting that I was there literally wearing sweatpants and a hoodie and felt totally comfortable. It's perfect for anything from a date to a quick bite to a place to go after-work - definitely a "no judgement" zone. So, beer is my first love in life, and Royal does not disappoint in this department. They have about 10 beers on tap that were all legit, and maybe 30 or so in bottles and/or trendy cans - including not only the drink of the Hipster Gods (PBR, duh), but my real faves of Dogfish Head 60 Min and Lagunitas. Solid showing. On the plus side, when one of my fellow diners asked a beer question, the waitress actually knew the answer and didn't have to "um, let me check with the bartender," which is always appreciated. Food was (almost, ha) as good as the beverages. I had a grilled cheese which was about as far away from Wonder Bread and Kraft Singles as you could get. Goat cheese, gouda and something else on toasted bread with great fries and some mysteriously awesome dipping sauce. My friends had fried shrimp soft tacos and gnochhi - I don't play the shellfish game, so I can't speak to that dish, but the gnocchi were really good for a "bar;" a little heavy, but who's complaining. We didn't actually order it, but I've heard the popcorn is also pretty orgasmic. In sum, this place is great, and I wish I didn't live on the opposite side of the city so I could go more often. Oh, they also get bonus fun points for having a blackboard and chalk on the bathroom walls. I hope they didn't erase my phone number!
(5)
Ann R.
This is great dive-like joint with cheap drinks and good, affordable food. The service is not really good but I guess you shouldn't really expect too much out of a place like this. It is kind of like Grace Tavern but bigger if you've ever been there in the Graduate Hospital area. But Grace definitely has way better service. One time, we just stood there and waited forever before anyone acknowledged us and came to take our order. Another time, someone tried to squeeze in on the table next to us and dropped our drink and the waitstaff kind of gave us a dirty look and charged us for the drink even though we didn't drop it and it was pretty much full still. You definitely come here for the burger! The burger is amongst the best in Philadelphia. They also have a lot of really good vegetarian options if you are vegetarian. We've had brunch here and they seem to make their eggs with butter instead of oil, I prefer oil but that's just me. As far as drinks, they have awesome Bloody Mary's! All their other drinks including beer are well-priced and pretty good.
(3)
Jennifer O.
The menu looks amazing so I'll definitely return, even though I didn't have the best experience here yet. I ordered the Tater Tot Scramble ... when it came out there were literally two tater tots in the entire dish. I asked the waitress if I could get some more and she said I'd have to order a side. So, my $10 breakfast turned into $16, but the additional tater tots made the meal really good (without them, the dish is just mushy eggs and sauce with no texture or crunch). I had a taste of the meatloaf sandwich (wow!!! but very intense) and of the bacon-vodka Bloody Mary (I'd recommend this if you're a horseradish lover). Spying on other people's orders, I decided that when I return I might order the burger (looks huge, has the kind of buns I like with the glossy top) or the huevos rancheros ("with extra chips" she asked, and received). Although it seems to have started as a dive bar (decor, waitstaff), everyone in there was hipsters or yuppies, so The Secret is clearly out.
(4)
Robert M.
Solid upscale pub fare. I had the meatloaf sandwich, wherethe meat was thinly sliced, with an egg, mushroom and cheese and it was delicious, served with excellent pomme frites and mayo. A small but varied draft craft brew list was a great plus. I'll be returning for more sampling soon.
(4)
Gandhus M.
I had to check the place out and have their burger. I want to say the choice of smoked gouda is overambitious, but it's not. I want to say the long hot was too hot, but it wasn't. This burger's components are different but they work in an unexpected & glorious way. I'll leave the labeling to others. It suffices to say Royal's burger was very, very good. Hipster-casual with decent beer, a decent kitchen & dark as hell. It was my first time here and it reminded me briefly of the Standard Tap except with a longer bar, darker wood, in an unassuming building & neighborhood. I'll wager many north of Fairmount wish they could call the Royal Tavern their own. I'll also wager many along Passyunk proudly do. I want to come back here for some serious drinking and/or the nachos. Someone next to me got them and they looked and smelled amazing. Thumbs up for the Royal, I'll be back.
(4)
Tom S.
Just as I'd hoped/planned/expected, the wonderful Royal Tavern has quickly become my go-to neighborhood watering hole. Their tap list is short but well selected, and I'm undertaking the glorious task of trying each of the names on their rather extensive list of bottles, which has thus far yielded some pleasant surprises. I tried their burger - freakin amazing. We popped in for brunch, too - not as amazing as the burger but an excellent meal nonetheless. All of our servers have been great, and I've never had a problem with the crowd, or even with finding a seat. Love this place. If I'm not at home or at work, check here next.
(5)
Mari D.
This place is a really great option if you have a lot of differing tastes in your group. The menus has a huge variety with vegetarian choices, ethnic dishes - it's easy to find something everyone will like. The atmosphere is a true dive bar, but it can get really packed for brunch and dinner. They don't take reservations, though, so try coming at an off time to assure you get seated quickly.
(4)
B P.
I've never failed to have great food or great beer here. Seems like a lot of spots that I go in will have total crap for beer selection while they're trying to be different, but there's usually something interesting and tasty here. The food is also great, I love their grilled cheese and appreciate the cool veg options, and it never feels uptight. Great jukebox too.
(5)
Milk W.
Wow! Great place! Beer selection rocks, food is diverse and more importantly quite good. Vegetarian and Vegan selections clearly marked. What a relieft! Unlike many other Gastropubs in the city, they are all too happy here to let you sample a beer or two until you find one that you like. That is much better than being stuck with a $6 beer that you do not like. Food is quite good. We had multiple tasty dishes. Sweet potato banh mi and Tempeh Club are great choices. Fries and tots are all good. Spinach has more garlic than is legal in many localities in Pennsylvania. All in all, I would recommend going out of your way to enjoy a fine brew, some good food, and a hip atmosphere in Philly.
(5)
Craig L.
Went for Sunday brunch and it was awesome as always. The Bloody Mary is spicy and delicious, and they have great burgers.
(5)
Brian H.
The burger is good. All the food is good. It's good. (Royal Tavern) 4 Stars
(4)
Jonathan M.
I recently moved to queens village and needed a place to grab a bite to eat late with friends visiting, mind you i did little due diligence before moving to a new area, well we walked. we ended up at royal and order various apps and beers. I had a dogfish head aprihop and split the chix nachos and mac chz. Everything was great other than the push over bartender that greated us. Could have been more warming but the female waitress pulled through and made a solid evening. Ill be back.
(3)
Paul M.
Best burger I've ever had. Ask for BBQ instead of the normal sauce (I forget what it is) that comes on the burger, it's homemade and incredible. My only small complaint is that they will usually leave up the dinner specials at lunchtime which makes you think they are available to order. They are not.
(5)
Mary S.
Royal Tavern has got to be one of the most unassuming looking bars in the city. It's lovely inside, old timey, hard wood, but the food is like a gastro-pub explosion that you may not be ready for. I've never had a meal here that was anything less than totally awesome. The beer menu is ever changing, with solid standards as well as epic additions. The staff is generally super friendly, and even when I had a less than pleasant server, I still had prompt and efficient service- so the server was probably just having a bad day. Overall, this is a gem of a place, and I feel more than lucky to have it within walking distance of my apt.
(4)
Luca B.
I am not a hipster & I think vegans are silly. Yes, I ride a vintage bike but no, my pants aren't as tight as my girlfriends are. I also love Royal Tavern. I also accidentally ate vegan sloppy joe, and liked it... I've been here 3 times now, each time making the trek for their (i think famous now) burger. The first time I came here my friend Rob, who's a vegetarian ordered the vegan sloppy joe (or vegan something or other, either way it had tempeh or tofu or something) which I tried, and kept eating not knowing it was... vegan! If they can make vegan food taste good, they can do anything right? Anyway, back to the burger. It's awesome. There's really not much else you can say about a burger really, its beef, its bread, its got a hot pepper (you might wanna open up the burger and spread it out a bit lest you want to eat the whole thing at once...), its got cheese, its got bacon, its awesome and you should eat one. In fact you should eat it and wave it in your vegan friend's face to distract them so you can steal pieces of their vegan sloppy joe. Oh right, this place gets pretty crowded and its pretty small so get there early. The service has always, always been great.
(4)
Christine B.
Have been hearing about Royal for months from various yelpers. I finally made it there for brunch. I went with the Breakfast Burrito, which is possibly my favorite breakfast food, but hard to find in Philly. It really hit the spot, a huge burrito filled with eggs, cheese, and poblano peppers, with guac and pico on the side. I only ate half so had a bonus dinner out of it. I also tried the melon mimosa which was very refreshing. I definitely have to get back to Royal for dinner.
(5)
Jen K.
I came here the other night straight from work (read: not in the best mood/needing alcohol). I was by myself, so I sat at the bar. I found the service to be very attentive; the bartender was nice and helpful. Since I can't drink beer, I stuck with Woodchuck, which was average priced compared to other bars in the city ($4.50). For my meal I ordered the Caesar salad and added grilled chicken. It was their own take on Caesar salad, which included lettuce, polenta croutons, roasted red peppers, and some extremely cheesy-lime?-based dressing. It was tasty, although it didn't taste quite like Caeser salad and the dressing was a bit dry or sticky. I put some hot sauce on it, NBD. Serving size was generous, which it better have been for $11. All in all I had an enjoyable experience; it defintely beat the post-work blues and it only helps that it's a block from my house!
(4)
Kelly M.
The place is a little divey but the food is awesome. Gourmet ingredients at fair prices.
(5)
Elisabeth Y.
To me, this is a restaurant, not a drinking establishment: I think I've only been to the Royal Tavern once for the specific purpose of having a few beers. To be honest, the drinks seem overpriced to me, and it gets crowded fast. But for meals? YES! Don't bother messing around with any vegetarian entree other than THE TEMPEH CLUB. It is so good.
(4)
John F.
I revel in raving about rowdy regals This was a destination I've heard much about in my time on Yelp, something in the vein of "Holy Sh*t, you haven't been to Royal Tavern - WTF is wrong with you?" So, I traipsed in here one chilly evening and low and behold, my senses were jolted. Looking around in a seduced gaze, I soaked in the ambiance and was immediately in love. Hauntingly dark, like a Saw movie or a nightmare that has yet to turn vicious. I enjoy being in this sort of escaping darkness. We sat at a table, the place was packed. Some sports game was on the TV behind me but I was disappointed it wasn't a horror flick or perhaps UFC if they had to show sports - it would have been more mood setting. A winter ale was delivered to me, my date had a solid whiskey drink. They were a perfect start to our feast... We split a burger fit for this prefect of West Wash Square, bloody and seared with sealed screams. Sweet potato fries were everything I wanted them to be, infused in the tears of salty oppression. Intending to leave full and happy, we also had the tots - each were brought to the chopping block - there were no survivors. Personally, I feel the place should be called The Oubliette, or perhaps Dreary Hollows. Regardless, I shall return.
(5)
Caroline C.
I think I'm in love!!! I wish I lived in Philly so I could come here all the time. What a fantastic place! The atmosphere and energy of this place is amazing. One step in the door and you can feel it. Decent menu with great food - try the tempeh club...OMG it's incredible! Great selection of beer too. Waiters are super friendly as well which makes this place one of my new must-go-back-to-immediatly places in Philly. Even tho you might have to wait a few minutes for a table...this place is completely worth it.
(5)
maj s.
Good beer, great food. But goddamn is this place dark and crowded.
(5)
Jim M.
After reading all of the reviews of the burger here I had to try it. I got the burger an order of mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was a small order that wasn't very cheesy. and the cheese sauce wasn't that great. The shells were also the small elbow macaroni variety. Unfortunately the burger wasn't much better. While I did like the long hots on it, the gouda that came on the burger was subpar. It tasted and looked like it was from a pre slicked and packed container. And it tasted like it sadly. The burger was also not cooked to medium rare, but was in fact medium. Not my cup of tea.
(2)
Adrienne C.
I have mixed feelings about this place. The food is really great, awesome chill atmosphere, good beer selection...but the wait was soooo long. We went for an early Sat dinner, and ended up being there for nearly 2.5 hours just to eat two sandwiches and apps. I do have to say that the grilled chicken sandwich is really good - lavender honey mustard ftw - and the meatloaf sandwich was similarly very good. The duck confit potato skins are just ok, while the mussels are spicy in a good way (thicker sauce that expected, but good). But 2.5 hrs for pub-like food was excessive.
(3)
Jeff G.
Fantastic burgers and tacos. Decent beer selection. Very cool neighborhood bar. Caitlin the bartender was great.
(4)
Brett M.
I don't know if I can explain my undying adoration for this place. I love the dimly lit bar. I love the great beer selection (quality over quantity). I love the chalkboard in the bathroom. But most of all, I love the food. I love love love the food. I'm going to make a very bold statement: The burger here is the best burger in Philadelphia. Nay, the world. Smoked gouda, pickled long hots, chili mayonnaise, brioche bun! I salivate at the thought... That's not to say the rest of the menu isn't darn near perfect either. Some of the highlights include... spicy greens, truffle butter popcorn (at $3, a must while you wait), the meatloaf sandwich, mussels with chorizo, and those delicious fries. The only thing I would avoid is the Sweet Potato Bánh Mi (which I found to be relatively bland and very dry), especially when I've heard such great things about another vegan option on the menu: the Tempeh Club. Annnnnd, I think I know where I'm going for dinner again tonight...
(5)
Vsssh P.
First of all: One of their best sellers the chicken Frankie is only sold during dinner so after 5 which I just found out which infuriates me cuz I always get that but today that's not the case. They have a huge beer selection and great food especially great vegan and vegetarian choice. Place has good vibe to it kinda low key, nice, warm and comfortable place to grab some food. They also have fresh popcorn which again is only after 5 which I don't really get. Bad things: the wait the wait and the wait... We've been waiting for ever and that happens all the time. Plus they dont take reservations so imagine waiting 20 mins for a table followed by about an hour for food people start getting antsy unless they are there for drinking primarily and not for food. So why am I giving it a 4 star? Well the food, booze and atmosphere is great
(4)
Heather W.
I'm pretty sure I had a foodgasm when I bit into that savory burger. Best I have ever tasted. I loved it so much, even though I was full and beginning to be in pain, I kept on eating it. MMMmmmm. They have a great selection of beer and the service was spot on and friendly. I can't wait to go back and sink my teeth into that burger again....my mouth is watering just thinking about it...
(5)
Peter D.
Great spot. I like the ambiance much better than The Dive, which at times feels stuffy. The crowd here is definitely older and a lot of people definitely have money that go here. I would like to try their brunch sometime and they look like they have an extensive bar food menu that looked tempting. The drink selection is pretty good despite not carrying the best selection of wines. I had a Basil Hayden and was pleased. I'll be back!
(4)
Andrea L.
I was with my vegitarian friend so we split some veggie apps and ordered a salad. Everything was really good. Wish i would have ordered a burger though, because they looked SO good. Don't waste your time on the bacon bloody. Their regular bloody, is bigger, stronger, and one of the best i've ever had.
(4)
Michelle E.
Yikes. One star is rough but appropriate. I had been here a few times and stomached the boring veg options and lackluster beer menu since friends wanted to come here. The crowd has always been ehh, and usually included some of the d-bags who work at Modern Eye, etc. One day on my walk home from work, I was drawn in by some of the specials on the board outside. Okay, I'll give it one more chance. The menu denotes which items are vegan and which are vegetarian. My husband asked a question about the fries and our server, who I'd never seen before this visit, answered that they are vegan although the menu says vegetarian. We suggested that maybe it should be updated so others who had that concern could enjoy them, and she shrugged her shoulders and said nothing. We made it clear that we were vegan (at the time). I ordered a special off the board which was some sort of asparagus salad with lots of fresh veggies that sounded light and just what I was in the mood for. It had all the ingredients listed on the board. She brought our food out and my husband had his sandwich, as ordered, and the plate that was slammed down on the table in front of me was clearly some kind of steaming meat dish. Before I could protest, she stalked away into the kitchen for several minutes. The bartender was occupied. I pushed the duck dish with asparagus away from me, nauseated by the plate. When she came back, she offered no apology, but stated that she wrote the wrong thing, and off she went with the plate. So...I don't really understand how a duck dish that had a side of asparagus could have been written any way that would have confused the chef. What seemed like ages later, she brought out this salad that was completely covered in blue cheese, with a few asparagus spears, and was missing some of the other ingredients listed. I told her it doesn't say anywhere on that board that it has blue cheese. She scolded me by saying, "YOU DIDN'T SAY YOU WERE VEGAN!" although it was clear we were, and regardless, that is not the type of attitude a server should give an easy-going and patient but now agitated and disgusted diner. I asked her to just bring us the check, please, which she slammed on the table while smirking, and stormed away. Unacceptable all around.
(1)
Bill D.
"The best burger in town." That's a pretty heavy statement. Yet there it is, just inside the front door, written on the dry erase-board in the cajoling spirit of a 19th Century huckster. It's just the kind of outrageous claim you'd expect from a cigar-chomping, bowler-wearing fellow with his thumbs stuck cavalierly beneath his suspenders. But unlike snake oil liniments, laudanum tinctures and most things from the Age of Quackery, this is real. It's not even up for debate. Royal has the best burger. The end. Believe me, I know insert-name-of-your-local-douchebag-gastropub-or-Âhip-diner has bread with locally harvested sesame seeds, beef from a vegan cow and cheese made by ecomentalists on the other side of the world. But all of that sucks. They also have a Bloody Mary that you can use to take oil stains off your driveway. It is the spiciest, pepperiest, horseradishiest thing known to man. I drank one and went the rest of the day wondering when something was going to go terribly wrong with my internal organs. I definitely recommend it.
(4)
Erin D.
The vegan sloppy joe is excellent and super spicy. I highly recommend it.
(4)
Dan F.
"Great When It's Good. Gross When It's Bad." Royal Tavern, I'm mad at you. When your food is good, it's oooooh so good. But when it's bad, like tonight, you absolutely, positively suck. Tonight's Porchetta Sandwich, a hunk-slobber of roast pork and broccoli rabe on a roll, was a minor-key oleaginous gunkstorm of bad. So greasy, well beyond what any Richter scale could measure, I couldn't eat it. I went home a stroppy child, feeling like I'd been sent to bed without supper. Yet I'd had supper. Another evening's Veggie Burger was standout terrible. It was a loose pile of refried beans scooped into a free-flowing cake, then set upon a bun, which said no thanks and pushed the highly spiced miasma over the bun's ledge and onto the plate below. There's the matter of the BBQ chicken. This dish was a winner -- except, why did the chicken have to be so unbelievably dried out, like Matthew Shepard against the Wyoming wind? The accompanying baked beans were phenomenal: soft but not too soft, tangy but not too tangy. Just right. And as for the matter of your soups. Please stop serving them barely above room temperature. It's dispiriting. Then's there's your cakes. I was highly relieved to hear you don't make these, because my vegan grodometer (measures levels of grody-ness. (c) G. B.) kicks into overdrive here. Apparently all your cakes are vegan -- perhaps this accounts for: (a) the Crisco frosting, (b) cardboard butterlessness, and (c) blanched egglessness served with an afterhowl of (d) throatcatching bitter. At least do this: plainly state on the menu that ALL CAKES ARE MADE VEGAN! And spare the rest of us this shande. But then there's your show-stopping grilled cheese. The incomparable meatloaf sandwich. Your commendable burger. Not to mention your great bartenders, excellent beer selection, famous bloody mary, de-scrumptious breakfast burrito, and wonderfully sunshine-y wait staff. All of which garner you the highest recommendation. I just wish your food were more even. Because when you let me down, it's a giant frown.
(3)
Ted C.
I live right next to this place but I hardly ever come here. I suppose my main reason is because the place is always so packed. In addition, I've been told the food here is amazing but yet the first two times I came I was rather disappointed. That however is all subject to change. Based on a few comments on Yelp I went with the recommendation of the Angus Burger. Seriously the burger was out of this world. The pepper they put on top was simply magnificent! I have also tried the Grilled Cheese once before and I liked that as well. Unfortunately I would love to give this place more stars but personal based on my experiences and taste buds it has been hit or miss. I do really like this place and the customer service is great. I would definitely suggest giving it a shot. They do have the beers I like so I will probably be back. :)
(3)
Vince C.
Always have great food and interesting specials. Staff is friendly and knowledgable.
(5)
Maricel B.
Ate here with 6 other friends and was pretty happy overall with the food, drinks, and atmosphere. Tried the Angus burger on recommendation of my friend who frequents the place since she moved nearby recently. Have to say it was quite delicious as well as the fries that accompanied it. The Angus burger came with bacon, smoked gouda, carmelized oniions, pickled longhots, and chile mayo. I asked for my longhot on the side but I did cut pieces of it to put on my burger just so I knew how the whole ensemble was supposed to taste like and I have to say that it was awesome. The burger was cooked well and was nice and juicy and the gouda was sooo gooda. I also tried the Strawberry Bread Pudding which I thought was pretty good way to end my meal. Malbec was my drink of choice and paired well with my burger. I would have liked to have given it 5 stars but we went on a Saturday night and got there when every table was pretty much taken up. Well we didn't wait long and it looked like a party of 5 were getting up to leave. When we started toward the table for fear of losing it to someone else, one of the waiters yelled at us that they had to clean the table. I don't think there was any need for that, so that is why 4 stars. My next visit I hope to upgrade this to 5 because I really thought the food was delicious.
(4)
Gen Y.
This place is lovely. It is a great place for my neighborhood, as well as for being a vegetarian! Great food and decent prices. Nice happy hour specials and the blood mary's on sundays are only $5! GET THE POPCORN!
(5)
Evan C.
So my friend, who shall remain nameless... Neil. Swears by these burgers, so I had to try them. Went here on a Friday night, it was pretty crowded, but they were still able to seat my g/f and I pretty quickly which was good. The waiter was good even though it was busy, he got my beer pretty quickly and that's all I really needed to give him an A. We ordered the burgers, and the timing was good. We both got the Angus Burger. I must say - They are pretty good. I wouldn't say they're my favorite, however it's a different burger which is nice to have instead of the same old thing everywhere you go. It had bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on a seeded brioche bun. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the bun, I like soft buns (hun). And the mayo was really good, again a different taste which is refreshing. I'm a huge gouda fan as well, and it all worked together. The only thing was the longhots, next time (there will be a next time soon) I'll have those guys on the side. I apparently couldn't read when I saw the ingredients and wasn't expecting them, so when I took a bite I got the whole thing, that's when I needed another beer.
(4)
Rachel S.
Great food! It was an early Sat night around eight and the husband and I went out for a bite and some brews. Started off with Ballast Point IPA and moved to a black IPA (per the bartender's suggestion). We shared the Cubano Spring Rolls which were awesome - roast pork, ham, swiss and pickles jammed into 3 nice sized rolls. Husband got the Meatloaf Sandwich (sans fried onions) with Old Bay Fries and I got a pizza on special - Prosciutto, eggplant and mozzarella. It was so so good. The crust had so much flavor in it - I usually toss the crusts away b/c I'd rather save my calories, but this was a must eat. We really enjoyed the visit and will definitely be back.
(5)
Thomas M.
I have to say that I always considered myself a "Loyal Follower" of Royal Tavern but after my last visit I have to say I was definitely disappointed. We were there for brunch and I choose the Italian Sausage Gravy over Biscuits that WAS NOT described as spicy and I have never seen a spicy version in my life BUT I have been to Royal Tavern many times and I know they often make dishes spicy without putting it in the description, which by the way I will never understand but whatever. So I asked the waitress just to be sure and her exact words were "na, it's not really spicy, not at all". Now let me explain, I am not someone that is scared of spicy food but currently I have some acid reflux issues due to medicine I am taking so sadly I have to stay away from spicy food, temporarily thank God! The dish came out and not only was it spicy, EVERYTHING WAS SPICY. The Sausage - Spicy, Gravy (which is normally a white gravy) was so spicy it was a pink, Biscuits - Spicy (and not that good I might add). Even the hash browns on the side were dusted in Cyan Pepper. I took one bite to give it the "Old College Try" but I just couldn't do it. So I then waited 5/10 minutes for the waitress to finish doing her shoots with the Bartender and other waitress before I could send it back. I have nothing against waitresses and bartenders doing to occasional shot but Saturday morning Brunch, really??? The waitress offered to make me something else but my wife was already half way though her meal so I declined. Then it took a turn from crappy experience to I clearly do not care about my customer right now because the bill comes and the waitress charged me for the Biscuits and Gravy!!! After she clearly did not know the menu and I took one bite and sent it back she still charged me!!! Everything considered I would have given a 3 star for this meal since I love Royal Tavern but is this a sign that things are changing there? I can not mark my experience as "A-OK" if I had to pay for a meal I could not eat because the waitress doesn't know the menu. It won't be my last trip to Royal Tavern because above of all else they still have the BEST BURGER IN PHILLY. But I guess only time will tell if they are starting to slip on the food and service that gave them there "Loyal Following".
(2)
Aubrey E.
If reviewing the Royal Tavern by food only, I definitely would have given it 5 stars. However, we were extremely disappointed with the service. Our waiter was quite cold and it took forever for our food to come out. With that said, we would still definitely go back. The Tavern has some great beers on draft. The food was excellent! For our entrees, we split the burger and the wing sampler, with a side of baked beans. All three were very tasty. The sauces for the wings couldn't have been better and the burger was one of the best we've had. Even the baked beans were exceptional. We went a little early (around 6pm) on a Saturday and did not have to wait for a table, but by the time we left, it appeared to be very crowded. All in all, we will be back for sure (with the hopes that we get a different server).
(4)
Peter H.
A Hipster spot, with Hipster bartenders and Hipster servers, serving a Hipster beer list, and Hipster food, including Hipster asian influences such as banh mi, and Hipster vegan options. Love it. Made me feel cooler by association. Everything I've had here has been good, including the burger, curry lovash, cuban omelette, sloppy joe. But the cuban omelette was the biggest surprise. I'm big on brunch, and this one took the cake.
(4)
Matthew M.
Close out the place a Saturday night, come back on a hazy Sunday morning to bite the dog, or chase a dog's hair, or ... whatever ... just get a Bloody Mary. Because these robust, horseradish-y, spicy glasses of boozy love are -- and I do NOT say this lightly -- the best I have sampled in Philadelphia. Standard breakfast fare is well prepared and makes the perfect and hearty accompaniment for your AM drink-on. Regarding dinner: The burger's vaunting is much-warranted, I bet. But don't sleep on the the vegan and veg options, which far surpass your standard begrudging veg-friendly offer of the generic and ubiquitous Sysco "veggie burger." Royal T don't play that! Can you say "Tempeh Club?" Seriously, try it. (Really, it's not that hard to say). Then you can EAT it. Tasty fake bacon, basil aioli ... as an aside, when do we get to start saying "mayonnaise" again? It's delish. Go ahead, get it with a side of tater tots. You've been good! After all, you are getting the veg option. You deserve it. Make sure your dining mate orders the fries with malt vinegar mayo, so you can steal them. For real: You had me at Vegan Sloppy Joe.
(4)
Josh S.
If you ever catch me at rehab, it's because I'm addicted to this place. My favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. Amazing servers, interesting & inventive menu, awesome beers. Love.
(5)
Jason T.
Easily my fave bar in Bella Vista, and way better than any of the hangouts on South Street. The Royal is a fun, funky sort of place that has a super-friendly and very knowledgable waitstaff, a killer jukebox, and plenty of good brews on tap and in the bottle to satisfy everyone from your usual drinker to a person likes me who loves Belgians and good microbrews. The food served here is very tasty. Many people on here seem to rave over the vegan Sloppy Joe, but I'm not a fan, and neither was my girlfriend when she ordered it. On the other hand, I think the pan fried seitan sandwich they serve is one of the best treats you can find in the city, hands down. I'm not vegan myself, but the Royal does their best to cater to that crowd. The wings are fantastic as well, and are sprinkled with crunchy little green things (What the hell are those?). You also can't go wrong with the wonderful chips and salsa (the chips are those really good bubbly kind and not just typical tortilla chips) and the huge bags of popcorn with truffle butter. The Royal's popcorn is possibly second only to the greatness that is served at the Ritz theatres. I always seem to get there at the right time, which seems to be between 6 and 7 PM. The place can fill up pretty fast and get a bit crowded, so be prepared for a full house even on nights when it seems like no one is out. The crowd at the Royal is a mix of all sorts of folks, from younger college types to older patrons. The decor is simple, yet fun, and the bar is one of the nicest I've seen. All in all, the Royal Tavern is a great place to go off the beaten path with prices that can fit any wallet or purse.
(4)
jillian n.
I love almost everything about this place. The staff is very friendly, the drink selection is amazing and the food is phenomenal. I always got the burger because i just couldn't resist, but i have branched out recently. Everything i have ordered here has been stellar. Also the service is almost always quick.
(5)
Kristen D.
I'll reiterate and reinforce what everyone else has already said: the best food. I've tried the tempeh club, vegan beef nachos, fish & chips, and sweet potato banh mi. I absolutely loved and devoured every one of them (except the banh mi--you're better off getting it from an authentic Vietnamese place for $4 on Washington!). I also love that you can choose any side you want with your meal, you don't have to choose strictly fries or side salad. The food specials are always creative and delicious too! Beer is great. Ambience is great. The food is what keeps me coming back. Great place to bring Philly outsiders to impress them with some of Philly's best bar food!
(5)
Alick W.
This place is located in South Philly on Passyunk and Carpenter. I have been here a few times and each time the food has been great. They are known for their burger which has been on a few top burgers in Philly lists and for good reason. It has bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise and is pretty big size. The grilled chicken sandwich and the meatloaf sandwich are really good as well. The place seems like a hipster dive bar, but the food is fantastic and a little bit pricier than what you normally get with a dive bar. There's seating at the bar and enough tables to fit about 40 people, but almost every night the tables are filled. The atmosphere is dark, with no tv's and some music playing in the background and some vintage signs for decoration. They also have a decent craft beer list along with a wine and whiskey list.
(5)
Adam N.
Excellent food. We stopped in for lunch a couple weeks back. There was only one person working, but he was very attentive and quick with our orders. The space was a typical bar, nothing fancy but nice enough. Wish they had a couple TVs for sporting events, but good place nothethless.
(4)
B M.
This is the best gastropub/bar burger in Philadelphia. Worth the trip for anyone just to try it. Decent beer selection, and decent non-burger options on the menu. If they fix some of the side dishes, this could bump to a five star tavern.
(4)
Jennifer O.
Great beer and sandwich place. My boyfriend and I had the Angus burger and the vegan sloppy joe, both with fries. Delicious burger and really unique vegan sandwich. My bf (who is not a vegetarian) said you couldn't tell the sloppy joe wasn't vegetarian). Very chill place with a decent beer selection. Will definitely come back again!
(5)
Joe R.
Burger is sick as fuck, so is the meatloaf. Those Arnold Palmers will ruin your day. Night time is kinda crowded, so day drinking is way better.
(5)
Christina W.
The food is delicious. I got take out yesterday and ordered the chicken sandwich. It was delicious. The only negative was that the bread was a little soggy. I would defiantly eat here again.
(5)
Paul C.
It took me forever to remember what I ordered here..... ah yes... their "banh mi." Which I definitely remember was not very good and I regret ordering in the first place. It had sweet potatoes, lettuce, and the usual daikon, carrots, jalapenos, and aioli sauce. I would not recommend it at all. If you've ever had a real Vietnamese banh mi before, you will be very very very dismayed by this cheap fusion ripoff. I remember I had trouble deciding what to order because nothing on the menu seemed very appealing to me. Some other things: (-) I was with a group of ~7-8 people for someone's birthday dinner. We did not even get to sit at one large table so they broke us up into two separate parties essentially. Very festive! (-) Waitress was really standoff-ish and impatient when I was looking through their alcohol list. I asked her about the differences in their brandy selection and she basically left me in the dust. That was embarrassing. I think they have a cozy gastropub atmosphere, however. I definitely do not plan on being back anytime soon.
(2)
Jody P.
Dimly lit warm saloon atmosphere. New American meals are consistently good. Very knowledgeable beer loving bartenders. The place is always packed, expect a manageable wait on the weekends.
(4)
doreen s.
Went today and it's wAs great. My son and I had the French toast...Wonderful. My husband had the Angus burger... Huge ! Thank u for making our visit enjoyable!
(5)
Di P.
Friday night I came here. Busy. Ok, makes sense. Tuesday night I came here. Busy. Okkkk, it was sort of a warm winter Tuesday evening. Sure. Monday night I came here. It was freezing and it was supposed to maybe snow starting in the evening. Busy. Crazeballs! I think that reflects how popular this place is. And it's not the interior-- it's not cool or interesting inside or even spacious. It's really the good beers, fun and tasty food with above average vegetarian options, and an efficient nice staff that make this place a Philly staple.
(4)
Meg A.
Have you ever gone to brunch knowing you really shouldn't as you know you cannot inhale all the carbs (French toast, pancakes, etc) without feeling and wearing it on your bum? Yeah. So have I. When that happens, I usually settle on a breakfast burrito. Settle. Meh. So, feeling a little doughy, I met my friend for brunch at Royal Tavern, deciding to settle on something. I read the description of the breakfast burrito and figured - meh, why not? I could not have been more wrong! This was, hands down, the best breakfast burrito I have ever had anywhere in my life! I can't even tell you why except that it was beautifully seasoned, and had varying textures and was a good size. You really felt like you were eating something. It was accompanied by vegan (!) refried beans and fresh housemade guacamole and pico de gallo. I tried to eat a little bit of each topping with each bite as it all harmonized so nicely on my pallet. A pineapple mimosa was unique and refreshing. The coffee was rich and full-bodied. I will definitely go back for brunch. __________________________________________________Â_______ My boyfriend and I went to Royal Tavern the day after for their burger. I had heard good things and am currently on the hunt for my favorite burger in Philly (If anyone has a recommendation of a place I should try, message me). Royal Tavern has a good burger. It is NOT my favorite but it was well cooked (I ordered it medium rare) Angus beef, and the gouda cheese was a nice touch. I would probably leave the long hots off next time. The roll was a little over-sweet for my liking, but held up well under the weight of the sandwich. I would order this burger again. It is solid. It is just not my current favorite.
(4)
Merribeth P.
WHY DIDN'T I EVER COME HERE BEFORE I've walked by Royal Tavern for years without ever entering its door. We came here for a late Saturday lunch. I had the grilled freakin cheese with three types of cheese- smoked gouda, sharp provolone, and goat cheese on a delicious buttery hearty bread. I asked to add tomato slice, and mayo to mine, cuz that is the way I like 'em. My dining partner had the vegan sloppy joe. They said it had a kick, but wasn't overpowering; however if you are really sensitive to spice, don't order it. As a side they had tater tots and I had fresh cut french fries (so much better than Devils Den, POPE) with malt vinegar mayo. OMG MALT VINEGAR! LOVE LOVE LOVE! We didn't drink, but their iced tea was good. The fountain cola was carbonated, but not sweet, almost like they needed to change the mix. All in all, it was decent priced, delicious food. The cola taste, eh, it can happen...we didn't say anything about it because it was still drinkable. The jukebox was totes awesome. Great selecton of music. The interior was older, but nicely done. The tall tops are in the front, short top table in back. While we didn't drink, they had a solid beer list, with some of my favs such as Sixpoint Sweet Action. Yum.
(5)
Greg M.
Philly is my favorite city and this is absolutely my new favorite haunt. We arrived at Chifa late one night and had a drink. One of the chefs was about and overheard that we were hungry. He recommended Royal Tavern for its late night kitchen and interesting pub fare. They have comforting classics with a twist. Fish and chips with a jalapeno mayo, vegan chili dog, and on and on. Supposedly the best burger in town, but I'm primarily a pescatarian. On top of that, friendly (but not too friendly to be interrupting your good time so much) and they have a fantastic jukebox. I absolutely LOVE this place!!!
(5)
Felicia D.
Royal Tavern is to East Passyunk as the Standard Tap is to Northern Liberties, but with better service. Architecturally, the dark-red room is a slacker but still somehow manages to be all things to all people. Herds of hipsters drown their hangovers in Royal's ur-Bloody on the weekends, while midweek days are quiet enough for deliciously productive lunch meetings. Of course, debauchery beckons with half-priced draft beers during the dangerously early happy hour (M-F, 4-6). You might have to wait for a table during prime dinner hours, when the neighborhood descends for a super-hearty meatloaf sandwich, seitan sloppy joe or always-intriguing blackboard special of the day. Vegan and vegetarian grub receive heavy play, from soups to desserts. No matter the hour, the kitchen still bangs out one of the bangin-est burgers in the city. Bacon, smoked gouda, sauteed onions, chili mayo and a super spicy long hot pepper make a messy heap on top of the beef bomb; the former squishy brioche roll has recently been supplanted by a heartier gluten. It remains sinfully enjoyable, even contrasted to this year's crop of cow contenders.
(5)
Bill P.
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Philly. The burgers are amazing. The best I've ever had. I love their fries with the mayo vinegar dipping sauce and a delicious La chouffe to wash it all down. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Its small so you can expect a wait during typical busy times but tables turn over fast.
(5)
Jessica B.
I would give it 5 stars if only it had a little bit more diversity on the menu. The food there is GREAT, the drink selection is GREAT! Nice atmosphere, although expect it to be somewhat small and a little bit loud for conversation (at least in the evenings). Still, not bad even for a date night.
(4)
Alex Z.
I liked this place. It has a warm, homey atmosphere, dark, and with lots of wood. Not too loud. I was here on a weeknight around dinner time and there were a lot of young parents with their kids with them; I like that sort of atmosphere. It feels like more of a wholesome, neighborhood bar than a trendy place or a place to get really drunk. They had a decent selection of very good beers on tap, which was a plus. The food was outstanding. Very high-quality, fresh, and fairly creative, especially for bar food.
(4)
Nikki R.
I am so disappointed with my experience here tonight. I was really looking forward to kicking back and enjoying some good beer with my friend after getting off of work, but boy was I wrong. We walked in at about 9:30 and thought the place was full, it was by no means packed. We grabbed 2 of the 4 remaining seats at the bar and proceeded to sit there for over 5 minutes without even being glanced at by the 3 people who were working. Mind you, they all had the opportunity to pour themselves waters, followed by shots, then take the shots together and quickly disperse, trying to make themselves look busy. One girl was tending to a couple of tables, but the other was on her phone and the guy working just looked around pretending not to see us. I dont know if you have to have a beard or hipster glasses to get service here, but I work in the industry and was completely turned off. My friend and I left. I dont care how great your food or beer selection is, the service was awful and I will not be back.
(1)
Jess R.
Holy cow, what a surprise! My brother the local invited me over, and I grudgingly followed him into what I was expecting to be mozzerrella sticks and beer. Much to my surprise, the place was the opposite of all of my expectations. The atmosphere was nice; pretty wide open, good lighting, and a "sit where you want" policy. The menu was incredible!!!!! Being a vegetarian, I was floored by how many options I had on it... I ended up going with a grilled cheese and black bean soup, my brother with the pan-fried gnocci, and my mom with the fish. Every single plate was nothing but mouth watering. Mom's fish came with grilled corn on the cob which was coated with some kind of cheese which made me want to pay her for it. The staff was incredibly nice and checked up on us at all the right times. This place is DEFINITELY one I'm going to return to time and time again when I come back to visit the family on the east coast! If I ever move to Philly like my little heart desires, this might become my hangout place. Love the Royal Tavern!!!
(5)
Stephen H.
In the world of Philly bar food lore, the Royal Tavern is a legend. My appetite for pub grub is also legendary, yet somehow the two have never crossed. If you asked me about "the royal" I would be able to say a few quick quips 'best burger in south Philly" and so on, but truth be told I have never been there. I remedied the situation. Having barely recovered from a nightmare south of Washington, I got back on the horse. I really enjoyed the experience. Pretty well reviewed, I will just offer a few simple musings. The bar was full, subsequently loud with conversation but outside you could not hear a peep. Combined with the fact that the bar blends in with the surrounding houses, a perfect blueprint for how a business can blend in to a neighborhood without disturbing the neighborhood vibe. Hear me SWCC? The place was pretty dark inside. When our food arrived, They turned the lights down lower. I really like to see what I'm eating, but apparently I am the minority on this point. The beer list was on par with the other micro brew taverns in Philly. My meatloaf sand which with bacon marmalade was delicious. The fish and chips are gigantic and my friends enjoyed them. Gnocchi appetizer is a must. The Royal tavern stands shoulder to shoulder with many of my favorite bars. I will be back to try the burger.
(4)
Jessica E.
Royal Tavern was a good option for Sunday brunch. It was crowded, but most people seemed to be seated within 15-20 minutes. (We lucked out and walked in just before the rush.) I ordered the tempeh club, which was delicious and accompanied by very tasty fries. They had an intriguing looking menu and a great bloody mary for only $5. I would definitely like to return and try to vegan sloppy Joe and the bacon bloody mary. (Obviously I am no vegan, but intrigued by sloppy joe nonetheless...) Service was pretty slow, hence the 3 stars. I must have caught them on an off day though since many of the other reviews rave about the service. There are a lot of positive things going on here though, so I would definitely like to return.
(3)
Lauren F.
One of my absolute favorite places to eat/drink in the city. The staff is almost always very warm and friendly. Burgers rule. Beer selection rules, and they always keep the menu exciting with new specials. Brunch is just as good as dinner, and if you go on random days it will be less crowded than say a Sunday. They always manage to seat you pretty fast considering how packed it gets.
(5)
Emily K.
I thought that I loved Royal Tavern. But our relationship has been steadily declining. On the first go, I was taken by the interior - dark and warm a la an old ship at night. The mussels and Tempeh BLT made my night complete (although the BLT was so salty I think I went into a coma). Our server was awesome. Beer list, pretty darn okay. I was determined to make it back ASAP. Second time around, service was pretty good. Wings, lip-smacking excellent. Vegan Sloppy Joe (don't hate me now) was not that good. Not that good at all. I do not recommend it. Third time around, tried for SPTR, but kitchen was closed. So trekked up to Royal. Service - I'll stick with the adjective "awesome." The root vegetable soup - I'll go with "freaking delicious." BUT. But. We got two entrees on special that made me really sad. The Chorizo Burger was dry, overcooked, and tasted like a mediocre hamburger. Like the Royal Burger, the bun to burger ratio was way off - the patty looked a little like the last cheerio floating in a bowl of milk. The Waldorf Salad was under-portioned and lacking in accoutrement. The "gorgonzola" was flavorless, and the walnut halves were more walnut sixteenths. Also, I understand that endive is a luxury lettuce, but I would appreciate if it were bulked up by some other green because when I order a $9 salad, I'm probably actually hungry. Anyway. I'm not sure what or how to feel anymore. We'll see if I end up back there. But it's going to take a while for the memory of being absolutely starving and handed a tiny lump of endive and grape halves to fade.
(2)
Lilli C.
Oh, how I love the Royal Tavern and wish this were my neighborhood bar. The crowd is non-douchy/annoying, the waitsfaff is friendly, they have great beers on tap, and the food is delicious. Some standouts: the mango habenero wings...to die for...the burger with bacon and smoked gouda is amazing (the only downfall: it's a bit heavy and there's no lettuce/tomato, but they will graciously give it to you if you ask for it). There is also a great vegetarian selection as well: vegan sloppy joe, tempeh club, nachos w/ fake meat, and the hummus platter are all amazing.
(5)
Gul A.
Never disappoints! This place is our neighborhood bar/restaurant and when we're in the mood for a low-key dinner and drinks theme night, this is the place to go. You might have to wait a bit for a table at rush-hour but it's worth it, the staff is always great, the food is amazing and it's a low-key bar scene with great people and a nice atmosphere. The food is really good and they have a full bar. Their menu has vegetarian and vegan options which is unique for a bar-style restaurant and everything is always really good! Highly recommend the sweet potato sandwich, the burger and the wings... they have daily specials worth checking out to. The
(4)
Catherine C.
I love Royal Tavern. I seriously have dreams about their fries and malt vinegar mayo. I've never eaten anything there that wasn't delicious. My favorite dishes are the burger and the grilled cheese, or for brunch, the tater tot scramble. Glorious. The ambiance is great with dark wood, strings of multi-colored lights, and a truly superb jukebox. Most of the time the staff are really friendly, but the service is often quite slow. I've had a couple isolated incidents of being treated rudely, but these were exceptions to the rule. It gets crowded and loud, so get your table early. Actually, just don't go, because then there will be a table for me.
(4)
Jorge G.
I remember coming in here on or about the time when it first opened and when people had their doubts about what it was trying to do. It seemed very experimental at the time when you considered the exotic beers and creative menu it offered; all set in what appeared to be just another down-at-heels, dusty, dive-bar type of space (which it played up). But it did NOT fail; it did not succumb to schizophrenia. If it was not the first gastro-pub in town then it certainly became one of the most emulated and notorious. Dark, splintery wood; red bordello paint scheme; and old-school 'flip-disc' classic-rock jukebox; scruffy, stringy-muscled patrons and staff all with tattoos and piercings and five-o'clock shadow; (the guys too). But as I say, the place has succeeded wildly and is on just about everyone' s radar nowadays. Me: I frequently used to stumble in here for brunch after a hard night of South Philly drinking. Service was angelic, even at that early-morning hour. Fabulous brunch offerings (eggs benedict usually my pick; with a LARGE bloody mary). Other years I missed brunch entirely but became obsessed with the quality of one of their sandwiches which for years shone like a beacon to me from their menu: their BLT sandwich. This is my favorite 'sammich' in the world, and even now I have found it prepared best right here at the Royal and nowhere else. Hear that? Nowhere else in western civilization, is this sandwich done any better. I used to travel 100 miles just to get here on a friday night after work and sample this sublime, supreme assemblage of flavors [applewood -smoked bacon, triple-decked with fresh Jersey tomatoes, garlic mayo, and a stack of crisp green lettuce]. Whoever the chef was, he just KNEW how to make this thing perfectly. It used to send me into a daze. Bite after bite, my eyes would be rolling back into my head and eyelids fluttering like receiving a BJ. It was that good. I begged them to keep it on their menu but for some reason, it vanished. And then still later--as Royal became a mature fixture of the neighborhood--I discovered that some autumns they will have chestnut soup available. Do you know how rare this soup is to find? I'd throw an old lady under a bus for this soup. Its my #1 favorite soup ever. At the Royal, it arrives at your table faintly tawny/taupe in color, shimmering and luminous in appearance; and very smooth and velvety, thick; rich to the palate. Its prepared with nutmeg and a touch of cinnamon; highly pureed; and with a large dollop of sour cream atop. The flavor is indescribable. Penetrating. Woodsy. Alternately sweet and salty. It changes flavor as it passes over your tongue. No one mouthful is quite the same as any other. Unforgettable. So think of it: just this one restaurant had both my fave soup and my fave sandwich. In just one place. That's the kind of surprises you get here. Whatever you come in here for, you leave satisfied and content and belly purring with sudsy dark porter swirling around within you as you exit. David Bowie's 'Heroes' tingling in your eardrums. You may even leave with some phone numbers. Just a great, great, bar! .
(5)
Joey P.
Definitely a fan of the Royal. I live down the street and always appreciate going there with a friend to show where this neighborhood is headed and some of the good things my generation is doing in the city. I missed the Abbey Ale! They need to bring it back, it was so delicious and paired well with the chicken sandwich on the menu. I went there with a vegan friend who got some kind of vegan dish. I don't really pay attention but he seemed to like it. My only beef is not having Abbey Ale and being way too busy. I've stopped by 10 times and have only been able to stay 4...just too busy! It makes sense, though. Keep on keepin' on, Royal.
(4)
Pat A.
AMAZING burger. I'd hold the long hot though, it's very spicy. Good fries. Good beer selection. The meatloaf sandwich - very good w/ a fried egg Ambiance is nice, although you might see a good number of hipsters HIGHLY recommended
(5)
Anna Q.
My favorite neighborhood spot with great drafts, awesome brunch, and tasty vegan and vegetarian options for brunch and dinner.
(5)
Beck G.
This place is hands down the place I love to take out of towners when they are visiting. The food and beer are reliably and consistently amazing! I love the burger and meatloaf sandwich and the vegan sloppy joe. Their special are always phenomenal but I wish they'd list the sides on the board (we just ask our server). I love the homemade mayo on the fries. Although it can get crowded, It's totally worth it and seriously awesome. We tend to go on less busy nights when possible (Mon-Thurs right around 5 or 6 seems to be a sweet spot in their level of busyness). I love this place.
(5)
damien t.
This place needs to Timberlake and bring that Octopus Salad back, goddammit. The taps have been a little whack lately too. Last time I found some Fegley's Elf stuff although it was buried in a weird place on the chalkboard. Still one of my favorite spots to pub in Philly
(4)
Rob F.
I've been here a few times and I have to say every experience has improved. I started with the much hyped royal burger and couldn't handle the pickled jalapeno which in my opinion took away from all of the other ingredients (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda,pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun) between the bun. Then I tried the meatloaf sandwich which didn't quite satisfy my tastebuds for the night (bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini mushroom ketchup on ciabatta). It wasn't until last night that I found exactly what will make me go back a 4th, 5th, and 6th time. Simple items, nachos and grilled cheese. Done to perfection. The nachos (corn chips, mozzarella and jack cheeses, pico de gallo,lettuce, jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole) started us off split three ways. I'm pretty sure I was trying to eat faster then my friends in order to get more then my fair share of guac. I probably could have ended there but alas I muscled through when the waiter brought out my meal. The grilled cheese (smoked gouda, sharp provolone and goat cheese on rustic french bread) was delicious and I will certainly mozy my way over to order this during happy hour one day after work when I come home to an empty fridge. Royal Tavern, it may have taken a few times but we're going to be good friends from here on out.
(3)
Wedge W.
I actually don't know anyone who has eaten here and does not like the Royal Tavern. The food is delicious and the portions are generous. I like to try the specials because I know that whatever I get will be amazing and different, and there are usually at least 5 each day to choose from. The staff is friendly and really seem to enjoy working there. Cozy restaurant with a very intimate feel. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
(5)
Mindy K.
finally finally FINALLY! i got to check out royal tavern. we had ventured here because of the awesome beer selection, but were just as amazed at the food - especially because the menu offers such a variety of options - whether your vegetarian, carnivore, picky-eater, large-portion desiring glutton, there is something for everyone here. we ended up dining for BRUNCH, but enjoyed it so much that we went back for dinner. THAT EVENING. You may think we're sad, but I'd say we're geniuses. WHAT WE DRANK *bloody mary & mimosa hell yes, we brunched it up properly. EXCELLENT! They use siracha in their bloody marys instead of tabasco, and it results in a thicker tomato-y, spicy beverage. The mimosas were also heavenly, with just a splash of orange juice with a healthy pour of champagne. It looks super cool with pulp-y OJ just floating around in the carbonated bubbles. *Angus Burger: bacon + caramelized onions + smoked gouda + pickled longhots + chile mayonnaise + seeded brioche bun this burger is always a frontrunner when the question of who makes the best burger in Philly is debated. I was a bit worried that it wouldn't live up to the hype (because hell yeah there is a lot of it), but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it totally does! The burger meat was perfectly seasoned! I really dislike when places don't use enough salt, or use too MUCH salt, for that matter (I'm looking at YOU, PYT), but this burger was fantastic. Even more exciting, is the bacon was ever so present (that's because my burger pet peeves are as follows: bland meat, minimal bacon presence, mushy bread), which is something I'm always happy to find. The pickled longshots provided a nice kick without being overwhelming and the large, thick slice of smoked gouda really held up within the mix of those flavors. YUM. I don't know that either of us loved the bun, but we didn't hate it. So I mention our ambivalence for that component - you know... just to be fair and pretend we're objective or something. *cuban omelet Cuban sandwich, omelet-style! This dish came out of nowhere and we foudn it to be AWESOME. We folded in pieces of the omelet into the tortillas and stuffed with the veggies and potatoes to make little wraps. Added a bit of siracha and BAM, deliciousness. *Beef Sloppy Joe The vegan sloppy joe was the sandwich I had really wanted to try, but this past weekend, the beef sloppy joe was one of the specials. At the behest of our adorable bartender, I went with the beef version. It was definitely excellent - tart, tangy, spicy and tender. I think the bun they used was the same as the burger, so again, I was ambivalent about that part, but the meat was great. Brought me back to the olden days of high school cafeteria dining - but properly gourmet'ed up, of course. * ah, nostalgia * OH yeah, and there was cheese! C'mon. CHEESE! I do need to note that the hand-cut fries at Royal Tavern are freaking unbelievable. Crispy, flavorful and addicting. It took everything in me to not gobble up this entire plate of them. *Chicken Frankie: indian curry chicken + indian slaw + warm lovash + hand-cut fries Our very interesting bartender told us that they make a huuuuuuuuuuge pan of curry chicken and just let it simmer (simma simma) for super long periods of time. He also said, if you pay attention, you can taste the TLC in each bite. Yes, we tasted it... YUM. Frankly, this frankie (HAHA, sorry, had to), is delicious, but if I had to choose where to eat a curry meat in a wrap, I think I'd prefer the japanese style beef curry burrito at Maru Global, but at least we have OPTIONS!
(4)
Chris O.
I'm not an early riser. We went for brunch. I guess to start, the best compliment I can give is that Royal Tavern is worth waking up for. First, the Bloody Mary. I only sampled a friend's and absolutely regret not getting one for myself. great tomato flavor and a hell of a kick to it. Absolutely delicious. Now for the food. Orders at the table were the Strawberry Crumb Pancakes, An omelet with potatoes and toast, a Merguez Sausage plate, and my tater tot scramble. The omelet looked like an omelet. A nicely made omelet, but nothing special in and of itself. The pancakes looked great, a good amount of strawberries, and plenty of the crumb topping. the bite I had was quite delicious. The star was the Merguez sausage plate. I totally had order envy for a food I don't particularly care for. it may have been the best looking plate of food I've seen in some time. The sausage came over a tomato type sauce, with 2 beautiful eggs sunny side up, and a hash that had some peppers,probably poblano, in it. In hindsight I feel as if I'm a failure for not taking several food porn pics of it. judging from my friends reaction it was as delicious as it looked. Now for mine, the Tater Tot Scramble. Compared to the sausage plate, this looked...bland. It was exactly what it said it was, scrambled eggs with tater tots, a pinkish sauce on top, and some toast. It was fine, but compared to the other plates, it was not nearly as drool inducing. Some parsley or a tomato or something would have made the plate far more appealing. Then I took a bite. Perfect eggs and the tater tot crunch. It didn't matter what it looked like, this was delicious. A few bites in, I hit the center which is where the jack cheese and onions were hiding and reached another level of taste bud satisfaction. The chipotle crema added a creaminess, but I didn't taste too much of the chipotle. I wound up adding some Sriracha that they were kind enough to leave on the table because I like heat and really, why wouldn't you? Our server, who's name I forget sadly, was awesome. She clearly knew the menu well and helped two of my friends down the path to meals they enjoyed greatly. She was quite attentive, but not annoying, throughout the meal. She was clutch in having our drinks refilled before we knew we needed it. Will definitely be back next time I'm in town.
(5)
Lauren T.
One of my absolute favorite bars. I've never had a less than amazing experience at the Royal. Beer list- perfect, always dark ales & stouts on tap. Burgers- the standard menu burger is juicy and wonderful, with bacon and long hots. A lot of times they offer special burgers (goat, kobe, etc.) which are great too. Truffle popcorn?! yes! The vinegar mayo dipping sauce for the fries is off the chain. I could drink it. The jukebox is great and the service is always sweet as pie! I really cannot gush enough about the Royal Tavern.
(5)
Alex M.
GREAT burger, good selection of beers knowledgeable staff, and a wide diversity of clientele (hipsters, college kids, old folk). Went their specifically for the burger and left satisfied, great fries too. Bit crowded on a Sunday at 6pm but still got a seat at the bar which was dark, but not too dark. Would definitely go back to try the rest of the menu.
(4)
Jessica E.
Had an excellent time here. Went for weekday lunch, so it wasn't crowded at all. I got an omelet that was on special with proscuitto, asparagus, and fresh mozzerella and it was delicious. Service was quick and very friendly. Prices are very reasonable. Will definitely be going back for dinner and drinks. Update 10/24/11: Had high hopes for the nachos but they were unfortunately very bad. Not much cheese and very very large pool of cold tomato/lettuce water floating at the bottom of the plate. Service very unfriendly and weird. But the burger was still very delicious. I would go back but probably stick to brunch.
(3)
Elizabeth B.
Arriving early is the way to go. Erin F. and I walked in at 10:03am on a Saturday and truly received the royal treatment. Coffee was delicious as always and we had a delightful time. BEST HUEVOS RANCHEROS EVER. That is all.
(5)
chris c.
Not enough room to add all the details of this awful trip, but highlights:. 4top seated in the upper back area, 5mins later, waitress brings us 3 waters and ask if wed like drinks to start. great. she writes down 3 drinks, walks away and begins chatting with another table. she never puts our drink order in but seats a new table and takes their drink orders. after about 10mins, the new table's drinks come out, but still no sign of ours. we arent in a rush and the bar is busy so we dont say anything yet. finally at the 15 min mark (still havent been offered the chance to order our food) we have to wave her down as she returns to chitchat again with another table of people she clearly knows as friends. as i start to say "hey, sorry, were still waiting on our-" she abruptly cuts me off and barks "YEAH YEAH I KNOW you want to order drinks i was just about to come over here and see if you want drinks.", her tone inexplicably annoyed AT US, and, as was to be the case the entire visit, was devoid of the simple (i feel instinctual even?) notion of being like "oh geez, im sorry...". it was baffling considering the fact that i felt we were already being sort of laid back about it all...i know many people who would walk out if no one came back to take an order after 20mins of being seated AND forgotten drinks. we werent huffing and puffing despite having a legit gripe and she was annoyed at us? huh? it added to the bad vibe that she seemed to be friends with 2 other tables of people and was sort of putting on a louder voice and attitude almost as though it was a show for them. baffled, we re-ordered our drinks politely and stated we were ready to order our food too. she seemed annoyed that we wanted to order now, as though she only wanted to do drinks now, even though that was her error. as she finishes taking our orders, we have long since finished our waters, so i ask can she also bring more water when she gets a chance. she visibly rolls her eyes like i am being demanding. 5mins go by before she brings a pitcher, fills the glasses of her friends table first, then comes to us with a now-almost empty pitcher, proceeds to fill one and a half glasses of water. she says "ill get more, hold on one sec", walks away and takes another tables orders. she runs their orders, gets busy, never finishes refilling our water. she comes by again and i ask if i can still get the water (2nd request) and she barks "its coming!" even though she has taken an entire other tables order and stopped to chitchat with her friends again. she goes away again and comes back to the area to bring drinks to a table, still no water, so i have to ask a 3rd time(!)....this time she stamps away like an annoyed child and like "angrily pours" me my water, if you can envision that. my entire table is just like "what is this chick's deal?!" we are seated in front of the weird doorway to their upstairs/supply area. there's folding glass doors that swing out here and at one point becomes unlocked and swings open and is against our table and another table. no big deal really, and the servers are busy, so i stand up to close the doors myself. as im doing this, nasty waitress storms over (she couldnt be bothered to come fix it when it was swaying into our table...but now that i am dealing with it she runs over) she basically budges me out of her way and says "sir, i GOT it, its tricky, i GOT it.". and makes it seem like im doing something i shouldnt be doing. the other half of the door was affecting her 2top table of friends too and, after she closes both halves, she looks at me with disgust, then leans into the 2top customer's ear and covers her mouth with her hand and WHISPERS something while looking at me, laughing, and then that customer's eyes follow her words and looks at me...pretty universal indication that she was talking shit. to his credit the customer looked embarrassed and gave me a look like "awkwaaaard" as she left. i mean, WTF?? last straw: we get food, my sis notices her sweet potato bahn mi has only a small sliver of potato in one half of the sandwich. the other half just had a piece of lettuce, it was missing the "contents" of the sandwich. we show the waitress, she exhales annoyed- "ill tell the kitchen" -no apology - and stomps away. 15mins later she emerges with a heaping plate of uncooked sweet potato (you can see grill marks where they were seared, but they werent actually cooked) and she literally drops the plate on the table with a clatter and says in a pissy tone and loud enough for all the other tables to hear "if this isnt enough sweet potato to fill you up, i dont know what ta tell ya" and walks off to her credit she did take her drinks off our bill but id much rather have paid for our drinks and been treated with respect. still tipped her 40% though because even miserable people need to pay rent. but she cost royal a few customers for life.
(1)
Nick G.
This place is literally a diamond in the rough. From the outside it looks like a place the average person might not venture into, but the food is soo good and the staff is always nice and helpful. My favorite time to go is on the weekend when they have brunch. They usually have different brunch specials for the weekend. I highly recommend the breakfast burrito or the pancakes. I haven't had a bad experience yet and I've been going there for years.
(5)
Jenna S.
Best grilled chicken sandwich in the city. I find myself craving it. It's a little loud for a conversation between a couple, and the food takes a little while to get to you, but the taste makes up for it. I agree that it's not as divey as you think it will be, but that's obviously not a bad thing. The staff is all right, nothing to rave about, but they obviously get their jobs done. I think it's worth going there for a good meal.
(4)
Taimur A.
Hands down the best burger in Philadelphia, probably all of PA. Blows Shake Shack, Village Whiskey, and all these novelty burger shops that are popping up out of the water. It's a little off the beaten path, but totally worth it.
(4)
Ethan M.
Most recent experience here on a Friday night was disappointingly substandard. Mediocre food, poor service behind the bar. May not be back. Will probably make the trek to Kennett in Queen Village henceforth (far greater care taken in the food and service).
(2)
Angela e.
The front is very unassuming and you can easy walk right pass it. As you read the menu you realize that you walked into a new world. My friend and I happened upon it at brunch time. We shared a dogfish head theobroma, BACON bloody mary, an augus burger and french toast with dulce de leche. The burger had bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise. Every bite you tasted something a bit different. It wasn't about a hook it was just great beef and amazing toppings that will easily make us drive 3 hours to get more. Everything was amazing!
(5)
Brendan O.
The food is really good, specifically their awesome grilled cheese sandwiches, but two poor beer-related experiences force me to limit them to 3 stars. While the tap selection/rotation is an admirable one, I've twice had to switch to bottled selections because the beer on tap just tasted "wrong" all around. On the warm side, on the flat side, and with a bit of a funkiness in the taste that probably points to tap lines in need of a good flushing. The two occasions where this happened to me were weeks apart and involved completely different beers, not only the ones I ordered but the ones ordered by my companion. Possibly coincidence/bad luck I guess, but bordering on systemic and inexcusable for a Philly "craft beer" bar regardless. Additionally, when I pointed this out to the bartenders I was given "the eye" rather than the benefit of the doubt.
(3)
Suzanne S.
Always a great spot for a good bite and a good beer. Brunch is always pretty delicious, too (can you say mimosa?). They offer take-out service if you don't feel like eating in, but offer ample room for floor or bar seating. I like divey and this place is right up my alley. My faves are the grilled cheese, herb popcorn, and mac n cheese. Their vegan sloppy joe is actually pretty tasty as well.
(5)
Benjamin R.
I kinda love the Royal Tavern. They are doing the bar menu RIGHT. It's one of the best bar food menus in town in my opinion and it's cheap. Bonus point for offering good vegan/veg options that go way beyond the ubiquitous and boring portabello. Try the excellent vegan Sloppy Joes or the enormous Tempeh Club. They also have numerous delicious sides. I always supplement my meal with some garlic spinach. The Royal also offers up a solid, seasonal draught list. Also, this place is generally not overrun with hipsters. I'm hesitant to spread the word because it's usually not crowded, but they do offer an excellent brunch. In spite of some other reviews on here, I personally havent' had a bad experience with the service. It can be a little slow when it's really busy (especially if you're trying to settle up) because the servers have to write up all the checks by hand. But seriously, have a beer and relax.
(5)
Kate C.
Get the burger, you will not be disappointed. Don't eat meat? Go for the tempeh club sandwich, it's equally awesome.
(5)
Mathew M.
I have the occasion to travel through Philly periodically. When I'm not Philly, I dream of the Royal Tavern burger. No joke. It's that good. I can't really vouch for anything else... but the burger is perfection.
(5)
Rachel A.
Love the Royal Tavern. Go there all the time. The food (lots of heavier comfort food) is awesome and they usually have great specials. The beer list is always great. The Bloody Marys are good. Sometimes it's really crowded and you have to wait a while for a table, but if you're there early for brunch or most weeknights, it's fine. My favorite dishes are the meatloaf sandwich and the truffle butter popcorn (which is only available at dinner time!).
(5)
Annie D.
I had dinner here with some friends a few weeks back. They suggested the Royal Tavern and were kinda mortified when I had no clue what they were talking about... Anywho, we went and I was really happy with what I found there! They Have a good albeit straight forward beer selection; nothing you'd be shocked to find but you're not relegated to drinking a dreaded InBev product. It's the food that makes it worth the journey for a non-South Philadelphian such as myself. I had an amazing chicken sandwich, my friend had a Caesar salad with these awesome polenta croutons and the specials all looked amazing. They also have a great selection of veggie and/or vegan options so everybody will be happy if you're dining with a mixed eating crowd.
(4)
Chris G.
Truly good Friday night dinner w/female relative. Food is very well prepared - GREAT BEERS ON TAP-Servers & beer keeper are awesome Only negative is tables are way too close, I don't want somebody's fight w/ his frigging girlfriend in my ear, while trying to relax after work.
(4)
Maren M.
I've only eaten here once, but my burger was by far one of the best burgers i've ever had. ever. I still remember the smoked gouda and carmelized onion. And my fries were really tasty. My companion for the evening enjoyed his wings, but was def. feeling my burger, and gladly finished it for me. i was so high off that shit that i happily paid for the whole meal, even though i'm broke. it was new years day. whatever. Treat Yourself.
(5)
Sara C.
Holy crap. The sweet potato banh mi sandwich (that's a Vietnamese hoagie for those not in the know) is wonderful. Filled with all the fixings that make it so great - cilantro, jalepenos, pickled carrots, daikon radish, jicama - with some Royal additions - sweet potato, bibb lettuce, and cilantro aioli. SO GOOD. Based on the dishes I've had here - you'd think I'm vegetarian. If I had the money to eat at the Royal every night - I could probably pull it off.
(5)
sabrina j.
the best bar! the burger. the chicken sandwich. the vegan sloppy joe. so amazing. go there immediately if you enjoy living your life!
(5)
Lisa R.
Yes, there are great burgers here but there is so much more going on that you must check out the menu (note: slight variations once you arrive) to do this place, and yourself, justice. We enjoyed a phenomenal dinner, excellent service from waitress (who really knew their extensive beer offerings well), and the buss staff (who were attentive and helpful in packing up leftovers). We went for a Monday early dinner at 6 and the place was virtually packed to the brim but we got seated right away, by the time we left there was a line out the door and we thought, it's worth the wait. Kitc.hen serves 'til 1am.
(4)
Julia N.
There's just something I really like about this bar. Actually, there are a lot of somethings: a well-thought out beer list, tons of good vegetarian food options, including that awesome tempeh club, great brunch that never feels like an afterthought, the cozy interior, friendly staff, a fantastic jukebox and the fact that there always seems to be at least one other Morrissey fan there to play his songs too. The only problem I can find here is that Royal Tavern is not close enough to my apartment. Of course, no restaurant can deliver a flawless dining experience 100% of the time, but every time I come to Royal Tavern, I leave happy.
(5)
Sarah B.
YUM! Everything, just yum.
(4)
Phil T.
When I saw Frankie's Chicken Sandwich on the menu served with Indian coleslaw I couldn't help but think, "but will it be like my mother's traditional Indian coleslaw?" *rollseyes* I bit into the sandwich and it tasted as if one had cooked a traditional curry and used it in a sandwich. Most restaurants add "curry" to dishes at an attempt at a gimmicky fusion dish, but the Royal Tavern has done an admirable job of combining it with a sandwich.
(3)
Caitlin D.
This is a great go to place for gastropub fare. Dare I say, may favorite in the south Philly type area. The grilled cheese at this place is the best damn grilled cheese on the planet and I will fight anyone who disagrees. They always have specials that sound amazing (although I pretty much always order the grilled cheese). I don't know a single person that doesn't like this place. The bottle list isn't the greatest and slightly overpriced compared to other bar/restaurants...but that's never deterred me from going there. The jukebox is also really decent, and fun to look through if you ever have to wait for a table. Additionally, their brunch is awesome. My favorite is the burrito. I prefer going here in the cooler months, simply because its pretty dark inside....and I hate the idea of people in dark places when it's sunny and nice outside. Did I mention that the grilled cheese is seriously fucking good? OK, that is all.
(4)
Alexa R.
Shhh....did you know Royal Tavern has an awesome brunch? I am not sure I want to tell all of the patrons waiting outside Morning Glory and Sabrina's, because I love the fact that I can walk right into Royal and get a table of 4. Took my brother in law and sister here on Saturday morning - had a great waitress and busser (who I even forgave for spilling freezing cold water on me!) -- and great food. Myriad palates were pleased and husband raved about the bacon bloody mary's!
(4)
Stefanie A.
Not fancy, but doesn't need to be, This unassuming local tavern serves up some of the tastiest bar fare around. Not to mention the best burger in town IMHO. Service is friendly despite the continual crowds waiting for one of a handful of tables, and my friends say the veggie options are great, though I've never tried any as aside from the burger, the Korean fried chicken is also a favorite. Their house pomengranate sangris is great, as is the beer selection, and the stellar jukebox. Great place for a drink and eats with friends, thouggh going with a group larger than 4 can be challenging for finding table seating.
(5)
Samantha H.
Three cheers for the Royal Tavern! Open late, tasty food, good service, and great tunes. My favorites are the barbecue wings and bacon wrapped tater tots, which might have been a one time thing, not sure. Still, if you see 'em, get 'em! Almost everything that can be dipped comes with a tasty homemade dipping sauce as well. The menu is a little small but my friends and I ordered different things and we were all very satisfied with what we got. Dessert was a little disappointing though. Decent, but not worth the price. As for the non-food things, they were also quite good. Service was a little slow but still friendly and understanding. Luckily, they have a jukebox to keep you entertained while waiting filled with everything from Rick Ross to the Clash to Justice and beyond. Commendable hours too! More often than I'd like I'm stuck trying to think of a place that serves dinner and is open past 9 or 10 but now I know the Royal Tavern is there and serving tasty foods.
(4)
Amanda M.
My favorite place to grab a burger, hands down. A great beer selection, a variety of different types of food-their menu is always changing.The only food I have to complain about is the nachos. Nachos consisted too much toppings over nachos (which sounds silly, but when splitting with two people, its easy to run out) Overall, the royal gets an A.
(5)
Coco D.
Children, I have figured it out. The riddle of the Sphinx? No, the riddle of why people like the Royal Tavern! And having solved this caper, I think I may be able to figure out why folks like other places that appear to be located in Sucktown, USA. Anyway, back to her Royal Taverness. It's not a bar! It's a restaurant! If you (I) go there expecting it to be a bar, you (I) will most likely attempt some violent shit out of frustration. But once you realize it's just a restaurant, the whole game changes. Allow me to explain: Crowd? Expecting bar: Wow, everyone here is kind of sad and lame and should probably go shopping to replace their feeble excuse for a wardrobe. Expecting restaurant: Hey look, it's packed, and everyone seems kind of happy! Decor? Bar: Um, this is weird. It looks a little too fancy to not have a cocktail menu. Restaurant: Dark wood, low lights! Cool! Service? Bar: I'm too bored to care. Can we go to McGlinchey's now? Restaurant: Nice enough. Of course this whole expectation thing would be a moot point if the food were not up to par (yeah, I'm looking at you, Sidecar). Granted, I've only had the burger, but man. That was a good burger! I'm not usually into bacon on burgers, but I felt like all of the toppings (spicy mayo, long hots) had been thought out, and it worked! I would feel safe putting my palate at the mercy of the rest of their menu. And the jukebox...well, it doesn't fucking kill, but hearing more than one T. Rex song over the course of a burger is going to win you more than a few points with me....
(4)
G F.
This bar has my favorite beer, Ommegang's Three Philosophers. I like that. I also like the retro beer advertisements in the bathrooms (funny) and the super hand drying machines (the best kind of hand dryers). The dark colored wood which comprises the bar is classy. I also really enjoy the Pan Fried Gnocchi -- quite delicious (though overpriced). Throw all the pine nuts and arugula you want on it. It's still just gnocchi for $15. But that's kind of the overall theme here -- nice selection, but you're going to pay for it. Average to higher than average. Service can be hit or miss. Servers are quick to start... but taper off from there. I really want to love this place. I mean, I like it fine enough. I've been here many times with various groups of people. But it has never developed into the love category. I'm usually the guy who says, hey-- let's go to The Dive. And they say, hey-- let's go to the Royal Tavern instead. Seating is also limited. What can you do? The Royal Tavern is a fine bar. Just not one of the finest in the city, in this humble yelper's opinion. Meh.
(3)
Mortimer S.
Great food, great beer selection. Comparisions to Standard Tap are apt. The menu is fairly extensive and everything is a familiar item, almost always with an interesting twist. A salad with a limoncello vinaigrette, calamari with harissa, and so forth. I sampled a couple of IPAs which were both good, then had the wings, ordering a combination of the traditional buffalo as well as mango habanero. The latter weren't nearly as spicy as I expected, nor did I really taste mango very strongly, but they were good, and coated with crumbled wasabi peas to boot. Wings also come with carrot and pickled daikon in addition to the gorgonzola dressing. The waitress was attentive. The atmosphere is comparable to other establishments of this type and it seems to be a pretty laid back place. I look forward to trying more of their fare.
(5)
Hymae W.
Went here for breakfast Easter morning. I had a bagel sandwich that was excellent. 3 other in my group got a breakfast burrito which they all enjoyed. They also serve mimosas and bloody mary's but i opted out that day.
(4)
Emily C.
LOVE this place. Always a busy & fun atmosphere. The "Tempeh Club Sandwich" is one of the best. Great customer service! There is usually a wait (on popular nights of the weekend), but the staff is ALWAYS trying to accommodate you as much as possible, so that you are comfortable and seated as soon as possible. It's a nice change from places that seem to disregard your patience!
(5)
Cynthia D.
I love this swanky place for their unexpected touches to the classic american bar menu. The jukebox is sweet, as well. It's a beautiful bar with a lovely old interior nicely restored. Very Classy. Only complaint, as a short girl, the tall chairs are a bit rough. Ow.
(5)
Michael K.
What a great, relaxed pub tavern we have here. As I walk in the door, I just know there's gonna be a few great beers waiting for me to try. Sitting at the bar is great if I can grab a seat, though you do have a lot of foot traffic walking behind you all night. If I were the sort to start drinking around 1 pm on a weekday and drool on my bar stool, this place would be near the top of my list. The food here is very good without being pretentious - great mac n cheese. Or expensive - think just about ever sandwhich was under $9. However, just about every time I've come in and grabbed a table the service has been lacking (hence I prefer the bar seats). I've waited a looooong time just to put in a drink order. So have your order ready or you may wait a while to see your server again. And it was mentioned recently, but the jukebox here rules. Old punk, origins of rock, smarmy indie. Only problem is everyone KNOWS there's a good jukebox here...you may have to wait a while to hear your selections...
(4)
Bernard G.
Two words: Chicken Sandwich. I crave it. I live an hour away, but will make the drive for this piece of heaven. And, I don't even drink beer. I just want the sandwich. Thanks.
(4)
Megan M.
Great place. Surprisingly good food. Reasonable prices. Good vibes. Royal Tavern is one of my go-to places. It's the perfect blend of relaxed bar and great restaurant. I have never had anything there that I didn't like. Highlights include the Angus burger, popcorn, and cubano rolls. Their brunch is also fantastic! Breakfast burrito, baby! The only bummer is that it can get crowded. The slightly "relaxed" service doesn't always help that, but in this case, I don't hold it against them.
(5)
Big E.
Solid burger and solid beer list. Beautiful bar. I wonder if the ceiling is really tin? Definitely on my short list for best burger in Philadelphia. I am not sure if it is the best but in the top 3 for sure. Go eat, drink and enjoy yourself.
(4)
JACKIE G.
Ah, Royal Tavern. The perfect place to nurse a hangover with a bloody mary. Personally, I find them to be the best in the city, so usually, one does not suffice. I often frequent this place for brunch. If I don't feel like trying someplace new, the Royal is a go-to spot. Some of their classics are the grilled cheese- three cheeses and fries priced right at $7- and mac and cheese. Yesterday I tried for the first time the Jersey tomato salad and it was delectable. I ordered fries because I was afraid the salad world leave me a little hungry. I was wrong. The salad was adorned with two tomato slices bigger than my palms (and I have big hands). The bibb lettuce was perfect in this salad, it was soft as compared to a crunchier lettuce, it was perfect with the savory flavor of the tomato and salt. Generally speaking, the Royal is usually crowded with good reason. The happy hour is good too, half priced drinks. Yay!
(5)
Erica M.
This place was really good...I would probably give it 3.5 stars if possible, but it was good enough that I would round up rather than down. The server was really nice and we got our drinks and appetizer quickly. The mezze platter was DELISH! Hummus and baba ganouj were obviously homemade and oh-so-tasty. The grape leaves were warm and the fresh pita was grilled to perfection. We waited a little while for our entrees...we had a party of 5 and got the gnocchi, sweet potato banh mi, asiago/mushroom/arugula flatbread pizza, and 2 tempeh clubs. Overall, the food was really good except the person who got the sweet potato banh mi wasn't a fan. I enjoyed my tempeh club but thought it was a bit flavorless (I didn't even taste the vegan bacon). The basil aioli and their lavender honey mustard (we got both on the side for the tempeh club) were both AMAZING. The gnocchi-orderer enjoyed her dish, but said they were super heavy and could only eat a few bites of the appetizer portion. Portions are quite large! I will definitely go back...the burger looked delish, so I look forward to trying that upon my next visit. Overall a good experience!
(4)
Colleen D.
The Royal Tavern. One of my favorite bars in the city. Not only do they have a great beer selection, but they also have my favorite burger in the city - caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, bacon and condiments on top of a delicious roll. So why not give it 5 stars? Because, as many will state in their reviews, the service needs improvement. Last time i came here with a friend, our server forgot to put our order in, and it took an hour and a half to get our burgers. 90 minutes for two burgers! And she tried to blame it on the kitchen being busy. We ended up getting our food for free, but that is inexcusable, and she wasn't very apologetic. If I had done that in my years of serving I would no longer have had a job! But things are different in Philly.
(4)
Terri M.
Rule #1 - Get here before 6pm on any given night, or a table will not come easily. Brunch is super crazy, so either get there at opening or wait until mid-noon (brunch is served until about 4). But no matter what time you get there or how long you wait, the food is worth it. The atmosphere is relaxed, good music 100% of the time and the staff is efficient (There was a period several years ago when the service SUCKED ASS and we avoided this place at all cost, but they they've had a great crew for about the past 2 years). They always have a beer on tap that will suit anyone's preference. The food is fantastic. I LOVE the Tempeh Club - I will order this 95% of the time I eat here. For brunch, I am a sucker for the Tater Tot Scramble. Another great sandwich is the Vegan Sloppy Joe. Desserts are to die for, except for the Apple Crisp. Get the Grasshopper Cake or Coconut Cream Cake if they are available.
(4)
Michelle W.
It's a place I always go back to. The beer list is always great, but the food is what keeps me coming back. The meatloaf sandwich is awesome, hands down the best bar food I've had. The service is consistently great, and the bartenders are knowledgeable and nice. The environment is awesome, a hodgepoge of older folks, hipsters, and the neighborhood crowd. A plus is the jukebox and the chalk board in the bathroom!
(5)
Lauren D.
Sometimes I wonder why I haven't reviewed this place yet considering I'm there at least 2 or 3 times a month, but then I realize that this place has over 100 god damn reviews and, let's face it, no one will probably read this. ANYWAY. I really love Royal Tavern. Sometimes I get kind of apathetic towards it because every now and then the staff rubs me the wrong way (too much "I'm a Hipster and I don't care about anything" attitude), but it's never BAD service. In fact, they are usually really attentive, and this one day bartender with short blondish hair is just so nice and pleasant that I want to be his best friend always. The food here is also really freakin' delicious. Hands-down the best grilled cheese sandwich in the city. It has goat cheese, gouda, and something else that I can't remember, inside 2 slices of buttery, crispy, bread. To be perfectly honest, I don't think I've ever eaten anything else from this place. Maybe a soup, which you can add on to the grilled cheese sandwich for 3 dollars more. It's heavenly, and now I'm craving one of them at 8:40am because of writing this review. The space itself is kind of weird and not really good for larger parties (long and narrow), but it's kind of cozy. I also really dig the bathrooms, especially now that they added the chalk board walls, because who doesn't like drunkenly writing messages while breaking the seal? OH the only kind of lame thing about this place is that they don't take reservations, which makes going there on a weekend night sometimes not an option since it gets REALLY busy REALLY quickly. So yes. Go to the Royal Tavern. It's swell.
(5)
Jordan L.
Everyone gets all hyped up about the burger at Royal Tavern. but the unsung hero is the chicken sandwich. Grilled chicken, arugula, blue cheese, prosciutto, pears, honey mustard? Could this be the best chicken sandwich ever? For this Yelper it is! Pretty much everything on the menu is outstanding, you really can't go wrong. All they need is to bring back the hot apple cider with whisky for the fall and winter months.
(4)
David G.
Dear Royal, Sure, your food is unrivaled (the burger is as good as they say, as are about a half a dozen items on the menu), your servers and bartenders are fantastic, your atmosphere welcoming and without pretension, your beer selection utterly solid (with a nice kicker of whiskeys), your lighting dark as a bar should be, your jukebox balanced with awesomenss, your brunch kickass... Sure, you're a block from my house. Sure, sometimes when out-of-town guests are in-town for a weekend, we find ourselves coming to you twice at nights and once for brunch. Sure, all that. But you know, Royal, sometimes you're a little loud: so you only get five stars.
(5)
Beth R.
RT has a vibe that reminds me of Grace's Tavern or South Philly Taproom... with it's dark walls, wooden bar, and dim lighting inside. The beer list is good, and so is he menu. I had a wonderfully unhealthy dinner of tater tots and mac n cheese here last night (although they do have salads, sandwiches, mussels, etc on the menu as well). The downside is that the bar is pretty narrow and if you're standing, you will be jostled around by everyone going and going. Also, I know it's hot outside, but it was really steamy in there last night. I don't think they have central AC.
(3)
Kathy D.
Great beer selection and quality food! In my last Food Network magazine, the Royal Tavern won the award for the best burger in PA. The menu changes frequently and although there's some vegan and different items, you can always order the burger when in doubt. It's VERY dark and can get pretty loud in there depending when you go. GREAT beer and drink selection and service is top notch. Hipster vibe with lots of tattoos, but you won't feel out of place in here...probably because it's so dark :)
(4)
Ben P.
Always a good choice. One of my favorite spots to watch a Phils game. Great beer list, solid service, awesome...awesome food.
(4)
Amy K.
I love this bar. They have a decent beer selection, but the food is what keeps me going back. I've loved everything I've eaten there, especially the chicken sandwich. But other great things I've eaten there are the burger, the caesar salad, and the meatloaf sandwich. I also love that they offer tater tots. I try to get something I can dip the vinegar mayo in, because yyuuuuuummm I love that stuff. Brunch has also been great there.
(5)
Kristina K.
This is definitely in my top 5 brunch spots! I've never had a bad experience here. They boast about having the city's best bloody marys and its pretty damn close to the best I've ever had. They're spicy, but not on fire and I love the pickle n olive garnish it has. Usually I have to hide it from my bf because he loves it too. Their food is fab! I love their tater tot scramble with chipotle crema and pretty much any special I've gotten (ex chorizo and egg breakfast tacos) were amazing! Its a spot I will gladly come back to again and again.
(5)
Christina W.
If a well done burger means red and bloody, then Royal makes then best burger I've ever ordered. I don't know where the break down of communication started, but when my burger arrived, it bled all over my plate. Thankfully the plate came with a large serving of fries and delicious chile mayonnaise. Also, I'm a fat girl and I'll eat pretty much whatever the waitress brings out. On a Wednesday night at 7pm I really didn't think we'd have trouble finding a seat but unfortunately, we had to wait for about 20 minutes. Guess people love bloody burgers.
(3)
Joanne P.
Definitely a Hidden Gem, the burger was deeelish and the mac n cheese was wonderful. Loved the low key atmosphere and music was on but not so loud that i had to scream at my bf to talk to him. When it got a little darker out, they dimmed the light and brought out candles, didnt think it could get romantic in a bar haha. Will be recommending this place to many many more friends.
(5)
Xtine H.
I popped in here after a friend had told me about the mulled cider they carried in the winter months, which ended up being a nice break from a cold trip to the city. The menu is great, be sure to check the specials board. We ended up sitting at the bar and on a Saturday afternoon, it was hard to find a table! The servers were all conversational, and I even felt like a local by being included in their conversations
(3)
Robin S.
I'm sorry to give Royal Tavern 3 stars. Had this been a year or two ago it would have been 4 or 5. What happened dudes??? This used to be my favorite brunch spot in Philly. Awesome food, great drink specials (extra spicy bloody mary with bacon crumbled on top? Brilliant!) and friendly (if a bit harried) waitstaff. Then something changed. I went a while back to wait for a friend, sat at the bar and the bartender seemed really annoyed that I was there and that, god forbid, I only wanted a PBR bottle. Went back again with some friends for brunch and my one friend's order was screwed up several times (how hard is it to just leave mayo off the order?) and the waitress acted pissy when he politely asked her to fix it. On top of that the glorious bloody marys that I had raved about to my friends now come in half sized glasses and are pretty boring. Although they did serve it with a pickle which I loved. Maybe it's just the brunch crowd though. I went back again at about 7pm on a Sunday and our waiter was really nice and fast. My hope is that it's just a temporary downswing and things will get better soon. I miss my staple brunch place.
(3)
Alex K.
Went here with my buddy for his birthday, he had been wanting to go back and I'd never been, so I was excited to try some of this great food he was talking about. It's bar food at the end of the day, but it's not just bar food, it's the kind of foodie fuel Yelpers probably love, made with choice ingredients and served up in a pleasantly subtle, divey down-home atmosphere. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: This place is more well hidden than Waldo playing hide-n-seek at the Super Bowl...ok that's an exaggeration, but keep your eyes open for this place or you'll miss it. The place feels really warm, dimly, intimately lit (ie. xmas lights). THE FOOD/DRINKS: We drank lagers, so there's not much to say about the drinks, other than that they are reasonably priced, and the bar looked to be full of fun possibilities. I opted for their grilled cheese, which came with fries and a cup of their soup of the day (black bean), and a side of garlic spinach. The grilled cheese was thick sliced texas toast, buttery and crispy, with three cheeses, I forget which they were but damn was it good. Blackbean soup was a perfect dipping companion, with a few of what looked like handmade tortilla chips. The spinach was garlicky, just like I like it, although I think it was a little thicker than I'd have preferred, if that makes sense. THE SERVICE: Down to earth, responsive (for the most part), and friendly. Their laid-back demeanor matches the ambiance, without coming off as lazy or indignant. THE PRICING: Surprisingly reasonable. I was expecting a bigger bill, paying for both of us since it was my friend's bday, that made things extra sweet. I can definitely say that it factors into any future visit I'll be making there because I know I can explore the menu and enjoy something I know will be deliciously dope for less than other nearby spots. THE BOTTOM LINE: Check it out for sure, great for a laid back dinner, it's just pretty small and inconspicuous, so be ready for a comfortable, humble experience that won't hurt your wallet and reward your tastebuds generously.
(5)
Blake F.
spoiled by the royal. yup, that's what i am. see, i've tasted the liquid magic that is the royal bloody, and all bloody marys i've had since have in turn been the recipients of such remarks as "it's good, but not royal good." bloodys are a relatively new thing for me, and i don't claim to be an expert on what they should or shouldn't taste like, tho i will say i enjoy the super spiciness (including the spicy pickle garnish) and overall consistency (thick & chunky, in a good way). not sure what vodka they use, but they're definitely not skimping on that key ingredient! along with my bloodys, i often (but not always...) order brunch. the breakfast burrito is a personal fave (also, HUGE) and i recently enjoyed the tater tot scramble as well. eggs + tots + cheese + caramelized onions + chipotle cream sauce = awesomeness. and, as the queen, i would know. the royal is also one of the few places in philly that offers vegetarian sausage (and fakon) which, at 3 bucks for 3 patties, i can't pass up. so far i've only made it to the royal once for dinner (shame on me), but it's only a matter of time before i'm back for more of their veggie offerings - as they offer so many! the vegan sloppy joe rocked my flavor world and while i'd be tempted to order it again, i wanna try the tempeh club, the grilled cheese, the hummus platter, and so much more. oh wait - i did also get to taste the royal's take on the vietnamese hoagie at our last elite event where they provided their sweet potato banh mi. me want more!!
(4)
christina j.
G & I checked this spot out after a few beers at the POPE. We split the popcorn, potato skins and the burger. Yum! Enough food for 2 and the burger was delicious.
(3)
Kimberly S.
This place is my favorite neighborhood bar in Philly. The beer list is decent and reasonably priced and the food is awesome! You must try the burgers here. The last time I was here I had my dream burger....carmelized onions, smoked gouda, bacon, long hot pepper and a fried egg on top. I must say it was quite possibly the best burger of my life. Another favorite menu item is the grilled chicken breast sandwich, except I sub smoked gouda for the bleu cheese (I don't care for bleu cheese) and I think it makes the sandwich even better because the smoked gouda and the thinly sliced pear compliment each other so well. I love - love - love this sandwich. One time I was here with a friend that ordered the meatloaf. If you had a mom like mine who cooked meatloaf like hers and went to a school with a lunch menu like mine, then you probably HATE meatloaf as I do. But this meatloaf at Royal Tavern was actually delicious! In spite of the Martha Stewarts, Top Chefs, Steven Starrs, Rachel Rays and Gordon Ramseys of the industry, I think the ultimate accomplishment for a chef should be when they succeed in making someone like a food that they have always hated. Well done Royal Tavern. I do have one complaint though. The last time I came here the service was TERRIBLE. The waitress either completely forgot about us or completely ignored us. I have been a restaurant worker for 10 years now and am a die-hard advocate of good tipping, but this service was so bad, so nonexistent, that I did not even care if she got a tip. Aside from that, the food is just so great that I will definitely be back in the future.
(4)
Tom D.
I elected to bring my friend here because of the number of reviews that highlighted the vegan food. I suppose when you have over 100 reviews and feature vegan food on your menu, you're bound to have a number of vegans eat at your restaurant. Well, the reviews are quite accurate. The vegan fare was excellent! I was also pleased with my selection. I ordered the grilled cheese and soup combo. The sandwich was super tasty with the gooey-factor reaching into the upper echelons of awesome! The soup was a chipotle tomato: a perfect foil to the sandwich. Cool vibe, good jukebox, decent service. It was crowded for dinner on Friday, I would advise reservations, though we were seated after only 15 minutes.
(4)
Rachel W.
This place was really great. I have been to the dive a bunch of times, and somehow I had completely missed it. Good beer selection that's moderately priced, (Franziskaner is 6 here, while you walk 50 feet away and it's 4 dollars at the dive.) and their draught selection is pretty good too, Happy Hour seems like a good place to be since all of the beers on tap are half off. I didn't try any beers because I had forgotten my ID, but I did have their Tempeh Club sandwich, and it was absolutely fantastic. The veggie bacon and tempeh almost seemed like they made it themselves... I have no idea whether it's store bought or made there, but it was great anyway. They also put this basil aoeli on the club which was a nice touch. My boyfriend had the bbq seitan sandwich, and although this was good too, the tempeh club was better. It was more spicy than sweet, and I'm partial to the more sweet bbq taste. The seitan had a really good texture though. Oh! They also have vegan cakes and desserts. I tried the carrot cake and it was super super moist, and the icing was way better quality than most vegan cakes / cupcakes. I will definitely visit this place again.
(4)
Justin B.
One of the best Burgers in Philly. Also the Chicken Sandwich is delicious. The atmosphere is really nice and beers are in the plenty. Get there early if you want a table because this place is pretty popular and for a very good reason. I love you RoyalTavern!
(5)
Dillon R.
Went there and had brunch for the first time. Get there early because it fills up quick! Packed by 10:30am today (Sunday). By far the best eggs Benedict I've ever had. Good selection of breakfast foods to satisfy anyone. Lots of vegetarian/ vegan options too Can't complain about a place that gives you 6 slices of bacon when you order a side of bacon. Plenty of free street parking at that time of day too.
(4)
Andrew C.
Found this bar through yelp looking for brunch while wandering around south Philly. Wasn't sure whether what looked like a standard bar was even open as we walked in the door.... But the food was incredible! I ordered the breakfast burrito and have never had a better one! Smooth guacamole, spicy peppers, and sausage ignited my tastebuds and cured my hangover. The coffee was also much better than average. I've been back a few times and have yet to be disappointed. It may not look like much at first, but this place is truly a gem.
(5)
Dustyn C.
I'm a big fan of the Royal Tavern. It has been within a few blocks of my house for almost half of the 9 years I've lived in this city, and during that time I've seen it go through many changes. Years ago, it was the best place for some kind of stuffed french toast on a sunday morning. These days, I don't bother with brunch there anymore because it became too popular for it's own good, and the poor servers constantly look overextended and the wait times can be awful. There's a good reason for the popularity, but I'd rather avoid it. I tend to grab dinner here frequently. Partially this has to do with the fact that unlike some local bars who say their kitchens are open late but close them down early if they aren't busy enough, I can always count on the kitchen here to be open until 1am. I work an odd schedule, and so this has saved me from going hungry or going Wawa many, many evenings. The menu always has vegetarian / vegan options, once in awhile the specials menu will as well, and the soups are consistently great. This is good to keep in mind, because they pair well with the grilled cheese and a beer. (an aside about beer: i tend to like darker beers. the fact that the Royal always has bottles of Yuengling porter in the fridge makes me very, very happy. a lot of bars don't carry it, and it's one of my favorites, so kudos to them. now if i could convince them to keep a keg of the Yards Brawler on tap at all times, I'd be content forever.) All that being said, my two true loves at the royal tavern are the popcorn and the tempeh club. the popcorn is so good that sometimes when we're sitting around the house getting ready to throw in a movie, i'll run down the street and grab a few orders of popcorn to bring home and eat with the movie. seriously. and it's a perfect inexpensive bar snack. enough other people have gushed about the tempeh club so i'm not going to, but i will say that even if i wasn't a vegetarian, I'd still be ordering the tempeh club. it's a mess to eat, but 100% delicious. the jukebox can be hit or miss depending on your tastes, but i'm pretty sure there's something in there for everyone. watch out though because sometimes it gets LOUD for no apparent reason when you start picking selections and it's mildly embarrassing because everyone in the bar turns to glare at you as if you turned the volume up to deafening on purpose. and finally, i have to say that the staff is pretty great. I've watched the servers sit and take written tests on the menu and the beer selection, so they definitely know their stuff. they are always very friendly, and i've spent many nights sitting at the bar drinking and being entertained by the bartenders goofing around. good vibes abound. my favorite bar in the city.
(5)
Matthew C.
We first tried this place after Little Fish sent us here because they felt bad that we had to wait for our table. Loved it the first time and we have loved it again and again. Great selection of beers. They have PBR in bottles! Plus a variety of Belgium beers. The mango habanero wings rocked!! Sweet and spicy. Also try the old bay fries. I'm dying to try more things on the menu. I'll be back!
(4)
Geronimo G.
Awfully expensive for a dive bar.
(2)
Aly M.
The Royal is awesome. I'd only been here a few times before recently, but I've had the privilege of living literally around the corner for the past few months and have consequently been there at least weekly if not more. Their food is generally over the top good. The cubano spring rolls are excellent, and the burger is very deserving of the "best of" title. The only reason they don't get 5 stars is because last time I was there, my dad and I opted for a cup of soup each and to split a grilled cheese. The black bean soup really left something to be desired, it was pretty bland and we had to ask the bartender like 5 times to get some jalapenos on the side. Black bean soup is usually served with sides to drop in such as cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, raw onion. This was not accompanied by anything, thus the blandness. It also had to be sent back to be warmed because it came out cold. I got the pork, white bean, and broccoli rabe soup which was a special of the day. It was very tasty but my bowl was less than half full, which was made even more apparent by the fact that we both ordered soup and his bowl was filled to an appropriate level. Overall that one experience was not a deal breaker (obviously, cause it's still gettin 4 stars) just a small stain on my otherwise glistening review of the Royal. Oh- the meatloaf sandwich!! TASTY! I only wish they had non-vegan sloppy joes as well. YUM.
(4)
Leah G.
While everyone is such a fan of the burger at Royal Tavern, I really think the grilled cheese should have a similar following. I am constantly in search of great grilled cheese and mac and cheese in philly, and the Royal Tavern has definitely made my grilled cheese map. They do it very well - the cheese is melted well (yes this seems to actually be a recurring problem with grilled cheese at several philadelphia establishments), the corners are not dried out (yes another problem). The different cheeses are paired well, and help to create a solid, quality grilled cheese. PS if you have a favorite grilled cheese locale, please let me know!
(4)
Jenn M.
Royal is one of the best places to go after a long work week and relax with some drinks and great food. My husband and I have been coming here since we started dating, and it continues to be one of our favorite little date spots. I have been a vegetarian for about 9 years now, and he is a devoted carnivore so its great we can both find things we love on the menu. The drinks are good and strong and the beer list is always awesome as well. The jukebox always has a fun selection and the crowd is usually packed in but having a great time.
(5)
MeMe M.
I think I have eaten just about everything on the menu here! Love this place! Hands down the best burger in Philly! Great caesar salad and awesome nachos too! Prices are very resaonable and they accept cash and cards. The servers are all great, super friendly and attentive, which goes a long way! There's a jukebox if you want to play some music, full bar and tv's for you sports lovers! Parking isn't too bad for this place, there is actually an open school parking lot around the corner where we always park, but usually you can find parking on the street
(5)
Melissa D.
Went here with a few friends the other night. Heard they had great burgers, but there's only one on the menu. But that is okay, it was certainly one of the best I've had. Great beers on tap and good atmosphere.
(5)
K K.
One word for this place, Burger! If there is one thing on the menu that you have to try, it's the burger. The flavors are amazing. The fries are the best I have ever had, mainly due to their dipping sauce. You will have to wait most evenings, on Friday and Saturday after 7, expect an hour wait. I recommend going early in the week or before 7. The food takes forever to come out, but when it does, it's to die for. If youre looking for a long date, this is your place. If you're looking for a quick in and out, not your place. I have waited over 30 minutes for my food multiple times, even when there was no one else in the place. The servers are pleasant, but often forget the small things, probably because there are only two for the whole place, even on a packed night. The decor is nice, but sometimes a little too dark for me. This place also carries Vegan Treats for the desserts. Vegan Treats will trick even the most anti-vegan food person out there. If you see vegan on the board next to the desserts, don't let that deter you, they are fantastic! PS - I hate vegan food!
(3)
L B.
Sorry, but I just can't get into this place. I'm not sure if it's the noise level or the lack of personality, but I never have a very good time here. There are so many other great places out there. Go to one of them instead!
(3)
Ally G.
This place made me smile :) First off, the vibe and decor of this place is really chill. Diggin' the christmas lights ;) Jukebox is a + too. It was a small place, nice bar (good beer selection). Service was speedy and very friendly! The menu was really, really cool. Very creative. A LOT of vegan and vegetarian options. But also some really tasty sounding meat-eater options too :D When you first walk into the place, a sign says "Best burger in Philly!" So naturally my boyfriend and I had to try their burger out. It was GOOOOD. The peppers on top were too spicey for me, so I took them off. But other than that... the burger was perfect. The fixings, patty, and bun all rocked. It was a party in my mouth :) Very savory and flavorful. It comes with fries and pickle... can't go wrong there. But what really won my heart... I was able to substitute the fries for tater tots! We shared the mac & cheese. I take my mac & cheese very seriously, my favorite comfort food... I was so upset! It was pretty cold and extremely bland. It didn't taste horrible, the texture was nice. But it was nothing to really brag about... So that made me sad... For dessert, we split the "Death by Chocolate". As a chocoholic, I approve. It was so rich we couldn't even finish it! That was a first ;) I'll definitely go back. Especially to bring my vegetation friends. Those vegetarian/vegan options looked good...
(4)
Ryan E.
Food is awesome. Service is slower than grandma. I've finally figured out why this place is so packed... They don't serve anyone for at least 20 mins and then take another 20+ mins to bring out your food. Therefore they are creating demand by limiting supply. Brilliant! You walk in and think to yourself, wow, this must be good because it's Tuesday at 9pm and 77 people are waiting ahead of me. That's because everyone sitting down has been there since 5pm. Anyway, besides slow service this place rocks. The food is great and there are always good brews on tap. Let me just tell you... the Chicken Frankie is amazing. By far, one of my favorite weekday hangout spots when I am not looking for quick and convenient.
(4)
Steph G.
After spending the morning at the Reading Terminal Market, and the afternoon at the Philadelphia Art Museum, my husband and I wanted a hip dinner option, with good draft beer selections, and vegetarian/vegan menu options. A friend who grew up in Philly recommended the Royal Tavern, and it was exactly what we were looking for. The parking is on-street, so can be a bit challenging, if you're not used to parallel parking. We have a very compact vehicle, so had no issues. We arrived around 4:45 PM on a Saturday, and there were only two tables available (good sign!). The atmosphere is hip/alternative/edgy, yet unpretentious, and even family friendly. Service was excellent. Decent draft beer options. I had a delicious Dogfish Head chicory stout. Husband had an Ithaca Saison. Food was delicious and healthy. We got the vegan sloppy joe and sweet potato banh mi, both of which were wonderful. The fries were some of the best we've had. We also had a vegan chocolate peanut butter cake, and it was one of the few desserts that I've ordered in my life that was worth the money paid. All in all, this place met and exceeded our expectations. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Robin C.
So good! I went here for brunch on a random Sunday. I had the hash brown scramble and it was amazing. I'm not a huge fan of eggs and this sold me. Add the special blackberry mimosas and this meal made me a happy woman. And it's affordable especially when you go home happy and full.
(5)
Frank R.
The service I had recently was inexcusable. It was about 130 on a Saturday for some burgers. The server took our order and came back with our beers. We didn't see her again for the rest of the day. She was in the place, but just ignored us. I raised my hand to get her attention like I was in high school but just never came back. It wasn't very crowded. There was about 4 tables in the back section and maybe 20 total people in the place. There is no excuse for service to be this blatantly ignorant. When I she finally came over to drop off our check, she didn't even smile or thank us for coming in. Its very unfortunate that this happened because I love the food and beer menu at this place.
(2)
Jill A.
I like the Royal. I've been here a handful of times for brunch and it's always been dang tasty. The bacon is always cooked just how I like it without even having to ask. The servers I've had have always been pretty attentive yet laid back. (Liz, an old favorite from Good Dog works here. Always good to see the familiar faces of competent and fun servers!) The place is dark enough to make you happy if you're nursing a hangover. The prices are reasonable. The beer choices are ace. Plus, it's part of the Cantina(s)/Khyber family--reason enough in my book for hanging out. I've yet to try their burger (rumored to be one of the best in the city, right?) so I guess I'm going to have to get myself down to the dirty south more often, huh?
(4)
Anne H.
The Royal Tavern has awesome food. My boyfriend is crazy about the tempeh club, which he orders every time we go there. Their nachos are also really, really good, but to be shared; they're enormous! The hummus platter, meatloaf sandwich, and Caesar salad are excellent as well. As for beer, the menu isn't as extensive as Monk's or the Devil's Den, so I would go to those places if you're looking for a great beer selection. Also, the jukebox combined with the crowds on the weekend can make it really loud and difficult for conversations. The menu is very friendly for vegetarians and vegans. It's very dark inside. Overall: food gets 4 stars, beer gets 2 stars and ambiance gets 2 stars.
(3)
Brandon M.
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the whole city. It's basically a better Local 44, albeit with fewer draft beers and more (and more diverse -- we're talking Fin du Monde, Schneider, and Tripel Karmeliet) bottled beers. Royal Tavern is cramped and narrow, but this actually works to improve the atmosphere here. The bar is done up all in dark wood, and the walls are a light pastel red. Lighting is appropriately dim, and Christmas lights line the entire space no matter the time of year. As you stay here from 7pm later on, the crowd changes from 30- and 40-something couples here for food and wine by the glass to mid-to-late 20s hipsters here for the quality beer and cool, unpretentious vibe. Food is excellent, with the burgers being the best in the city (it's between here and Village Whiskey, in my mind) -- big, juicy, and perfectly garnished, especially their very hot chipotle pepper mayo. Chicken wings are also some of the best I've tried, as they are very meaty and their sauces -- BBQ, buffalo and garlic -- are all as good examples of each as I've tried. Service is hit or miss, but never so bad that it's unbearable...usually just a case of waiting a few minutes too long to get the cheque paid or to get my first order taken.
(5)
Casey B.
We showed up as a group of 4 at 7pm on a Saturday over the summer. The place was full enough that we had to wait 25 minutes for a table but there was room at the bar so we were comfortable and had some drinks. After we were finally seated the service was reasonably snappy and we placed our orders in a reasonable amount of time. The food came quickly, the portions were huge, and our waiter checked in multiple times to see how things were going.
(4)
Jessica W.
I really like Royal Tavern, but it can be VERY difficult to get a table here. Another one of those "go early or be willing to wait" places. Both of which are very hard if you're very hungry. The food is definitely worth waiting for, though.
(4)
Larry I.
Where do I start? Dirty. Skirt steak tacos -- limp, unattractive, taste? None. Hericort vert almandine -- looked like a FEW limp, shriveled green beans. My friend had the taco also and refried beans which ran like sauce! My guess is that they keep it that dark so you can't see what you're eating and sitting on. Yuck!
(1)
Natalie H.
I am going to have to agree with everyone and say this place is definitely a go. Beer selection is great, service is friendly, and the food is AWESOME! They make the best grilled cheese I have ever had, they use a combination of cheeses, one of which is smoked gouda-and they make it on GARLIC BREAD-you need to try one, today.
(4)
Kara L.
I eat at Royal Tavern on average about once a week. "Royal" as it's locally known, has a great vibe, much like the neighborhood, lots of locals, great people, and good music. Where they really shine is their Specials Menu - local and seasonal, always delicious and inventive. There are of course trusty favorites I get on a regular basis. The Cubano Spring Rolls are a must try, and the Nachos are gigantic & delicious (oh word to the wise - that Longhot on the Burger is INTENSLY HOT just sayin' otherwise, the burger is a good bet as well). The portions are generous, and the tatertots always crispy. There are also a lot of Vegan items, including dessert! Brunch is no exception for the rule of deliciousness (there's also a Cubano Omlette which is one of my favs) and again, check the specials board before you make any decisions. If you're looking for a quick fix to take home & enjoy on your couch, while they don't take orders over the phone, I've gotten takeout while standing at the bar in my pajama bottoms plenty of times. Oh bonus - the kitchen is open until 1am, for semi-late night eating. It's a great place to grab a pint & a bite to eat in the neighborhood.
(4)
Melissa R.
I had been wanting to try Royal Tavern for weeks. Heard and read great things about their burger and grilled cheese. I went here on a Saturday night with my parents and boyfriend. It ha a small bar and dining room, but is cozy and not as "divey" as I thought. At around 7pm on a Saturday night, we had a bit of a wait, but it wasn't too bad. My boyfriend loves popcorn, so we started with the truffle butter and Parmesan popcorn, which was addicting. I had a bite of the burger, which lived up to it's reputation. It was juicy and had a great flavor combination with bacon, caramelized onions, gouda, and chile mayonnaise. The Grilled Chicken Sandwich was both sweet and savory with proscuitto, sliced pear, arugula, blue cheese and a lavender-honey mustard. And the french fries were killer. They came with a malt vinegar mayo, reminding me of my childhood in Maryland, where the combo of fries, vinegar, and old bay are a staple. The menu had a myriad of mouth-watering options, I have a feeling we'll be back soon for Round 2.
(4)
Betty B.
I found this place to be pretty unique for a South Philly bar. The tap list was great, the vibe inside really good but what made it stand out was the food.While a little pricier then I'd of liked, the food was phenomenal. Healthier choices then on average and great quality. Good atmosphere, will definitely come back. But! You must get here kind of early otherwise it gets packed and it will be impossible to be seated without a long wait.
(4)
James W.
Went for the first time today. Heard good reviews from friends. Good beer selection on tap and for bottles. Service was friendly and attentive. As far as the food goes I got the steak fries which were very good and the meatloaf sandwich. I thought the sandwich was very good and quite tasty. Wish there was just a little more meat to the sandwich but overall I can't complain. I've heard the burger is very good here as well and will definitely be coming back to try it out. Overall good experience.
(4)
Marilyn T.
Royal Tavern is on my list of Top 10 Philly Eats. The Brunch is solid. I've never been let down by it. Recently, I went out of my way to try the Angus burger that everybody raves about. I was afraid with that much hype, I'd be let down. Quite contrary. The burger lived up to its rep. It was made perfectly medium-rare (which is how I ordered it) and was insanely juicy. Burgers need to be juicy, ya hear? They also honored my request to replace the Gouda with goat cheese, since I'm cow's milk intolerant. Combining a perfectly cooked burger with bacon, caramelized onions, pickled long hots, and chile mayoannaise on on seeded brioche bun? Pure heaven! Favorite beef burger so far by far. I'll definitely be back!
(5)
Becca C.
Over the past five years this place has become one of my standard spots for celebrating life's small victories. Granted, it has become increasingly difficult over the years to snag a table without waiting if you come past 6pm almost any night of the week. But I guess that's to be expected when I think the about the many nice things about the place. It's comfortable but still a little bit of a scene. The prices are reasonable for how yummy the food is. And I really like the inside of the place. It's narrow and dark. It has an impressive, beautiful wood bar and a split level dining area. It may sound silly but to me it has always had the feel of being in the belly of some old ship. I love the tempeh club. It was a little too salty the last time I had it but salt goes good with beer. And usually it's on point. It can get a little warm in there if you plan on going on one of these 90 degree days we've been having, but I must say: cold good beer conquers all.
(4)
Lena S.
I came here once when I was a student, before living in Philadelphia and before eschewing dairy. I remember eating sharing the mac and cheese in the dark with a friend under the glow of Christmas lights. It was one of the best lunches I'd ever had. When I ended up living in South Phillly, I'd stop in frequently with other friends in the neighborhood, enjoying a huge meal (and even non-dairy dessert! I still fondly remember a massive slice of mint-chocolate cake with real bits of mint flavoring the icing!) and many drinks. I don't know what happened, though--sometime between stumbling home warm and happy many nights in the winter of 2007-8 and the spring of '08, this place just, like, got lame to me. My main drinking buddy and I had a couple of visits where we had really meh food and meh beer, and since those were no longer draws, we could only focus on how stupid-crowded it was when we went--like once I was here with two other people and one of the people in our party bailed because he was so annoyed by the amount of college-aged hipsters' elbows in his back and yelling in his ears and uncomfortable shuffling as we waited for a seat, other person in our party got angry at him as a result, I stood there feeling uncomfortable, etc., etc. Aforementioned best drinking buddy and I recently were in the neighborhood after dinner out, though, and we stopped in. Not teeming with posturing people with personal space encroachment issues this time. We sat and, usually beer drinkers, uncharacteristically went for the Arnold Palmers on the mixed drink menu. Deliciousness ensued: tea-flavored vodka and lemonade = we drank somewhere between 4-6 each and still wanted more (although isn't an alcoholic Arnold Palmer a John Daly?). Like old times, we said we would return. And we did just the other night, downing somewhere between 6-8 Palmers each and sharing some quality company. Tea vodka + lemonade = we remembered why the Royal Tavern was a good time.
(3)
George R.
Oh my, I'm the only three star as of 8/1/2007. I've been to the Royal Tavern four times now and every time I get sick half way between walking from the restaurant to 15th and Broad. The last time was a disaster... I want to believe isn't the food, but I can't help believe that it's not the food. And on the subject of food, the main menu is filled with items that, if broken down into contents, are about 45% bread, 20% fries, 10% toppings/cole slaw/pickle, and the rest is left to whatever entree you order. For the prices that they ask, there is not enough food here nor is it good enough. (It just occured to me, this is all that is left to eat if you're a vegetarian.) They should take the hint from their other restaurant (El cantina) that good portions and quality are in order for the prices you charge. But, El Cantina is also heavy on the bread and fried things. No veggies or real meat substance to their dishes. The specials are the only thing that seem to be of interest at this place because that is where the culinary surprises come in. Sadly, the desserts are the worst part. The other day when I was there, I asked the server whether the desserts were made on the premises. "No," he said. Well, then, are they made by a local Philly baker? "No," he said. OK then, where do they come from. Get this... THEY SHIP THEM IN FROM NEW YORK! "What," exclaims my table of people. Hearing this we instantly made the choice to ask for the check and seek dessert elsewhere. Only problem was, I was too ill to go out after leaving the restaurant...
(3)
Tim O.
A dark wooden abyss. And that's a good thing. get there early cuz it gets packed. went about 730 on a friday and got one of the last remaining tables without a wait. the wings are amazing. i'm thinking of them now. plus we got a bonus order for free because we were brought someone else's order first by mistake. one's gain is another's tragedy. good selection of beer on tap. a jukebox. bar stools are limited. this place is small. lots of menu choices. i'm going back soon. Prices aren't really that bad. A bargain nearly.
(5)
Chris M.
Great wings and Mac and cheese. Pretty quiet and low key during the day, but gets loud and packed at night. Very fun though. Plus cute pretty waitresses always helps.
(3)
Allison K.
I like Royal Tavern, I do, I promise. Good decor, football on the TV, nice bartenders, different and delicious things like truffle oil parmesan popcorn, and a quality jukebox. HOWEVER. I think I'm allergic to this otherwise fine establishment. I walked in tonight - immediate sniffles. Walked out - slight sneezing. And since I've graduated to puffy, watery eyes that can barely see to write this review. I'm willing to give Royal a second chance, but next time I'll be packing some Zyrtex.
(3)
Jessica S.
I was hooked on the Royal Tavern after my very first visit. I went with friends for a few more drinks after a house party in Bella Vista, and we were in no way disappointed. We originally toyed with the idea of going to The Dive, but after setting foot inside, any bit of moisture was quickly sucked from my contacts by all the cigarette smoke lingering in the air. I couldn't bear to stay there. (Aside: You must realize I moved here from New York which has been entirely smoke-free for sometime now. I don't think I've been in a smoky bar since going to shows my freshman year of college. I can't handle it anymore.) After that short visit we walked a few doors down to The Royal Tavern, and were immediately happier. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the bar was still quite packed considering it was just about 1:30. We took a table in the back, and each ordered a beer, of which they have a great selection. I ordered a Brooklyn Lager, which I'd never had, but enjoyed. The beer is a nice amber shade, with a slightly bitter taste and after taste, that doesn't overpower or linger too long. Being in The Royal Tavern reminded me of being upstairs at Johnny Brenda's a bit. I can't say exactly why, but I think it had something to do with the decor, atmosphere, and lighting. I'm not saying saying it's a dead ringer for the place or anything, but definitely a similar feel. Considering I love JB's so much, this is by all means a compliment. Like I said, my friends and I showed up quite late in the night, and we ended up closing the bar. The staff didn't mind at all that we were hanging around after 2:00. The waitress just asked that we pay up our tab so she could cash out. The bartender and bar back just went about their business cleaning the place up, not trying to throw us out the door or anything. It sounds pretty stupid, but I really appreciate that. I'm still far to close to the days of being ushered out the doors of college bars right at close like cattle by some over-huge, over-'roided, over-confident bouncer. Bars for cattle: No like. The Royal Tavern: Love. EDIT: The food at the Royal is totally to die for. It's a perfectly sized menu, so decisions aren't too hard to make and you shouldn't worry, because they do EVERYTHING well. I'm a non-vegan addicted to the Vegan Sloppy Joe. The nachos are huge and awesome. The grilled cheese is wonderfully rich. Seriously, everything is perfect. Oh and, last time I was there they even put the Giants' Monday Night game on for me. Sweet!
(5)
Yolanda Y.
The atmosphere in this place is good, the lighting is good, and the service is ok. If it weren't for the food, I'd give another star, but my food was just plain. I guess I should have ordered something more ordinary for a bar, or something fried, but anyway, the octopus salad sounded good at the time. It turned out to be bland, and for that price I expected more. This place is worth checking out though, and if I get something here that I really like, I'll edit this review.
(3)
Kate S.
best vegan sloppy joe around! Awesome jukebox, pretty good service. I never appreciate the wait (since there's no area to wait in), but that's why I avoid it on a weekend early evening and aim for weekend late nights, weekdays for lunch or early dinner.
(4)
Rand M.
Best spot for good beer selection and food.
(5)
Jenna C.
I brought my mom here for dinner, the other night. As we were leaving, my mom turned to me and said, "You know, it's really nice that you would bring your mom to a place with a whole bunch of couples on dates and not be embarrassed" I said, "Mom, don't be silly. You're my friend." (Because I'm a great daughter) Then I added, "Besides, the food is really good." I really enjoy the Royal Tavern. They have a decent selection of beers on tap which sometimes rotate. And the drinks are reasonably priced. But it's the food that makes it worthwhile. I suggest that no matter what you get, you order a side of mac and cheese (for only $4, you might as well. You can always take it home). They do get busy... but even at their busiest, I've never had a terribly hard time getting a table. However, regardless of whether or not they are busy, the food can take a while to come out of the kitchen. One more suggestion- don't bother ordering a mojito here unless you want a toothache and diabetic shock from all of the sugar syrup in the drink. UPDATE- They got new locks on their toilettes! Green means go!
(5)
Brent S.
Heard the Bloddy Marys at Royal were really good so Mel and I took the walk to see for ourselves. I must say it was in the top three I've had in the city. We split one of the much talked about burgers. It was cooked as ordered and was quite tasty. The service was spotty. It wasn't very busy and took far too long for drinks and food. Nice enough gal, just not in a real "service" mood that day I suppose. I'd go any time!
(4)
Karla N.
this is a small bar, so don't come here with more than 3 people unless you want to wait forever. the staff weren't completely helpful when we walked in, but once seated we had a nice server. as a vegan i was happy to see there were several selections, clearly marked. Vegan sloppy joes, Tempeh Club, an interesting sounding salad option and a couple of the soups (a delicious sounding Plaintain Coconut and Avocado Gazpacho) and vegan desserts too! I chose the Tempeh Club. It came with fries, but i got tots instead, and a pickle spear. the club was large and came with grilled tempeh slabs AND tempeh bacon with lettuce, tomato and vegan mayo. it was really good. i could've done without the middle slice a bread and one less of the 2 slabs of tempeh (i took one off). the cost was $8, which was a good deal for all that food. someone with me ordered the octopus salad and said it was delicious. my other friend ordered a burger and said they were "good." she loves the fries.
(4)
bryan m.
While still decent, Royal is nowhere near as good as it once was. The food, the service, and the atmosphere have all taken a turn for the worse. The food is still pretty good but something is certainly missing, on the past few visits the fries weren't as crispy, and the sandwiches were missing ingredients. The service is not nearly as friendly or attentive anymore and worst of all is the vibe. It used to always be packed, and had a good vibe. The last few times it was pretty dead, nothing on the juke box and quite occupied by douches. Conclusion: Pretty good bar food (but you can get better in the city), Pretty mediocre service, and pretty boring/dreary place to eat and drink. Find the next hot gastro pub, Royal's time has passed.
(2)
Kevin W.
I've been to the Royal a few times, but my recent Fourth of July breakfast over there finally encouraged me to come and yelp about this remarkable discovery. I am a vegetarian and was thus excited to see a plethora of options on their breakfast menu. I ordered a bagel with fried egg and veggie sausage on it. I was expecting a glorified egg mcmuffin, but out came this massive bagel oozing with fresh cheese and well-prepared eggs. It was simply awesome. If you're a vegetarian, there's no better place for breakfast. Oh, and the best part is that you can even wash it down with some alcohol. I had a mimosa and it really hit the sport. The only negative I could find is that the service is a tad slow. But, the staff are super nice and when the food is this good, it's worth the wait. Besides, good music is usually being played. (Especially if you're into the whole indie rock thing) **EDIT/UPDATE** Royal Tavern, I love you, but please don't ever serve your "tomato and lager soup" ever again. It seemed like an awesome idea because I like imaginative dishes. But, a peanut butter and vinegar sandwich is also imaginative, but I'm sure it would taste just as awful as the tomato and lager soup. -- A public service announcement to my fellow yelpsters who enjoy the tavern.
(5)
lana p.
I haven't been here in a while, but cute atmosphere and the grill cheese is to die for. I've never been able to eat the whole thing in one sitting but I think that's because I'm eating fries with it! But that's ok because the second half always feels like a reward!
(4)
Lori H.
Maybe I'm just ordering the worst dishes on their menu but every time I go to the Royal I am underwhelmed. The most recent time there I had the Mango Habanero wings. While they were reasonably spicy the meat itself had the limpness suggesting that it was previously frozen - sort of like the wings that one would buy at the grocery - preseasoned and found in the frozen aisle. My friends and I also had sangria's that were just okay.
(3)
Megan K.
well, i really wanted to love it. but i didnt. i am always hungry for a burger. i have heard too many times that royal tavern has a great one. it comes with bacon (i do not dine on swine) and onions. (not a fan) so i had those things removed. the bread was stale and broke apart as soon as i touched it. the whole burger fell apart in my hands. it was a mess. the meat was dry and tasteless. i couldnt taste any cheese. but the service was perfect. and the atmosphere great. i will go back. maybe to cocktail or try something else. the 2 of us both had burgers. 1 beer and 2 glasses of wine. it came to $44 bucks. i guess its not outrageous, but i hate wasting money on bad food.
(3)
Steve A.
I went here for dinner for my birthday with some friends based on some ratings of their burger i read on the site. Let me tell you, this place did not dissapoint. We got there around 7, and the place was pretty crowded, especially for a group of 6. The staff though was extremely helpful in finding us seating, and we sat down after a few minutes. The beer list is pretty good, but what we really came for was the burger, and it was worth it. 5 of us ordered the angus burger, and 5 of us devoured it and wanted more. From the surprisingly tasty buns to the variety of toppings, this burger hit the spot. Definitely will be heading back.
(4)
Dan G.
I can see this place from my living room and as a neighbor and brunch junkie I have to add my 2 cents. Let's start with brunch: You can usually find 1-3 items on the specials list every weekend that you'd like to eat. The quiche is usually pretty good, my lady likes to sub the greens salad for home fries. Tropical fruit pancakes are def a hit as well. Also, depending on what time you get in on a weekend morning/afternoon, the music selection is usually pretty good - either dub reggae, or indie rock...I swear I've even heard some Maiden at 11am. I would recommend it for drinks/dinner...the nachos are def one of my favorite non-breakfast items...ideal for sharing and you can get them with meat, or vegan "meatless" meat...either option is delicious. good beer selection, and if you don't like the tunes, the juke box is always hungry fo yo money
(4)
Boogey K.
I miss some of the old staff. Food has been taking longer even when the place is empty. HOWEVER, I love the royal and will stick by it until it rights the ship. This place has fed me so many times that I feel like we are related. The fries are the best and there is always something on the menu I can enjoy. After further review some of the staff has grown on me. Love the waitress with the glasses, love the brunette bartender and the runners are super nice.
(4)
Ben G.
I always find it amusing that as I am walking to the Royal Tavern, I can always pick out the other people on the street that are also going to the Royal Tavern. This place definitely attracts a certain type of person, and that type of person is a hipster. I don't mind all the hipsters, but it is good to know what you are getting into. The one downside to this type of crowd, however, is that there is way too much indie rock going on, and it is way too loud. Regardless of the hipness of the scene, this place may have the best bar food in the city. Even things that don't sound like anything special, like the meatloaf sandwich, are outstanding. And the specials, which of course do sound like something special, are usually outstanding as well. They are vegetarian and vegan friendly, too, so it is the perfect place to take your hipster buddy from Brooklyn to make Philly look cool.
(4)
Dave C.
Oh, vegan friendly bars....is there no love for you in Philadelphia? Apparently not, because, so far the Royal Tavern is the only one I've seen. If you like good vegan friendly food and microbrews on tap, this is your place... Furthermore... This place is step one of the three part Passyunk Ave- Axis of Evil-Barcrawl, where in, you start at the Royal Tavern and drink good beer and eat vegan sloppy joes, then move 5 steps down the street to the Dive, drink pabst and watch blacksplotation movies on a huge flat screen tv, and after your 10th shot of MadDogg 20/20, if your feeling dangerous and have got the moxie, you make the walk 2 blocks down to Rays Happy Birthday where you participate in a duet singing the entirety of Meatloaf's Bat of out Hell with an obese leather-clad construction worker from south philly while slapping back Schlitz cans and smoking ungodly amounts of cigarettes.... So, yea.... Royal Tavern, good bar.
(4)
Lianna W.
I've only been a few times, but it's nice to have vegan options that are more than afterthoughts! The service is so-so and it's usually pretty loud, but that's to be expected. Overall, not a bad place to meet up with people, and the table waits haven't been too bad.
(3)
Erin D.
The vegan sloppy joe is excellent and super spicy. I highly recommend it.
(4)
Seema F.
Royal Tavern has a rep of having one of the best burgers in Philly, and though I haven't tried every burger in town, RT didn't disappoint. The burger came with excellent, perfectly seasoned and textured fries, and unlike most places that serve you 1lb of fries, they nailed the perfect amount. I think this was the first time I finished my meal and all of my fries. One of the stranger things on the menu is the Chicken Frankie. I've never seen that anywhere in Philly, so I had to order it. My family is from Mumbai, so I'm quite familiar with the dish, and I can say this is not a frankie. (In my experience, a frankie is chunks of spicy, slightly tangy meat, wrapped up with chilies, onions, and chutney inside an egg-washed chapati.) Their version is shredded chicken in a stereotypical Indian curry, served with some slaw in a wrap. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but it certainly wasn't anything I consider a traditional frankie, and I'm not sure it belongs on a bar menu. Their draft list, though well chosen could stand some expansion. I think they have a total of 6 taps, which I don't really consider acceptable.
(4)
Chelsea B.
You know when you reaaaaaly want to give a place an an awesome review, and the vibe was great and they were playing David Bowie songs and the bar was all dark wood and awesome and they have these candles for dramatic lighting everywhere and your server was super awesome about two of you showing up 30 minutes before the other two but taking up his four-top and it's all "this place is neat" and then.... you order the wrong thing? Well that's exactly what happened to me at Royal Tavern. I just wasn't feeling the chicken frankie. First off, damn was it spicy. Second off, I would say the slaw-to-chicken ratio was definitely tipped in slaw's favor, which surprisingly didn't help calm down the heat of this thing. The fries were delicious and the vinegar aioli, which was basically fancy mayonnaise, was awesome because who doesn't love mayo on anything? Even the lovash wrap was so fresh and tasty... but it was just wow hot and overwhelmingly curry-y. And I'm not really a wimp on this stuff. My dining companions got the mussels which had this awesome sauce and soggy bread at the bottom like a prize in a cracker jack box, and the boyfriend had a burger which he said pretty much rocked. So I can't wait to go back for what I'm pretty sure will be an upgrade when I order more carefully. Three stars or no, though, I liked this place right away and still do, unfortunate entree and all.
The first time I attempted to dine at the Royal we decided to turn away due to the wait. As I recall it was a Friday after 9pm, so I don't see this as a negative. I returned for brunch and it was still a bit packed, but they were able to accommodate our odd party of five. We all decided to pass on the hair of the dog so I can't speak for the drinks, but bloody mary's and mimosas both can be had for a reasonable $5. I did go with one of the featured specials of ham, swiss and scrambled eggs in crepes, and I received four of them with some sort of cream sauce on top. I was satisfied with my choice though I did find the lunch meat sliced ham to be a little disappointing. They have a rather extensive selection of vegetarian/vegan options and the vibe is somewhat hipster, but this is South Philly after all and if you want a cheese steak, well, you know where you can find one. Service was spot on, food was great, prices reasonable. Certainly worth checking out.
(4)
Ali N.
Come into it knowing it's a pub, NOT a restaurant, and you'll leave with a full belly and a smile on your face. Place is really dark and grungy, but a buddy of mine claimed they had the best burgers so naturally I had to give it a try! Got the wings with the assorted sauces as an appetizer, the different flavors def. kept my interest and were really good! Next came the Angus burger, medium well. Burger was huge and came with a roasted pepper. The pepper was charred but strangely added a unique taste the burger that worked surprisingly well! The malt vinegar mayo is great as is, but mix a little sriracha in that bad boy and you got some serious sauce for the burger AND the fries! Honestly, if I was in the area, I'll grab another bite here. But I wouldn't go out of my way to make it here. *Con: No brand name soda, only had RC Cola and it was flat.
(4)
Mike M.
Hands Down, Up, Side to Side this place has thee best burger in the city. And they also have a pretty amazing Chicken sandwich with pear on it and stuff. All in all too I feel the staff is pretty welcoming and friendly... unlike a lot of the other dive bars in that area where you walk in and if you are not wearing the thick black frame glasses, ordering the most obscure beer possible and talking about your up coming art show you are shunned away. Nope, not this place. Love it here
(5)
Arthur S.
I've lived in south philly for about a year now, but just recently tried this place out for the first time because of a few friends recommending it for it's low key, "divey" vibes and great bar food. I was excited to try it out. My girlfriend and I ordered the duck confit potato skins, Mac and cheese, and their angus burger. The first plate we got were the potato skins. This was the most disappointing part of the meal. Upon ordering I was really excited to try these.. I love duck confit and have had/made it many ways. I thought the dish just lacked execution. Not seasoned properly and needed something to bring it up a few tones (something vinegar based) I put some sriracha on it which helped. The Mac and cheese was awesome- a perfect blend of cheeses for that "stick-to-your-ribs" goodness. The burger was easily the best I've had in the city so far. Cooked perfectly. The toppings on the burger were perfect. The shape of the burger was perfect. My first bite might've been the juiciest bite of a burger I've ever taken- that's no lie. Service was top notch. We sat pretty far from the bar on a slower night (Monday) and our water glasses/drinks were always full. This is a great local spot. Hopefully it's just as good on a busy night. I'll be going back soon.
(4)
Kyle J.
Molto bene. Chill service. If you're in the mood for a burger and in South Philly, go here. Comes with bacon and cheese, mushrooms maybe??? And delicious. Had Bloody Mary's to go with it. Exquisite.
(5)
Lauren S.
My friends always raving about this place for brunch so I'll probably need to come back at some point but we ended up here more midafternoon. The place was packed but we got lucky enough to snag a seat from some people leaving, score since she insisted we order the Nachos which were awesome. But defiantly something you need a seat to eat, or at least a good table space, some people were standing. Very busy place but if you hit it right its great.
(4)
Lydia C.
This is a great place for a casual drink and bite to eat. Food is always delicious and great selection of beer.
(5)
Amir K.
Ordered some food for take out from Royal Tavern and was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was! We had the Angus Burger, the Grilled Chicken sandwich and an order of Tater Tots. All three were very tasty..the chicken sandwich had pears and prosciutto in it- genius! The angus burger was perfectly cooked to order and mmm soo good. If the take out was this good, I can't wait to dine in! Definitely recommend this place!
(4)
Casey S.
I cannot speak for the whole menu since I am vegan and could only order a few options of the menu, but I ordered the Tempeh Club last time I was here and it was amazing. The basil aioli sauce is so good. Good prices and they also offer lots of drink options. VEGAN TEMPEH CLUB- do it! you won't regret it!
(5)
Mike D.
I mean, you can't really go wrong here. We can take our vegan friends, friends from out of town, locals, and the like to Royal. In my search for best bloody Mary's, Royal ranks high on my list, especially since they serve them with the spicy pickle. An all around good menu, great beer selection and awesome, chill ambiance. It's sometimes easy to overlook Royal but the fact remains that everytime I come and everyone I bring is always thoroughly impressed.
(4)
David B.
Although they have good food and drink, the place is over running with hipsters, both as customers and employees. It's chaotic and poorly managed. No ryme or reason to seating. Needs drastic change over.
(3)
Sara S.
Love The Royal! The servers are great, the jukebox is killer and they make a damn good bloody mary. You can always get a decent beer here and brunch starts earlier than other places (10:00am). The portions are perfect and their specials are always great. This place will forever be a favorite Philly spot of mine.
(5)
Sean T.
Great spot for a burger and a beer....or fish and chips. Especially if you have a vegan in tow! Cool vibe and service. What's not to like?
(4)
Jill L.
OMG... their angus burger is to. die. for. It's probably my favorite burger in Philadephia. Tied with 500 degrees or Village Whiskey for that title. I also really like the atmosphere here- very laid back and an overall cool place to chill out and drink a few beers while you try to digest the massive burger you just ate. Speaking of beers, I've always been satisfied with both the beer listing and prices. Word of caution- they do not accept reservations, so arrive early if you have a larger group or do not want to wait for a seat. But the burger is worth the wait, I assure you.
(4)
Jennifer G.
When asked what I wanted for my birthday dinner from my friends, I replied "I want a burger." So it was with that simple statement that we ended up at Royal Tavern this weekend. We arrived around 7:30 and found the place not as packed as I expected, so we were seated right away. Our waiter seemed a little distant at first, but warmed up to us by the end of the meal. We ordered drinks and as a non-beer drinker I was pleasantly surprised by their wine list. I got a nice Cabernet to go with my burger. We ordered two plates of the wing sampler for the table and even though I said I was only going to eat one, I ended up eating four because they were THAT good. The mango habanero was by far my favorite, with their buffalo coming in second and the BBQ coming in third (give me heat and more heat with my wings). For my dinner, I got the burger without the mayo (because yuck) and a side of mac and cheese. I was a little bummed I couldn't substitute the mac and cheese for the fries so instead ended up with both. I didn't enjoy their fries at all, but it wasn't anything I could put my finger on, I just didn't like them. The macaroni and cheese was a little on the drier side but very tasty. I did feel like it needed a touch of salt as well. The burger was sublime, though, and exactly what I wanted for my birthday dinner. They brought out a plate of bread pudding with (thankfully only one) birthday candle in it as my friends sang to me. I guess it's a necessity for your friends to publicly embarrass you on your birthday. Great night, great meal, and I'll be back for more of those wings.
(4)
Christian S.
Royal Tavern is another establishment that I have visited frequently, yet never composed a review. On my first trip to Royal Tavern I thought by friend and coworker was setting me up for a hit. The place looks like a hole in the war and the bar is dimly lit. The daylight is probably the only bit of light coming through that place during the day. Don't let the ambiance fool you. This place serves up some pretty bar fare. The wings are just slightly better than what you will receive at most bars. Whenever I go here with female coworkers, they have a hard time staying away from the french fries. and we all know having good french fries is key. Let's get to the red meat of things. If you have never been to Royal Tavern, or have and never tried a burger...what are you waiting for. The burgers here are good and are served with some pretty exotic items. I never thought that I would enjoy smoked gouda on burger. Now I can live without it, but in combination with the long hot, and chili mayonnaise... it works. This past Thursday a buddy of mine and I shared a burger, which was her first time at Royal Tavern, and a grilled chicken sandwich. The chicken sandwich was ok, but just wasn't for me. My friend vowed that next time she will be ordering her own burger. Not my favorite burger joint which is why I give it three stars. The planning committee at work is thinking about this place for happy hour.
(3)
Becky M.
Hidden gem! Good beers on tap and even better food menu. Went for happy hour, I ordered tacos from their daily special menu and my husband got a burger. Both entrees were great! Happy hour food specials would be nice, as they only offer drink specials, but then again, their food is better than your average "bar food."
(5)
Christina G.
I've been to Royal Tavern a bunch for drinks and dinner, but had my first brunch experience on Saturday after having a Bloody Mary craving and a bit of a hangover. I am yet again happy to have this place around the corner. I read that this is one of the best places in the city for Bloody Mary's and I absolutely agree. I can't recall any place in Philly that has better Bloody Mary's. It was garnished with lime, lemon, olive and a pickle. It was also perfectly spicy and for only $5! And it is a rather large, filling Bloody Mary. It is in a big glass. I don't think I could handle more than 2 of these since they are so big and filling. (I hate when you order a Bloody Mary and you get a small glass filled with a bunch of ice and you can suck the thing down in 3 sips- not the case here.) The brunch food was also pretty good but I think I am a bigger fan of their dinner food than I am the brunch menu. I had the salmon special which was pretty much lox on a bagel with a side of potatoes. The salmon was good and fresh. My bf ordered the biscuit special and said it was good but I didn't try it. Serving size was perfect- filled you up without making you feel disgusting about yourself. We also ordered buffalo chicken wings which were good, not the best I ever had, but still tasty. My favorites here are still the vegan tempeh club and vegan sloppy joe. Also, there was no wait for brunch when we arrived a bit after noon on a Saturday.
(4)
Alea G.
Always hits the spot. They have an amazing grilled cheese & exceptional beer selection.
(4)
Kelly P.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER. TATER TOT NACHOS! MORE BEEEEEEEEER! i've gotta come back here.
(3)
Sean A.
Its cold inside when its cold outside - but don't worry - the food, drink and service will warm you right up! Had the Pulled Pork grilled cheese that kicked ass with the house made tomato basil soup for dipping. Maggie(my wife) had the egg& chorizo special. Always solid food. Ultimate hipster scene - but in a good way!
(4)
Dan M.
This place has a laid back vibe and great staff. Drinks were good and food was something to come back for. Meatloaf sandwich is awesome! It looks shady from the outside but don't let it stop you from stopping in and checking it out.
(4)
Chloe A.
Normally my husband and I love this place but we were very disappointed in the service today. Our server,"server #5" according to the check, was awful. She was absolutely miserable the whole time. We were not asked once if we needed anything after the food came and it took her 20 minutes to give us the check after we asked for it. I'm not sure if she was hungover or what, but We will make sure not to sit in her section next time we come.
(2)
Liz S.
Based solely on the food I could eat at Royal Tavern, I have to give it high marks. I had the Angus burger "gluten free" style (i.e., no bun, no malt vinegar mayonnaise). It was a thick patty, cooked just right, and the best part was the "grilled pickled longhot," a spicy pepper that added a fantastic, complex flavor. Here's what I didn't like. As someone with a gluten allergy (celiac disease) I am always excited when I hear that there's a gluten free menu at a restaurant. But I would rather a place had NO gluten free menu than offer one that lists non-gluten-free items on it. That's just cruel. In this case, the gluten free menu listed french fries. I asked the waiter about the fryer and, as is usually the case, they use the fryer for breaded items, which means anything that comes out of it--including fries--is NOT gluten free. So I explained all this to the waiter. And yet, when burger came out, the plate was piled high with fries. Also, there was a ramekin of the malt vinegar mayo on the plate, which the restaurant lists as containing gluten. Normally, I would have sent the plate back, but it was my husband's birthday and I didn't want to embarrass him by drawing a lot of attention. So I shoved the fries to the side and used only one tiny corner of my plate. But it's just not cool. Do you know how hard it is to have a plate of hot, delicious fries sitting right under your nose and not be allowed to eat them? I hope that when the new FDA regulations kick in defining gluten free as less than 20 parts per million, these restaurants will take the time to learn what is actually gluten free and what is not.
(3)
Monica L.
This place is literally great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their brunch is amazing (I strongly recommend the huevos racheros!) with awesome specials and the BEST, repeat, BEST bloody mary's around. They are only $5 too! Their lunch and dinner options also feature spectacular specials in addition to their meat-eater and vegetarian/vegan friendly menu. To top it off - draft selection is unique and exciting every time I'm in there. Happy hour is half off drafts too!
(5)
Cat P.
I want to like you, Royal. I really do. But you're making it hard. I've heard wonderful things about you, but I've yet to experience them for myself. During my first visit, it was packed. We were seated in the back and I was worried they would forget about us. Our waitress still came by, though, so I thought all would be well. I ordered the vegan sloppy joe, which did come out rather quickly. It was horribly over-spiced, though (this coming from someone who enjoys spicy food). I felt the need to protect my digestive system, so I was only able to get 3 bites down. For my second visit, I returned with a group that had reservations. We were told that they could not accommodate us. My most recent visit happened on a late Sunday night. "Perfect!" I thought. I thought wrong. The place was still packed. We scored a table in the back, and this time the service was slower. My iced tea didn't come out for close to 15 minutes and the wings that we ordered had some sort of mystery ingredient on top of them that wasn't on their menu. Since I have almost every allergy under the sun, I was obviously very concerned about eating them. It took us a while to track someone down to ask what it was (crushed wasabi peas). I'm being generous with my rating only because I've heard such wonderful things from fellow Yelpers. Please, oh please, let my next trip to Royal be better.
(3)
Jayna B.
I had heard that this place was fantastic but was disappointed, sorry Mindy K. My friend and I went here for brunch and tried to sit in the back section but were told that the ac was out and it would be cooler in the front. Evidently, their ac goes out a lot. So, we sat right by the door, the only seats available. Besides being awkwardly placed, I did have a nice view of the bar and my friend got a breeze every time the door opened. I ordered the Tot Scramble which sounded ingenious and my friend ordered the Breakfast Burrito. Presentation was great, coffee was great, food going down was great. Food coming out, not so great. Too much grease, I think. And very heavy on the belly. If people are meeting here for drinks, I'd go back. But I am not initiating contact.
(3)
Kim T.
This is my favorite place to go for a quick bite and a beer. I have never had a bad meal here. My favorite is the seaweed salad. I am a vegetarian and there are always plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. The specials are always on point, too. My friend tried the tater tot nachos and they looked amazingly delicious. Nice beer selection as well. I had the pumpkin stout which had a nice spice too it. I always thoroughly enjoy my time here.
(5)
Pam S.
Royal ... Oh, Royal. Have you jumped the shark? You're so fun on an early night, but that night keeps getting earlier and earlier. Can a girl get a table at 6pm? The biggest downside of the Royal is that the secret is out, if it ever was a secret. The lights are still dim, the walls still adorned by festive lights, but the crowd is louder, the groups are bigger (NO, do NOT bring your group of 5+ people here! Seriously!), and the best times ... they're tapering off. Is the food still delicious? Definitely. Am I still unreasonably obsessed with the vegan banh mi and a side of fries with vegan malt vinegar mayo? For sure. However, the other vegan options (I'm looking at you, undercooked tempeh club) leave something to be desired, and the 'new' crowd that seems to show up at the place is harshing my mellow. Old Royal, please come back.
(3)
Colleen G.
I usually have a hard time finishing an entire burger because of how filling they are ..not here. I kinda blacked out eating this burger it was so good. I'm not sure if I even chewed, just inhaled it haha. The beer selection is solid and the service was great.
(4)
Noise J.
It's a bar...has great burgers. Pretty cool scene and its nice that there isn't a butt ton of annoying hipsters (newbs) ruining the vibe.
(3)
Jodi E.
This place is the best. I am lucky to live right around the corner from it, but it's totally a destination spot, as well. The burger is bar none, and the rest of the menu is inventive, fresh, and interesting. (Favorites include the meatloaf sandwich, chicken frankie, the seasonal salads, chicken sandwich. The only thing I don't recommend there are the wings. But who needs 'em with all of the other choices, really?) The specials are always amazing. It's a great bar/restaurant hybrid. It's got a good bar-type vibe (and juke box), but then the food is some of the best in the city. Oh, and great beer and well-edited wine selection, as well. Love this place!
(5)
Sarah F.
I've only ever had the tempeh club and fries here, and there isn't any reason to get anything else. It's delicious. From the tempeh bacon, to the pesto, to the bread, this is a perfect sandwich. Filling, too. Christina G and I shared a sandwich and fries, and I ended up taking half home. Unfortunately, on our last visit, we received some major attitude from one of the servers. We put our name in for a table for four, and seeming like it was going to be a long wait sat at the bar. I ordered food to go so we could move to The Dive next door. Our name was called sooner than anticipated, so I asked to move my take out order to a table. She was a huge biatch about it. The bartender moved it over though, no problem. A few minutes later she brings over waters, and one of us asked her for a beer. She said "No, I'm not your server." and walked away. It took awhile for our actual server to come over. When he did, he was nice enough. I was okay with the slow service, as it was busy, until I saw a few employees taking shots in the corner. On a bright note, they have a chalkboard in the bathroom, which is just awesome. It's a free for all graffiti wall, that you don't have to feel guilty about writing on.
(4)
Michelle C.
I would like to take this time to appeal to the folks at the Royal in a request to get the chicken frankie wrap on the lunch menu. Yesterday I had a craving, and that craving was for more chicken frankie. Sad was my heart when, after reading and re-reading the menu three times, there was no frankie or even frankfurter for that matter. I went with my backup, the grilled chicken sandwich with pears and gorgonzola, but it was a very distant second to the wrap.
(5)
Allison B.
Yep, this place is awesome. The interior is cozy, the service is great, the food is fantastic. Ordered the Chicken Frankie because of all the rave reviews (I'm lookin' at you, Michelle C.) even though Indian flavors aren't really my thing-- and I LOVED It. French fries were potatoey, just how I like 'em, and served with a vinegar aoli. I also sampled a few items from the Mediterranean plate. The hummus tasted homemade for sure. I can't wait to return to the Royal!
(5)
Hunter M.
After years of patronage, myself and friends had one really negative experience with a server at Royal. I am thrilled to say that the Manager, Josyln, went out of her way to make up for the experience and we were beyond appreciative. I think it is a true testament to the character of a business as successful and popular as the Royal Tavern to make such an effort to retain customers and so graciously. And thank god it went the way it did because none of us wanted to say goodbye to brunch at Royal or the nachos. Thank you Josyln for going above and beyond and to Royal for being consistently wonderful. I am proud and my tastebuds are thrilled to support such a wonderful local business.
(5)
Jena M.
I love the Royal- my roommate works here so I'm here more often than other places. I love the burgers, and the eggs benedict on top of biscuits are phenomenal. I also love the vinegar mayo- its so good with the tots! The bloody mary's are also my favorite anywhere. Perfectly spicy and chunky with horse raddish! They have a pretty good craft beer selection too. Good place anytime of day!
(5)
Bri H.
Yum. Love love love Royal Tavern. This is the first place where I brunched in Philly when I moved here years ago, and it's still one of my favorite gastropubs in the city. Great beer selection, great food and great ambiance. The nachos with vegan beef is a must. I order it every time I go and have never been disappointed. Go with the smaller size. It's still huge (the larger size is just obscene...really not necessary unless you're splitting between like 6 people). All the food is delicious but I have only just recently discovered the tempeh club with vegan bacon & basil aioli. The tempeh is really flavorful, not bland or rubbery. And the sandwich is HUGE. It's so thick that I couldn't fit my mouth around it (and yes, that is what she said). It tends to get very crowded, so it's best to arrive early or late, or else you may end up standing around awkwardly while you wait for a table (there's really nowhere to stand and the bar seats are pretty much always full).
(5)
Amanda C.
I have been here a ton of times and most of my experiences have been awesome. Last time I stopped by I ordered a Longtrail IPA(yum!) and the fish and chips entree. The breading on the fish was good but the large pieces of battered cod I was served were tasteless and not up to the Royal's normal standards. The dish came with under seasoned steak fries, and a pretty tasty side of grilled asparagus. Do not order fish and chips here, it was tasteless and I was disappointed. Previous trips have brought awesome food and drink choices, the beer list is always varied. Standouts for me are the Sweet potato bahn mi, a spicy and sweet take on the Vietnamese sandwich, vegan sloppy joe, and the tempeh blt. Do not forget to try the truffle popcorn. The staff is polite and efficient, my friend and I stopped by around 7pm on a Saturday night and we were seated just before they were slammed with a crowd, talk about good timing!
(3)
Ed C.
I really enjoy this place. The vegan food options are really good. I absolutely love the tempeh reuben! They also have a very nice beer selection. The only downside is it can be tricky to get a table on weekend evenings, but the wait usually isn't terribly long. Just grab a brewskie at the bar while you're waiting!
(4)
Callan W.
You know they have the best bloody around right? Do I really have to tell you about it? No...ok...well then... Did you know they have a tasty bowl of mussels? Oh you didn't...well they do. Maybe some of the best in this town. There is a tasty little surprise piece of bread at the bottom of the bowl and chunks of yummy spicy chorizo. The sauce is perfect and goes well with a side of fries (though the mussels are filling enough). I am addicted to vinegar, so the vinegar aioli that accompanies the fries was heaven. Service is perfection. The decor is the usual "Let's just throw up some Christmas lights because our food is good enough and we don't need to pretty up the place". It is true. The food and drink is enough to take me this far south again.
(4)
Lauren H.
Up until this point, I've always felt like getting to the Royal Tavern was an adventure. It's on Passyunk, but not far enough down where Passyunk is it's own little universe/restaurant mecca. Royal Tavern is still at that point where you're not sure if you're on 6th or 7th or Carpenter, or if this is a house or not a house? But, now that I live two blocks away (!), it's a challenge not to find. Beer selection, food and service are always great, although, as a meat eater, the menu can be tilted a little more towards vegetarian/vegan than I would prefer. Like, for instance, tonight, I got excited about the special pulled pork sandwich, until I realized it was seitan pulled "pork". I've been here countless times, and now am very happy to deem this one of my "neighborhood" establishments. It can get crowded, even on a Monday night, so it's best to always expect a wait for a table - but it's worth it.
(4)
Beth C.
Everything's pretty much already been said about the Royal Tavern... 60 reviews! and still 4.5 stars.. the odds are with you that you'll like this bar if you haven't been. I extra highly recommend the grilled chicken sandwich that has not only prosciutto, pears, and "elitist" arugula.. but blue cheese and LAVENDER honey mustard, too. You'd think all those flavors conflict, but somehow it works. French toast with dulce de leche? Sold! I once had an omelet on special there that had cilantro sauce. Never even heard of that before, but now every time I go for brunch, I hope to see it on the board. (Though I haven't yet, so, Hint Hint.. if Royal Tavern people ever read these reviews)... Lastly.. I went once with 5 of my family members, including two 50something year olds, a vegetarian, and my fancy Paris-dwelling sister, and everyone found something on the menu that they truly enjoyed. So again.. it's all about the odds, and it seems they're stacked for the Royal Tavern.
(5)
Anna Marie C.
um, why did it take me so long to come here? i guess because i don't live down in this area, but my my, it was worth the trip. i, the non-veggie, chose the meatloaf sandwich, which is what i would imagine it would taste like at home. all this was washed down with a healthy selection of beer. my friend thoroughly enjoyed her salad, and the server was uber-chill, and was super-patient with us whilst we made all our food and drink decisions. i wish i had more vegetarian and vegan friends, just so that if i wanted bar food, i would *have* to go to royal tavern, just so they could be appeased.
(5)
Colin S.
Food = good Beer selection = good Crowd = good The 40 minute wait for a table or stool = brutal You decide....
(4)
Veronica S.
Heard the burger at Royal Tavern was out of this world so after a drink and short wait at the bar for a table I ordered my burger with seasoned fries. DEFINATELY worth going to try the burger! Actually, all 4 of us at the table ordered a burger and were very happy with our choice! You can order fries, tater tots, or even green beans if you like but what is better with a burger than french fries? Not much! As far as atmosphere, it's a typical bar with a decent crowd. The music is loud and it's dark...it's a great bar for a night out with friends.
(3)
Dave G.
Royal Tavern rules! Highlights: Delicious burgers! Awesome, unique selection of beers (this is the only restaurant I've been to that serves Delirium!) Sriracha sauce! Great service!
(5)
Mindy I.
let me just state right off the bat that the 5 stars are for the tempeh club. it is hands down the best (vegan) sandwich in philadelphia, maybe the world, and i would probably choose it as my last meal on earth. i go here fairly often and always get it. sometimes i am embarrassed when i have the same server each time i go because it feels like they know exactly what i'm going to order. i've had the tofu/tempeh hash and their hummus plate (sans feta) before--and they're both excellent--but they don't compare to the tempeh club. but most things don't. sometimes i want to order the other vegan options because they all look delicious, but i just can't bring myself to. as for the service, it's pretty hit or miss, although it's usually hit. i've had more positive experiences than negative ones, but i have had two memorably rude servers who almost kept me from my beloved tempeh club. however, there's one server (whose name i forget) who is just sweet as pie, and lots of the other servers seem great too.
(5)
Ben K.
I honestly don't know how I've lived in Philadelphia for years and never have been to Royal Tavern. All of the reviews here are dead on. This place is the truth! If you haven't read it enough, here is how they described the Angus burger: caramelized onions, bacon, Smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise. The diameter of the patty was small but it was hand molded and very thick. The sesame seed bun is from Baker Street Bread and was fantastic - dark and crusty on the outside while chewy on the inside. The cheese, mayo, everything was just gooey and delicious. The only thing I'd complain about was the longhots. Perhaps they were overcooked but the skin was a little plasticy - but no worries, I pulled them off easily. Another complaint? Why can't a cook in this city actually make a proper medium-rare burger? I understand people are nervous about food poisoning but come on! When I order a medium-rare burger I expect it to be pink and juicy, not mostly brown. I also highly recommend the meatloaf sandwich. Although my mom never made meatloaf, the thick cut slabs of meat on this thing taste exactly how I'd imagine hers would. It's served on ciabatta with bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini ketchup. This sandwich is enormous, I mean EPIC and I was surprised we couldn't finish it. The fries are amazing, the beer is great. We drank Corsendonk, Brooklyn Brown and Lagunitas IPA. Our waitress was super cute and extremely nice. I will definitely be here again and again.
(4)
Stef A.
I love places like the Royal Tavern.......warm, laid back pub atmsophere with GREAT food. I went here for a small birthday dinner gathering and expected typical pub fare - standard wings, nachos, etc. Not so. With appetizer specials like soft shell crab and truffled popcorn, the Royal Tavern is not your typical pub. The grilled cheese and tomato soup combo is delicious and so is the burger and homemade pickles. Expect a bit of a wait if you go here on the weekend, but it's worth it. After reading the reviews, I definitely want to try their brunch.
(4)
Kristen H.
Not that Royal Tavern needs another glowing review, but I'll put my two cents in. Whenever I have friends or family in from out of town, I take them to the tavern. Love the burger, love the hummus plate (I make everyone try it), love the sauce that comes with the fries. The pomegranate sangria is delicious. Beer selection is incredible. Brunch isn't too bad either, but given the choice, I'd go for dinner. Atmosphere is spot on. (Can we talk about their gorgeous carved-wood bar back?) Reasonably priced. Go early! It fills up fast.
(5)
Michael B.
Man, know that this place is great! Great food, great beer - it works from there for me. I agree with most people below about good food. I will add emphatically: CHECK OUT THE POPCORN APPETIZER - fresh popped corn with truffle butter and parmesan. It made two of us cower in its deliciousness and was worth every penny of the $3 we spent on it!
(4)
Tim H.
Alright Royal Tavern, you got my attention. That was a f'n good burger. No joke, I think it's the best I've ever had. In an unrelated note, "Best I Ever Had" is a pleasant song by David Grey (or Gray, not sure). Back to burgers, that was a damn good burger. Meat was good, sauce was good, bacon was good, smoked cheese was good, and the pepper was freaking hot! Beyond that, the beer selection was good, but choices 1 and 2 were out. We decided to go experimental rather than door 3, and that was okay. I forget what we got. It wasn't memorable. The hot cider drink was good. Which reminds me, if you plan to go camping when it's cold out, definitely make it a priority to bring something that burns (wood, stove, witches), something that holds liquid without burning (pot - metal, you know what I mean), Captain Morgans, and Apple Cider. "Back to the lesson at hand." The Cuban rolls were very good, good thinking on that one. Friendly staff, and the one youngish guy with the blond hair knew his beer. Props to him. That's it.
(4)
Carlie E.
To the point- Go here and get a fun appetizer .. salty buttery pop corn.. etc. then get the burger. If you don't like spice.. don't get it with the hot pepper.. You'll be breathing out fire for the night. Get a good beer to drink it down with and enjoy the dark bar atmosphere. My Favorite bar and burger spot. fries are tasty too.
(4)
Kris M.
I hadn't been to The Royal in at least 6 years. The food was just as good as I remembered! My friend and I had the short ribs and veal special for dinner. We were both impressed. Great place for a casual and inexpensive meal.
(5)
Dan K.
While not in love with the Royal, I think I lean more towards the P.O.P.E for my East Pazz bar experience. Granted, the place looks awesome inside, good jukebox, nice folks, decent service and pretty rad food, I always seem to forget about this place. For sure get the grilled cheese, the burgers are tasty and if you want some yummy vegan fare, get the vegan sloppy joe, it will blow you're mind. Then hit the P.O.P.E and compare.
(3)
Thuong D.
The burger is excellent everytime! Maybe it tasted so good because every time i stopped here i am a bit intoxicated. Service is good.
(4)
Matt D.
Decided to check this South Philly pub out on Tuesday since my girlfriend and I had a friend in town who loves beer and vegan food. Thankfully, this little secret is known for both and it definitely lived up to expectations. For an appetizer, I tried the Fried Shrimp wrapped in bacon and some Old Bay Fries and both were awesome. The shrimp were tempura style and the bacon inside was totally tasty and crispy. For my meal, I got the mussels and basically ate 90% of my girlfriend's Smoked Gouda Grilled Cheese, because she wasn't feelin' it. Our vegan friend got the Vegan Sloppy Joe and she said that it was well spiced and a nice alternative to the original. That's a good sign, since it's often hard to find a decent bar with a menu full of vegan and vegetarian options. The beer selection was very nice, if not totally exceptional. All the usual favorites were on tap or in bottles and our table got a bottle of Chimay Red, two Franziskaner Hefes, Delirium Tremens and a glass of Bell's Kalamazoo Stout (which still didn't really live up to its hefty reputation). Our waitress was extremely friendly, offering up several menu and beer recommendations and the crowd was laid back and made some superb jukebox selections. All in all, this place is a total diamond in the rough and a watering hole I plan to return to as often as possible.
(4)
D M.
This place isn't for hipsters, yuppies, or old timers, but for the rest of us. I came here this Saturday night at 10. The decor is classy with probably 20 tables, all full, so we sat at the bar. The beers on tap weren't your usual victory / dogfish / y lager, which was a nice change (although I like those beers). The menu was vegetarian friendly, although we just had two sides, the fries and tater tots, both greasy delicious. Maybe the best way to describe this bar is as the compliment to its next door neighbor, Dive Bar. One is smoky and dingy, the crowds are five years and several pay grades apart, but both are friendly. I've also been here at closing time, and then the place was deserted. Still, a good place to know and visit.
(4)
Katrina C.
The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is because the food can seriously take forever. However, it is always good. The malt mayo stuff they serve the fries with is awesome. The nachos are huge, but the chips and salsa (homemade/fresh) is a great app to have while waiting for the food. They serve Franziskaner beer which is my favorite. The vegan panini is awesome as is the grilled cheese. The soups are always great. There are specials every night of the week. Great place! I come here often! Brunch is good too - mimosas are only $5.
(4)
Caitlin C.
Who would think that this establishment would have good food? I used to come here with coworkers for a drink after work. It is dark and small and usually loud, but that's what a bar usually is. The service is exceptional, and the crowd is a bit indie punk. But the food is amazing (popcorn with truffle oil) and this could definitely be classified as a gastropub. I would recommend this bar to anyone looking to get away from city chic lounges, but is still a food/beer snoob.
(4)
Deann M.
Definitely in my top five places to eat in Philly. Amazing food with a selection of vegetarian foods too. Also, the specials keep it fresh (one time I had a plaintain w/ smoked chili soup! Sweet and spicy!! Mmmm. I wanted to lick the bowl). The nachos are a challenge for even the biggest of eaters. I recommend going during Happy hour if you can, there's no fighting for a table and 1/2 off drinks. I only eat red meat once a month and the last three months its been the Royal for a burger. The only cons I would say are how small it is (one time we waited over an hour), also, I ordered one of the specials (some type of fish tostada) and it was only two tiny little portions for $15. I was still hungry, luckily a friend of mine shared her mound of fries with me. Otherwise, the staff, the food, the ambience, the creative menu, everything is awesome! The servers even deal with large parties trying to split their checks on several credit cards, which must be annoying. (sorry... thanks!)
(5)
Neil K.
This place is my favorite place for a hungover Saturday or Sunday lunch. I have tried almost all the sandwiches on the menu and they are all very good, the only exception for me is the Vegan Sloppy Joe(not good). Although I am not vegan or vegetarian but this place has a great selection for anyone who is. My personal favorites on the menu are the Burger, the Meatloaf, and the chicken sandwich. I like that the chef has put together some really interesting twists on traditional pub grub. There is one downside to Royal Tavern...be prepared to wait for a seat lunch or dinner. I suggest going at 3 o'clock if you want to sit right away. The staff are always friendly and helpful...if you haven't been go here now!
(5)
JEAN S.
I can't believe I have never reviewed this place because I have been having a love affair with the Royal for years. I'm in love with the grilled cheese, the mac and cheese, and the Caesar salad with the little polenta croutons. Their bloody mary cures what ails me. The food specials are usually delicious and the beer selection is great.
(5)
Robert H.
This place delivers everytime I go there. Just had a meal there the week before Christmas. My friend and I started with Chimay (can't go wrong there) and the most delicious homemade soup. She had the braised short ribs which melted in your mouth as did the buttery spaetzel and roasted parsnips (which have become my new favorite veggie). I had a pork loin stuffed with provolone, spinach, and pesto. This was one of the best pork dishes I have had in years. We finished with with a decadent black and white cake. Simply awesome!
(4)
Justin L.
This review is about brunch. More specifically, it is about huevos rancheros. Royal Tavern gets my vote for BEST huevos rancheros in town and I have tried it just about everywhere. I've had other things at Royal that were also really good, but whenever I go its hard not to get the huevos. They are perfection.
(5)
Stevie S.
Favorite brunch spot in Philly for real. Went for dinner the other night after a long time and it was awesome. Always great beer on the menu and the food is siiiiick. The staff is great too! Very friendly and personable
(5)
Adam R.
My fiance and i wanted to go to a nice brunch spot today and chose The Royal Tavern. We got their early and it was a good idea because as soon as we sat down the place filled up. Upon entering we were told to sit at any two top table we liked, so we picked the one next to the stairs. We were served water right away but no menus. in the seven minutes we were waiting for menus we saw the bartender seat two separate couples at tables and give them menus. As if on cue when I told my fiance that maybe we should pick a better place our waitress showed up with menus. At that point we were ready to order drinks but she had left just as fast as she had dropped the menus. Another five minute wait and she was back to take our drink order. She seemed rushed and was not even going to take the food order till I told her that we were ready to order. Our order was as follows: Me - A Bacon Bloody Mary A cup of coffee Nachos A Burger (since I heard they were good here) My fiance - A cup of tea The Cubano Omelette I got my bloody mary first and took a sip. Wow, super concentrated taste and a little heavy on the vodka. My fiance said that is what I get for ordering a bloody mary but I told her to look at the bartender when she makes one. The bartender poured in the vodka and then out of a tupperware container poured in the mix. Now don't get me wrong, using a pre-made mix is fine but you have to shake the drink to mix all of the ingredients together before you serve it. So basically I was served a thick bloody mary shake with a kick of vodka at the bottom. As for the cup of coffee I ordered our server forgot it until I asked. At that point she seems to busy to care and threw down a cup that was maybe 3/4s full. She never refilled it again the whole time we were there. We got the nachos and they were good. Piled high with fresh sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and jalepenos. My fiance said that they were a bit salty but I found no problem with them. It's really hard to make a plate of nachos I don't like. As we waited for our main course I noticed the bartender taking new champagne glasses out of a cardboard box. I asked my fiance if she thought the bartender was going to wash them. Well, I am sorry to say that she did not. Each time a person ordered a mimosa, she just used one of the new, out of the box, unwashed flutes. Disgusting. Our food got there and was decent. My burger was cooked well and had good flavor. What disappointed me were the fries. Though fresh, some of them were soggy with grease, or under done. Her omelette was good. We ended up taking home half of each dish since we were stuffed because of the nachos. As soon as we stepped outside of the place I started feeling sick. This feeling has not left me. As soon as we got back home I ran to the bathroom. I have been running there every hour since. The only reason I gave the Royal Tavern one star was because the food was decent, and I hope I am sick from something else. I don't think we'll be back there anytime soon.
(1)
june g.
Royal Tavern is very hit or miss. Often times, the service has been very slow, and inattentive. But note, I say often times, not all the time. But I have waited 10 minutes to have my name taken for the wait list to the point that I'd have to tug at a servers shirt only to be asked "Are you on the list?" Obviously, I'm not, or I wouldn't be asking for a table. Today, our server forgot our drinks after I reminded him twice, but at least we ended up not having to pay for them. Food has sometimes taken 45 min+ to come out of the kitchen. I also saw a server snort a line. I've had some snooty servers who choose favorites but also some very pleasant ones. As for the food, that's hit or miss too. My grilled cheese has come out hot and crispy, but also soggy and warm sometimes. It's very, very oily as well. My 'spicy' tomato soup has tasted like Campells with too much chili and cayenne pepper. My seitan sandwich has been soggy and falling apart but still tasty, although at different times other friends seitan sandwich's have been well constructed with a natural toasted whole grain bread. I've heard rave reviews regarding their burgers and sloppy joes. I've noticed, lunch portions, although at the same price, are smaller than those at dinner. I have not tried their brunch. I'm not a fan of how my bartenders have made my simple cocktails, although the beer list is okay if you don't mind waiting 10+ minutes if you're seated at a table. Young and old, hipster and trendy, all dine here. The inside has an old philadelphia charm to it, and a half decent jukebox. But sometimes, the place can smell of piss. It could be the scruffy servers. I have frequently given it many chances but I feel as any future visits that my friends may coerce me into coming along will be few and far inbetween. I'm giving it 3 stars for some good food I have had there at okay prices, and for the servers who have been friendly and accomodating. Also, mostly everyone on yelp likes it, so I could just be missing something.
(3)
Jaime K.
Best burger in the city. There, I said it.
(5)
Brian K.
I was visiting a friend in Philly who took me to Royal Tavern for breakfast. The strawberry crumble pancakes were amazing! Super friendly staff with great food, can't beat that. I will definitely be back next time I am in the area!
(5)
Scott F.
Royal Tavern has long been atop my list of places to try, specifically to try their burger. I decided after being on that list for over a year it was time to get my fill of their recommended fare. In a word, pretty good. Pretty damn good. Not my favorite burger in the city and maybe not even in my top 5, but usually anticipation that simmers as long as it does will ultimate deflate the overall reaction. Fair beer selection combined with a decent food menu and comfortable atmosphere creates a pretty solid trilogy of reasons for me to return to Royal, but with so many other places on my list to try.... I hope I can return again....
(4)
Bob S.
I have been coming here for about 4 years and I have yet to have a bad experience at Royal Tavern. Try: Burgers Specials (some very unusual and tasty choices are on the board) Soups Grilled Cheese Salads Enjoy the atmosphere the partrons taking people here for the first time. the music Waiters/Waitresses are polite efficient and helpful. Also the bathrooms are clean. Also they are consistent!
(5)
Jon D.
Royal's my standard-bearer of bars. It's my basis of comparison for most other bars, and the neighborhood place I drank at the most over the past few years. Royal's food is great. All of their specials (though sometimes pricey) are always delicious. The nachos with vegan beef were my long-time favorite until they switched-up their tempeh club recipe - it's by far the best in town. Their vegan sloppy joe is the best greasy vegetarian sandwich around, and the grilled octopus salad is great when you're in the mood for something healthy. (By healthy I mean green and smothered in olive oil). Royal always has a great rotating list of beers at prices that have unfortunately become the standard in town ($5-$6.50 a pint). Overall it's easily one of the best gastropubs in the city.
(4)
David B.
Listen, I have been here a handful of times and I have only had the burger...because it is one of the best burger's I have ever had. They are always busy but the wait staff does a great job of keeping up with it. Expect a wait for a table anytime after 7pm, but it's worth it.
(5)
Matthew M.
Close out the place a Saturday night, come back on a hazy Sunday morning to bite the dog, or chase a dog's hair, or ... whatever ... just get a Bloody Mary. Because these robust, horseradish-y, spicy glasses of boozy love are -- and I do NOT say this lightly -- the best I have sampled in Philadelphia. Standard breakfast fare is well prepared and makes the perfect and hearty accompaniment for your AM drink-on. Regarding dinner: The burger's vaunting is much-warranted, I bet. But don't sleep on the the vegan and veg options, which far surpass your standard begrudging veg-friendly offer of the generic and ubiquitous Sysco "veggie burger." Royal T don't play that! Can you say "Tempeh Club?" Seriously, try it. (Really, it's not that hard to say). Then you can EAT it. Tasty fake bacon, basil aioli ... as an aside, when do we get to start saying "mayonnaise" again? It's delish. Go ahead, get it with a side of tater tots. You've been good! After all, you are getting the veg option. You deserve it. Make sure your dining mate orders the fries with malt vinegar mayo, so you can steal them. For real: You had me at Vegan Sloppy Joe.
(4)
Josh S.
If you ever catch me at rehab, it's because I'm addicted to this place. My favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. Amazing servers, interesting & inventive menu, awesome beers. Love.
(5)
Jason T.
Easily my fave bar in Bella Vista, and way better than any of the hangouts on South Street. The Royal is a fun, funky sort of place that has a super-friendly and very knowledgable waitstaff, a killer jukebox, and plenty of good brews on tap and in the bottle to satisfy everyone from your usual drinker to a person likes me who loves Belgians and good microbrews. The food served here is very tasty. Many people on here seem to rave over the vegan Sloppy Joe, but I'm not a fan, and neither was my girlfriend when she ordered it. On the other hand, I think the pan fried seitan sandwich they serve is one of the best treats you can find in the city, hands down. I'm not vegan myself, but the Royal does their best to cater to that crowd. The wings are fantastic as well, and are sprinkled with crunchy little green things (What the hell are those?). You also can't go wrong with the wonderful chips and salsa (the chips are those really good bubbly kind and not just typical tortilla chips) and the huge bags of popcorn with truffle butter. The Royal's popcorn is possibly second only to the greatness that is served at the Ritz theatres. I always seem to get there at the right time, which seems to be between 6 and 7 PM. The place can fill up pretty fast and get a bit crowded, so be prepared for a full house even on nights when it seems like no one is out. The crowd at the Royal is a mix of all sorts of folks, from younger college types to older patrons. The decor is simple, yet fun, and the bar is one of the nicest I've seen. All in all, the Royal Tavern is a great place to go off the beaten path with prices that can fit any wallet or purse.
(4)
jillian n.
I love almost everything about this place. The staff is very friendly, the drink selection is amazing and the food is phenomenal. I always got the burger because i just couldn't resist, but i have branched out recently. Everything i have ordered here has been stellar. Also the service is almost always quick.
(5)
Allison I.
Get the nachos with everything!! Always nice service and savory offerings. Thanks Royal!
(4)
Chloe R.
Royal tavern has the best burger in the city, and I am having one on saturday!
(5)
Vlad G.
I had their burger last night, and, it was one of the best I have ever experienced. It was a burger so good, so nuanced, that I almost didn't want to eat it at all. (For what it's worth, I also enjoyed a plate of their chicken wings the first time I came here to watch America lose to Belgium, and they were exquisite.)
(5)
Nico L.
I came here on hype that was the greatest burger in Pennsylvania. The ambiance of the place was great, friendly, and enough space to maneuver around. The table we had was barely large enough for three. The server we had, was awesome. I wish I remembered her name. Friendly, straight to the point. All three of us had burgers, though with different sides. Luckily, they were all the same price. I had the steak fries, which were massive and delicious. And piping hot. Give them a second to cool. I ordered the house burger (Angus Burger I think it was on the menu). The pepper was a nice little twist. However, I wasn't blown away. The bread was delicious, the bacon was great. The meat left something to be desired however. I would come back here to try the other menu items, but the burger is probably something I would opt against.
(3)
Douglas K.
I visit Royal Tavern with my partner and some of his teacher friends from time to time and always have a good time. We usually go there after school and have a late lunch/early dinner. This last time we were lucky enough to have the peach sangria - yum. For us, it's a nice little quiet place to go after a day at work. I always leave happy.
(4)
Anya M.
Went for the first time last night for dinner with friends. Service was friendly and never felt rushed even though the place was packed. Food was delicious - I had the meatloaf sandwich. My only complaint was that seating was tight because they were so busy and those of us seated on the bar side of the table felt a little in the way of others coming and going. 4.5 stars.
(5)
Lou P.
I the Royal Poutine and it was a grand slam! Great fries topped with cheese curds, loads up shredded duck confit, and gravy topped with two eggs. Brunch heaven! The service was on point and the place was jumping. WELL DONE ROYAL TAVERN...we'll be back?!?
(5)
Brendan L.
You just have to have the burger. For any burger lover out there.... The royal tavern burger has it all! It's like a religious pilgrimage every time I go there. Great laid back service and out of this world food. I always want to try something else on the menu, but the burger is so good I rarely have the courage to order something different. The atmosphere is great too!
(5)
Courtney J.
I have had two pleasant visits to Royal Tavern in the past month. This place is related to the extremely delicious Mexican restaurant Dos Segundos, so I am not surprised that I had a very well-cooked and flavorful meal there! The first time I came, I had a tuna steak sandwich that was on special. The tuna was cooked perfectly with a nice pink center and topped with a rich kalamata olive spread and crisp fennel, and placed on ciabatta bread. The malt vinegar aoli was tangy and the fries were fresh. The server knew the food and drink menus well. I had a couple of cocktails, a white peach sangria and a tea vodka lemonade drink. While they were not the most amazing cocktails I've ever had, the price was right at around $6 a piece, and they didn't skimp on the booze. My husband had a bacon burger on special that he really enjoyed. I didn't hesitate to come back here a few weeks later when co-workers choose it as a happy hour spot. Again, the service was great, and the drinks were good pours. I ordered a few cocktails not on the menu, a Zombie and a Mojito, and the bartender had no problems. The ginger beer mixed with rum drink that was on special was quite tasty as well. However, I am deducting one star because the main course I ordered on this visit was just okay, and nothing special. I had the sweet potato banh mi that was on the regular menu. The description sounded amazing with crunchy daikon pickles, spicy jalapenos, roasted sweet potato, and a cilantro sauce. However, the actual sandwich was just really bland and missing that oomph. The daikon could have been more vinegary and tangy, and the cilantro sauce was just boring. The flavors didn't really meld together. It was a big disappointment compared to the amazing sandwich I'd had there a few weeks before. On the plus side, the smoked coleslaw that I subbed for the fries was smokey, crispy and some of the best coleslaw I've ever had. It was much more impressive than my sandwich. I also love that they are flexible and will let you substitute any of their many side dishes without an up-charge. I think the only one that cost more to sub out was the mac and cheese. I can't wait to come back and try the bread pudding that I was too full for both times, and also check out some other new specials. I can see myself coming here quite often!
(4)
Elsa U.
So many choices, so many beers, awesome servers, open late. Our favorite place to go when it's late!
(5)
Abbie D.
EPIC BURGER - perfectly done to temperature and the toppings were spot on! The long hot was the perfect amount of heat to this delicious mouth watering piece of meat! YUM YUM YUM malt mayo is killer too!
(5)
Courtney H.
Went for brunch. Menu had plenty of choices but I went for the grilled cheese so that I could add the soup of the day (bacon & white bean). I was surprised (and disappointed) to see that the soup was tomato based and I could barely find any bacon. The grilled cheese was also underwhelming, as it lacked flavor in the cheese blend and bread that tasted like it was dipped in butter. Ordered a side of tots which were greasy and unseasoned. I hope my next brunch experience is better. On the plus side, the food delivery was lightening fast.
(3)
Mike G.
Bad bartender=me gone. Ive been to this bar a few times and eaten there a couple of those times. It's overrated in my opinion. Ive had way better food in most bars these days and the service has always been just OK at best. I recently met a friend there. We had planned on dinner and drinks to catch up at the bar. My friend ordered me a wheat beer , as I requested, and himself an IPA - just before happy hour was over. The female bartender (4/10/13) poured my beer then informed my friend that she could only serve one drink at a time. He explained I was only a couple blocks away, but he offered to just buy one at happy hr price and asked for his beer. She claimed it was against the law to ever sell more than one drink to one customer. Staring in dismay, at the beer he didn't want to drink, at that point he finally just asked if he could have whiskey. She poured him his whiskey and removed my beer from the bar, with a stern bitchy face you see on an abused people-hating nun. My friend quietly explained to me what happened when I arrived 3 minutes later and she was rude enough, eavesdropping and directing comments at me with a snotty look "It's against the law" even though we clearly were not speaking loudly or to her. Well, I don't know if there is actually some archaic law like this, but it's safe to say she didn't handle it very nicely. It's my opinion that NO bar in the city has ever claimed such policy. If that was the law, then someone needs to explain the "city-wide" drink or a Boiler maker. We paid our tab and left quickly and took our long night's business elsewhere. The experience made it clear that this mediocre bar isn't worth ever returning to. It's on my grudge-list now.
(1)
Kristen D.
I'll reiterate and reinforce what everyone else has already said: the best food. I've tried the tempeh club, vegan beef nachos, fish & chips, and sweet potato banh mi. I absolutely loved and devoured every one of them (except the banh mi--you're better off getting it from an authentic Vietnamese place for $4 on Washington!). I also love that you can choose any side you want with your meal, you don't have to choose strictly fries or side salad. The food specials are always creative and delicious too! Beer is great. Ambience is great. The food is what keeps me coming back. Great place to bring Philly outsiders to impress them with some of Philly's best bar food!
(5)
Alick W.
This place is located in South Philly on Passyunk and Carpenter. I have been here a few times and each time the food has been great. They are known for their burger which has been on a few top burgers in Philly lists and for good reason. It has bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise and is pretty big size. The grilled chicken sandwich and the meatloaf sandwich are really good as well. The place seems like a hipster dive bar, but the food is fantastic and a little bit pricier than what you normally get with a dive bar. There's seating at the bar and enough tables to fit about 40 people, but almost every night the tables are filled. The atmosphere is dark, with no tv's and some music playing in the background and some vintage signs for decoration. They also have a decent craft beer list along with a wine and whiskey list.
(5)
Adam N.
Excellent food. We stopped in for lunch a couple weeks back. There was only one person working, but he was very attentive and quick with our orders. The space was a typical bar, nothing fancy but nice enough. Wish they had a couple TVs for sporting events, but good place nothethless.
(4)
B M.
This is the best gastropub/bar burger in Philadelphia. Worth the trip for anyone just to try it. Decent beer selection, and decent non-burger options on the menu. If they fix some of the side dishes, this could bump to a five star tavern.
(4)
Jennifer O.
Great beer and sandwich place. My boyfriend and I had the Angus burger and the vegan sloppy joe, both with fries. Delicious burger and really unique vegan sandwich. My bf (who is not a vegetarian) said you couldn't tell the sloppy joe wasn't vegetarian). Very chill place with a decent beer selection. Will definitely come back again!
(5)
Joe R.
Burger is sick as fuck, so is the meatloaf. Those Arnold Palmers will ruin your day. Night time is kinda crowded, so day drinking is way better.
(5)
Christina W.
The food is delicious. I got take out yesterday and ordered the chicken sandwich. It was delicious. The only negative was that the bread was a little soggy. I would defiantly eat here again.
(5)
Paul C.
It took me forever to remember what I ordered here..... ah yes... their "banh mi." Which I definitely remember was not very good and I regret ordering in the first place. It had sweet potatoes, lettuce, and the usual daikon, carrots, jalapenos, and aioli sauce. I would not recommend it at all. If you've ever had a real Vietnamese banh mi before, you will be very very very dismayed by this cheap fusion ripoff. I remember I had trouble deciding what to order because nothing on the menu seemed very appealing to me. Some other things: (-) I was with a group of ~7-8 people for someone's birthday dinner. We did not even get to sit at one large table so they broke us up into two separate parties essentially. Very festive! (-) Waitress was really standoff-ish and impatient when I was looking through their alcohol list. I asked her about the differences in their brandy selection and she basically left me in the dust. That was embarrassing. I think they have a cozy gastropub atmosphere, however. I definitely do not plan on being back anytime soon.
(2)
Jody P.
Dimly lit warm saloon atmosphere. New American meals are consistently good. Very knowledgeable beer loving bartenders. The place is always packed, expect a manageable wait on the weekends.
(4)
doreen s.
Went today and it's wAs great. My son and I had the French toast...Wonderful. My husband had the Angus burger... Huge ! Thank u for making our visit enjoyable!
(5)
Di P.
Friday night I came here. Busy. Ok, makes sense. Tuesday night I came here. Busy. Okkkk, it was sort of a warm winter Tuesday evening. Sure. Monday night I came here. It was freezing and it was supposed to maybe snow starting in the evening. Busy. Crazeballs! I think that reflects how popular this place is. And it's not the interior-- it's not cool or interesting inside or even spacious. It's really the good beers, fun and tasty food with above average vegetarian options, and an efficient nice staff that make this place a Philly staple.
(4)
Rebecca S.
As I look through my list of reviews that have been on the start and stop list for far too long, I realize that there are way too many places in my neighborhood that I visit fairly consistently yet have never made it to the Yelp-o-sphere. Royal is one of those. Dark as its heavy wooden interior may be, the amount of light and joy Royal brings to my life makes this one of my favorites within walking distance of home. Wolfpack (Vinny P. Steven W. and yours truly) has had a lot of chats over brews at the bar, this is where I bring visitors for brunch, it's also a great place to soak up booze after a day of drinking around the hood. The decor is a little funky in that there pretty much is none, but there are strung Christmas lights. You might say to yourself, "but Christmas lights in a bar are so tacky" and normally you'd be right, but Royal can get away with it because the food is just that good. I have never had a bad experience here, not once...the food is always top notch, the tap selection always rotating, the servers are friendly and attentive, and it caters to both my vegan friends and fellow meat-eaters alike, not to mention they have one of the best bloody mary's in the city. I have only ordered off of the standard menu once, the sweet potato banh mi is absolutely divine with its side order of fries and vegan aioli; every time I visit I order from their specials figuring that the menu will always be there if the specials fail me, but they don't...ever. Yes it's still a bar, but they take bar food to a whole other level and keep all of their neighbors dietary choices and restrictions in mind, now THAT'S a great neighborhood friend.
(5)
Ana R.
The Royal Tavern is a dark pub with out-of-the-ordinary pub food. It has excellent atmosphere and really friendly staff. I had the gnocchi, which came with way too much sauce, but it was yummy and well cooked. I hope I can go back sometime and try the hand-cut fries!! We left a big tip for our waitress who helped us charge our phones while we ate. It was definitely appreciated. They should invest in more bike parking out front!
(4)
Elizabeth H.
Lovely hangar steak and burgers, peaceful wood laden atmosphere and knowledgable bartenders. And when you're almost broke, you can just walk down to the Dive for PBRs.
(4)
Mo R.
I didn't give this place 5 stars because of how small it is. When it's busy (and it is very often), it's a wait for a table plus the tables are mostly small. If you're lucky enough to get a bigger table, it's just a lot of chaos always going on around you. Even with that said, there isn't an extended wait for service. The food is incredible...I mean it. They have specials on the board along with a dessert menu. Always vegan options on both and their daily menu is incredible. I have heard their fish and chips is good enough to fool a British person! The popcorn appetizer is ordered every time we go. I always stick with the vegan sloppy joe unless there's a great vegan special on the board. Always have to get some cake for dessert too! Prices aren't bad for the amount of food you get and their beer menu is always on point! Perfect place! A go-to spot for going out to eat! Never a bad meal here!
(4)
Payal D.
Only had the veggie sloppy joe and grill cheese, and veggie wings all of which were fantastic! Not to mention the tots...so good. Only reason for the 3 was long wait for table and semi bitchy waitress. Don't go here if you are in a rush.
(3)
Nina S.
I really like the menu at Royal Tavern. The food is very good and not just greasy bar food. It's a great spot in the neighborhood for a good casual meal and drinks. I had the grilled chicken sandwich and its as delicious! It had blue cheese, apples, arugula served on Italian bread with a sweet sauce. French Fries also come on the plate. I ordered one of their famous Bloody Marys but I was not as impressed as I thought that I would be. I heard they are award winning so it was a must to order! It was a lot spicier than I usually like my Boddy Marys and my friend who was with me frequents that Royal Tavern and she said that it was much spicier than what is usually served. I'll def be back. Next time I go I will try the Mac & Cheese because it sounds delicious and someone recommended it!
(4)
J C.
Royal tavern is a great option for vegetarians. Good beer selection, intimate, warm interior, and really good food. Usually have a vegetarian daily special as well. This is the only place where you will run out of chips for your nachos because they do not skimp on the toppings! Its our go to late night dinner place. My only critique is that the service is almost always slow, even when not busy.
(4)
Monika S.
Pretty good food, but not amazing to make me come back. I can see the appeal to vegetarians and vegans though, those selections seemed more interesting than the others. Service was meh... I told our server I didn't want blu cheese on my sandwich and she looked at me like I was a manic and replied, "sooo, what kind of cheese do you want? Cheddar?" What if I didn't want cheese?! Lol. Our food took longer to come out than it was to eat, and mine was going cold as my boyfriend's burger (which looked way better than what I got) came out hot. Not to mention, our cheese loving server gave me a side of fries even though I asked for a side of tots. I got the chicken sandwich with pear slices, arugula, and prosciutto and some other forgettable sauce and fries on the side. It was just alright. My chicken was charred, and they stuffed the arugula in it like it was going on sale. Like I said, I probably would pass on this place unless I came with my boyfriend again. We came here for the food and tots (because who doesn't love tots) and even the tots were forgettable. Could've just been that particular day that the food was lacking because this is one of my boyfriend's favorite spots but I'm not willing to come back too often.
(3)
Joe C.
I love this place. Stopped in for lunch on Thursday and zeroed right in on the Angus Burger, medium rare and, what the hell, throw a fried egg on top (there's a tip for ya). The burger came a bit more cooked than I would've liked which prevents me from giving 5 stars. I'd also prefer a better roll, one less flaky. Otherwise, it was fantastic; the long hots and chili mayo offer a great kick. On the side, how can you go wrong with hand-cut fries, with malt vinegar mayo, no less? To wash it all down, a Sly Fox can, kicking it old school. A tall, attractive, bespectacled brunette bartender provided quality service. Great food, great drink, great vibe.
(4)
Sara P.
First my disclaimer. Bar hotspots are not my thing. I don't like crowds, noise, alcohol, or fattening comfort foods. I know - I am boring. Boring people like me have to go out with more interesting people from time to time however so I have had some experience with local taverns. After showing up at RT for meals several times (more about that later), we recently got seated and ate there. My evaluation. My experience at RT was just as good or better than any other tavern I have been dragged to, and therefore, it gets four to five stars in my book. The food. The other three folks loved their food and drinks. For appetizers we had a tray including hummus, with refills on pita and really OMG bread they gave us. I ate a wonderful sandwich made with tempeh, and although I regretted it when I got on the scales the following morning, I had no complaints as I wolfed it down. The smoked coleslaw was the best I have had, but I suspect it was not a low fat version. I also tasted someone's fries which were delicious although I knew better than to eat more than one fry with my sandwich, less I'd be afraid to step on the scales again. In addition, I tried a huge vegan chocolate cake - well, I already had blown the diet hadn't I? Despite my reputation as a dessert lover or maybe because that reputation is well deserved, I'd say that the dessert was my least favorite thing. It was dry and not a good representative of vegan cake. I hope the baker tries to make it a little moister (add some applesauce or pureed dates). The rest. It is very very crowded. We had to go there several times before we were willing to wait long enough to be seated. This may mean that it is a good place to eat, but you need to have Plan B if hungry or restless. Parking is not fabulous, but circle around the neighborhood and you'll be ok. Servers are excellent. It was way too dark for me so I used my small table candle to light my menu. BTW If you like local taverns, none of these things will bother you. The best. I really appreciate RT having vegan, vegetarian and low fat options for people like me who are social but don't like the bar scene. Keep up the good work RT! We will be back!
(5)
Tracie P.
Just went here for lunch, and I already can't wait to go back! I was a little in doubt when we first walked up, as the facade is very unassuming, but the inside is really cute. Great laid back bar atmosphere. RT has an impressive bottled beer list, including a number of gluten free options (ciders, Omission). A ton of great vegan food options too. I went with the Bahn mi, which, admittedly left something to be desired. Not enough pickled veg and cilantro. Good bread though, and the sweet potato was tasty. That said, RT still gets five stars from me because my gf ordered the vegan sloppy joe and it was AMAZING. I am confident it will be a dish I crave and require on a regular basis. The side of smoky vegan coleslaw was also out of this world (and comes in the sloppy joe too). So delicious. Good fries, with vegan mayo dipping sauce, also hit the spot. Yet another awesome vegan-food-and-beer spot to add to our list of favorites.
(5)
Christine B.
I have absolutely no excuse for not writing a review for this place before now. For nearly three years, I dined at this place at least twice a month. OK...maybe more frequent than that. Let's just put it this way - the servers knew me. Let's just say; I am inconsolable because I now live in the 'burbs and can't find a replacement. The menu regularly changed - but I am a vegetarian, which at Royal meant that (unlike most restaurants in the area) I was assured of having at least four (5 if you consider nachos a meal; 6 if you consider popcorn a meal, which I do) yummy options. Not the bland "1 veggie burger/ 1 vegetable pasta/ 1 vegetarian salad" option you see at most places, with sorry excuses for sides and mass produced ingredients. But fresh ingredients, a light touch with the oils, good use of seasonings. The crowning glory in my opinion is the the tempeh club. Tempeh is admittedly an acquired taste but, if you like it, you will love it here. The triple decker sandwich - 2 layers of tempeh, 1 layer of tempeh "bacon" - has a haunting basil aoili smeared on lovely bread and is presented with hot, crispy, french fries served with a malt vinegar mayonnaise. All of the vegetables in this restaurant - including those used as garnish on the sandwiches - are fresh and flavorful. Although at first glance the dark "wood", Christmas lights, faux tin details, beer menu, and some of the clientele may make you think that you have (unfortunately) landed yourself in hipster paradise, the spicy greens and garlic spinach will convince you that these people take their food seriously. Their truffle oil popcorn is good for days. Days...I say! The macaroni and cheese is exactly what it needs to be. You won't lose your sh!t over it, but it is creamy, cheesy, and filling. The menu prices increased during my patronage, but not appreciable, and certainly well within the mean of other establishments in the area. The service was generally welcoming if sometimes (understandably) slow when it was busy, with the notable exception of one middle aged, tattooed woman who was never efficient or friendly. However, she was evidently let go before too long, as I later saw her working at another (Honey's) restaurant.
(5)
Chrissy K.
There is nothing negative to say about Royal Tavern besides that it's so popular! They have a great selection of beers and the food. If you have some vegan friends, this is a great place to take them. And don't forget to get the fries because they come with the best malt vinegar mayo! Basically, if you're looking for a nice bar with great food, Royal Tavern is always the perfect choice.
(5)
Elle W.
Lovvveeee Royal. They have the best vegan options around! I frequent Royal and have never had bad service or meal. Highly recommend the soba noodle salad and the tempeh club. Make sure you get some tater tots with vegan mayo on the side.
(5)
Beeswax D.
great vegan, vegetarian and meat selections. a little light on the gluten free, but you can find something if you look. fare is comfort/bar food - so yeah, there's gonna be salt and grease, perfect with your beers. good selection of drinks, could use more ciders but still very very good. and i can't remember the last time i sat for a meal with metallica, dio, the stooges, the avengers and bad brains playing. agree with other reviewers about the service being slow, but NEVER rude. prices are excellent.
(5)
John K.
Nothing short of amazing. My friends and I were visiting my girlfriend here a few months ago and decided to check it out. The atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for. Just a hole in the wall, old style tavern/pub feel. Great beer on tap as well. One special that day was a beef brisket grilled cheese sandwich with smoked gouda and bacon. It literally had all of our favorite things between two slices of sourdough bread. So much so, that all three of us decided to order it. We were not let down. The flavor can only be described as "buttery" and not in a bad way. Everything blended so nice together. The brisket was cooked perfectly, it was not dry at all. The cheese and bacon did not make the sandwich overly greasy either. Honestly, one of the greatest sandwiches that has every graced my presence. I ordered a side of fries with Old Bay Seasoning, where as my friends ordered collard greens. We sampled from each others plates and we just simply were thrown back by how amazing everything was. Honestly, it was so good, we ended up going back for brunch the next morning.
(5)
Justin B.
This is one of my favorite places in the city! Everything I've tried there is good. However what keeps me coming back is the burger! The royal burger for me is hands down the best in the city. I gave up red meat due to high cholesterol but every few months I have to have a royal burger. The atmosphere is great too. It's not a real loud bar that you have to shout to hear yourself which is a huge deal for me. when I go out I want to relax and talk to friends. I never feel like I have to shout or like the wait staff is rushing me. I have been going there for five years and have never been disappointed.
(5)
Benjamin M.
I was driving back from D.C. and needed to find a spot in Philly to watch the Steelers/Giants game. I obviously wanted to find something close to I-95, but wanted to avoid the typical "sports bar" scene. What to do? Well, I've always wanted to check out one of Vinny P's Dukedoms, Royal Tavern, and it fit both of my previous criteria nicely. Boom! Took the exit and was on my way. Open stools at the bar. Bingo! Only one TV above the bar, but the game was on. Double Bingo! Menu? Yes please. Not a ton of selections, but when I saw the bartender place a large Angus burger with bacon, caramelized onions and smoked Gouda in front of the guy next to me, a decision was instantly made. Gimme that with a side of tater tots. Short draft list? No problem, give me a Winter Solstice. Easy choices all around. Overall, a great meal, relaxed atmosphere and cool vibe. E Passyunk strikes again!
(4)
Parker S.
I had heard good things about the Royal Tavern for a long time but hadn't made the trip there. I finally pulled the trigger and stopped in for dinner and a beer. First off, this place is definitely an older bar that hasn't seen a lot of renovations, but that is the charm of it. The beer list is solid with a host of crafts on tap. The menu is a pub food with a modern twist. I had the Vegan Sloppy Joe sandwich, which was good - not great, but good. I was actually fairly disappointed in the sandwich. Mostly, when i hear about Royal Tavern I hear how good the food is, but I was not that impressed. The service was good and the prices were fair. I will probably come back and try some other food options since I have always heard such good things.
(3)
K K.
One word for this place, Burger! If there is one thing on the menu that you have to try, it's the burger. The flavors are amazing. The fries are the best I have ever had, mainly due to their dipping sauce. You will have to wait most evenings, on Friday and Saturday after 7, expect an hour wait. I recommend going early in the week or before 7. The food takes forever to come out, but when it does, it's to die for. If youre looking for a long date, this is your place. If you're looking for a quick in and out, not your place. I have waited over 30 minutes for my food multiple times, even when there was no one else in the place. The servers are pleasant, but often forget the small things, probably because there are only two for the whole place, even on a packed night. The decor is nice, but sometimes a little too dark for me. This place also carries Vegan Treats for the desserts. Vegan Treats will trick even the most anti-vegan food person out there. If you see vegan on the board next to the desserts, don't let that deter you, they are fantastic! PS - I hate vegan food!
(3)
L B.
Sorry, but I just can't get into this place. I'm not sure if it's the noise level or the lack of personality, but I never have a very good time here. There are so many other great places out there. Go to one of them instead!
(3)
Ally G.
This place made me smile :) First off, the vibe and decor of this place is really chill. Diggin' the christmas lights ;) Jukebox is a + too. It was a small place, nice bar (good beer selection). Service was speedy and very friendly! The menu was really, really cool. Very creative. A LOT of vegan and vegetarian options. But also some really tasty sounding meat-eater options too :D When you first walk into the place, a sign says "Best burger in Philly!" So naturally my boyfriend and I had to try their burger out. It was GOOOOD. The peppers on top were too spicey for me, so I took them off. But other than that... the burger was perfect. The fixings, patty, and bun all rocked. It was a party in my mouth :) Very savory and flavorful. It comes with fries and pickle... can't go wrong there. But what really won my heart... I was able to substitute the fries for tater tots! We shared the mac & cheese. I take my mac & cheese very seriously, my favorite comfort food... I was so upset! It was pretty cold and extremely bland. It didn't taste horrible, the texture was nice. But it was nothing to really brag about... So that made me sad... For dessert, we split the "Death by Chocolate". As a chocoholic, I approve. It was so rich we couldn't even finish it! That was a first ;) I'll definitely go back. Especially to bring my vegetation friends. Those vegetarian/vegan options looked good...
(4)
Ryan E.
Food is awesome. Service is slower than grandma. I've finally figured out why this place is so packed... They don't serve anyone for at least 20 mins and then take another 20+ mins to bring out your food. Therefore they are creating demand by limiting supply. Brilliant! You walk in and think to yourself, wow, this must be good because it's Tuesday at 9pm and 77 people are waiting ahead of me. That's because everyone sitting down has been there since 5pm. Anyway, besides slow service this place rocks. The food is great and there are always good brews on tap. Let me just tell you... the Chicken Frankie is amazing. By far, one of my favorite weekday hangout spots when I am not looking for quick and convenient.
(4)
Steph G.
After spending the morning at the Reading Terminal Market, and the afternoon at the Philadelphia Art Museum, my husband and I wanted a hip dinner option, with good draft beer selections, and vegetarian/vegan menu options. A friend who grew up in Philly recommended the Royal Tavern, and it was exactly what we were looking for. The parking is on-street, so can be a bit challenging, if you're not used to parallel parking. We have a very compact vehicle, so had no issues. We arrived around 4:45 PM on a Saturday, and there were only two tables available (good sign!). The atmosphere is hip/alternative/edgy, yet unpretentious, and even family friendly. Service was excellent. Decent draft beer options. I had a delicious Dogfish Head chicory stout. Husband had an Ithaca Saison. Food was delicious and healthy. We got the vegan sloppy joe and sweet potato banh mi, both of which were wonderful. The fries were some of the best we've had. We also had a vegan chocolate peanut butter cake, and it was one of the few desserts that I've ordered in my life that was worth the money paid. All in all, this place met and exceeded our expectations. We will definitely be back!
(5)
Robin C.
So good! I went here for brunch on a random Sunday. I had the hash brown scramble and it was amazing. I'm not a huge fan of eggs and this sold me. Add the special blackberry mimosas and this meal made me a happy woman. And it's affordable especially when you go home happy and full.
(5)
Frank R.
The service I had recently was inexcusable. It was about 130 on a Saturday for some burgers. The server took our order and came back with our beers. We didn't see her again for the rest of the day. She was in the place, but just ignored us. I raised my hand to get her attention like I was in high school but just never came back. It wasn't very crowded. There was about 4 tables in the back section and maybe 20 total people in the place. There is no excuse for service to be this blatantly ignorant. When I she finally came over to drop off our check, she didn't even smile or thank us for coming in. Its very unfortunate that this happened because I love the food and beer menu at this place.
(2)
Jill A.
I like the Royal. I've been here a handful of times for brunch and it's always been dang tasty. The bacon is always cooked just how I like it without even having to ask. The servers I've had have always been pretty attentive yet laid back. (Liz, an old favorite from Good Dog works here. Always good to see the familiar faces of competent and fun servers!) The place is dark enough to make you happy if you're nursing a hangover. The prices are reasonable. The beer choices are ace. Plus, it's part of the Cantina(s)/Khyber family--reason enough in my book for hanging out. I've yet to try their burger (rumored to be one of the best in the city, right?) so I guess I'm going to have to get myself down to the dirty south more often, huh?
(4)
MeMe M.
I think I have eaten just about everything on the menu here! Love this place! Hands down the best burger in Philly! Great caesar salad and awesome nachos too! Prices are very resaonable and they accept cash and cards. The servers are all great, super friendly and attentive, which goes a long way! There's a jukebox if you want to play some music, full bar and tv's for you sports lovers! Parking isn't too bad for this place, there is actually an open school parking lot around the corner where we always park, but usually you can find parking on the street
(5)
Melissa D.
Went here with a few friends the other night. Heard they had great burgers, but there's only one on the menu. But that is okay, it was certainly one of the best I've had. Great beers on tap and good atmosphere.
(5)
Anne H.
The Royal Tavern has awesome food. My boyfriend is crazy about the tempeh club, which he orders every time we go there. Their nachos are also really, really good, but to be shared; they're enormous! The hummus platter, meatloaf sandwich, and Caesar salad are excellent as well. As for beer, the menu isn't as extensive as Monk's or the Devil's Den, so I would go to those places if you're looking for a great beer selection. Also, the jukebox combined with the crowds on the weekend can make it really loud and difficult for conversations. The menu is very friendly for vegetarians and vegans. It's very dark inside. Overall: food gets 4 stars, beer gets 2 stars and ambiance gets 2 stars.
(3)
Brandon M.
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the whole city. It's basically a better Local 44, albeit with fewer draft beers and more (and more diverse -- we're talking Fin du Monde, Schneider, and Tripel Karmeliet) bottled beers. Royal Tavern is cramped and narrow, but this actually works to improve the atmosphere here. The bar is done up all in dark wood, and the walls are a light pastel red. Lighting is appropriately dim, and Christmas lights line the entire space no matter the time of year. As you stay here from 7pm later on, the crowd changes from 30- and 40-something couples here for food and wine by the glass to mid-to-late 20s hipsters here for the quality beer and cool, unpretentious vibe. Food is excellent, with the burgers being the best in the city (it's between here and Village Whiskey, in my mind) -- big, juicy, and perfectly garnished, especially their very hot chipotle pepper mayo. Chicken wings are also some of the best I've tried, as they are very meaty and their sauces -- BBQ, buffalo and garlic -- are all as good examples of each as I've tried. Service is hit or miss, but never so bad that it's unbearable...usually just a case of waiting a few minutes too long to get the cheque paid or to get my first order taken.
(5)
Casey B.
We showed up as a group of 4 at 7pm on a Saturday over the summer. The place was full enough that we had to wait 25 minutes for a table but there was room at the bar so we were comfortable and had some drinks. After we were finally seated the service was reasonably snappy and we placed our orders in a reasonable amount of time. The food came quickly, the portions were huge, and our waiter checked in multiple times to see how things were going.
(4)
Kara L.
I eat at Royal Tavern on average about once a week. "Royal" as it's locally known, has a great vibe, much like the neighborhood, lots of locals, great people, and good music. Where they really shine is their Specials Menu - local and seasonal, always delicious and inventive. There are of course trusty favorites I get on a regular basis. The Cubano Spring Rolls are a must try, and the Nachos are gigantic & delicious (oh word to the wise - that Longhot on the Burger is INTENSLY HOT just sayin' otherwise, the burger is a good bet as well). The portions are generous, and the tatertots always crispy. There are also a lot of Vegan items, including dessert! Brunch is no exception for the rule of deliciousness (there's also a Cubano Omlette which is one of my favs) and again, check the specials board before you make any decisions. If you're looking for a quick fix to take home & enjoy on your couch, while they don't take orders over the phone, I've gotten takeout while standing at the bar in my pajama bottoms plenty of times. Oh bonus - the kitchen is open until 1am, for semi-late night eating. It's a great place to grab a pint & a bite to eat in the neighborhood.
(4)
Melissa R.
I had been wanting to try Royal Tavern for weeks. Heard and read great things about their burger and grilled cheese. I went here on a Saturday night with my parents and boyfriend. It ha a small bar and dining room, but is cozy and not as "divey" as I thought. At around 7pm on a Saturday night, we had a bit of a wait, but it wasn't too bad. My boyfriend loves popcorn, so we started with the truffle butter and Parmesan popcorn, which was addicting. I had a bite of the burger, which lived up to it's reputation. It was juicy and had a great flavor combination with bacon, caramelized onions, gouda, and chile mayonnaise. The Grilled Chicken Sandwich was both sweet and savory with proscuitto, sliced pear, arugula, blue cheese and a lavender-honey mustard. And the french fries were killer. They came with a malt vinegar mayo, reminding me of my childhood in Maryland, where the combo of fries, vinegar, and old bay are a staple. The menu had a myriad of mouth-watering options, I have a feeling we'll be back soon for Round 2.
(4)
Betty B.
I found this place to be pretty unique for a South Philly bar. The tap list was great, the vibe inside really good but what made it stand out was the food.While a little pricier then I'd of liked, the food was phenomenal. Healthier choices then on average and great quality. Good atmosphere, will definitely come back. But! You must get here kind of early otherwise it gets packed and it will be impossible to be seated without a long wait.
(4)
James W.
Went for the first time today. Heard good reviews from friends. Good beer selection on tap and for bottles. Service was friendly and attentive. As far as the food goes I got the steak fries which were very good and the meatloaf sandwich. I thought the sandwich was very good and quite tasty. Wish there was just a little more meat to the sandwich but overall I can't complain. I've heard the burger is very good here as well and will definitely be coming back to try it out. Overall good experience.
(4)
Marilyn T.
Royal Tavern is on my list of Top 10 Philly Eats. The Brunch is solid. I've never been let down by it. Recently, I went out of my way to try the Angus burger that everybody raves about. I was afraid with that much hype, I'd be let down. Quite contrary. The burger lived up to its rep. It was made perfectly medium-rare (which is how I ordered it) and was insanely juicy. Burgers need to be juicy, ya hear? They also honored my request to replace the Gouda with goat cheese, since I'm cow's milk intolerant. Combining a perfectly cooked burger with bacon, caramelized onions, pickled long hots, and chile mayoannaise on on seeded brioche bun? Pure heaven! Favorite beef burger so far by far. I'll definitely be back!
(5)
Becca C.
Over the past five years this place has become one of my standard spots for celebrating life's small victories. Granted, it has become increasingly difficult over the years to snag a table without waiting if you come past 6pm almost any night of the week. But I guess that's to be expected when I think the about the many nice things about the place. It's comfortable but still a little bit of a scene. The prices are reasonable for how yummy the food is. And I really like the inside of the place. It's narrow and dark. It has an impressive, beautiful wood bar and a split level dining area. It may sound silly but to me it has always had the feel of being in the belly of some old ship. I love the tempeh club. It was a little too salty the last time I had it but salt goes good with beer. And usually it's on point. It can get a little warm in there if you plan on going on one of these 90 degree days we've been having, but I must say: cold good beer conquers all.
(4)
Lena S.
I came here once when I was a student, before living in Philadelphia and before eschewing dairy. I remember eating sharing the mac and cheese in the dark with a friend under the glow of Christmas lights. It was one of the best lunches I'd ever had. When I ended up living in South Phillly, I'd stop in frequently with other friends in the neighborhood, enjoying a huge meal (and even non-dairy dessert! I still fondly remember a massive slice of mint-chocolate cake with real bits of mint flavoring the icing!) and many drinks. I don't know what happened, though--sometime between stumbling home warm and happy many nights in the winter of 2007-8 and the spring of '08, this place just, like, got lame to me. My main drinking buddy and I had a couple of visits where we had really meh food and meh beer, and since those were no longer draws, we could only focus on how stupid-crowded it was when we went--like once I was here with two other people and one of the people in our party bailed because he was so annoyed by the amount of college-aged hipsters' elbows in his back and yelling in his ears and uncomfortable shuffling as we waited for a seat, other person in our party got angry at him as a result, I stood there feeling uncomfortable, etc., etc. Aforementioned best drinking buddy and I recently were in the neighborhood after dinner out, though, and we stopped in. Not teeming with posturing people with personal space encroachment issues this time. We sat and, usually beer drinkers, uncharacteristically went for the Arnold Palmers on the mixed drink menu. Deliciousness ensued: tea-flavored vodka and lemonade = we drank somewhere between 4-6 each and still wanted more (although isn't an alcoholic Arnold Palmer a John Daly?). Like old times, we said we would return. And we did just the other night, downing somewhere between 6-8 Palmers each and sharing some quality company. Tea vodka + lemonade = we remembered why the Royal Tavern was a good time.
(3)
Jessica W.
I really like Royal Tavern, but it can be VERY difficult to get a table here. Another one of those "go early or be willing to wait" places. Both of which are very hard if you're very hungry. The food is definitely worth waiting for, though.
(4)
Larry I.
Where do I start? Dirty. Skirt steak tacos -- limp, unattractive, taste? None. Hericort vert almandine -- looked like a FEW limp, shriveled green beans. My friend had the taco also and refried beans which ran like sauce! My guess is that they keep it that dark so you can't see what you're eating and sitting on. Yuck!
(1)
Natalie H.
I am going to have to agree with everyone and say this place is definitely a go. Beer selection is great, service is friendly, and the food is AWESOME! They make the best grilled cheese I have ever had, they use a combination of cheeses, one of which is smoked gouda-and they make it on GARLIC BREAD-you need to try one, today.
(4)
George R.
Oh my, I'm the only three star as of 8/1/2007. I've been to the Royal Tavern four times now and every time I get sick half way between walking from the restaurant to 15th and Broad. The last time was a disaster... I want to believe isn't the food, but I can't help believe that it's not the food. And on the subject of food, the main menu is filled with items that, if broken down into contents, are about 45% bread, 20% fries, 10% toppings/cole slaw/pickle, and the rest is left to whatever entree you order. For the prices that they ask, there is not enough food here nor is it good enough. (It just occured to me, this is all that is left to eat if you're a vegetarian.) They should take the hint from their other restaurant (El cantina) that good portions and quality are in order for the prices you charge. But, El Cantina is also heavy on the bread and fried things. No veggies or real meat substance to their dishes. The specials are the only thing that seem to be of interest at this place because that is where the culinary surprises come in. Sadly, the desserts are the worst part. The other day when I was there, I asked the server whether the desserts were made on the premises. "No," he said. Well, then, are they made by a local Philly baker? "No," he said. OK then, where do they come from. Get this... THEY SHIP THEM IN FROM NEW YORK! "What," exclaims my table of people. Hearing this we instantly made the choice to ask for the check and seek dessert elsewhere. Only problem was, I was too ill to go out after leaving the restaurant...
(3)
Tim O.
A dark wooden abyss. And that's a good thing. get there early cuz it gets packed. went about 730 on a friday and got one of the last remaining tables without a wait. the wings are amazing. i'm thinking of them now. plus we got a bonus order for free because we were brought someone else's order first by mistake. one's gain is another's tragedy. good selection of beer on tap. a jukebox. bar stools are limited. this place is small. lots of menu choices. i'm going back soon. Prices aren't really that bad. A bargain nearly.
(5)
Chris M.
Great wings and Mac and cheese. Pretty quiet and low key during the day, but gets loud and packed at night. Very fun though. Plus cute pretty waitresses always helps.
(3)
Allison K.
I like Royal Tavern, I do, I promise. Good decor, football on the TV, nice bartenders, different and delicious things like truffle oil parmesan popcorn, and a quality jukebox. HOWEVER. I think I'm allergic to this otherwise fine establishment. I walked in tonight - immediate sniffles. Walked out - slight sneezing. And since I've graduated to puffy, watery eyes that can barely see to write this review. I'm willing to give Royal a second chance, but next time I'll be packing some Zyrtex.
(3)
Jessica S.
I was hooked on the Royal Tavern after my very first visit. I went with friends for a few more drinks after a house party in Bella Vista, and we were in no way disappointed. We originally toyed with the idea of going to The Dive, but after setting foot inside, any bit of moisture was quickly sucked from my contacts by all the cigarette smoke lingering in the air. I couldn't bear to stay there. (Aside: You must realize I moved here from New York which has been entirely smoke-free for sometime now. I don't think I've been in a smoky bar since going to shows my freshman year of college. I can't handle it anymore.) After that short visit we walked a few doors down to The Royal Tavern, and were immediately happier. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the bar was still quite packed considering it was just about 1:30. We took a table in the back, and each ordered a beer, of which they have a great selection. I ordered a Brooklyn Lager, which I'd never had, but enjoyed. The beer is a nice amber shade, with a slightly bitter taste and after taste, that doesn't overpower or linger too long. Being in The Royal Tavern reminded me of being upstairs at Johnny Brenda's a bit. I can't say exactly why, but I think it had something to do with the decor, atmosphere, and lighting. I'm not saying saying it's a dead ringer for the place or anything, but definitely a similar feel. Considering I love JB's so much, this is by all means a compliment. Like I said, my friends and I showed up quite late in the night, and we ended up closing the bar. The staff didn't mind at all that we were hanging around after 2:00. The waitress just asked that we pay up our tab so she could cash out. The bartender and bar back just went about their business cleaning the place up, not trying to throw us out the door or anything. It sounds pretty stupid, but I really appreciate that. I'm still far to close to the days of being ushered out the doors of college bars right at close like cattle by some over-huge, over-'roided, over-confident bouncer. Bars for cattle: No like. The Royal Tavern: Love. EDIT: The food at the Royal is totally to die for. It's a perfectly sized menu, so decisions aren't too hard to make and you shouldn't worry, because they do EVERYTHING well. I'm a non-vegan addicted to the Vegan Sloppy Joe. The nachos are huge and awesome. The grilled cheese is wonderfully rich. Seriously, everything is perfect. Oh and, last time I was there they even put the Giants' Monday Night game on for me. Sweet!
(5)
Yolanda Y.
The atmosphere in this place is good, the lighting is good, and the service is ok. If it weren't for the food, I'd give another star, but my food was just plain. I guess I should have ordered something more ordinary for a bar, or something fried, but anyway, the octopus salad sounded good at the time. It turned out to be bland, and for that price I expected more. This place is worth checking out though, and if I get something here that I really like, I'll edit this review.
(3)
Kate S.
best vegan sloppy joe around! Awesome jukebox, pretty good service. I never appreciate the wait (since there's no area to wait in), but that's why I avoid it on a weekend early evening and aim for weekend late nights, weekdays for lunch or early dinner.
(4)
Rand M.
Best spot for good beer selection and food.
(5)
Jenna C.
I brought my mom here for dinner, the other night. As we were leaving, my mom turned to me and said, "You know, it's really nice that you would bring your mom to a place with a whole bunch of couples on dates and not be embarrassed" I said, "Mom, don't be silly. You're my friend." (Because I'm a great daughter) Then I added, "Besides, the food is really good." I really enjoy the Royal Tavern. They have a decent selection of beers on tap which sometimes rotate. And the drinks are reasonably priced. But it's the food that makes it worthwhile. I suggest that no matter what you get, you order a side of mac and cheese (for only $4, you might as well. You can always take it home). They do get busy... but even at their busiest, I've never had a terribly hard time getting a table. However, regardless of whether or not they are busy, the food can take a while to come out of the kitchen. One more suggestion- don't bother ordering a mojito here unless you want a toothache and diabetic shock from all of the sugar syrup in the drink. UPDATE- They got new locks on their toilettes! Green means go!
(5)
Brent S.
Heard the Bloddy Marys at Royal were really good so Mel and I took the walk to see for ourselves. I must say it was in the top three I've had in the city. We split one of the much talked about burgers. It was cooked as ordered and was quite tasty. The service was spotty. It wasn't very busy and took far too long for drinks and food. Nice enough gal, just not in a real "service" mood that day I suppose. I'd go any time!
(4)
Karla N.
this is a small bar, so don't come here with more than 3 people unless you want to wait forever. the staff weren't completely helpful when we walked in, but once seated we had a nice server. as a vegan i was happy to see there were several selections, clearly marked. Vegan sloppy joes, Tempeh Club, an interesting sounding salad option and a couple of the soups (a delicious sounding Plaintain Coconut and Avocado Gazpacho) and vegan desserts too! I chose the Tempeh Club. It came with fries, but i got tots instead, and a pickle spear. the club was large and came with grilled tempeh slabs AND tempeh bacon with lettuce, tomato and vegan mayo. it was really good. i could've done without the middle slice a bread and one less of the 2 slabs of tempeh (i took one off). the cost was $8, which was a good deal for all that food. someone with me ordered the octopus salad and said it was delicious. my other friend ordered a burger and said they were "good." she loves the fries.
(4)
bryan m.
While still decent, Royal is nowhere near as good as it once was. The food, the service, and the atmosphere have all taken a turn for the worse. The food is still pretty good but something is certainly missing, on the past few visits the fries weren't as crispy, and the sandwiches were missing ingredients. The service is not nearly as friendly or attentive anymore and worst of all is the vibe. It used to always be packed, and had a good vibe. The last few times it was pretty dead, nothing on the juke box and quite occupied by douches. Conclusion: Pretty good bar food (but you can get better in the city), Pretty mediocre service, and pretty boring/dreary place to eat and drink. Find the next hot gastro pub, Royal's time has passed.
(2)
Kevin W.
I've been to the Royal a few times, but my recent Fourth of July breakfast over there finally encouraged me to come and yelp about this remarkable discovery. I am a vegetarian and was thus excited to see a plethora of options on their breakfast menu. I ordered a bagel with fried egg and veggie sausage on it. I was expecting a glorified egg mcmuffin, but out came this massive bagel oozing with fresh cheese and well-prepared eggs. It was simply awesome. If you're a vegetarian, there's no better place for breakfast. Oh, and the best part is that you can even wash it down with some alcohol. I had a mimosa and it really hit the sport. The only negative I could find is that the service is a tad slow. But, the staff are super nice and when the food is this good, it's worth the wait. Besides, good music is usually being played. (Especially if you're into the whole indie rock thing) **EDIT/UPDATE** Royal Tavern, I love you, but please don't ever serve your "tomato and lager soup" ever again. It seemed like an awesome idea because I like imaginative dishes. But, a peanut butter and vinegar sandwich is also imaginative, but I'm sure it would taste just as awful as the tomato and lager soup. -- A public service announcement to my fellow yelpsters who enjoy the tavern.
(5)
lana p.
I haven't been here in a while, but cute atmosphere and the grill cheese is to die for. I've never been able to eat the whole thing in one sitting but I think that's because I'm eating fries with it! But that's ok because the second half always feels like a reward!
(4)
Lori H.
Maybe I'm just ordering the worst dishes on their menu but every time I go to the Royal I am underwhelmed. The most recent time there I had the Mango Habanero wings. While they were reasonably spicy the meat itself had the limpness suggesting that it was previously frozen - sort of like the wings that one would buy at the grocery - preseasoned and found in the frozen aisle. My friends and I also had sangria's that were just okay.
(3)
Megan K.
well, i really wanted to love it. but i didnt. i am always hungry for a burger. i have heard too many times that royal tavern has a great one. it comes with bacon (i do not dine on swine) and onions. (not a fan) so i had those things removed. the bread was stale and broke apart as soon as i touched it. the whole burger fell apart in my hands. it was a mess. the meat was dry and tasteless. i couldnt taste any cheese. but the service was perfect. and the atmosphere great. i will go back. maybe to cocktail or try something else. the 2 of us both had burgers. 1 beer and 2 glasses of wine. it came to $44 bucks. i guess its not outrageous, but i hate wasting money on bad food.
(3)
Steve A.
I went here for dinner for my birthday with some friends based on some ratings of their burger i read on the site. Let me tell you, this place did not dissapoint. We got there around 7, and the place was pretty crowded, especially for a group of 6. The staff though was extremely helpful in finding us seating, and we sat down after a few minutes. The beer list is pretty good, but what we really came for was the burger, and it was worth it. 5 of us ordered the angus burger, and 5 of us devoured it and wanted more. From the surprisingly tasty buns to the variety of toppings, this burger hit the spot. Definitely will be heading back.
(4)
Dan G.
I can see this place from my living room and as a neighbor and brunch junkie I have to add my 2 cents. Let's start with brunch: You can usually find 1-3 items on the specials list every weekend that you'd like to eat. The quiche is usually pretty good, my lady likes to sub the greens salad for home fries. Tropical fruit pancakes are def a hit as well. Also, depending on what time you get in on a weekend morning/afternoon, the music selection is usually pretty good - either dub reggae, or indie rock...I swear I've even heard some Maiden at 11am. I would recommend it for drinks/dinner...the nachos are def one of my favorite non-breakfast items...ideal for sharing and you can get them with meat, or vegan "meatless" meat...either option is delicious. good beer selection, and if you don't like the tunes, the juke box is always hungry fo yo money
(4)
Boogey K.
I miss some of the old staff. Food has been taking longer even when the place is empty. HOWEVER, I love the royal and will stick by it until it rights the ship. This place has fed me so many times that I feel like we are related. The fries are the best and there is always something on the menu I can enjoy. After further review some of the staff has grown on me. Love the waitress with the glasses, love the brunette bartender and the runners are super nice.
(4)
Ben G.
I always find it amusing that as I am walking to the Royal Tavern, I can always pick out the other people on the street that are also going to the Royal Tavern. This place definitely attracts a certain type of person, and that type of person is a hipster. I don't mind all the hipsters, but it is good to know what you are getting into. The one downside to this type of crowd, however, is that there is way too much indie rock going on, and it is way too loud. Regardless of the hipness of the scene, this place may have the best bar food in the city. Even things that don't sound like anything special, like the meatloaf sandwich, are outstanding. And the specials, which of course do sound like something special, are usually outstanding as well. They are vegetarian and vegan friendly, too, so it is the perfect place to take your hipster buddy from Brooklyn to make Philly look cool.
(4)
Dave C.
Oh, vegan friendly bars....is there no love for you in Philadelphia? Apparently not, because, so far the Royal Tavern is the only one I've seen. If you like good vegan friendly food and microbrews on tap, this is your place... Furthermore... This place is step one of the three part Passyunk Ave- Axis of Evil-Barcrawl, where in, you start at the Royal Tavern and drink good beer and eat vegan sloppy joes, then move 5 steps down the street to the Dive, drink pabst and watch blacksplotation movies on a huge flat screen tv, and after your 10th shot of MadDogg 20/20, if your feeling dangerous and have got the moxie, you make the walk 2 blocks down to Rays Happy Birthday where you participate in a duet singing the entirety of Meatloaf's Bat of out Hell with an obese leather-clad construction worker from south philly while slapping back Schlitz cans and smoking ungodly amounts of cigarettes.... So, yea.... Royal Tavern, good bar.
(4)
Lianna W.
I've only been a few times, but it's nice to have vegan options that are more than afterthoughts! The service is so-so and it's usually pretty loud, but that's to be expected. Overall, not a bad place to meet up with people, and the table waits haven't been too bad.
(3)
Matthew C.
We first tried this place after Little Fish sent us here because they felt bad that we had to wait for our table. Loved it the first time and we have loved it again and again. Great selection of beers. They have PBR in bottles! Plus a variety of Belgium beers. The mango habanero wings rocked!! Sweet and spicy. Also try the old bay fries. I'm dying to try more things on the menu. I'll be back!
(4)
Geronimo G.
Awfully expensive for a dive bar.
(2)
Jon K.
This place is the real deal, if you don't like it you're probably dead. The Meatloaf Sandwich (with bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini mushroom ketchup on ciabatta) is probably the single greatest thing I've ever eaten in my life. The burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun) was listed as the best in Food Network magazine, for whatever that may be worth. Not EVERYTHING there has bacon, and they've got a ton of veggie/vegan options (recommend the Vegan Sloppy Joe and Tempeh Club). Sick beers everywhere, and a great brunch as well. Can get a little loud in there, but well worth enduring.
(5)
Maxwell S.
I like it here. More low key not as crowded as the other places I always go to. I like it because it's a little more mellow. The food has been good every time and the girls are really nice every time I go in. Check it out if you've never been. They always have good salads. Oh and I like the music too.
(5)
Johnny B.
enjoyed half of a bacon-vodka bloody mary- with tater tots, eggs and caramelized onions scrambled together for brunch. ahhh! brunch, lunch and dinner is always good at the royal t. please have the burger. I've had it so many times. one of the best in Philadelphia.
(4)
Kori M.
The best and I went on a "nice weather shopping/stroll aimlessly around Philly" adventure yesterday and decided to go to Royal Tavern. He has been before but I have not. Being a vegetarian/trying to be a vegan they have great options! The sweet potato ban mi was awesome! I love grilled sweet potatoes! They have great fries too and well my Maker's and diet could have been a bit stronger, the price was not bad. I got an angus burger to-go for the boyfriend and he thought it was the best burger he has ever had! I will for sure be back! I need to try the vegan sloppy joe next!
(4)
Lauryn Z.
Royal Tavern has been on my list of places to try for a while now, so when we were searching for a place to grab a beer and quick bite too eat on a sunday evening, I was eager to check it out. The menu provided a solid selection of vegetarian and vegan options. I was starving and ordered the tempeh club, my boyfriend and friend both ordered the grilled cheese and soup. The beer selection was varied and we ordered MaredSous 8 (always good to see one of the less popular belgians on draft) and Arrogant Bastard. The soups (Potato and Butternut Squash) arrived first and were rather watery- I understand they were vegan, so that explains the lack of cream used...) My tempeh club was good, except for the fact that the sandwich was stacked so high, that I had to pull it apart to eat or else it would have created a mess on my plate...My boyfriend and friend however, were rather disappointed with the grilled cheese. The sandwich was listed on the menu as containing 'smoked gouda, provolone, and goat cheese' - which it most definitely did not . gouda and goat cheese both have distinctively strong flavors and the cheese in this sandwich was bland. The 'rustic french bread' was also a bit soggy and greasy. Fries were decent. I felt the descriptions of the food on the menu exaggerated what was nothing more than average bar food. Food aside, I really liked the atmosphere of this place- dark and cozy. Good place to go meet for a beer with friends when its not too busy. Service was also friendly. I'll be back here again because of the decent beer selection- perhaps it was just an off night...
(2)
Karen G.
The food was delicious however service was incredibly slow. Our server was overwhelmed, it took thirty minutes to get a cup of coffee n when we received it we had no cream, sugar or spoons.
(2)
Apathy K.
Very excited for this place. The vegan options looked hopeful and the reviews were positive. The waitress forgot to write my order down on the receipt. So the rest of my family received their food and I didn't have anything. I'm patient so I waited and the waitress gave me a drink on the house. My father's medium burger was dry and black but everyone else's food was okay. My food came out when they ordered dessert and the tempeh club was ok. Basil aoili was excellent and the fries well done. The blueberry bread pudding was incredibly dry and the brownie was as well. My uncle thought it was angel food cake and didn't like it. After the waitress missing a few more drink orders from us, we just gave up and asked for the check. Very nice atmosphere so I would go back for a beer, but the service was lower than par. Not worth a $92 lunch. And apparently the waitress was wearing her shirt inside out so if she was drunk, I fully understand. It is St. Patrick's day weekend after all.
(2)
Meredith B.
Whenever I come to visit my sister in Philly, I ask her to take me to the Royal Tavern. The atmosphere is great, the juke box rules, and the drinks are good. It's my favorite place to go for drinks at night and it's also my favorite place to have brunch. Their heuvos rancheros can not be beat! If there was a Royal Tavern in Brooklyn I'd be a regular but since there's not, I look forward to visiting every few months.
(5)
Erik s.
I always thought the best bar food was in northern libs but royal tavern puts bella vista on the map, though northern libs still rules the roost says I. Their burger is one of my favorites in philly and their mac and cheese is very good too. nachos and wings are good too but North 3rd wings are better. the wait staff is super nice and they actually know bout beer which the Royal has a pretty good selection in. its a pretty diverse mix of people which I like and it is crowded but not the unbearable u want to donkeypunch the person elbowing u in the small of your back crowded. Good food+good service+good beer = good fat and drunken times in my book.
(4)
Kate S.
I am a fan of any bar where I can get standard pub fare made in a veggie way and I'm not limited to a makeshift salad that's composed of burger toppings. Royal Tavern has an awesome tempeh club with fries and malt vinegar mayo. It was delicious and they even had Rogue Chocolate Stout on draft!! The staff was also really nice and told me the trick to the tempeh club is to order it without the middle bread because it makes it easier to eat. My favorite part was the cd jukebox which had anything from The Jam to David Bowie to Panda Bear to Vivian Girls to Jay Z to etc. The one bummer, to which I exhaled a disgruntled "harumph" was that the illusive duck-wich is no more. I was excited about this from another review and apparently should have read all reviews and spared myself the disappointment. (Full disclosure: not totally a vegetarian, more like an ugletarian in that I've sworn off all cute animals.)
(4)
Ryan Z.
First just let me state if you want a pure beer bar, this isn't the place. That isn't to say there aren't good beer selections, but this is the gastro-pub you should frequent. They have two staple sandwiches, the meatloaf and the chicken breast sandwich (i wish they still had the duck club), everyone should have at least once when you go. These two sandwiches alone will keep you coming back, and that is not to say that is all there is on the menu, and the specials are always tasty. I've neglected this bar the past couple of years because the pope opened up, but I always enjoy a dinner at the Royal.
(4)
Jen P.
Great beer selection, lots of yummy vegetarian and vegan menu options, a fun jukebox...what more could you want? The staff is usually very friendly, too. May I suggest brunch on Saturday or Sunday? The daily specials are always interesting and delicious. Seriously, you should go.
(4)
Phil P.
Great and friendly service, great beer selection, and the best burger I've ever had. I've only been here once so the sample size is too small to give it 5 stars, but maybe I'll write another review once I start going more often.
(4)
Jimmy A.
always good. always consistent. Great specials and brunch.
(5)
Susanne J.
Some friends and I wandered into the Royal Tavern to continue my birthday celebration after leaving the South Philly Taproom. The place is tiny, but wasn't crowded when we arrived and we were able to grab seats at the bar. The bar tender was attentive and friendly and we didn't have to fight with other patrons to get drinks. We ordered a plate of Nachos which were some of the best I've had - lots of fresh tomatoes and cheese, generous helpings of guacamole and sour cream, and the chips were perfectly crisp instead of soggy or stale. The single strand of holiday lights above the wood bar lend a perfect ambience to the dimly lit tavern. The kitchen is open until 1am which is great for night owls. I was impressed by the beers that they had both in bottles and on draught - enough choices to suit a variety of tastes. I look forward to going back to try more of their culinary offerings, especially their brunch.
(4)
Christa M.
The best gastro pub in Philadelphia. This is a great "go to" place for great drinks and great food. They have an excellent selection of vegan and vegetarian options while also offering great selections for the carnivores in your life. I've been for brunch, lunch and dinner so many times it is hard to count. Each time I leave satisfied and happy!
(5)
Derrick C.
The Royal Tavern never struck me as a place that I wanted to go to, until I went there. The vibe is cool and the staff is pleasant and nice. I have since been there many times with my wife and it seems that I can't get enough of their burger. For years, I thought that it was impossible to find a burger that was better than Monk's burger, that is until Royal Tavern. There is nothing crazy about the burger, but it is cooked to perfection every time, with the right mix of Gouda cheese, roasted long hot pepper, bacon and spicy mayo. I even get mine with an egg on top to add to its decadence. It would also be dumb of me to forget their great selection of beers, both on tap and in the bottle. They certainly have more choices on the menu and they always have a interesting mix of vegetarian and carnivore specials, but I can't seem to get past the burger. Great place to go if you want a cool place to hang out with good food and drink. Did I mention that the burger comes with fresh cut fries and a malt vinegar mayo?
(5)
Lizzie P.
Yay! Such a fun place! If I lived here I'd come here all the time. Fun hip vibe, great bar and local beers. Good selection of vegan/vegetarian food! We had to wait about ten minutes for a table on a week night, as it was a little packed. The great thing was there is a jukebox with a wonderful indie music selection that kept us occupied. I had the vegan sloppy joe and I have to admit I was a little hesitant. I'm a new vegetarian and sloppy joes is a favorite. I was hoping it would hold up. Oooh, it did. It was soo tasty and huge, I ate the entire thing. It also came with a side order of cole slaw which was great. We shared the mac and cheese, which wasn't too bad, a litte chalky but full of flavor. The fries were very yummy too. We tried their local beers. The local dark beer is very smooth, good but I'm not a big dark beer fan. I ordered the Sweaty Betty beer (honestly just so I could repeat the fun title to the waitress), its a lighter beer with a hint of fruit but with a Miller kick at the end which I could have done without. Overall an awesome place to go, little pricey but totally worth it.
(5)
Amy M.
it's all about the burgers. and the beer, of course. this place is too damn crowded when i go, however!
(5)
Chris Y.
Amazing food! Not sure if there is much more room for elaboration but I will of course make my point. Great beer selection and terrific soft shell crab salad (thanks Nathan). I had eaten his salad by accident. Grilled octopus was out of this world. I got the wing sample and it was delicious. Not Memphis Tap Room good but nonetheless it can hold its own. Next time I'm there I'll have to try the pork chop, which was the largest cut of pork I've seen to date or the burger.
(4)
Colleen C.
Royal Tavern straight sucks. In all of my years living in Philly and trying all sorts of spots, I have never been treated by staff so poorly, and so insulted. I went with my boyfriend and another couple, our best friends, after a surprise party, because none of us felt like partying hard with drinking or doing the center city bar scene, but wanted a chill drink and some midnight snacks. A friend parked right around the corner, since she lives a block away, and we first tried the ever-friendly and divey 'Dive bar', but turns out they don't serve any food, so we turned around to try the Tavern. My girl friend and I walked in first and as we were lookign around for a spot, we turned behind us to see her boyfriend being cornered into the wall by one of the bouncers. Before we knew it, andother bartender was in our faces telling us to get out. They had apparently been 'watching us from the window and saw (us) get thrown out of the Dive'. That was pretty funny, as we parked right in front of the Dive, walked in, asked about the food sitch, and then turned right around. When I asked the bartender for please explaining why they wouldn't serve us, he retorted 'Uh cause I said so, how about that!' Since it was midnight of April Fools day, we thought for SURE they were messing with us. Never in my life could I imagine that type of treatment or 'flagging' without even speaking to us. If they had spoken to us first, they would have seen they were seriously mistaken and silly for treating potential customers in such an agressive manner. We were humiliated in front of their patrons. We ended up getting beers at the Dive and talked shit on RT with the Dive bartenders for the rest of the night, as their local patrons joined in passionately. Oh, also for its location, it is completely overpriced and pretentious. The Dive 1, Royal Tavern 0.
(1)
michelle p.
I've heard good things about the Royal Tavern, some of them were true. I just really need to go back, I wasn't hungry enough to order their tempeh club so I just got the Old Bay fries. They were a pretty big portion, and I ended up not finishing them even while sharing. The person I was with managed to scarf all his food, it must have been good or he was just really hungry. I've had their popcorn before and that was pretty amazing and I don't eat meat I've had recommendations that the burgers and fried chicken were good. All and all it was an ok experience, the service was a little spotty and it was wicked loud. It also didn't help that game 2 of the World Series was on.
(3)
Rev. B.
it was going to be "a-ok" until I wrote the review and thought about it for ten minutes. MEZZE PLATE- awesome. very good, smokey baba, hummus was right, cucumber-olive salad with pickled red onions very good...palate cleansing. Good quality feta, perfectly toasted and grilled lavash and pita. Some quality olive oil drizzled around the plate. stuffed grape leaves were on point. traditional. delicate. Excellent dish. CUBAN SPRING ROLLS- eh. very cool idea that just didn't deliver. Nothing really happening on my palate as I ate them. the ancho sauce was weak. the harissa and skordalia that came with the calamari was an entirely better pair of sauces to go with the spring rolls. hint-hint chef. CALAMARI- crispy, good flavor, but I have a feeling they hung in the pass a bit to long waiting for the rest of the apps to join the party. Not hot and fresh fried when they arrived at table. Harissa and skordalia were very, very good sauces. I could put that shit on everything. WINGS- pretty darn good, especially the chipotle bbq. The mango-hab were tasty as well. Cooked right, crispy, flavorful. Sandwiches... MEATLOAF- I call bullshit. gay, weak-ass, poor excuse for a slice of meatloaf, that I'd bet was just a seared or grilled burger patty. And it was about the size of a postage stamp (ok, I'm exaggerating, but you get the point). The bun engulfed the "meatloaf". Quality bread too, but just overshadowed every other flvor on the sandwich. Bacon marmalade? really? where? Cuz it was lost on my sandwich. smoked tomato ketchup? Oh yea? tasted like friggin heinz to me. Gruyere? ninja, please. domestic swiss probably. AND YOU BURNT MY FN BUN. No, I love charcoal with my sandwich; don't worry about it. CHICKEN FRANKIE- actually really good flavor. I'm guessing a house blend of curry spice as it was original and fresh. very good. The wrap fell short only because it was a soggy, muddled mess, leaking out everywhere. Left the lavash wrap with barely any structural integrity. More like a fork and knife affair. FISH AND CHIPS- a friend had this, and I didn't try it, but she said the fish and chips were good, but YOU BURNT THE FN ASPARAGUS. I mean, really guys. So, obviously, grill man sucks. Burnt asparagus and my toasted bun. My other buddy had a meatloaf sandwich and his bun wasn't bad. Which means you're a friggin hack without the discipline to tell yourself you burnt one bun and you should do another. But, no, let's just serve this charcoal...it's cool. Final bullshit; we were ignored after our order was placed. Had to catch peoples attention for more drinks and beer. Also, three out of four plates had fries with them, and guess what? 2 out of 3 were soggy, limp bullshit. One plates portion of fries looked white and translucent, as if they had only taken a quick dip in the fryer. Ridiculous. Apparently, the hardest thing in the world for a pub to do is cook a decent fry. wtf. Congratulations Royal Tavern; you made the boycott list. And folks rave about this place. I don't get it. It's really a shame too, cuz the place is nice, and the apps, for the most part, are so good.
(2)
Brett D.
Sorry Royal, but you're probably the most overrated restaurant on Passy Ave. I think you're prone to the same disease that the Cantina has, which is unfortunate. Don't bother eating here if it's busy. Fill up on their wonderful selections of beer instead.
(3)
Michael M.
A quick add to my previous review: after previewing a grilled seitan sandwich as a special in the spring, they added it to the menu full time sometime in the summer/fall. It's amazing (with gruyere!), and solidifies the Royal's place as the king of Philly pubs for vegetarians... pun not intended. Also, Lancaster Milk Stout is back on tap. WHOOHOO!
(5)
Nicole R.
The Royal Tavern has been through a few culinary changes during the time it's been open. They do have pretty good food, although some of the things I really liked are no longer on the menu. It's great for brunch or a lazy afternoon going into happy hour. They have good happy hour specials, good burgers and a decent beer selection. Their draughts are always changing out, which is good because then you don't get bored of the same options all the time. I don't think the staff or the patrons are particularly rude. They tend to be people who live in the neighborhood and they are what they are (some may be bike messengers, others may be hipsters). I've never felt unwelcome or out of place but it might be my hair (which is admittedly pretty hip).
(4)
John P.
Any joint that has Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live in the Juke is certainly alright in my book. The food here is crazy awesome, a good place to grab a bite with your vegetarian and/or vegan friends. There is a great booze selection, and there is a certain ambiance I enjoy about this place. The waitstaff is supercool as well. The only problem I can see is that Im not in here more often
(4)
ezekial f.
one of the best bars in the city. and though i love sabrinas brunch, i do not have the patience on a sunday, so off to royal tavern we go! thats not to downplay the quality of brunch there either, they always switch up the specials and the regular menu is high qual too. i know its been said before but this is one of the top five burgers in the city. i can live without smoked gouda but long hots and bacon, wow! the beer selection is great too! the waitresses are always great even when they are really busy. dont go on sunday because i want to!
(5)
Nikki D.
i come to this place quite often. mainly after roller derby several nights a week. the staff is always awesome and the food rarely disappoints. only a few times did i have fries that were over salted. i am however pretty sad that they took the seitan sandwich off the menu. the beer selection is diverse, although lately i havent been too impressed. all in all this place is great. from the atmosphere to the staff to the food..... go here.
(4)
Christine R.
Simply put: I love this place. I have been here several times and always leave happy. Royal Tavern has a divey atmosphere, dimly lit, but cozy. I especially love coming here in the cooler months to enjoy a beer and one of their soups. The place is a bit on the small side but I have yet to wait a long time to get a seat. They usually have food specials written on the board. And the food.... is delicious! I've had their grilled cheese, and vegan sloppy joe. I've also tried two of their desserts, which was a chocolate mouse cake and a pumpkin cake. Both amazing, which is significant because I feel bars aren't obligated to produce above average desserts. I've also been here for brunch a couple of times and enjoyed my experience. They have good coffee which is an important standard for me when it comes to brunch. I've never had to wait for brunch either which is great because most brunch spots in the south philly area are packed on the weekends, with an average of 40 minute wait. I came here at 11 a.m. on a Sunday and got seated fairly quickly. They have a couple of vegan and vegetarian options too. And as stated in previous reviews, Royal has a solid draft list.
(5)
Heather F.
There's something special about the Royal Tavern. It's dimly lit, and they have a single strand of holiday lights that seems to stay up all year long. The bar is gorgeous, too. It must be original to the building. I've been there several times, and the food is very consistent, and very good. I am a fan of the hummus platter, however, it's too big for just one person. They have a fantastic grilled cheese sandwich, too. I'm a grilled cheese sandwich snob, so trust me when I say it's awesome. If you're used to American cheese, however, then you won't like this sandwich. They use different cheeses, such as provolone and gruyere. Delish! If you're looking for comfort food, and grilled cheese isn't your thing, then maybe you'll enjoy the mac and cheese. The beer selection is pretty awesome, as well. They carry different types of brews, ranging from local microbrews, to Belgian delights. If you have a more "refined" palate for beer, you'll be happy at the Royal.
(4)
Kevin J.
Not a place one would expect great vegetarian dish but "all" can enjoy a wonderful experience! A must!
(5)
Carlos L.
This place is CONSISTENTLY one of my favorite restaurants every time I'm asked for a list. Love it... fantastic VEGAN food (try the tempeh club. it will rock your afternoon), super friendly staff, the best jukebox in philadelphia, good prices, awesome (albeit small) rotating draft list, vegan desserts, nice atmosphere, yadda yadda yadda. The only complaint i have is the line for brunch if you show up too far after 11. But honestly, i can't blame success on a business that deserves it this much. I don't live in the area (haven't for about four years), but i still make sure to get my friends cross-town for a night of food and drinks at the Royal Tavern more than just once in a blue moon.
(5)
Sarah B.
I live right down the street and I go here about once a week- great food and prices. Truffle butter ppopcorn is to die for. I love the grilled chicken sandwich. Variety of beers on tap and they always have seasonal cocktails. Great to come for dinner, drinks, etc. Love it here!
(5)
Heather R.
Best Burger in Philly, enough said.
(4)
Rob R.
The Royal Tavern has a great menu, I've had both the chicken sandwich and the burger. The burger was very good, a bit spicy, I'd say it ranks among the top 5 burgers in the city behind Village Whiskey, Butcher and Singer, and Rouge. My only complaint about this place is that the wait staff seems to be overutilized and when its crowded (which it always is) that creates a problem, also the air conditioning or lack there of makes the restaurant very uncomfortable.
(4)
Jen C.
The food is great, the service is pleasant, and I can always get a table. Try the wings, their amazing, and I love the spicy sauce on the angus burger. A little tip for you: Play MGMT on the juke box and you might get a dance from one of the servers (I wont tell you who).
(5)
Stacey S.
UPDATE: I've since been back for dinner, and although we had to wait ages for a table, it was TOTALLY WORTH IT! The food was FANTASTIC! Yummmmmm. After gorging myself on the truffle butter parmesan popcorn again, I wasn't quite up for a full meal, so I got the appetizer gnocchi and it was a super generous portion and super delicious!
(4)
Sara H.
there's lots to like about the royal: 1. good beer 2. vegan and veggie-friendly food items that are delicious, especially with #1. i recommend the vegan sloppy joe. 3. relatively chill and down-to-earth atmosphere, although it often gets crowded quickly. one of my favorite bars in philadelphia.
(4)
JJ N.
Great spot. Everything I've had on the menu including specials has been fantastic. Great beer selection as well.
(4)
Anna B.
The Royal Tavern is pretty awesome. It is ridiculously nondescript from the outside but is so quaint and cozy inside. This tavern is tucked inside a converted row home on Passyunk amidst a very residential area (save for The Dive, a few doors down). It is a small space but is super lively every time I've been. The service is good; some waitresses are a bit friendlier than others but the entire staff seems to be knowledgeable and to take their job seriously. The food is awesome as well. A portobello/arugula pizza special they had once was AMAZING. Really awesome bar fare mixed with interesting entrees and sandwiches. There are a ton of bar/restaurants within a few blocks of here but the Royal Tavern is BY FAR the best. *One complaint: My boyfriend gets pick up from here at least once a week. One time he didn't tip, just left the change he was owed, and the bartender threw the change back down on the bar angrily and told him to keep it. Having been a server for years, I know not to EXPECT a tip on take out orders. Also, my boyfriend had tipped this guy plenty of times before this. UNNECESSARY.
(4)
Liz R.
I'm not vegan and pride myself on an unapologetic love of meat -- but the vegan sloppy joe may be my favorite item on the menu. The sloppy joe sauce is out-of-this-world good. Paired with a beer and some crab fries with a game on the TV at the bar -- it's transcendant. If you prefer a table experience, there are plenty of seating options away from the TVs at the bar. The place is rightfully a popular neighborhood hang out, so be prepared to wait to get a seat if you go at a peak evening time.
(5)
Justin W.
I Sampled the Angus Burger... Extremely tasty. Oh and they had Rouge Chocolate on draft. The atmosphere is more urban contemporary.
(3)
Jake V.
I kind of see a trend going on here where the No. Libs and Bella Vista have some sort of alter ego thing going on. While No. Libs has the Abbaye, Bella Vista has the Royal Tavern. Both have delicious beers and really, really delicious food that tend to lean towards the veggie side. I prefer the Abbaye due to it's proximity to my homestead, though. Royal Tavern is basically the same thing for when I'm in South Philly.
(4)
keith m.
I approve of the royal tavern. I went friday and got pan fried gnocci with spinach, grape tomatoes and mushrooms. it was tasty and really hit the spot. The atmosphere is nice, the juke box has a lot of great music, and the beer selection is good. The prices are also fair. All around a nice bar.
(4)
Joseph W.
This place clearly does a lot of things right. I'm not sure where they lost me. I like the decor and ambiance, and the service was good. The food wasn't too great, nothing looked great to me and I ended up with mussles which I normally love. They put their own spin on it by using a curry sauce. I liked the curry sauce, although it made a messy dish messier. The only thing that I didn't like was that they had many fully cooked cloves of garlic in their. I love garlic as much as the next person but I kept on inadvertantly eating the whole garlic cloves. Again, I like garlic, but I like my friends much more so I imagine it made me more difficult to be around as the night went on.
(3)
Anthony S.
Each of the three times I've been here so far has been mainly to eat with a small group of people. I have to say the food is really REALLY good. It's your typical gastropub fair but nothing too over the top or fancy, it's just done the way it should be... ok, maybe even better than it should be! Definitely a great place for a burger. The few encounters I've had with the wait staff and bartenders has always been really wonderful. They breed a happy helpful bunch here and would enjoy hanging out with them after hours anytime! The beer selection is always a treat ranging from local to belgian to west coast brews. It's hard to go wrong here! You should put The Royal on the top of your go to list for sure!
(5)
Brian M.
I'd have never found this place on my own - but was sent there by a co-worker who lives around the corner. This place looks like... and in truth is... a cozy neighborhood bar. That said - it has probably one of the most amazing kitchens in the city. But there is a down side to this... it's a small joint so show up early because getting a table is next to impossible at times. One thing I love about this place is the wait staff. Ask about the specials and they will tell you if they are worth skipping the regular menu for. For instance last time out I had an amazing Jambalaya... rivaling anything I've had in the French Quarter in New Orleans... off the bar menu. But every other time was steered by the waiter toward one of the gems on the standard menu. My favorite is the Roasted Chicken Breast. The menu says it's butternut squash, catalan spinach, cinnamon-cardamom crme frache and frangelico - but the result seems far more rich and complex than that. I could sit on teh floor with a two gallon stick pot of the squash and eat like a little kid. Absolutely amazing.
(5)
Christina F.
GREAT food and the best service I've had in a bar/restaurant in this city. The angus burger is the stuff of dreams, my friends, and they have the best tater tots with malt vinegar aioli...droooool.
(5)
Nicole C.
Great relaxed local spot! Great wings! Three flavors! The burger is very good, but I don't know that it lives up to all the hype. Great veggie and vegan dishes. The staff were really friendly, but a but understaffed, so kinda slow.
(3)
Neil S.
Royal has always served me so good. I have probably eaten there approx 3 mill bill times and have eaten the burger probably one mill bill times, and it has always been good. I miss the seitan sandwich that used to be on the menu.
(5)
Justin V.
Dear Royal Tavern, Please pull some Eternal Sunshine shit and return me to the carefree days when tater tots or a halfassed salad were good bar food in my mind. Your gourmet delicacies have ruined me. Do you think i can get pecan crusted red-pepper salmon over mashed sweet potatoes, a jukebox full of wonder AND SLOPPY DRUNK simultaneously anywhere else? No, Royal Tavern. I am a fallen woman. I hope you're proud of yourself.
(5)
Molly D.
Last night was my third time eating here and, once again, loved every bite! Last night I was really looking forward to the ruby red mojito I had last time I was in, but no dice. Apaprently that had only been a special. They were more than willing to make me a regular mojito though, and who am I to turn that down?! I also got the chicken caesar salad (the chicken was AMAZING!). The decor is great (tin roof and christmas lights) and the staff is super friendly and nice. The only reason I took a star away is because they have a crazy neighbor who has been known to attack people.
(4)
Frank N.
LOVE this place. And, since I live 5 doors away, they make many of my meals! I've never had a bad dish here but particularly love the Meatloaf sandwich and their burgers. Probably the nicest wait staff in town, too. Everyone is very nice and down to earth and happy to help. Jukebox is one of the best in the city.
(5)
D M.
I love the food here! They always have some interesting and different dishes than your standard place and I have to give it 5 stars because I have never had better tempeh than here. Their drink options are pretty solid too. I did try to go last night and there was a 45 minute wait for a table so we left, but every person I have taken here has love it! Good Vegan/Veggie options, and their burgers are good too.
(5)
Charlotte M.
this place is notorious for it's amazing food, and it's not total bullshit. pretty good beer selection and seriously AWESOME grub. i need more royal tavern in my life.
(4)
Jen C.
A Must for Philadelphians. I live just down the street from this South Philly gem & only regret that I never had the pleasure of grabbing a meal here until this past fall after living in Philly for 4+ years. The food is fantastic. There's always something new to try with an ever-changing list of dinner specials, many of which end up being home runs. Lots of vegan-friendly options for those of you who choose to torture yourselves (more power to you, I just can't imagine life w/o steak!). If you're a non-vegan, you must try the mac & cheese. It's a party in your mouth (contains 3 different kinds of cheeses & comes in a fun little ellipse-shaped bowl). Make a pact to split it with someone, though, or you'll find yourself slipping into a food coma. As for the atmosphere, the jukebox is great, but I usually find myself wincing from the high volume - and I work at a rock club. Many times I've had to half yell across the table to communicate with friends & find myself squinting because, for some reason, we're all convinced it will help us hear better...or maybe that's just me. If you're planning on going for dinner, go on a weeknight. This place gets packed on the weekends & rightfully so.
(4)
Elizabeth B.
Mmmmmm. Plenty of Vegan and vegetarian options. Bloody Marys have a pickle for garnish.
(5)
Michael K.
One of my personal favorites. I've been to this place about a billion times with friends, on dates, with family, whatever. It's my go to spot for a beer and guaranteed solid meal. The burger is arguably the best in the city, but the whole menu is full of great stuff. The chicken frankie: a lovash wrap with chicken curry. The chicken sandwich: with pear and prosciutto. The meatloaf sandwich: with bacon marmalade. Great Brunch too and the bloody mary (esp. the bacon bloody mary) are excellent.
(5)
Seijen T.
Good, comfortable bar with good food. Went here on New Year's Eve in 2009 and got a pretty solid drink deal, something like $20 for all you can drink for 2 hours? Can't remember the details, as this review is a year late. :) But still recommended.
(4)
Corey B.
This place is just great. Real rap.
(5)
Jake W.
What a great way to end a lovely day in Philly (okay, so after leaving and trying to get onto I-95 we blew two fracking tires... but I wish the evening had just ended here!). Great beer selection including what is probably my favorite dark beer in the world - Rogue's Chocolate Stout. I don't think I've ever seen it on tap out here on the east coast, but they had it. So freaking good. It is great bottled, but draft is just a whole 'nother world. That's all I had since I was driving, but my buddies all had some great beers too (the Walt Wit and the Brown Eyed Ale win points for excellent names and for being quite tasty) The food was excellent as well. We had the popcorn (superb, I wish movie theater popcorn was that good... and cheap), the bacon wrapped tempura shrimp (best item of the night), the pan fried gnocchi (great... mm, pinenuts), and the hummus platter (good, though the hummus wasn't as creamy as I like it and there was too much hummus, not enough pita). And all of this was cheap. But that's probably just because I like in DC, where everything is freaking expensive. Still, I'd kill to have a bar with this combination of great atmosphere, great food, and a wonderful beer list near me... even if it was at DC prices.
(5)
Nick S.
Not a huge lunch menu, but we were only there for the burgers. They were unbelievable. Best I've had in a long time. Nice beer selection. The place had a nice feel. Not too big, not too small. Loved the handcrafted old style bar.
(4)
L. G.
I absolutely love it here. The atmosphere is perfect and the weight staff is always very friendly. A bit pricey but well worth it. In my opinion they have one of the best burgers around. However, my favorite item on the menu is the chicken sandwich. Amazing. They also have an excellent drink selection. I haven't been to brunch here yet but I hear great things.
(5)
Erin S.
Always a winner.
(5)
Gabrielle B.
Awesome beer selection & they constantly have a new fun drink every week (peach sangria anyone?). And if your strapped for cash but are feeling the munchies, check out their truffle popcorn. It hits the spot & you'll definitely save it for later. The service is always nicer than nice and it's the perfect mix of people. its never to crowded & the jukebox is packed with the best music (from Smokey Robinson to Animal Collective).
(5)
Snorie B.
my friends and i went out for dinner here a few weeks ago and after a pretty long wait got seated. We each ordered a tempeh club and some beers. long story short, beers never came and waitress checked on us about once. I believe a tip should be an acurate reflection of the service recieved..that being said i tipped fifteen percent on our bill, which came to six dollars (generous for such crap service if you ask me) and after bringing my my reciept the waitress with the short brown hair and the tired looking face had the nerve to look at me and say "six dollars?" in some aggravated voice. this is ridiculous. In hindsight i left her far too much, heres a tip, if you want a better tip-- BE A BETTER SERVER
(1)
Erin G.
Damn, I love their Vegan BLT. Enough to order it for brunch instead of my usual spicy eggs. Tons of marinated tempeh, plus tempeh bacon, plus a pesto mayo stacked triple-decker on multigrain bread. BAM! It's delicious. And they make some other wonderful food for vegans and vegetarians, too. Try the truffle popcorn. And the yogurt and granola, and any of the specials. And while you're sitting in this divine dimly-lit room, get yourself a big old bloody mary for just $5!
(4)
Kayte T.
My husband and I just moved to Philly from Brooklyn and we were on the look-out for a new local brunch spot. Consider the position filled! Delicious brunch (I am partial to the eggs with tater tots and chipotle crema), not too pricey and we don't have to wait an hour to eat. For dinner the meatloaf sandwich is so so yummy. I haven't tried anything else yet but don't worry; I just moved here!
(4)
Ellen O.
Dear Royal Tavern, Thank you for taking up a wonderful space in my neighborhood and serving the most killer brunch this side of South Philadelphia. The service at the Royal is fast and friendly and you have the best burger on the planet. That hot pepper makes that burger complete. However, your beer menu is well...sort of mediocre. Then again, I am a sucker for beer menus that are the size of War and Peace while you stick to the delicious basics. You make up for it by making sure your servers don't kill me when I want to substitute fries for another one of your yummy sides, like the butternut squash or garlic spinach. You also serve a pickle with all of your sandwiches. Keep up the good work, Royal! See you Sunday afternoon-ish.
(4)
Bryan A.
My friend and I were on a mission to try the best burger places in Philadelphia. Royal Tavern was the first destination on the list. When we first walked in, it was terribly dark and as our eyes adjusted to the dark lighting, we realized, it was still super dark in the restaurant. But like the myth says, the darker the lighting, the better the restaurant, and boy was this restaurant delicious. My friend and I ordered the Angus burger to split between the two of us since we were planning on stopping at other burger places throughout the night. The burger came out and the waitress was nice enough to ask the chefs to cut it in half since she knew we were going to split it. The first bite I took out of that burger was an experience that I'll never forget. There was a quick taste of beef and cheese, and then a savory salty flavor, and then a heat snuck up on me, and all of a sudden, the savory salty flavor returned and the heat was gone. I mowed through that burger in a matter of seconds and before you knew, it was gone. I wish I had savored the flavor, it was way to good to put down and think about what was going on in my taste buds. The service was average, It wasn't great, but it wasn't like the waitress ignored us. She refilled our water and was there when we needed something, but didn't hang around to make us feel comfortable to be there. Overall, I am definitely coming back for another take at the burger.
(5)
Lucy H.
My first visit, and I would definitely go back! My neice who is 22 was in town, and my husband I,along with a good friend decided to check this place out - and I will say all four of us were impressed with the food, and the drinks! What a positive experience for all four of us. I had the salsa and chips, which were very unique in their taste!, My friend had the grilled cheese which looked so good and guey! My husband had the tilapie taco which sounded awful to me but I had a bite of his taco and was soooo impressed. I wished I had ordered that! I suggest you give it a try.
(4)
Sean D.
This doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's good a great neighborhood feel on the inside. Tiled ceiling reminds me of the Park Haus in Pittsburgh, and the vibe is similar. However, the RT devotes almost all of its space to dining tables beyond the small bar in the front. We had to wait more than a few minutes for our table for five around 7pm on a Saturday. I would describe it as "hipster filled but kid friendly," since it's more of a restaurant than a bar. Menu has just a couple entrees but the sandwiches go beyond just the regular burgers, fish sandwich, etc. I ordered the lamb burger from the specials board and it was good but nothing out of this world. The wife's traditional burger was not even close to the well-done that she ordered. There were veggie/vegan options everywhere, and you have comfort foods like mac n cheese, meatloaf, tater tots. The eight taps were $5.50 and included Dock St Bubbly Wit, Lagunitas Pils, Yards Brawler, Troegenator, Arrogant Bastard, Rogue Chocolate Stout, Acme IPA. Nice to also see Cigar City available (Maduro Oatmeal Brown). Bottle list started with $2 PBR and went up from there, but most were under $6. Based on how people (including bartenders at other places) had talked about the food, I guess I was expecting to be blown away, which I wasn't. But it's a safe bet if you're in the neighborhood, and I could envision being a regular if I lived within walking distance.
(3)
Barbara K.
I have been at Royal Tavern twice in the last month, once after getting rained out at Phillies game. I forgot how much I like it there! Hummus is great, the chicken curry snadwich (Chicken Frankie) is great, and my husband loves the popcorn. We forgot how much we liked it,and we will be back quite soon.
(4)
Jennie L.
Great place for a snack and a few drinks! Love, love, love the Old Bay Fries and Mango Habinero Wings!
(4)
Margot C.
After living in the city for 4 years, my boyfriend and I met a friend here for dinner. The bar is supercool and the chalkboard paint in the bathroom is a lot of fun. I really like the dark wood and the detailed ceiling. With that being said, my food was just eh. I was so excited to try the Tempeh Club. The portions were huge but it was incredibly salty and I couldn't taste anything but the salt. The sweet potato fries we shared were good. My boyfriend got the burger and loved it and our friend ordered the catfish special which he enjoyed very much. Our waitress was very good. Quick with our drink order and very pleasant. I am going to give the Royal Tavern another try though because of all the really good reviews.
(3)
Amanda D.
I totally L the Royal Tavern. I keep getting burgers....so good (for my taste buds, but not my ass.) This is something I really wanted to try tonight- the drink "Pumpkin Pie". It sounded like Heaven....I didn't get it tonight but probably will next time. (I go here all the time). The other food is great too- salads, brunch food. I love the Old Bay fries. The music playing always rocks. yayy for the jukebox there. And yayy for the Royal....I'll be back in a few days.
(5)
Dawn F.
Summary: Great food. Excellent veggie options. Must scream to have conversation. Those without tats/piercings/knit cap will feel out of place. Def. Not For Kids. I live around the corner from this place and have been a regular since the no-smoking ban (yay!). And yet - I rarely go anymore except on odd hours and to order take-out. Why? Because I CAN'T F'IN HEAR ANYTHING!! The music is so frigging loud, and people are screaming to be heard on top of it all. A recent date there resulted in a game of "Charades with Hamburger." The truffle popcorn is great. Hamburger good. Chicken nachos a giant plate of cholesterorgasma happiness. Grilled cheese is fab. Be careful of weird spicy salad dressings. Brunch item consisting of eggs, cheese, sausage and tater tot scramble an exercise in amazingness followed by long food nap. So if you can go for a 2 p.m. lunch or a 6 p.m. dinner, great. Otherwise, be ready to have your inner senior citizen come on out and say "what?" "heh?" "I can't hear over that damn noise!"
(3)
Tyler B.
Aside from waiting over an hour for a table on New Years Day, Royal Tavern had excellent service and tasty food. I ordered the tempeh club, which turned out to be a great choice on my part. My associates ordered burgers, mac n cheese, wings, burritos... all delicious. Reasonable prices for food and drink, i would like to come back for breakfast.
(4)
Brian L.
YES! I got some pancetta,goat cheese scramble on tater tots and the best bloody mary i have ever had! great spot for bar food that is a little more interesting and is done well
(5)
Stephanie P.
This place is great! I have only been here a few times even though I live around the corner. Although they only have a few beers on tap they have a large bottle selection. They also have interesting mixed drink specials. The food is great as well. The fish and chips although expensive, are out of this world. Service has also been top notch each time I have been there. And another way you know its great, is it's always crowded.
(5)
Stephanie W.
I've been twice and each time I have the hardest time trying to decide what to order because everything sounds so good! They have great beers on draft which seem to be updated regularly. The only thing I'm not a fan of is how crowded it gets. both times I had to sit at the table which gets a whiff of the bathrooms when someone comes through the saloon doors.
(4)
Laura E.
Need to go out celebrate a new job, new fixed gear bike or intellectual phenomenon? Well when I had a reason to go out and celebrate I visited the Royal Tavern with close friends and since then I've been back many times. Where to sit? The bar. What to eat? Anything on their specials board - but the Fresh Popped Popcorn with pecorino and truffle butter is amazing AND only $3! What to drink? Any of their local, seasonal and classic beer selections. While service is a little slow, the adult beverages help pass the time!
(4)
Yelena G.
Went here today for the first time. We were a group of 8, so waiting for a table sucked, but the waitresses were great and sat us 15 minutes before brunch ended to make sure we could order from that menu. The food is unbelievable. I had the Angus burger and a side of mac and cheese. Easily one of the best burgers I've ever had. It was spicy, and melted in your mouth. It was almost perfect. The longhots (peppers) that come on the burger are cold, which kind of threw me off since the rest of it is nice and warm, but they do add a great flavor. The mac and cheese was alright; seems like it sat under a heat lamp for a while before they served it, but it was still pretty good. Every one else cleared their plates (but we were all starving after an hour+ wait). I want to come back here and try their dinner menu. Food sounded so amazing. Highly recommended place!
(4)
Albert S.
Love the Royal Tavern. Went there for my second visit for lunch. Started with the Watermelon gazpacho which was really tasty. Nice and refreshing but could have used a little more Watermelon flavor. For my main course I had the Vegan Cheesesteak. One of the best sandwiches I've eaten. The ratio of seitan to cheese was perfect. On top of good food they have a nice beer and beverage selection as well as a great service staff. They were always there, without being obtrusive, to take your dirty plates, refill your water, or to order another round.
(5)
Kathleen D.
Okay, yes. This is one really, really good burger. Top five in Philly for sure. I stopped here after Flavors of the Avenue...which I realize makes no sense at all. I didn't plan to buy any food since I was stuffed beyond comprehension, but my friend and I were chatting about the burger and decided we couldn't resist so we split it. Yep. Good decision. Always choose the burger. Always. I have nothing more to say.
(4)
Cait C.
As I pack my things leaving Philly behind, I am mostly heartbroken over leaving Royal. Royal Tavern embodies the best of Philly dining: a dynamite bar that's not too raucous, plenty of seating rarely requiring a wait, and a place to bring the kids, or your parents, or your friends on a Monday night. The drink selection and bartenders expertise are unmatched (don't ever miss their white peach sangria, mimosas, hot cider, or bloody mary's) and you can't ever beat the price. And then the food! The selection is superb, the perfect blend of small and large plates with tasty specials. I have never once been disappointed with a dish (though I often end up with the nachos or stellar chicken sandwich with pear, lavender mustard, and prosciutto). But perhaps the most unique diamond in this foodie's crown is the expansive vegan and vegetarian selection. Subtly scattered throughout the menu, the standard "veggie patty" is not to be found. Instead and outstanding sloppy joe, gnocchi, and a club sandwich even a steak tartare enthusiast enjoys. I cannot say enough about this place. The staff is so friendly, helpful and diligent (I often ask our waiter to choose between the nachos or chicken sandwich for me); they really know their stuff. The drinks are fantastic and food perfectly executed. If you're in Philly and do not make it here you're truly missing out!! Don't forget to go to brunch as well. Quite amazing and entirely affordable.
(5)
Chad C.
When you see over 500 reviews and 4 stars, you expect good things. We stopped by Royal Tavern for dinner and drinks yesterday (a Thursday night) and it was a great time. We finished off the wing samplers as an appetizer. Great sauces, 3 different flavors to try and they were all very good. The wings were very hot (temp) as well, all the food was very hot. It nice knowing your food did not sit around for a long time! For dinner we had the Angus beef burger and chicken sandwich based on the review here, neither one disappointed. I favored the chicken sandwich but just a little bit over the burger, you would be very happy with either or. Good beer list, good wine list. The thing that stuck out the most was the service, our waiter (Brian) was awesome! When we first got there it wasn't that busy and he talked to us about the area since we just moved in. By the end of our meal, the place was full but Brian still provided great service. Ambiance & atmosphere were also very nice. There is something about the restaurants with great Vegan menus also having great meat dishes in Philly. Royal Tavern & Sabrinas both have awesome vegan menus, yet they have the best meat dishes we have had so far. We will be back for sure!
(5)
Lene P.
I really, really wanted to love this place. I love the darkness, tavern-y feel of the spot. Great music and atmosphere. Didn't love that happy hour was 4-6 but nothing you can do about that. All good. Service was great, no complaints there. Cleared the dishes, kept us hydrated (water and otherwise) and was very attentive. Ordered the much talked about burger and I may have talked it up too much because while it was good, it wasn't the BEST burger ever. It was just.... good. We asked for medium and got well. The BBQ Brisket grilled cheese sandwich was pretty good. I loved the fries with the aioli dip and the mozzarella cheese (when we asked for cheese). The calamari was a disappointment as I expected more quantity wise.
(3)
Nando F.
The hype is true, this is the best gdamn burger in all of the city. The Royal Angus burger with that lovely gouda covering it making it almost impossible not to moan over with every bite. Clearly this is a regal burger, and why not call it "Royal". I mean not only do they put a nice slice of gouda there is more they add to this undisputed champion of the burger realm. Wow, I almost felt like big Jim Ross (JR) or Jerry "The King" Lawlor from WWF (I meant WWE) in saying that the "Royal" is the champ. This is where I will lay the smack down onto you why this is the champ. Are you ready, or I should say are your taste buds ready to be amplified with every bite? Ok here we go, this is what you'll be biting into with every bite. A nice thick angus burger prepped to your liking sitting or lying patiently in a brioche bun. Caramelized onions, with bacon and a pickled long hot laying over top this masterpiece. Yes there is gouda underneath of this interacting with all these flavors. Not only on this burger of all burgers, they also add a chili mayo on the inside of the bun just for good measure. This beauty also comes with their own fries on the side making it a dynamic duo of deliciousness. Damn my mouth is watering again just thinking about this amazing burger. It is almost like Royal Tavern is daring you to say there is something better out there. Now that I have your attention, the Royal Tavern also has an impressive menu in which you can peruse from. I know when I do return I will be trying their mouthwatering wings with the different sauces they provide. Another fan favorite is their Chicken Fried Chicken dish which also peaked my interest. What is also sexy about this joint is that bar once you enter Royal Tavern. The craftsmanship of that bar with the wood work down to the details of it is just sexy. That's twice I used the word sexy to describe a bar, but I must admit it is. Impressive bottle selections to a rotating draft is what you'll find at Royal Tavern. The liquor selection is also pretty impressive, which I am sure the libation gods would definitely approve of at Royal Tavern . I have only met one of their bartenders who is named Josie. Josie will make sure that you are fully accommodated, so there is no worry in having a bad experience. She'll give you insight on what are the homeruns are so basically, it's up to you if you want to give it a go. I say stick to what she is saying, women know best. Don't be afraid to check or ask about their "Specials" they have posted up on a board. I rocked out a great Bacon Corn Chowder! In all great bar, an AMAZING burger, to an all out great time to be had at Royal Tavern. Do it, do it NOW!
(4)
Matt W.
Best burger in the city hands down!!! Brought numerous people and have never had anyone argue. Better than Village Whiskey at 1/3 of the price. Highly recommended!!!!
(5)
Marie P.
Came in for the weekend from Brooklyn looking for a fun dive bar with late night food. Stayed for the Incredible, knowledgeable service at every interaction, and AMAZING duck confit potato skins. Unreal. The burger is great and spicy as hell. The special included a short rib grilled cheese that did not disappoint. Long craft beer list and good prices I'm glad I stopped in and would do so again. Yum.
(5)
Kelli B.
Ok, the place was definitely on my list of places to eat. I went vegan about a year ago and was dying to try the vegan cheese steak. Oh my god!!! It was AMAZING. Not only the staff was great (I needed some help getting into the chair. Disabled+high chair =not very easy! But one of the waiters came over and held my chair while I climbed up) the bloody Mary and cheese steak was just what I needed. My date was not vegan and he ate half of my sandwich and said if he didn't know he would swear it was meat. If that doesn't say something...Will definitely be eating here on my next trip to Philadelphia! This is a place not to be missed. Eat at Royal Tavern!!!
(5)
Jim H.
I checked my review from a few years ago before returning and was embarrassed at how much of it was devoted to their popcorn. I was coming specifically for that burger this time (but would get the popcorn too). I came hungry and I swear I could smell burger a block away. The place is as cool as ever, with a great beer list. I'm not sure which I ordered but it wasn't my usual stout or porter. It almost looked like an ipa but I really enjoyed it. I'm sad to report that the popcorn is no longer on the menu (at least not on that day) but it's probably for the best because now I could concentrate on the burger. I actually shared some wings with my compadres and they were good but the burger is the show stopper here. Dear lord it is good. We marveled at the long hot on top and had a comical moment where we all bit into the hotspot at the same time. It was like Dumb and Dumber up on there! The burger was better than I remember. I was glad I was sober enough and hungry enough to really enjoy it. Popcorn be dammed! Top 5 burger in Philly!
(4)
Laura Jill S.
Royal Tavern is the winner of the Best Vegan Cheesesteak Contest 2015, so obviously, the day after the contest, we had to go check it out. And yes, there is no question, it is the clear winner. I love the way they slice their seitan a little thicker (their seitan is supplied by Blackbird, the 2014 winner, so it was interesting to see how they prepare it differently), but what really won me over was the bread. Perfect soft texture and amazing flavor, the perfect compliment to everything going on inside the sandwich. They were crazy busy last night, but the service was still excellent. Case in point: there were 3 of us & we each wanted our cheesesteaks prepared differently. Ed C ordered his as is (with onions & mushrooms) but changed his side to tater tots (love their tots, by the way). Jay D ordered his with no mushrooms. I ordered mine with no onions. Happily, they got all of our orders perfect! I also loved their fries--both on my sandwich (if you've never done this, you need to) and alone. Highly recommend! Go get yourself the winningest vegan cheesesteak in Philly! I promise, even meat eaters will not be disappointed!
(5)
Liana L.
My husband and I really enjoyed this placed. We came here for brunch with the place poppin and no wait. It's dark inside but don't let this draw you away from its creative menu. We shared one of their soups of the day - coconut and jackfruit with basil! It was so savory and all vegan!! Loved the jackfruit in there. For my entree it was so hard to choose as they had delicious sounding vegan options. I laid my eyes on to choose the buckwheat pancakes served with lemon butter! All vegan. Bam! Very delicious. Our server was very laid back chill and noticed that with their other staff too.
(5)
Taylor C.
Upon going to Royal Tavern for the second time, I give them a solid five stars. It is a haven for omnivores and non-meat or non-dairy eaters. I had their vegan mushroom burger and was in LOVE. The burger was just so *mushroom-y*! I had a side of the smoked coleslaw which was very spicy (almost a bit too much for me, but I have a rather low spice tolerance) and delicious! My boyfriend had the regular burger and scarfed it down, which is his highest compliment. He also highly commended the fries. But the holy grail of this place is their vegan cheesesteak. I've had plenty of vegan cheesesteaks in Philly, and is it rightful that Royal Tavern won for having the best one in town this year. We took one to go, and were both absolutely enchanted by it. The seitan on it is sliced so thin and it is perfectly flavorful and juicy. A mix of mushrooms and onions make it a perfect texture with a ton of flavor and not too much cheeze! (A classic mis-step in making a good vegan cheesesteak, if you ask me.) Five happy and excited stars. Also, the wait staff here is seriously awesome. There is being a good, nice and helpful waiter, and then there is doing that and also being a kind human being willing to stop and talk to patrons for a minute. Royal Tavern is full of the latter. I'm so excited this place has a rotating menu, and I fully plan to make it one of my regular joints!
(5)
Jesse E.
Kick ass breakfast/brunch food, good music, good beer, good people. Kinda hipster, but what isn't these days. Huevos Racheros was tremendous.
(5)
Gwendolyn P.
Kind of bizarre that this place advertises itself as the best burger when it features and array of vegetarian and vegan options. I guess it is good that there is something for everyone but I would imagine that if you are a true Vegan, which I am not, that there is not much appeal in watching someone wolf down a burger - - - even if it is the best burger - - or maybe especially because it is purportedly the best burger. So like if a Vegan and a non Vegan come here to eat and the non Vegan is telling the Vegan how good the burger is doesn't that make for an awkward meal?. I get that these are first world problems but I am just saying. .... I opted for the Wakame Soba salad with tofu. This is not an easy dish to execute and I have to say that they nailed this and got it 100% right! The soba and tofu were cooked perfectly and the vegetable and peanuts in the dish just simply delightful! If I come back I will try the burger. Hint - - -half priced draft and well drinks at happy hour!
(4)
Ari S.
I've been to Royal Tavern numerous times and it never disappoints. The service is good, the beer menu is great, and the food is consistently solid. The first time I came here was my first day living in Philly. I had the original Meatloaf Sandwich, which had bacon and other delicious goodies on it. It was insanely good. Fast forward 2 years later and they've changed it. Still good, but not as good as the original. They ALWAYS have beer I haven't tried yet, which is important to me when picking a neighborhood bar. They also have great bartenders. (STORY) A year or so ago, I was there with a friend and the lights went out on the whole block, including inside Royal. They literally didn't care at the bar. If you had cash, the party was still going! They brought out candles and we stayed for another hour and a half. Good times to be had at Royal Tavern!
(4)
Marius G.
Excellent food, music, and atmosphere. Good local/neighborhood feel, and has good edge. One of the waitresses will tackle you if you mistakenly try to head downstairs assuming the bathroom is there...meth lab? :)
(4)
Lia B.
Best service!! They accommodated a table of 13 vegans with just an hour of notice. They rearranged the entire restaurant and gave us the best service. I don't have enough nice things to say about this place.
(5)
Samantha F.
Royal tavern is such a cool little spot. Good for a date or just hanging with friends. The service was attentive and super friendly. Our server was really helpful with suggestions. Fully stocked bar, and food for everyone. Veg/vegan and carnivores. I had a vegan sloppy joe, and my husband had the burger and a wing sampler as an appetizer. Everything was delicious. We will definitely be back the next time we're in philly.
(4)
Michael S.
I feel a bit guilty writing this review -- all of my friends' reviews of Royal are 4 and 5 stars... but those reviews are also from 2010 and before. The truth is, we don't eat here often anymore and up until this past Wednesday night, it still held a somewhat positive place in my memory. I ordered the chicken fried steak. The chicken was dense and lifeless. The gravy unremarkable. The mashed potatoes had a hot kick but not much else afterward. My friend got the burger special and was underwhelmed -- most notably his tots were overflowing with oil. My other friend's taco special was bland and unremarkable. If the dishes were inexpensive, I would have been more forgiving, but getting the check added insult to injury. We'll likely not come back for food again... but we won't be missed. The place was as packed as ever.
(2)
Jaime ..
The cheeseburger is really good, ordered medium and got a perfect medium. It gets pretty full but the service is still there.
(5)
Paloma M.
Great burger and drinks! Family friendly bar! One of the best burgers that I had in Philly.
(4)
Tom M.
Nice tavern experience that has some vegan items which is much appreciated. I have been there on a weekday evening in summer and winter and they are very different. The place is not very crowded on summer weekdays but mobbed on a weeknight between Christmas and New Year's. The best item: the smoked coleslaw which is vegan. Get it. Every time. I also am a fan of their vegan bahn mis. Always a treat. The onion rings are great and they are vegan but the sauce they come with is not. Be careful. One thing they can work on is how cold it was inside on a freezing winter night. Very worthwhile though. Good place for vegans and non-vegans to congregate together.
(5)
Matt G.
The dark interior goes well with the interesting selection of druggy rock music. I found the burger very good but nothing to write home about. And Kristina behind the bar was friendly without being overly intrusive. I definitely intend to go back and try more of the menu.
(4)
Stu L.
I came here after a failed date. I was a perfect gentleman and even offered to split the check! Hey, it's 2015 and I am progressive enough to know that the puritanical male dominated society we live in is on its way out.....she didn't see it the same way but I mean a $29.95 tab doesn't split evenly and when I suggested that I didn't want to her to feel like I was trying to be a typical dominate male and she could pay $14.98 and I'd pay $14.96 she soured and told me she had to go home and read for her book club we parted ways.....anyway, I digress..:not all women are ready for such a progressive person. On to Royal: I've been going to the Dive for years and never once have I set foot in Royal Tavern. Holy Hell what have I been doing? First off, I thought about ordering a vegan option but that was only to show the girls sitting near me how sensitive I am. Once they left I said "Barkeep! Fetch me a burger!" This burger was probably the best thing to happen to the world since I was unceremoniously dropped out of my Moms uterus. I've never been so pro cow murder in my life. This place is a nice mix between hipster, average couples and everything in between. I dig that vibe. The women that work there are delightful, I refuse to subjugate women or stereotype them but I dig some tat's on a chick but sometimes I've noticed the more the tat's the stinker the nether region....not the girls that work here! Perfect in every way. The hospitality was a beacon to everything that's right with the restaurant industry. It's hard to find anything wrong with this place. If I could lodge one complaint it's that it is a little dark in there and hard for people to see that I am reading 18th century literature and be impressed with that. Next time I will come in during the day and sit by the window with my book. That's a sure fire conversation starter and will no doubt make me instantly attractive. See you next time Royal. I can't wait to put your meat in my mouth again!
(5)
Michael N.
I know I'm in the minority, but overall I'm not a huge fan of Royal Tavern. Don't get me wrong the vibe is cool and the beer list is fantastic, but food wise, mehhh. I haven't had a great meal here. The burger is good, but nothing special in my mind. I tried the flat bread the other day and it was no better than an Elio's Pizza. The brunch is mediocre at best. The one positive thing I can say about the food is that the new wings they are making are fantastic. Some of the best wings I've had in Philly. Worth a try to come up with your own opinion.
(3)
Matt H.
I had the grilled chicken sandwich. The bread had a burnt taste. It wasn't burnt but had black burnt shit on it. Either a dirty grill or toaster IMO. Didn't notice till halfway in. The apple and blue cheese was tasty, though not creative. The chicken was paper thin, barely 4oz if it was. The arugula was good to round out the sandwich. I'd say the overall sandwich experience was compromised by the burnt taste and the diminutive chicken portion, as if its hard to toast bread or chicken is in short supply. It could be a great chicken sammy with some ATD. The beer menu was weak for South Philly. Replacing two IPAs with two saisons was a bad choice, IMO, on the draught menu. 90minute and Yards aren't very creative choices if you only have two IPAs on draught.
(3)
Steve P.
I did not eat here, but absolutely loved the service. I went to about every area bar you could imagine in the phillie area. This is the only place where I found the bartenders to be friendly and engaging. Good local place.
(5)
Jay D.
I heard that Royal Tavern won the best vegan cheesesteak contest in Philadelphia so I had to check it out. I'm very loyal to Blackbird, and I wasn't expecting the $14 Royal Tavern version to be better. WELL IT IS. It's very very authentic. Finally someone took a traditional cheesesteak recipe and swapped out the meat and cheese for seitan and daiya. You can tell they use soybean oil! The roll is fantastic. It's soft, just like it should be! It's worth every penny and waiting in line to be seated. I only asked them to hold the mushrooms. Not my thing on a cheesesteak. This is coming from a lifelong Philadelphian who spent his first 15+ years dining on real philly cheesesteaks and the next 15+ years settling for "just ok" vegan versions. This is the real deal! (I'll still be more of a regular at blackbird than royal tavern because it's closer and i love blackbird's vegan pizza and wings.)
(5)
Jane C.
Had the tofu and tempeh hash for brunch which was scrumptious! Perfect blend of veggies and protein and I loved that the red peppers added some zest to the palate. In general I found this to be a great place for vegans as they have half a menu full of vegan options. Unfortunately I was not s big fan of the service as the girl was super curt and seemed annoyed throughout our meal.
(4)
Erin M.
Five stars for the food and the prices. I adore the sweet potato bahn mi, although it is a little bread-heavy. The prices here are incredibly reasonable for the awesome food and there are well-labeled vegan options galore. I highly recommend the cole slaw swapped out as your side for any sandwich. Five stars for the service as well. We came into a very crowded Royal Tavern, asked for a six-seater, and the waitress let us know when one opened up a few minutes later. The only reason I dock a star is that on a 20 degree winter night, the restaurant was blasting the AC. I kept my winter coat on and was considering donning my knit cap and scarf as well. Perhaps they wanted to turn over the tables quickly?
(4)
Kathryn M.
Best bloody mary in the city, and that I've ever had in my life. Love royal tavern. best tempeh club sandwich too!
(5)
Alex T.
MAYBE it was because I came in on Fourth of July. I didn't love this place. The pros: decent vibe, but relatively simple. Lots of choices on the menu, with a little bitta something for everybody. The "Mezze" appetizer is a nice plate of Mediterranean goods to share (with A+ grape leaves). The cons: SO MUCH SALT. SO MUCH GREASE. You'll likely find yourself chugging water and sprinting to the restroom after this one. Not appropriately staffed for a holiday (but the poor girl did her best). I have a feeling I'm tainted by a misguided order (the Chorizo burger) and poor date of entry, so I haven't ruled out coming back. But there are certainly other joints in the ara worth trying first.
(3)
David H.
Very busy on a Friday night, but we stopped through on way home from the airport and picked up some very tasty food. We had the Mac-N-Cheese, vegan sloppy joe, and the vegan grape leaves. All were delicious. We had drinks while we waited on our food (which came out quickly despite the restaurant being quite busy). The pomegranate sangria was absolutely fantastic! We'll be back for the drinks as much as we will for the food.
(5)
Belen M.
We come here every so often for brunch, when we don't walk to walk down to Bella Vista. The food is always good and the service is prompt and friendly. We've never had to wait too long for a meal. Definitely give it a try if you're in the area:
(3)
Kristen M.
Myself, Dining Partner, and another friend arrived at Royal Tavern around 7:30 on a Saturday. We sat at the bar while we waited for 3 other friends to arrive. The place was very crowded, we knew they didn't take reservations but we managed to score a table for 6 in about 20 minutes. Our table was ready and our three friends were still missing for another 5 minutes, but the kind people at Royal Tavern let us sit with a partial party. Woo! Unfortunately due to service and some odd flavors, I'd give Royal Tavern 2.5 stars if I could. Our server Brian was nice, but was clearly in the weeds. We had to ask him if there were any specials before we ordered. Where we were seated we couldn't see that they were posted behind us down the other end of the restaurant and there were no specials on a paper menu. He was kind enough to read them to us. After placing our order we waited quite a while for our food, which came out bit by bit. I ordered a beer as we were ordering food and never received it. After waiting a while for our food and about 15 minutes into eating it Brian returned to see how everything was. I reminded him about the missing beer and he apologized, but I knew I wouldn't be ordering anything else for the night. Three people ordered the angus burger, which they all devoured. Dining Partner had the special of chicken chipotle tacos which were also very good. Another friend had the wing sampler, which went almost untouched. My chipotle barbeque wings were sweet and oddly covered with some green thing. Not really the flavor I was hoping for. I hate when restaurants feel the need to make ordinary food fancy. Was it a nut? Good thing I don't have an allergy because it wasn't listed on the menu. The one thing I would come back for is the Mac and Cheese which is 5 star in itself! I would recommend coming here to try the mac and cheese, but at a less busy time.
(3)
Kristen H.
I like you Royal Tavern - but I hate the stupid sports on your TV and I don't understand the reasoning behind it. I think you have miscalculated your audience. :)
(4)
Jason V.
Royal Tavern is situated a bit further north from the hustle and bustle of the usual Passyunk Ave spots, but it's totally worth the trip past Washington Ave. Ambience: has all the hallmarks of an old school dive bar; great jukebox selection, dim lighting, cool accent pieces. It's pretty no frills in the decor department. Service: this is the only thing that can be a little lax about this place. Often, there aren't many servers on duty and the wait for service can be a little lengthy. Not recommended if you're in a hurry. It's he only things dropping a star from this place for me. Alcohol/Beer selection: full bar and many awesome beers on tap and in bottles. Great beer selection. Food: this is where Royal Tavern truly shines. They have an interesting take on the usual pub food, they make some of THE best burgers in Philadelphia. Period. The last time we visited they had a fish and chips as a special and it was AMAZING. They also have many vegetarian options, which is great for my wife. The food is exceptional, always. I recommend this place as a sturdy pub with some great beer and eats.
(4)
Janet K.
This was an unexpected gem we found! We had plans to have Philly Cheesesteaks at Jim's on South Street. The line was SO long, we ended up at the Royal Tavern. This is definitely a neighborhood gem! My husband had the vegetarian version of the vegan cheese steak...best sandwich! Service was great, fantastic neighborhood tavern!
(5)
Tre R.
Royal Tavern, you're the best. I don't know how you have turned out such consistent quality food for as long as you have, but just don't stop. A grilled chicken sandwich is just about the most boring thing anyone can possibly order, but not here. Proscuitto, blue cheese, pear, arugula, and lavender-honey mustard elevate what is otherwise a sad and boring sandwich to perfection.
(5)
Daniel D.
My girlfriend and I went here after I heard they had a good burger. Let me tell you, this burger is fantastic. From the bun to the patty to the bacon and the pepper, everything works perfectly together. Probably one of, if not the best burger I've had in philly. Not to mention the beer list was great and the service was even better. That's what gets you 5 stars.
(5)
Sheila F.
Royal Tavern has a great energetic vibe and healthy, yet delicious fare. The Mezze plate offers a creamy hummus & smooth baba ganoush, savory stuffed grape leaves that are so tasty and warm inside, marinated olives, toasty pita, mild feta cheese, and lovash chips. The Mezze plate is the perfect pairing with a Bacon Bloody Mary from their extensive bar! The Mixed Greens Salad is another favorite of mine, The salad tantalizes the pallet with bacon & grilled asparagus, tangelo, shaved fennel, & grana padano, with a light & refreshing limoncello vinaigrette. My favorite day at Royal Tavern is Sunday. They always have a variety of brunch specials and there's usually not a long wait. MmMmmmMmmm....stuffed grape leaves!
(5)
Rebecca L.
Royal Tavern is a great local spot (have family within walking distance) so we end up here a lot. It can get REALLY crowded later at night and during happy hours - sometimes so much that you cannot even get through the door without slamming in to people. But when you can get in and get a seat - the food is awesome. I love the Tatertots and Popcorn and they always have a really eclectic specials menu for unique items. We've never gotten bad food here. My only complaint - sometimes it's TOO popular and you can't get through the door!
(4)
Liz F.
I can't believe it took me almost 2 years to get to Royal Tavern. It looks like a deserted dive on the outside but you walk in to a beautiful dark wood bar/restaurant. Their brunch menu is awesome- food and drinks. Blueberry mimosas? Ultimate ladies drink. Pomegranate sangria? Ladies brunch drinks are officially off the charts. The food was so good. I got eggs benedict and joined the clean plate club for the first time in ages. Even though the restaurant was packed we had great service. Can't wait to go back to RT asap and make this place a regular hangout.
(5)
Bill M.
Royal Tavern has quite possibly been one of those places that have been on my radar to hit up ever since I started to Yelping. So when a friend mentioned it as a place to meet up at before we went to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams(Seriously see it if you haven't - imdb.com/title/tt1664894 ) There was something about it that seemed apropos. And in the end it gave me good insight into why Royal is well worth the hype that it has maintained. Arriving around 4pm on the dot gave us access to there impeccable happy hour. And while I'm normally not a fan of Happy Hours starting so early, I welcomed it when I was on the receiving end for a change. especially when it lead 1/2 off drafts. The beers rotate fairly frequently and do manage to offer up a fairly eclectic mix. And even though one of the oddly named beers that I went with ended up tasting like un-carbonated soda, I was satisfied. When it came to food options the Angus Burger was the only thing on my mind since many people that I know have dubbed it the best in Philly. and while it fell short of hitting that mark; the smoked gouda, pickled longshots, and chile mayonnaise all provided some exemplary ingredients that I have never before seen utilized. And it was also true testament as to why there's always room for bacon (Although it is possible to get carried away - youtu.be/FCxFn3sAw68 )! After looking around on a Friday afternoon, I ran into plenty of locals that I knew. Including one half of the Spinning Leaves and Flash Mob Productions on their graduation day. I also got satisfactory service and plenty of good reason as to why I'll be back!
(4)
K. B.
Really crowded on a Friday night. Place is really tiny, no place to stand while waiting. Food was above average, would probably try it again.
(3)
L. K.
Best burger in town. Great friendly service. Great soba noodle salad. Fine beer selection. Will Oldham's instrumental album on the iPod -- "Seafarers" -- what?! So up my alley. Used to love to sit in the window and read and watch the sun change the color of the wall across the street. Isaiah Zagar has since done that wall up with what's maybe his mirrored mosaic masterpiece. But before and surely now the bottles and the beautiful mahogany bar illuminate in such a way in the evening that irradiates the soul (especially if you've had a few). Anyway, my first meal in town -- a forgettable tempeh reuben in July 2006 -- but I've since been here dozens of times, mostly sticking to the burger with collards or the soba salad. One of the reasons I love where I live. So stable. Same decor, one or two of the same waitstaff. Hope they never change.
(5)
Ken D.
Great Burgers!!! Went there this past weekend and hear great things on there burgers and wings. The rumors are true. Had the wings and burger and walk out a happy and full man. Great flavors of wings and the burger was really fresh. Can't wait to go back and see what else is on the menu. Plus our server was fast and on top of his game, with the drinks.
(5)
Sophie U.
I -love- Royal Tavern. It's dark, it's got a great layout, the food is AMAZING and the service is friendly. They have a nice selection of vegetarian and vegan food, desserts included! Two dinners at Royal Tavern allowed me and Boyfriend to try a variety of items and to say that we were bathing in gastronomical bliss both times is a bit of an understatement. Dinner #1: - Cubano Spring Rolls (roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, ancho mustard): This was an unfortunate introduction to Royal Tavern; I can't think of a word other than "meh" to describe it. This is what the missing star is for. - Meatloaf Sandwich (bacon marmalade, gruyère, fried onions, smoked tomato ketchup) + fries: My boyfriend loves a lot of things and meatloaf happens to be one of them. So a MEATLOAF sandwich with BACON marmalade? Yes, please! This was delicious. - Angus Burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise) + fries: Whoa. This burger kicked me in the face. It was big and spicy and BOY was it tasty! and those were very, very good fries. - Tiramisu: I'm a big fan of dessert. Unfortunately I never leave enough room in my stomach for sweet little things; this dinner at Royal Tavern was no exception but I absolutely wanted to try the tiramisu. Yes, it was like a piece of Heaven. And yes, I was miserable for a long time afterwards. Nope, no regrets whatsoever. Dinner #2: - Mezze (hummus, smoked eggplant baba ghanoush, feta, grilled stuffed grape leaves, cucumber-olive salad, lovash chips, grilled pita): This has to be the best hummus plate I've had, or at least one of the best. - Chicken Frankie + fries (curry chicken, Indian coleslaw wrapped in lovash): Boyfriend's choice! He liked it. - Mussels (chorizo sausage, poblano peppers, roasted garlic, corn-saffron broth, rustic French bread): Sophie's choice! I love mussels -- these were really tasty, mussel-y despite the surrounding flavors. You really can't go wrong with chorizo! We also got a side of grilled asparagus (for him) and a side of fries (for me); the malt vinegar mayo makes me want to die (in a good, delicious way). The restrooms have chalkboard paint, or just chalkboards -- I don't really remember. Either way if you're still five-years-old inside, like me, you're bound to spend a lot of time in there.
(4)
Danan R.
The chicken frankie wrap in lovash is quite good with a nice, spicy curry kick and a serving of crunchy cole slaw. It's a welcome change for your taste buds. Get it with a side of the truffle-parmesan popcorn. The popcorn is an absolutely delectable steal at $3! It's served hot and fresh and is much better for your arteries than say, the tater tots, although those are pretty good too... Anyhow, definitely try the wrap and popcorn here. They also have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too, which is a nice touch.
(4)
Regina F.
Christmas Morning. Present wrapped in Box. Perfectly packaged puppy. Jumps out. Licks Face. Happiness. Hot day in June. Enter dark pub. Served: Crispy. Medium width. Long. Fries. Dipped. In. Malt. Vinegar. Mayonnaise. Medium rare. Perfectly pink inside. Sweet caramelized onions. Crispy bacon. Smoked Gouda not quite melted. Fluffy brioche bun. Another. Perfect Package. Royal. Tavern. Rules.
(5)
Jason R.
Very good gastropub! Try the burger and sloppy joe sandwich. Great beer selection. Sometimes can be really busy, loud and tough to get a table.
(4)
Kathleen D.
Every few months this happens. It starts as a whisper of a suggestion in the back of my mind, when hunger strikes. "Hey I'm hungry, where should we go?" I might ponder. And then from that part of my memory murmurs, "Reeemember that Royal Tavern burgeeerrrr... Reeeemember thaaat, kathleeeeen?" That's as ghostly and mysterious as it sounds. I try to ignore its call... but eventually I will buckle like a pilgrim's shoe. The hankerin hits me hard, ya see. Royal Tavern is a lovely bar with a good selection of beers and it can get craaazy crowded and you might hafta wait A WHILE and the bar is packed and you might feel like there's nowhere to stand without being in the way and awkward-feelings-levels are on the rise... but then...you finally get seated and you have a delicious burger for yourself, and all is well. That's my story. I really like that burger a lot. When I order it medium, it's medium. Thank you. Smoked gouda, bacon and long hots, I love all you foodstuffs too. All together it's a dope burger indeed. The mezze is a good starter to share. Pita and lovash chips are served up with hummus, smoked eggplant baba ghanoush (LOVE), feta, stuffed grape leaves, and cucumber-olive salad. Definitely good. That truffle-buttery popcorn is great great too, as you're having yourself a beer. I'm down with sharing the hill of nachos with vegan beef as well. But I return for that burger. This is what I'm telling you. And I have to stop thinking about it already! I admit to you that the hushed notion is too soon begining to plague me. Quiet you! Quiet, don't make me resent my own good cooking tonight. Update: And I return for the chicken frankie wrap, annnnd the vegan tempeh club, annnnd bloody marys....and bites of what other people have ordered...
(4)
Aruna A.
I could really go here every time I walk by, and be so very satisfied. It's so predictably good, and the beer selection is always amazing. I'm a big, big, big fan of the vegan sloppy joe (just be careful - it's extra hot and spicy), and the tater tots, and mac and cheese. NOT so much of a fan of the sweet potato banh mi (I was sad about that - I love banh mi). But definitely a huge fan of everything else I've had there!
(5)
Joshua J.
I went here because I was told the burgers here were the best in the city. I'm a big Sketch fan, so I had to compare them. Overall, the experience here was really good. The waitstaff jammed us in a table, even though it was packed, we still got in and out at a pretty normal amount of time. The food took a bit to come out but no big deal. Burger was great, better than Village Whiskey in my opinion, but not up to snuff with Sketch. I'd come here to drink again anytime.
(4)
rachel k.
VEGAN SLOPPY JOES! And sweet potato banh mi. And vegan onion rings. And a delightful peach cocktail and microbrews that make the 'gent happy. My lady beverage/vegan dreams come true.
(5)
Kurt I.
Always awesome food. Always good service. Always fantastic beer selection. Always the darkest bar in town. Chef Mark McKinney always has a fantastic meal for you. If you are veg, get the tempeh club and fall in love with a sandwich.
(4)
Jemma C.
One of the few bars I regularly return to in Philly. Staff are great (ESP the waitress with the short hair), beer selection is spot on and the sloppy joe is PERFECT!
(4)
David A.
Went today for brunch on Memorial Day. Thanks fellow yelpers. Passed this place a zillion times and would have never walked in. A real sleeper! It's an old bar with great food. Nice atmosphere. You walk into a big, old wood bar and it's a narrow place with about 20-25 tables. Servers are friendly and efficient. They were serving the brunch menu that didn't hace a chicken dish I read about. No worries. Everything was really good. Was not in the mood for breakfast so we ordered from lunch side of the menu. They also have lots of vegetarion and vegan choices which we enjoy but didn't take full advantage of on this trip. For starters we had the mezze. Excellent but really big and filling. Pita and flat crackers with hummus, baba ganush, grape leaves, etc. Split the burger and meatloaf sandwich with my daughter Devon. Both were really good (read about the burger and it was great!). Meatloaf well seasoned with great toppings. Burger as well. I preferred the burger but no complaints! Ordered medium rare and served right. Both dishes had fries which were not greasy and addicting. My other daughters had the grilled chicken sandwich which had proscuitto and other good stuff on top. They could have shared one sandwich. Very large. My wife had the buffalo chicken wings. They serve four or five different sauce options. I was stuffed and didn't try them but they were big and she enjoyed them. Had the bloody mary was was spicy and very good. We look forward to trying this place for dinner soon!
(4)
tom s.
Amazing daily specials and a beer list the waitress was actually educated about. If they have the BBQ pork grilled cheese get it!
(5)
Dan B.
This place is excellent. The food is soooo good and it has a great beer selection. It's one of the best gastro pubs I've been to in awhile
(5)
John K.
Went for lunch and had a vegan club made with seitan and vegetarian bacon .It was pretty good.They have an imaginative selection of draft beer and the music isn't too loud- a relief! I sat at the bar and found the bartender pleasant and efficient.It was relaxing and I'd go again .
(4)
Ben S.
I love the Royal. It's great place for lunch, a great place for brunch, a great place to hang out on a weekend, a great place if you are just looking for a place to go. The only burger I have ever eaten that is better than the Royal's was at a place called Kuma's Corner, in Chicago. The Royal's is so delicious, as is their grilled cheese sandwich. They always let you substitute tater tots instead of fries, and the vinegar/mayo aioli beats ketchup anytime for dipping. I don't really like Bloody Mary's, but all of my friends rave about the Royal's. The only slight drawback is that it fills up really quickly, especially during the brunch rush, but that really just means you have some extra time to order a drink before you get seated. The staff are all friendly and accommodating. I love this place. If I wasn't feeling sick right now I'd probably head over there right now.
(5)
Michael S.
So....I waited a couple of weeks since I don't post negative reviews about businesses, but I felt that their other potential customers needed a heads up. 1. The Food at the Royal Tavern is excellent - no complaint. 2. The staff is great when dining in. 3. The atmosphere is very nice and comfortable. Unfortunately, they had fallen short on updating their website to reflect the increased pricing on the menu...as well as menu items that aren't available anymore. My girlfriend and I wanted some food for take-out. We ordered two appetizers. The chicken wings and the nachos. The food, as always, was delicious. The problem is that the online menu on their site had old pricing. Our order ended up being $5 more than we had planned, which isn't a huge deal. But when you walk in with enough money to pay the tab and leave a tip, but end up only having enough to leave a $1 tip, it makes you feel like a jerk. If the price of the order was mentioned on the call when we ordered, it wouldn't have been an issue. Yet, I found myself apologizing for leaving a bad tip when the source of the problem wasn't me. It left for a bad experience, when I've had nothing but good experiences there in the past. It's a great neighborhood place to grab a meal. Just ensure you know what you're going to pay when you do take out. I gave 3 stars because the food was delicious, but only 3 stars when it would have been 5 stars if I hadn't felt like I'd been mildly hoodwinked. I worked for many years in the restaurant and service industry and when pricing is listed and proof is given, the expected price was honored if it was the establishment's error. I was given a shoulder shrug and a "sorry, yeah we need to change that. it's been a problem." I understand it wasn't the server's responsibility to update the website, yet their normally fine customer service was lacking...and on a not so busy night (only 3 or 4 tables being filled and 4 or 5 people at the bar).
(3)
Amy F.
The Royal Tavern is magnificent. The food has never, not once, disappointed me in 7 years of going there. I' ve never had the burger and I just don't care. If something is that hyped, obviously some people are going to feel the item in question has fallen short. But (the few) haters need to recognize this place is for real. The soba noodle and seaweed salad strikes the perfect textural balance with its toothsome noodles, crunchy peanuts, and pillowy soft tofu nuggets. The caesar salad, perfect in its simplicity, gets slightly dressed up with polenta croutons, brilliant! I crave those croutons. And vegan desserts, lots of them. There are items on this menu to accommodate all manner of dietary restriction and they're all good. Herbivores are no longer relegated to picking glumly at some sad array of over balsamic-ed veg on a "grilled vegetable plate", not at the royal tavern. And yes, the tempeh club is as good as everybody says.
(5)
Kate W.
This is a great place when you are in the mood for great food in a casual atmosphere! We stumbled upon this place this afternoon for lunch, and we were delightfully surprised with how refined and fresh the menu was for a bar. I had the chicken sandwich. It was delicious.. So delicious that I ate my leftovers before I got home! My husband ordered the burger. He eats burgers all the time and said this was a contender for the best burger he's ever had. Both were served with fries with malt vinegar mayo... Yummy!! The place was packed, so I think my love for this new find is shared by many others.
(5)
Ken M.
We were surprised to find a nearby parking lot (owned by the notorious Philadelphia Parking Authority) down the block from the Royal Tavern...... It is a 3-hour limit lot and think it was free. I say 'I think' as I didn't see any kiosks/signage about paying and I didn't get a ticket on my windshield. + Plus one !! ...... As for the Royal Tavern: It's fairly small but not claustrophobic..... was cozy. The fellow patrons didn't seem pretentious, good mix of people. They have good Happy Hour specials. Our server was cool, friendly, had a sense of humor, gave us good beer suggestions, kept our water glasses refreshed, cleared the dishes off the table in a timely fashion. She gave us the right mix of attention and space. The bathroom was clean. - hummus plate: excellent - house Angus burger: excellent (would of liked the smoked gouda cheese to be a little more melted) - Kobe beef burger special: very good. - tater tots: good, would of liked em a little more crispier. - french fries: very good, skin-on, crispy - beer selection: not extensive but decent. Yeah, it's a solid 4 stars and we will be back. Until then......
(4)
Louis V.
My reasons for heading out to Royal Tavern was based on overall Yelp reviews. Since I would be dining with a vegan, vegetarian, and two meat eaters I wanted to find a great over all place that everyone could be happy with. The Royal Tavern is small inside. It's layout is typical for a Philadelphia restaurant and there is good utilization of space. The seating arrangements are perfect for couples, however larger groups will suffer on finding a spot. On the night that my party visited the Royal Tavern was filled in pretty good. There were 6 open tables spread out in pairs and 2 open seats at the bar. None of these accommodated my party of 4 and we ended up going first on the wait list. We were told 15-20 minutes for a table. However, after 30 minutes of waiting and no sign of a table opening up anytime soon, we decided it was best to cancel our wait and order take-away. While we waited, we decided to watch how the waitstaff operated. There were four employee's working the floor this particular night. There was one bartender, a waiter and a waitress, and what appeared to be a runner. They all seemed friendly, but very frantic and disorganized. No one really seemed to have a grasp on what was going on. There seemed to be confusion at points on who was suppose to be seated next, or who was waiting on who. The bartender seemed overwhelmed to the point that I noticed the runner making drinks just to help her out. It's a shame, as if they would have had one more person to keep everyone on track the service would have been much better. Our take-away was estimated to be out in 25 minutes. Half of our order came out in about 35 minutes and the remaining half came out in 45 minutes. This was a real disappointment as there is nothing worse than seeing food die on a person's plate (in this case, a take-away container) while they sit there waiting for the rest of their friends food to come out. It's also disturbing that the only reason we got our food in 45 minutes is because we informed the waiter that we had to leave and could no longer wait for the order. As soon as we had this conversation he came back in seconds with our order, bagged and ready to go. The only thing I could think of when I was walking out was, 'how likely is it that my food done with my friends and it ended up sitting there for an additional 10 minutes, dying at the window, with no one noticing?' The saving grace of this visit was the food. After waiting an hour and 15 minutes for some vegan sandwiches with fries - the food was fantastic and the wait was worth it. It's a real shame that the food couldn't have been enjoyed in the right atmosphere and that it came bundled with some aggravation. In a less busy night with good service this would have been a 4, if not 5 star review. I plan to revisit the Royal Tavern with some extra time build into my schedule. When I do, I will update my review to include details of a hopefully better experience. Overall, I believe that this place can live up to it's hype - I think I just caught it in a bad night. Update ----------- I recently had the opportunity to revisit the Royal Diner and as promised here is my update. On the night that I visited the Royal Tavern was at half capacity and the service was much faster then my previous visit. The customer service was still nothing to brag about, average at best. The waiter seemed rushed and didn't check back with us after our food was delivered to make sure everything was alright. Lucky for us it was, but we could have used another round of drinks. The food was just as good as the first time so it's nice to know there is a level of consistency there. Lastly, at no fault to the tavern, finding parking took over 20 minutes and we almost gave up until we found a spot a few blocks away. Overall, 3/5 still seems like a honest review. It's a great place to go with good food, but the service is nothing special.
(3)
Francis U.
Another C+, B- pub. There is no shortage of pubs in the city with slightly better than average food and trendy beer lists. Royal Tavern fits right into that groove. I have to admit that the burger was good. It had a bit of kick to it, with the addition of pickled longhots. Decidedly above average, but nothing I couldn't make better at home. The 'Korean Chicken' is a glorified chicken wing dish for $16...one may want to avoid that. Some of the appetizers we sampled had fairly developed flavour, but are also overpriced for what they are. The draft list isn't bad, but I need to ask pub owners a question. Why all the big, heavy beers in the summer? As a foodie, and an a fairly scrupulous critic, I wouldn't be mad at a couple 'fast balls' on the draught list. 1 Lager and 1 Ale is all I'm asking. Be as trendy as you like, but keep 2 staples for the traditionalists among us. They did however have Pilsner Urquell in bottles, which was nice. I went with a party after an event we attended. A few beers, and some light comida wound up at $80/couple. I can't say that I'm in a hurry to do that again. I'd rather cook circles around the chef at home for around $40, or take a major step up restaurant wise if I want to move closer to a three digit meal.
(3)
Vinny P.
Now my local bar. It still rocks. Great specials and reasonably priced. The draft list, albeit small always has a few beers that are "very drinkable." When I use that term, I mean, I probably drank a few too many of them. Oh and the popcorn is amazing. That's the best 3 bucks you will ever spend. The popcorn is so good, it inspires fist-pumps.
(5)
Bora M.
Good food, good ambiance, good vibe, good music, great service.... Five stars across the board ! p.s. I asked if I can substitute fries on my burger for something else and they offered me grilled asparagus (can't get that anywhere else in the city).
(5)
Akshay M.
There are days when I feel like a Kei$ha song brushing my teeth with bottle of jack, and leave for the night not coming back , and the next day morning I feel like Diddy, maybe worse. With a throbbing headache to cure there is only one place in the city my dilapidated senses can think of - Enter Royal Tavern. As there isn't a better cure to a hangover than a juicy burger and a bloody Mary concoction. Though the hike to the tavern frm my crib is a tedious one , each step towards it just builds on the anticipation of another great meal for the books. The service at the bar and the tables is pretty prompt even though this place has a laid back feel to it. The place is abuzz with mostly regular locals from around the area who like me can't resist the charm of the place. We generally grab the seat at the bar and indulge in sipping bloody marys and Mimosas till the food arrives. They probably have the best bloody mary to rule the roost of brunch Concoction in the neighborhood. They generally have a good stock of beautiful beers flowing thru their taps and bottles along with a list of other libations, to keep u quenched. U'd find me nibble on those truffle Parmesan butter flavored popcorn most days while the wait continues. This place ignited the Burger snob in me as far as can think of, I used to be happily content with a decent grill of the meat at most places, but NOT anymore. The 8oz burger was topped with bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled long hot peppers, and chili mayonnaise on a seeded brioche bun. I need to issue a drool alert cos it takes in a while for the beauty of the burger to sink in. The first bite wakes u up with the explosions of the Chili Mayo and Pickled hot peppers making a dent on the palate in a good way. The patty is fluffy made to ur order, and with each bite it keeps getting harder to keep track if the intoxication is because of last night's alcohol or the juicy goodness dripping off the burger. They also have a wicked meatloaf sandwich and a bunch of Vegan options that though I haven't bothered with yet, as I have unrequited love for the burger. So if you are on a quest for "One" of the best burgers in phila, I shall stand like a tall lighthouse and guide ur exploits to Royal Tavern.
(5)
C T.
The service I received here tonight for a to-go order was completely unacceptable. And yes, I am posting this already because I am so bothered about the terrible service. I ordered two burgers to go on the phone and was told that it would be ready in 15 minutes. I showed up at Royal about 15 minutes later and was told by a waitress that it wasn't ready yet. Ok, totally fine with that. About a half hour later, I notice a to-go order come out and the SAME waitress who I spoke to when I came in, looked at the ticket and then put it above the bar. Obviously I assume it's not mine since she knows I've been waiting in the bar for well over 30 minutes and sees me standing there. Bartender finally goes over and checks the order about 15 minutes after she brought it out- wouldn't you know, it's my order. Then my fiance and I got to come home and eat cold, soggy burgers. I've worked in the restaurant business and understand that to-go orders are annoying and don't usually result in tips; however that waitress' behavior was completely unacceptable. I don't care how much I like their burgers, I will never return to a place that employs people who don't care about the customers and only care about their tips. The waitress was the one with the really long hair.
(1)
Adam L.
The Royal Tavern is one of my favorite destinations for good eats in Philadelphia. The Food Girl and I have been frequenting The Royal (thats what its fans call it) for years now. There are just so many reasons to go, really. Where do I even start? Are you a blood-thirsty, unapologetic carnivore? Well then the Royal is the place for you. Their angus burger is the apex of the recent burger resurgence in Philly. Piled high with long hots, smoked Gouda, bacon and a spicy mayo, this is as good as it gets. It comes served with a generous portion of fries alongside their patented malt vinegar mayo. YUM. Or maybe you are a tree-hugging hand-across-the-world vegetarian type, like my lovely fiance. You're covered too. Their tempeh club is out of this world, and just one of many vegetarian-friendly options. Perhaps- like us- you love brunch. Again, the Royal is a winner. It's as alive at 11am on a Sunday as it is midnite on a Friday. There are always interesting specials, reliable standbys & damn good coffee and bloody marys. Or maybe you are just a stone-cold drunk who cares about nothing more than satisfying the pathetic lush who lives inside all of us. I suggest you go to the Royal as well. Theirs is a fantastic drinking spot, with a reliable and rotating list of beers. As you can the see, the Royal Tavern is many things for many folks. Go there and see for yourself. You wont regret it.
(5)
Kevin W.
When I went in here my first thought was,this is a pretty run down lookin place so why is their burger rated so highly on the Internet? Bun--high quality and tastes great Meat--really good Toppings--comes with a delicious fried egg
(4)
Colleen M.
After multiple times of trying to get into the Royal Tavern, we were finally successful on Saturday. Usually any time we try to go there, they are so busy that we can't find a place to sit, but with Saturday being on Labor Day weekend, they weren't as busy as usual. I have to say, this place lived up to the hype. I had the meatloaf sandwich, and the meatloaf was delicious. I love a good meatloaf, but it seems like so many places don't do it well, obviously not the case with the Royal Tavern. I had mac and cheese on the side, and it was also delicious. I try mac and cheese at a lot of places, and it's another dish that's hard to get prepared correctly. My husband had tilapia tacos, and he thought they were delicious. Service was also attentive; they replaced my Magner's quickly when I said it didn't taste right. If we can ever get in the door again, we wil definitely be back.
(4)
Michael M.
I have never had bad food here ever. Everything I have ever tried from breakfast to burgers to mixed drinks. A great place.
(5)
Kristine D.
I am about to go on record and say that Royal Tavern has the best burger in the city. Other notable mention goes to the Chicken Frankie (curry chicken wrap, but the size of a burrito). Never really impressed with their draft beers. And the service is usually pretty surly, so I never feel comfortable asking for a recommendation. But the food is really good and you can usually get a table, so I do like to frequent this place a lot.
(4)
Walter K.
The "Royal Burger" is a hot item. If you don't believe me, steer over to the write up about it on Food Network, which calls it the best burger in the state. A more credible write up can be seen at A Hamburger Today. And if you still need more reading material, check Unbreaded. I needed to add myself to this laundry list of bloggers who have written about this famed burger. I've been to the Royal a few times, and it's never struck me as a great place. The tap list is small, the prices aren't great ($9 for the burger is decent however), and the bar doesn't have much character. I went hoping the burger would be a reason to bring me in. Before I finished my visit, I had another reason to avoid the Royal. I had the worst service I've experienced in Philadelphia in quite some time. Our drinks took far too long, as did the check. Empty glasses were left on our table, and I was brought the wrong beer. One or two of these may have been understandable, but the overall result was pretty poor. I was dining with my friend Danny, and he ordered the chicken sandwich. He enjoyed it, but didn't really have too much to say, either. Nothing special. I was hoping that my burger would be something to rave about. On paper, it sounded fantastic: bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled long hot peppers, and chili mayo. The pickled long hot peppers had great taste, but they weren't strong enough to stand out with the rest of the flavors. That may be the problem with the burger; too many good flavors mixed together in a way that they just cover up each other. The bun was thick and dense, and left a lot to be desired. I ordered medium rare, and it came out medium. The result was a dry burger, which wasn't even remedied by the chili mayo. I was underwhelmed by the burger. Bottom Line: Not the best burger in Philadelphia, or even South Philly. Poor service and a limited beer selection leave a lot to be desired. I haven't been for brunch in years, but I remember liking this spot. They have a lot of veggie options. $17 for fish and chips is a complete joke.
(2)
E J.
Salad was not as described (where was the advertised cheese? bacon? surprise unmentioned grapefruit segments don't make up for those lacking components, y'all!) and boyfriend's chicken and brie sandwich fair at best. At least the fries/beverages were decent.
(2)
Matthew B.
The RT seems like a slightly toned down version of the South Philly Tap room IMHO. Good food, decent prices. Somewhat less adventorous on the menu and a not quite as broad a draft beer selection. Good by the bottle selection. Had the mussels - unusual preparation - seemed like a cream of Tomato base? but tasty and nice portion. Crab fries were good and well portioned - but lacked a bit on the old bay flavor. I'd go back again. Btw - Is it just me, or has "the burger" become a competition in phila? It seems that way to me. Everybody has thier own twist. Not complaining, just saying it seems it has become the ubiqitous menu signiture item for taverns these days.
(3)
Brad P.
This is an amazing burger. It has bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on brioche bun. If you do not enjoy this burger, then you are either a vegetarian or you hate great things. Don't hate great things. Their fries, service, and laid back-bar ambiance are very good. Right now, Royal Tavern's Angus burger and Village Whiskey's Village burger are engaged in a brutal struggle for my loyalty. Both burgers know what is at stake here - The official title of "The best burger in Philadelphia according to Brad P." They are fighting hard, each landing well-executed attacks against the other. As I write this review, the battle becomes more heated. The Angus has broken a chair over the Village's spine. Undaunted, the Village Springs up and starts choking the Angus over the ropes. The referee was knocked out by a flying elbow but nobody cares...the fight just keeps getting worse. It is brutal. I can't watch anymore. When the smoke clears, I see both fighters still standing...a draw. Here's the deal- As a raw, solo burger, the Village Burger beats out the Angus burger by a slim margin. However, as a full burger-fries-bar package, the Angus burger wins the match. When you go to Village Whiskey for dinner, you will wait an extraordinary amount of time to be seated. You will have to order your side items a la carte. You will spend more money. You will consume inferior fries. There is also an element of fine tuning at Village Whiskey, as you are responsible for choosing some of your own toppings that don't automatically come with the burger. This may lead two different people to have two different experiences of the burger...but it is a phenomenal burger. By contrast, Royal Tavern is not nearly as crowded, the fries are better, and your order comes with all of the fixings that they feel go best with their beef. The quality is consistent and reliable. They choose the toppings for me. They don't make me panic over whether the bleu cheese will be better than the chevre or if I should get avocado instead of a fried egg. I appreciate them for taking the guesswork out of the best way to top my burger and just serving it how they feel it should be. The longhot is a great touch to add a little spice to the experience. In conclusion, I am very positive about Royal Tavern. I take my burgers very seriously and this place is definitely worth heading to. I have not tried anything else but I don't know if I will ever be able to order anything but the burger because it is so damn tasty.
(5)
Nicole V.
I like the atmosphere of this place. The waitress was friendly and attentive. I had the two egg breakfast special and it was good. Nothing amazing but better than a lot of diners. I would like to come back at night and try some of the other food though. I would have if it wasn't 11:30am and I didn't have an egg and cheese craving.
(4)
Christian M.
One of my favorite places to eat, period. The vegan sloppy Joe is my favorite. I order this 99% of the time. The sauce that comes with your fries is so good. Friends who eat meat swear by the burger. More than one has said it is the best. They have rotating specials that are always worth eating. Don't get me started on the desserts. Since it is such a great place to eat, it gets very crowded really fast. If you arrive and there's a little bit of a wait, stay put. The food more than makes up for it. As for the service, some people will say negative things while others rave about it. The service is fine. They know what they are serving you. I think the service is great. I no longer live in South Philly. I miss this place the most.
(5)
Eliza P.
As a single girl, a lot of my "social engagements" involve me crashing the dates of friends - I'm basically making a career out of being a Third Wheel (the pay sucks, but it's fairly entertaining). Last night, I went out with a couple that...has their moments...so I was a little nervous to take them up on their dinner invitation, but my apprehension immediately turned to overwhelming excitement when I found out we were going to Royal Tavern. I had been to the bar once a few months ago, loved it, swore I would go back..but obviously never did because, well, I have no reason. Anyway, the place is awesome. Great atmosphere, great vibe, great ambiance (I think that's all the same, but go with it). Think Trendy Dive Bar, or something like that. Friendly servers and fellow patrons, if a little on the emo/hipster side for my taste, but it's worth noting that I was there literally wearing sweatpants and a hoodie and felt totally comfortable. It's perfect for anything from a date to a quick bite to a place to go after-work - definitely a "no judgement" zone. So, beer is my first love in life, and Royal does not disappoint in this department. They have about 10 beers on tap that were all legit, and maybe 30 or so in bottles and/or trendy cans - including not only the drink of the Hipster Gods (PBR, duh), but my real faves of Dogfish Head 60 Min and Lagunitas. Solid showing. On the plus side, when one of my fellow diners asked a beer question, the waitress actually knew the answer and didn't have to "um, let me check with the bartender," which is always appreciated. Food was (almost, ha) as good as the beverages. I had a grilled cheese which was about as far away from Wonder Bread and Kraft Singles as you could get. Goat cheese, gouda and something else on toasted bread with great fries and some mysteriously awesome dipping sauce. My friends had fried shrimp soft tacos and gnochhi - I don't play the shellfish game, so I can't speak to that dish, but the gnocchi were really good for a "bar;" a little heavy, but who's complaining. We didn't actually order it, but I've heard the popcorn is also pretty orgasmic. In sum, this place is great, and I wish I didn't live on the opposite side of the city so I could go more often. Oh, they also get bonus fun points for having a blackboard and chalk on the bathroom walls. I hope they didn't erase my phone number!
(5)
Ann R.
This is great dive-like joint with cheap drinks and good, affordable food. The service is not really good but I guess you shouldn't really expect too much out of a place like this. It is kind of like Grace Tavern but bigger if you've ever been there in the Graduate Hospital area. But Grace definitely has way better service. One time, we just stood there and waited forever before anyone acknowledged us and came to take our order. Another time, someone tried to squeeze in on the table next to us and dropped our drink and the waitstaff kind of gave us a dirty look and charged us for the drink even though we didn't drop it and it was pretty much full still. You definitely come here for the burger! The burger is amongst the best in Philadelphia. They also have a lot of really good vegetarian options if you are vegetarian. We've had brunch here and they seem to make their eggs with butter instead of oil, I prefer oil but that's just me. As far as drinks, they have awesome Bloody Mary's! All their other drinks including beer are well-priced and pretty good.
(3)
Jennifer O.
The menu looks amazing so I'll definitely return, even though I didn't have the best experience here yet. I ordered the Tater Tot Scramble ... when it came out there were literally two tater tots in the entire dish. I asked the waitress if I could get some more and she said I'd have to order a side. So, my $10 breakfast turned into $16, but the additional tater tots made the meal really good (without them, the dish is just mushy eggs and sauce with no texture or crunch). I had a taste of the meatloaf sandwich (wow!!! but very intense) and of the bacon-vodka Bloody Mary (I'd recommend this if you're a horseradish lover). Spying on other people's orders, I decided that when I return I might order the burger (looks huge, has the kind of buns I like with the glossy top) or the huevos rancheros ("with extra chips" she asked, and received). Although it seems to have started as a dive bar (decor, waitstaff), everyone in there was hipsters or yuppies, so The Secret is clearly out.
(4)
Robert M.
Solid upscale pub fare. I had the meatloaf sandwich, wherethe meat was thinly sliced, with an egg, mushroom and cheese and it was delicious, served with excellent pomme frites and mayo. A small but varied draft craft brew list was a great plus. I'll be returning for more sampling soon.
(4)
Gandhus M.
I had to check the place out and have their burger. I want to say the choice of smoked gouda is overambitious, but it's not. I want to say the long hot was too hot, but it wasn't. This burger's components are different but they work in an unexpected & glorious way. I'll leave the labeling to others. It suffices to say Royal's burger was very, very good. Hipster-casual with decent beer, a decent kitchen & dark as hell. It was my first time here and it reminded me briefly of the Standard Tap except with a longer bar, darker wood, in an unassuming building & neighborhood. I'll wager many north of Fairmount wish they could call the Royal Tavern their own. I'll also wager many along Passyunk proudly do. I want to come back here for some serious drinking and/or the nachos. Someone next to me got them and they looked and smelled amazing. Thumbs up for the Royal, I'll be back.
(4)
Tom S.
Just as I'd hoped/planned/expected, the wonderful Royal Tavern has quickly become my go-to neighborhood watering hole. Their tap list is short but well selected, and I'm undertaking the glorious task of trying each of the names on their rather extensive list of bottles, which has thus far yielded some pleasant surprises. I tried their burger - freakin amazing. We popped in for brunch, too - not as amazing as the burger but an excellent meal nonetheless. All of our servers have been great, and I've never had a problem with the crowd, or even with finding a seat. Love this place. If I'm not at home or at work, check here next.
(5)
Mari D.
This place is a really great option if you have a lot of differing tastes in your group. The menus has a huge variety with vegetarian choices, ethnic dishes - it's easy to find something everyone will like. The atmosphere is a true dive bar, but it can get really packed for brunch and dinner. They don't take reservations, though, so try coming at an off time to assure you get seated quickly.
(4)
B P.
I've never failed to have great food or great beer here. Seems like a lot of spots that I go in will have total crap for beer selection while they're trying to be different, but there's usually something interesting and tasty here. The food is also great, I love their grilled cheese and appreciate the cool veg options, and it never feels uptight. Great jukebox too.
(5)
Milk W.
Wow! Great place! Beer selection rocks, food is diverse and more importantly quite good. Vegetarian and Vegan selections clearly marked. What a relieft! Unlike many other Gastropubs in the city, they are all too happy here to let you sample a beer or two until you find one that you like. That is much better than being stuck with a $6 beer that you do not like. Food is quite good. We had multiple tasty dishes. Sweet potato banh mi and Tempeh Club are great choices. Fries and tots are all good. Spinach has more garlic than is legal in many localities in Pennsylvania. All in all, I would recommend going out of your way to enjoy a fine brew, some good food, and a hip atmosphere in Philly.
(5)
Craig L.
Went for Sunday brunch and it was awesome as always. The Bloody Mary is spicy and delicious, and they have great burgers.
(5)
Brian H.
The burger is good. All the food is good. It's good. (Royal Tavern) 4 Stars
(4)
Jonathan M.
I recently moved to queens village and needed a place to grab a bite to eat late with friends visiting, mind you i did little due diligence before moving to a new area, well we walked. we ended up at royal and order various apps and beers. I had a dogfish head aprihop and split the chix nachos and mac chz. Everything was great other than the push over bartender that greated us. Could have been more warming but the female waitress pulled through and made a solid evening. Ill be back.
(3)
Paul M.
Best burger I've ever had. Ask for BBQ instead of the normal sauce (I forget what it is) that comes on the burger, it's homemade and incredible. My only small complaint is that they will usually leave up the dinner specials at lunchtime which makes you think they are available to order. They are not.
(5)
Rachel S.
Great food! It was an early Sat night around eight and the husband and I went out for a bite and some brews. Started off with Ballast Point IPA and moved to a black IPA (per the bartender's suggestion). We shared the Cubano Spring Rolls which were awesome - roast pork, ham, swiss and pickles jammed into 3 nice sized rolls. Husband got the Meatloaf Sandwich (sans fried onions) with Old Bay Fries and I got a pizza on special - Prosciutto, eggplant and mozzarella. It was so so good. The crust had so much flavor in it - I usually toss the crusts away b/c I'd rather save my calories, but this was a must eat. We really enjoyed the visit and will definitely be back.
(5)
Luca B.
I am not a hipster & I think vegans are silly. Yes, I ride a vintage bike but no, my pants aren't as tight as my girlfriends are. I also love Royal Tavern. I also accidentally ate vegan sloppy joe, and liked it... I've been here 3 times now, each time making the trek for their (i think famous now) burger. The first time I came here my friend Rob, who's a vegetarian ordered the vegan sloppy joe (or vegan something or other, either way it had tempeh or tofu or something) which I tried, and kept eating not knowing it was... vegan! If they can make vegan food taste good, they can do anything right? Anyway, back to the burger. It's awesome. There's really not much else you can say about a burger really, its beef, its bread, its got a hot pepper (you might wanna open up the burger and spread it out a bit lest you want to eat the whole thing at once...), its got cheese, its got bacon, its awesome and you should eat one. In fact you should eat it and wave it in your vegan friend's face to distract them so you can steal pieces of their vegan sloppy joe. Oh right, this place gets pretty crowded and its pretty small so get there early. The service has always, always been great.
(4)
Christine B.
Have been hearing about Royal for months from various yelpers. I finally made it there for brunch. I went with the Breakfast Burrito, which is possibly my favorite breakfast food, but hard to find in Philly. It really hit the spot, a huge burrito filled with eggs, cheese, and poblano peppers, with guac and pico on the side. I only ate half so had a bonus dinner out of it. I also tried the melon mimosa which was very refreshing. I definitely have to get back to Royal for dinner.
(5)
Jen K.
I came here the other night straight from work (read: not in the best mood/needing alcohol). I was by myself, so I sat at the bar. I found the service to be very attentive; the bartender was nice and helpful. Since I can't drink beer, I stuck with Woodchuck, which was average priced compared to other bars in the city ($4.50). For my meal I ordered the Caesar salad and added grilled chicken. It was their own take on Caesar salad, which included lettuce, polenta croutons, roasted red peppers, and some extremely cheesy-lime?-based dressing. It was tasty, although it didn't taste quite like Caeser salad and the dressing was a bit dry or sticky. I put some hot sauce on it, NBD. Serving size was generous, which it better have been for $11. All in all I had an enjoyable experience; it defintely beat the post-work blues and it only helps that it's a block from my house!
(4)
Kelly M.
The place is a little divey but the food is awesome. Gourmet ingredients at fair prices.
(5)
Mary S.
Royal Tavern has got to be one of the most unassuming looking bars in the city. It's lovely inside, old timey, hard wood, but the food is like a gastro-pub explosion that you may not be ready for. I've never had a meal here that was anything less than totally awesome. The beer menu is ever changing, with solid standards as well as epic additions. The staff is generally super friendly, and even when I had a less than pleasant server, I still had prompt and efficient service- so the server was probably just having a bad day. Overall, this is a gem of a place, and I feel more than lucky to have it within walking distance of my apt.
(4)
John F.
I revel in raving about rowdy regals This was a destination I've heard much about in my time on Yelp, something in the vein of "Holy Sh*t, you haven't been to Royal Tavern - WTF is wrong with you?" So, I traipsed in here one chilly evening and low and behold, my senses were jolted. Looking around in a seduced gaze, I soaked in the ambiance and was immediately in love. Hauntingly dark, like a Saw movie or a nightmare that has yet to turn vicious. I enjoy being in this sort of escaping darkness. We sat at a table, the place was packed. Some sports game was on the TV behind me but I was disappointed it wasn't a horror flick or perhaps UFC if they had to show sports - it would have been more mood setting. A winter ale was delivered to me, my date had a solid whiskey drink. They were a perfect start to our feast... We split a burger fit for this prefect of West Wash Square, bloody and seared with sealed screams. Sweet potato fries were everything I wanted them to be, infused in the tears of salty oppression. Intending to leave full and happy, we also had the tots - each were brought to the chopping block - there were no survivors. Personally, I feel the place should be called The Oubliette, or perhaps Dreary Hollows. Regardless, I shall return.
(5)
Caroline C.
I think I'm in love!!! I wish I lived in Philly so I could come here all the time. What a fantastic place! The atmosphere and energy of this place is amazing. One step in the door and you can feel it. Decent menu with great food - try the tempeh club...OMG it's incredible! Great selection of beer too. Waiters are super friendly as well which makes this place one of my new must-go-back-to-immediatly places in Philly. Even tho you might have to wait a few minutes for a table...this place is completely worth it.
(5)
maj s.
Good beer, great food. But goddamn is this place dark and crowded.
(5)
Jim M.
After reading all of the reviews of the burger here I had to try it. I got the burger an order of mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was a small order that wasn't very cheesy. and the cheese sauce wasn't that great. The shells were also the small elbow macaroni variety. Unfortunately the burger wasn't much better. While I did like the long hots on it, the gouda that came on the burger was subpar. It tasted and looked like it was from a pre slicked and packed container. And it tasted like it sadly. The burger was also not cooked to medium rare, but was in fact medium. Not my cup of tea.
(2)
Adrienne C.
I have mixed feelings about this place. The food is really great, awesome chill atmosphere, good beer selection...but the wait was soooo long. We went for an early Sat dinner, and ended up being there for nearly 2.5 hours just to eat two sandwiches and apps. I do have to say that the grilled chicken sandwich is really good - lavender honey mustard ftw - and the meatloaf sandwich was similarly very good. The duck confit potato skins are just ok, while the mussels are spicy in a good way (thicker sauce that expected, but good). But 2.5 hrs for pub-like food was excessive.
(3)
Jeff G.
Fantastic burgers and tacos. Decent beer selection. Very cool neighborhood bar. Caitlin the bartender was great.
(4)
Brett M.
I don't know if I can explain my undying adoration for this place. I love the dimly lit bar. I love the great beer selection (quality over quantity). I love the chalkboard in the bathroom. But most of all, I love the food. I love love love the food. I'm going to make a very bold statement: The burger here is the best burger in Philadelphia. Nay, the world. Smoked gouda, pickled long hots, chili mayonnaise, brioche bun! I salivate at the thought... That's not to say the rest of the menu isn't darn near perfect either. Some of the highlights include... spicy greens, truffle butter popcorn (at $3, a must while you wait), the meatloaf sandwich, mussels with chorizo, and those delicious fries. The only thing I would avoid is the Sweet Potato Bánh Mi (which I found to be relatively bland and very dry), especially when I've heard such great things about another vegan option on the menu: the Tempeh Club. Annnnnd, I think I know where I'm going for dinner again tonight...
(5)
Vsssh P.
First of all: One of their best sellers the chicken Frankie is only sold during dinner so after 5 which I just found out which infuriates me cuz I always get that but today that's not the case. They have a huge beer selection and great food especially great vegan and vegetarian choice. Place has good vibe to it kinda low key, nice, warm and comfortable place to grab some food. They also have fresh popcorn which again is only after 5 which I don't really get. Bad things: the wait the wait and the wait... We've been waiting for ever and that happens all the time. Plus they dont take reservations so imagine waiting 20 mins for a table followed by about an hour for food people start getting antsy unless they are there for drinking primarily and not for food. So why am I giving it a 4 star? Well the food, booze and atmosphere is great
(4)
Heather W.
I'm pretty sure I had a foodgasm when I bit into that savory burger. Best I have ever tasted. I loved it so much, even though I was full and beginning to be in pain, I kept on eating it. MMMmmmm. They have a great selection of beer and the service was spot on and friendly. I can't wait to go back and sink my teeth into that burger again....my mouth is watering just thinking about it...
(5)
Peter D.
Great spot. I like the ambiance much better than The Dive, which at times feels stuffy. The crowd here is definitely older and a lot of people definitely have money that go here. I would like to try their brunch sometime and they look like they have an extensive bar food menu that looked tempting. The drink selection is pretty good despite not carrying the best selection of wines. I had a Basil Hayden and was pleased. I'll be back!
(4)
Andrea L.
I was with my vegitarian friend so we split some veggie apps and ordered a salad. Everything was really good. Wish i would have ordered a burger though, because they looked SO good. Don't waste your time on the bacon bloody. Their regular bloody, is bigger, stronger, and one of the best i've ever had.
(4)
Michelle E.
Yikes. One star is rough but appropriate. I had been here a few times and stomached the boring veg options and lackluster beer menu since friends wanted to come here. The crowd has always been ehh, and usually included some of the d-bags who work at Modern Eye, etc. One day on my walk home from work, I was drawn in by some of the specials on the board outside. Okay, I'll give it one more chance. The menu denotes which items are vegan and which are vegetarian. My husband asked a question about the fries and our server, who I'd never seen before this visit, answered that they are vegan although the menu says vegetarian. We suggested that maybe it should be updated so others who had that concern could enjoy them, and she shrugged her shoulders and said nothing. We made it clear that we were vegan (at the time). I ordered a special off the board which was some sort of asparagus salad with lots of fresh veggies that sounded light and just what I was in the mood for. It had all the ingredients listed on the board. She brought our food out and my husband had his sandwich, as ordered, and the plate that was slammed down on the table in front of me was clearly some kind of steaming meat dish. Before I could protest, she stalked away into the kitchen for several minutes. The bartender was occupied. I pushed the duck dish with asparagus away from me, nauseated by the plate. When she came back, she offered no apology, but stated that she wrote the wrong thing, and off she went with the plate. So...I don't really understand how a duck dish that had a side of asparagus could have been written any way that would have confused the chef. What seemed like ages later, she brought out this salad that was completely covered in blue cheese, with a few asparagus spears, and was missing some of the other ingredients listed. I told her it doesn't say anywhere on that board that it has blue cheese. She scolded me by saying, "YOU DIDN'T SAY YOU WERE VEGAN!" although it was clear we were, and regardless, that is not the type of attitude a server should give an easy-going and patient but now agitated and disgusted diner. I asked her to just bring us the check, please, which she slammed on the table while smirking, and stormed away. Unacceptable all around.
(1)
Bill D.
"The best burger in town." That's a pretty heavy statement. Yet there it is, just inside the front door, written on the dry erase-board in the cajoling spirit of a 19th Century huckster. It's just the kind of outrageous claim you'd expect from a cigar-chomping, bowler-wearing fellow with his thumbs stuck cavalierly beneath his suspenders. But unlike snake oil liniments, laudanum tinctures and most things from the Age of Quackery, this is real. It's not even up for debate. Royal has the best burger. The end. Believe me, I know insert-name-of-your-local-douchebag-gastropub-or-Âhip-diner has bread with locally harvested sesame seeds, beef from a vegan cow and cheese made by ecomentalists on the other side of the world. But all of that sucks. They also have a Bloody Mary that you can use to take oil stains off your driveway. It is the spiciest, pepperiest, horseradishiest thing known to man. I drank one and went the rest of the day wondering when something was going to go terribly wrong with my internal organs. I definitely recommend it.
(4)
Dan F.
"Great When It's Good. Gross When It's Bad." Royal Tavern, I'm mad at you. When your food is good, it's oooooh so good. But when it's bad, like tonight, you absolutely, positively suck. Tonight's Porchetta Sandwich, a hunk-slobber of roast pork and broccoli rabe on a roll, was a minor-key oleaginous gunkstorm of bad. So greasy, well beyond what any Richter scale could measure, I couldn't eat it. I went home a stroppy child, feeling like I'd been sent to bed without supper. Yet I'd had supper. Another evening's Veggie Burger was standout terrible. It was a loose pile of refried beans scooped into a free-flowing cake, then set upon a bun, which said no thanks and pushed the highly spiced miasma over the bun's ledge and onto the plate below. There's the matter of the BBQ chicken. This dish was a winner -- except, why did the chicken have to be so unbelievably dried out, like Matthew Shepard against the Wyoming wind? The accompanying baked beans were phenomenal: soft but not too soft, tangy but not too tangy. Just right. And as for the matter of your soups. Please stop serving them barely above room temperature. It's dispiriting. Then's there's your cakes. I was highly relieved to hear you don't make these, because my vegan grodometer (measures levels of grody-ness. (c) G. B.) kicks into overdrive here. Apparently all your cakes are vegan -- perhaps this accounts for: (a) the Crisco frosting, (b) cardboard butterlessness, and (c) blanched egglessness served with an afterhowl of (d) throatcatching bitter. At least do this: plainly state on the menu that ALL CAKES ARE MADE VEGAN! And spare the rest of us this shande. But then there's your show-stopping grilled cheese. The incomparable meatloaf sandwich. Your commendable burger. Not to mention your great bartenders, excellent beer selection, famous bloody mary, de-scrumptious breakfast burrito, and wonderfully sunshine-y wait staff. All of which garner you the highest recommendation. I just wish your food were more even. Because when you let me down, it's a giant frown.
(3)
Ted C.
I live right next to this place but I hardly ever come here. I suppose my main reason is because the place is always so packed. In addition, I've been told the food here is amazing but yet the first two times I came I was rather disappointed. That however is all subject to change. Based on a few comments on Yelp I went with the recommendation of the Angus Burger. Seriously the burger was out of this world. The pepper they put on top was simply magnificent! I have also tried the Grilled Cheese once before and I liked that as well. Unfortunately I would love to give this place more stars but personal based on my experiences and taste buds it has been hit or miss. I do really like this place and the customer service is great. I would definitely suggest giving it a shot. They do have the beers I like so I will probably be back. :)
(3)
Vince C.
Always have great food and interesting specials. Staff is friendly and knowledgable.
(5)
Maricel B.
Ate here with 6 other friends and was pretty happy overall with the food, drinks, and atmosphere. Tried the Angus burger on recommendation of my friend who frequents the place since she moved nearby recently. Have to say it was quite delicious as well as the fries that accompanied it. The Angus burger came with bacon, smoked gouda, carmelized oniions, pickled longhots, and chile mayo. I asked for my longhot on the side but I did cut pieces of it to put on my burger just so I knew how the whole ensemble was supposed to taste like and I have to say that it was awesome. The burger was cooked well and was nice and juicy and the gouda was sooo gooda. I also tried the Strawberry Bread Pudding which I thought was pretty good way to end my meal. Malbec was my drink of choice and paired well with my burger. I would have liked to have given it 5 stars but we went on a Saturday night and got there when every table was pretty much taken up. Well we didn't wait long and it looked like a party of 5 were getting up to leave. When we started toward the table for fear of losing it to someone else, one of the waiters yelled at us that they had to clean the table. I don't think there was any need for that, so that is why 4 stars. My next visit I hope to upgrade this to 5 because I really thought the food was delicious.
(4)
Gen Y.
This place is lovely. It is a great place for my neighborhood, as well as for being a vegetarian! Great food and decent prices. Nice happy hour specials and the blood mary's on sundays are only $5! GET THE POPCORN!
(5)
Evan C.
So my friend, who shall remain nameless... Neil. Swears by these burgers, so I had to try them. Went here on a Friday night, it was pretty crowded, but they were still able to seat my g/f and I pretty quickly which was good. The waiter was good even though it was busy, he got my beer pretty quickly and that's all I really needed to give him an A. We ordered the burgers, and the timing was good. We both got the Angus Burger. I must say - They are pretty good. I wouldn't say they're my favorite, however it's a different burger which is nice to have instead of the same old thing everywhere you go. It had bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on a seeded brioche bun. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the bun, I like soft buns (hun). And the mayo was really good, again a different taste which is refreshing. I'm a huge gouda fan as well, and it all worked together. The only thing was the longhots, next time (there will be a next time soon) I'll have those guys on the side. I apparently couldn't read when I saw the ingredients and wasn't expecting them, so when I took a bite I got the whole thing, that's when I needed another beer.
(4)
Elisabeth Y.
To me, this is a restaurant, not a drinking establishment: I think I've only been to the Royal Tavern once for the specific purpose of having a few beers. To be honest, the drinks seem overpriced to me, and it gets crowded fast. But for meals? YES! Don't bother messing around with any vegetarian entree other than THE TEMPEH CLUB. It is so good.
(4)
Thomas M.
I have to say that I always considered myself a "Loyal Follower" of Royal Tavern but after my last visit I have to say I was definitely disappointed. We were there for brunch and I choose the Italian Sausage Gravy over Biscuits that WAS NOT described as spicy and I have never seen a spicy version in my life BUT I have been to Royal Tavern many times and I know they often make dishes spicy without putting it in the description, which by the way I will never understand but whatever. So I asked the waitress just to be sure and her exact words were "na, it's not really spicy, not at all". Now let me explain, I am not someone that is scared of spicy food but currently I have some acid reflux issues due to medicine I am taking so sadly I have to stay away from spicy food, temporarily thank God! The dish came out and not only was it spicy, EVERYTHING WAS SPICY. The Sausage - Spicy, Gravy (which is normally a white gravy) was so spicy it was a pink, Biscuits - Spicy (and not that good I might add). Even the hash browns on the side were dusted in Cyan Pepper. I took one bite to give it the "Old College Try" but I just couldn't do it. So I then waited 5/10 minutes for the waitress to finish doing her shoots with the Bartender and other waitress before I could send it back. I have nothing against waitresses and bartenders doing to occasional shot but Saturday morning Brunch, really??? The waitress offered to make me something else but my wife was already half way though her meal so I declined. Then it took a turn from crappy experience to I clearly do not care about my customer right now because the bill comes and the waitress charged me for the Biscuits and Gravy!!! After she clearly did not know the menu and I took one bite and sent it back she still charged me!!! Everything considered I would have given a 3 star for this meal since I love Royal Tavern but is this a sign that things are changing there? I can not mark my experience as "A-OK" if I had to pay for a meal I could not eat because the waitress doesn't know the menu. It won't be my last trip to Royal Tavern because above of all else they still have the BEST BURGER IN PHILLY. But I guess only time will tell if they are starting to slip on the food and service that gave them there "Loyal Following".
(2)
Aubrey E.
If reviewing the Royal Tavern by food only, I definitely would have given it 5 stars. However, we were extremely disappointed with the service. Our waiter was quite cold and it took forever for our food to come out. With that said, we would still definitely go back. The Tavern has some great beers on draft. The food was excellent! For our entrees, we split the burger and the wing sampler, with a side of baked beans. All three were very tasty. The sauces for the wings couldn't have been better and the burger was one of the best we've had. Even the baked beans were exceptional. We went a little early (around 6pm) on a Saturday and did not have to wait for a table, but by the time we left, it appeared to be very crowded. All in all, we will be back for sure (with the hopes that we get a different server).
(4)
Peter H.
A Hipster spot, with Hipster bartenders and Hipster servers, serving a Hipster beer list, and Hipster food, including Hipster asian influences such as banh mi, and Hipster vegan options. Love it. Made me feel cooler by association. Everything I've had here has been good, including the burger, curry lovash, cuban omelette, sloppy joe. But the cuban omelette was the biggest surprise. I'm big on brunch, and this one took the cake.
(4)
Meg A.
Have you ever gone to brunch knowing you really shouldn't as you know you cannot inhale all the carbs (French toast, pancakes, etc) without feeling and wearing it on your bum? Yeah. So have I. When that happens, I usually settle on a breakfast burrito. Settle. Meh. So, feeling a little doughy, I met my friend for brunch at Royal Tavern, deciding to settle on something. I read the description of the breakfast burrito and figured - meh, why not? I could not have been more wrong! This was, hands down, the best breakfast burrito I have ever had anywhere in my life! I can't even tell you why except that it was beautifully seasoned, and had varying textures and was a good size. You really felt like you were eating something. It was accompanied by vegan (!) refried beans and fresh housemade guacamole and pico de gallo. I tried to eat a little bit of each topping with each bite as it all harmonized so nicely on my pallet. A pineapple mimosa was unique and refreshing. The coffee was rich and full-bodied. I will definitely go back for brunch. __________________________________________________Â_______ My boyfriend and I went to Royal Tavern the day after for their burger. I had heard good things and am currently on the hunt for my favorite burger in Philly (If anyone has a recommendation of a place I should try, message me). Royal Tavern has a good burger. It is NOT my favorite but it was well cooked (I ordered it medium rare) Angus beef, and the gouda cheese was a nice touch. I would probably leave the long hots off next time. The roll was a little over-sweet for my liking, but held up well under the weight of the sandwich. I would order this burger again. It is solid. It is just not my current favorite.
(4)
Merribeth P.
WHY DIDN'T I EVER COME HERE BEFORE I've walked by Royal Tavern for years without ever entering its door. We came here for a late Saturday lunch. I had the grilled freakin cheese with three types of cheese- smoked gouda, sharp provolone, and goat cheese on a delicious buttery hearty bread. I asked to add tomato slice, and mayo to mine, cuz that is the way I like 'em. My dining partner had the vegan sloppy joe. They said it had a kick, but wasn't overpowering; however if you are really sensitive to spice, don't order it. As a side they had tater tots and I had fresh cut french fries (so much better than Devils Den, POPE) with malt vinegar mayo. OMG MALT VINEGAR! LOVE LOVE LOVE! We didn't drink, but their iced tea was good. The fountain cola was carbonated, but not sweet, almost like they needed to change the mix. All in all, it was decent priced, delicious food. The cola taste, eh, it can happen...we didn't say anything about it because it was still drinkable. The jukebox was totes awesome. Great selecton of music. The interior was older, but nicely done. The tall tops are in the front, short top table in back. While we didn't drink, they had a solid beer list, with some of my favs such as Sixpoint Sweet Action. Yum.
(5)
Greg M.
Philly is my favorite city and this is absolutely my new favorite haunt. We arrived at Chifa late one night and had a drink. One of the chefs was about and overheard that we were hungry. He recommended Royal Tavern for its late night kitchen and interesting pub fare. They have comforting classics with a twist. Fish and chips with a jalapeno mayo, vegan chili dog, and on and on. Supposedly the best burger in town, but I'm primarily a pescatarian. On top of that, friendly (but not too friendly to be interrupting your good time so much) and they have a fantastic jukebox. I absolutely LOVE this place!!!
(5)
Felicia D.
Royal Tavern is to East Passyunk as the Standard Tap is to Northern Liberties, but with better service. Architecturally, the dark-red room is a slacker but still somehow manages to be all things to all people. Herds of hipsters drown their hangovers in Royal's ur-Bloody on the weekends, while midweek days are quiet enough for deliciously productive lunch meetings. Of course, debauchery beckons with half-priced draft beers during the dangerously early happy hour (M-F, 4-6). You might have to wait for a table during prime dinner hours, when the neighborhood descends for a super-hearty meatloaf sandwich, seitan sloppy joe or always-intriguing blackboard special of the day. Vegan and vegetarian grub receive heavy play, from soups to desserts. No matter the hour, the kitchen still bangs out one of the bangin-est burgers in the city. Bacon, smoked gouda, sauteed onions, chili mayo and a super spicy long hot pepper make a messy heap on top of the beef bomb; the former squishy brioche roll has recently been supplanted by a heartier gluten. It remains sinfully enjoyable, even contrasted to this year's crop of cow contenders.
(5)
Bill P.
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Philly. The burgers are amazing. The best I've ever had. I love their fries with the mayo vinegar dipping sauce and a delicious La chouffe to wash it all down. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Its small so you can expect a wait during typical busy times but tables turn over fast.
(5)
Jessica B.
I would give it 5 stars if only it had a little bit more diversity on the menu. The food there is GREAT, the drink selection is GREAT! Nice atmosphere, although expect it to be somewhat small and a little bit loud for conversation (at least in the evenings). Still, not bad even for a date night.
(4)
Alex Z.
I liked this place. It has a warm, homey atmosphere, dark, and with lots of wood. Not too loud. I was here on a weeknight around dinner time and there were a lot of young parents with their kids with them; I like that sort of atmosphere. It feels like more of a wholesome, neighborhood bar than a trendy place or a place to get really drunk. They had a decent selection of very good beers on tap, which was a plus. The food was outstanding. Very high-quality, fresh, and fairly creative, especially for bar food.
(4)
Nikki R.
I am so disappointed with my experience here tonight. I was really looking forward to kicking back and enjoying some good beer with my friend after getting off of work, but boy was I wrong. We walked in at about 9:30 and thought the place was full, it was by no means packed. We grabbed 2 of the 4 remaining seats at the bar and proceeded to sit there for over 5 minutes without even being glanced at by the 3 people who were working. Mind you, they all had the opportunity to pour themselves waters, followed by shots, then take the shots together and quickly disperse, trying to make themselves look busy. One girl was tending to a couple of tables, but the other was on her phone and the guy working just looked around pretending not to see us. I dont know if you have to have a beard or hipster glasses to get service here, but I work in the industry and was completely turned off. My friend and I left. I dont care how great your food or beer selection is, the service was awful and I will not be back.
(1)
Jess R.
Holy cow, what a surprise! My brother the local invited me over, and I grudgingly followed him into what I was expecting to be mozzerrella sticks and beer. Much to my surprise, the place was the opposite of all of my expectations. The atmosphere was nice; pretty wide open, good lighting, and a "sit where you want" policy. The menu was incredible!!!!! Being a vegetarian, I was floored by how many options I had on it... I ended up going with a grilled cheese and black bean soup, my brother with the pan-fried gnocci, and my mom with the fish. Every single plate was nothing but mouth watering. Mom's fish came with grilled corn on the cob which was coated with some kind of cheese which made me want to pay her for it. The staff was incredibly nice and checked up on us at all the right times. This place is DEFINITELY one I'm going to return to time and time again when I come back to visit the family on the east coast! If I ever move to Philly like my little heart desires, this might become my hangout place. Love the Royal Tavern!!!
(5)
Stephen H.
In the world of Philly bar food lore, the Royal Tavern is a legend. My appetite for pub grub is also legendary, yet somehow the two have never crossed. If you asked me about "the royal" I would be able to say a few quick quips 'best burger in south Philly" and so on, but truth be told I have never been there. I remedied the situation. Having barely recovered from a nightmare south of Washington, I got back on the horse. I really enjoyed the experience. Pretty well reviewed, I will just offer a few simple musings. The bar was full, subsequently loud with conversation but outside you could not hear a peep. Combined with the fact that the bar blends in with the surrounding houses, a perfect blueprint for how a business can blend in to a neighborhood without disturbing the neighborhood vibe. Hear me SWCC? The place was pretty dark inside. When our food arrived, They turned the lights down lower. I really like to see what I'm eating, but apparently I am the minority on this point. The beer list was on par with the other micro brew taverns in Philly. My meatloaf sand which with bacon marmalade was delicious. The fish and chips are gigantic and my friends enjoyed them. Gnocchi appetizer is a must. The Royal tavern stands shoulder to shoulder with many of my favorite bars. I will be back to try the burger.
(4)
Jessica E.
Royal Tavern was a good option for Sunday brunch. It was crowded, but most people seemed to be seated within 15-20 minutes. (We lucked out and walked in just before the rush.) I ordered the tempeh club, which was delicious and accompanied by very tasty fries. They had an intriguing looking menu and a great bloody mary for only $5. I would definitely like to return and try to vegan sloppy Joe and the bacon bloody mary. (Obviously I am no vegan, but intrigued by sloppy joe nonetheless...) Service was pretty slow, hence the 3 stars. I must have caught them on an off day though since many of the other reviews rave about the service. There are a lot of positive things going on here though, so I would definitely like to return.
(3)
Lauren F.
One of my absolute favorite places to eat/drink in the city. The staff is almost always very warm and friendly. Burgers rule. Beer selection rules, and they always keep the menu exciting with new specials. Brunch is just as good as dinner, and if you go on random days it will be less crowded than say a Sunday. They always manage to seat you pretty fast considering how packed it gets.
(5)
Emily K.
I thought that I loved Royal Tavern. But our relationship has been steadily declining. On the first go, I was taken by the interior - dark and warm a la an old ship at night. The mussels and Tempeh BLT made my night complete (although the BLT was so salty I think I went into a coma). Our server was awesome. Beer list, pretty darn okay. I was determined to make it back ASAP. Second time around, service was pretty good. Wings, lip-smacking excellent. Vegan Sloppy Joe (don't hate me now) was not that good. Not that good at all. I do not recommend it. Third time around, tried for SPTR, but kitchen was closed. So trekked up to Royal. Service - I'll stick with the adjective "awesome." The root vegetable soup - I'll go with "freaking delicious." BUT. But. We got two entrees on special that made me really sad. The Chorizo Burger was dry, overcooked, and tasted like a mediocre hamburger. Like the Royal Burger, the bun to burger ratio was way off - the patty looked a little like the last cheerio floating in a bowl of milk. The Waldorf Salad was under-portioned and lacking in accoutrement. The "gorgonzola" was flavorless, and the walnut halves were more walnut sixteenths. Also, I understand that endive is a luxury lettuce, but I would appreciate if it were bulked up by some other green because when I order a $9 salad, I'm probably actually hungry. Anyway. I'm not sure what or how to feel anymore. We'll see if I end up back there. But it's going to take a while for the memory of being absolutely starving and handed a tiny lump of endive and grape halves to fade.
(2)
Lilli C.
Oh, how I love the Royal Tavern and wish this were my neighborhood bar. The crowd is non-douchy/annoying, the waitsfaff is friendly, they have great beers on tap, and the food is delicious. Some standouts: the mango habenero wings...to die for...the burger with bacon and smoked gouda is amazing (the only downfall: it's a bit heavy and there's no lettuce/tomato, but they will graciously give it to you if you ask for it). There is also a great vegetarian selection as well: vegan sloppy joe, tempeh club, nachos w/ fake meat, and the hummus platter are all amazing.
(5)
Gul A.
Never disappoints! This place is our neighborhood bar/restaurant and when we're in the mood for a low-key dinner and drinks theme night, this is the place to go. You might have to wait a bit for a table at rush-hour but it's worth it, the staff is always great, the food is amazing and it's a low-key bar scene with great people and a nice atmosphere. The food is really good and they have a full bar. Their menu has vegetarian and vegan options which is unique for a bar-style restaurant and everything is always really good! Highly recommend the sweet potato sandwich, the burger and the wings... they have daily specials worth checking out to. The
(4)
Catherine C.
I love Royal Tavern. I seriously have dreams about their fries and malt vinegar mayo. I've never eaten anything there that wasn't delicious. My favorite dishes are the burger and the grilled cheese, or for brunch, the tater tot scramble. Glorious. The ambiance is great with dark wood, strings of multi-colored lights, and a truly superb jukebox. Most of the time the staff are really friendly, but the service is often quite slow. I've had a couple isolated incidents of being treated rudely, but these were exceptions to the rule. It gets crowded and loud, so get your table early. Actually, just don't go, because then there will be a table for me.
(4)
Jorge G.
I remember coming in here on or about the time when it first opened and when people had their doubts about what it was trying to do. It seemed very experimental at the time when you considered the exotic beers and creative menu it offered; all set in what appeared to be just another down-at-heels, dusty, dive-bar type of space (which it played up). But it did NOT fail; it did not succumb to schizophrenia. If it was not the first gastro-pub in town then it certainly became one of the most emulated and notorious. Dark, splintery wood; red bordello paint scheme; and old-school 'flip-disc' classic-rock jukebox; scruffy, stringy-muscled patrons and staff all with tattoos and piercings and five-o'clock shadow; (the guys too). But as I say, the place has succeeded wildly and is on just about everyone' s radar nowadays. Me: I frequently used to stumble in here for brunch after a hard night of South Philly drinking. Service was angelic, even at that early-morning hour. Fabulous brunch offerings (eggs benedict usually my pick; with a LARGE bloody mary). Other years I missed brunch entirely but became obsessed with the quality of one of their sandwiches which for years shone like a beacon to me from their menu: their BLT sandwich. This is my favorite 'sammich' in the world, and even now I have found it prepared best right here at the Royal and nowhere else. Hear that? Nowhere else in western civilization, is this sandwich done any better. I used to travel 100 miles just to get here on a friday night after work and sample this sublime, supreme assemblage of flavors [applewood -smoked bacon, triple-decked with fresh Jersey tomatoes, garlic mayo, and a stack of crisp green lettuce]. Whoever the chef was, he just KNEW how to make this thing perfectly. It used to send me into a daze. Bite after bite, my eyes would be rolling back into my head and eyelids fluttering like receiving a BJ. It was that good. I begged them to keep it on their menu but for some reason, it vanished. And then still later--as Royal became a mature fixture of the neighborhood--I discovered that some autumns they will have chestnut soup available. Do you know how rare this soup is to find? I'd throw an old lady under a bus for this soup. Its my #1 favorite soup ever. At the Royal, it arrives at your table faintly tawny/taupe in color, shimmering and luminous in appearance; and very smooth and velvety, thick; rich to the palate. Its prepared with nutmeg and a touch of cinnamon; highly pureed; and with a large dollop of sour cream atop. The flavor is indescribable. Penetrating. Woodsy. Alternately sweet and salty. It changes flavor as it passes over your tongue. No one mouthful is quite the same as any other. Unforgettable. So think of it: just this one restaurant had both my fave soup and my fave sandwich. In just one place. That's the kind of surprises you get here. Whatever you come in here for, you leave satisfied and content and belly purring with sudsy dark porter swirling around within you as you exit. David Bowie's 'Heroes' tingling in your eardrums. You may even leave with some phone numbers. Just a great, great, bar! .
(5)
Joey P.
Definitely a fan of the Royal. I live down the street and always appreciate going there with a friend to show where this neighborhood is headed and some of the good things my generation is doing in the city. I missed the Abbey Ale! They need to bring it back, it was so delicious and paired well with the chicken sandwich on the menu. I went there with a vegan friend who got some kind of vegan dish. I don't really pay attention but he seemed to like it. My only beef is not having Abbey Ale and being way too busy. I've stopped by 10 times and have only been able to stay 4...just too busy! It makes sense, though. Keep on keepin' on, Royal.
(4)
Pat A.
AMAZING burger. I'd hold the long hot though, it's very spicy. Good fries. Good beer selection. The meatloaf sandwich - very good w/ a fried egg Ambiance is nice, although you might see a good number of hipsters HIGHLY recommended
(5)
Anna Q.
My favorite neighborhood spot with great drafts, awesome brunch, and tasty vegan and vegetarian options for brunch and dinner.
(5)
Beck G.
This place is hands down the place I love to take out of towners when they are visiting. The food and beer are reliably and consistently amazing! I love the burger and meatloaf sandwich and the vegan sloppy joe. Their special are always phenomenal but I wish they'd list the sides on the board (we just ask our server). I love the homemade mayo on the fries. Although it can get crowded, It's totally worth it and seriously awesome. We tend to go on less busy nights when possible (Mon-Thurs right around 5 or 6 seems to be a sweet spot in their level of busyness). I love this place.
(5)
damien t.
This place needs to Timberlake and bring that Octopus Salad back, goddammit. The taps have been a little whack lately too. Last time I found some Fegley's Elf stuff although it was buried in a weird place on the chalkboard. Still one of my favorite spots to pub in Philly
(4)
Rob F.
I've been here a few times and I have to say every experience has improved. I started with the much hyped royal burger and couldn't handle the pickled jalapeno which in my opinion took away from all of the other ingredients (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda,pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun) between the bun. Then I tried the meatloaf sandwich which didn't quite satisfy my tastebuds for the night (bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini mushroom ketchup on ciabatta). It wasn't until last night that I found exactly what will make me go back a 4th, 5th, and 6th time. Simple items, nachos and grilled cheese. Done to perfection. The nachos (corn chips, mozzarella and jack cheeses, pico de gallo,lettuce, jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole) started us off split three ways. I'm pretty sure I was trying to eat faster then my friends in order to get more then my fair share of guac. I probably could have ended there but alas I muscled through when the waiter brought out my meal. The grilled cheese (smoked gouda, sharp provolone and goat cheese on rustic french bread) was delicious and I will certainly mozy my way over to order this during happy hour one day after work when I come home to an empty fridge. Royal Tavern, it may have taken a few times but we're going to be good friends from here on out.
(3)
Wedge W.
I actually don't know anyone who has eaten here and does not like the Royal Tavern. The food is delicious and the portions are generous. I like to try the specials because I know that whatever I get will be amazing and different, and there are usually at least 5 each day to choose from. The staff is friendly and really seem to enjoy working there. Cozy restaurant with a very intimate feel. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
(5)
Mindy K.
finally finally FINALLY! i got to check out royal tavern. we had ventured here because of the awesome beer selection, but were just as amazed at the food - especially because the menu offers such a variety of options - whether your vegetarian, carnivore, picky-eater, large-portion desiring glutton, there is something for everyone here. we ended up dining for BRUNCH, but enjoyed it so much that we went back for dinner. THAT EVENING. You may think we're sad, but I'd say we're geniuses. WHAT WE DRANK *bloody mary & mimosa hell yes, we brunched it up properly. EXCELLENT! They use siracha in their bloody marys instead of tabasco, and it results in a thicker tomato-y, spicy beverage. The mimosas were also heavenly, with just a splash of orange juice with a healthy pour of champagne. It looks super cool with pulp-y OJ just floating around in the carbonated bubbles. *Angus Burger: bacon + caramelized onions + smoked gouda + pickled longhots + chile mayonnaise + seeded brioche bun this burger is always a frontrunner when the question of who makes the best burger in Philly is debated. I was a bit worried that it wouldn't live up to the hype (because hell yeah there is a lot of it), but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it totally does! The burger meat was perfectly seasoned! I really dislike when places don't use enough salt, or use too MUCH salt, for that matter (I'm looking at YOU, PYT), but this burger was fantastic. Even more exciting, is the bacon was ever so present (that's because my burger pet peeves are as follows: bland meat, minimal bacon presence, mushy bread), which is something I'm always happy to find. The pickled longshots provided a nice kick without being overwhelming and the large, thick slice of smoked gouda really held up within the mix of those flavors. YUM. I don't know that either of us loved the bun, but we didn't hate it. So I mention our ambivalence for that component - you know... just to be fair and pretend we're objective or something. *cuban omelet Cuban sandwich, omelet-style! This dish came out of nowhere and we foudn it to be AWESOME. We folded in pieces of the omelet into the tortillas and stuffed with the veggies and potatoes to make little wraps. Added a bit of siracha and BAM, deliciousness. *Beef Sloppy Joe The vegan sloppy joe was the sandwich I had really wanted to try, but this past weekend, the beef sloppy joe was one of the specials. At the behest of our adorable bartender, I went with the beef version. It was definitely excellent - tart, tangy, spicy and tender. I think the bun they used was the same as the burger, so again, I was ambivalent about that part, but the meat was great. Brought me back to the olden days of high school cafeteria dining - but properly gourmet'ed up, of course. * ah, nostalgia * OH yeah, and there was cheese! C'mon. CHEESE! I do need to note that the hand-cut fries at Royal Tavern are freaking unbelievable. Crispy, flavorful and addicting. It took everything in me to not gobble up this entire plate of them. *Chicken Frankie: indian curry chicken + indian slaw + warm lovash + hand-cut fries Our very interesting bartender told us that they make a huuuuuuuuuuge pan of curry chicken and just let it simmer (simma simma) for super long periods of time. He also said, if you pay attention, you can taste the TLC in each bite. Yes, we tasted it... YUM. Frankly, this frankie (HAHA, sorry, had to), is delicious, but if I had to choose where to eat a curry meat in a wrap, I think I'd prefer the japanese style beef curry burrito at Maru Global, but at least we have OPTIONS!
(4)
Chris O.
I'm not an early riser. We went for brunch. I guess to start, the best compliment I can give is that Royal Tavern is worth waking up for. First, the Bloody Mary. I only sampled a friend's and absolutely regret not getting one for myself. great tomato flavor and a hell of a kick to it. Absolutely delicious. Now for the food. Orders at the table were the Strawberry Crumb Pancakes, An omelet with potatoes and toast, a Merguez Sausage plate, and my tater tot scramble. The omelet looked like an omelet. A nicely made omelet, but nothing special in and of itself. The pancakes looked great, a good amount of strawberries, and plenty of the crumb topping. the bite I had was quite delicious. The star was the Merguez sausage plate. I totally had order envy for a food I don't particularly care for. it may have been the best looking plate of food I've seen in some time. The sausage came over a tomato type sauce, with 2 beautiful eggs sunny side up, and a hash that had some peppers,probably poblano, in it. In hindsight I feel as if I'm a failure for not taking several food porn pics of it. judging from my friends reaction it was as delicious as it looked. Now for mine, the Tater Tot Scramble. Compared to the sausage plate, this looked...bland. It was exactly what it said it was, scrambled eggs with tater tots, a pinkish sauce on top, and some toast. It was fine, but compared to the other plates, it was not nearly as drool inducing. Some parsley or a tomato or something would have made the plate far more appealing. Then I took a bite. Perfect eggs and the tater tot crunch. It didn't matter what it looked like, this was delicious. A few bites in, I hit the center which is where the jack cheese and onions were hiding and reached another level of taste bud satisfaction. The chipotle crema added a creaminess, but I didn't taste too much of the chipotle. I wound up adding some Sriracha that they were kind enough to leave on the table because I like heat and really, why wouldn't you? Our server, who's name I forget sadly, was awesome. She clearly knew the menu well and helped two of my friends down the path to meals they enjoyed greatly. She was quite attentive, but not annoying, throughout the meal. She was clutch in having our drinks refilled before we knew we needed it. Will definitely be back next time I'm in town.
(5)
Lauren T.
One of my absolute favorite bars. I've never had a less than amazing experience at the Royal. Beer list- perfect, always dark ales & stouts on tap. Burgers- the standard menu burger is juicy and wonderful, with bacon and long hots. A lot of times they offer special burgers (goat, kobe, etc.) which are great too. Truffle popcorn?! yes! The vinegar mayo dipping sauce for the fries is off the chain. I could drink it. The jukebox is great and the service is always sweet as pie! I really cannot gush enough about the Royal Tavern.
(5)
Alex M.
GREAT burger, good selection of beers knowledgeable staff, and a wide diversity of clientele (hipsters, college kids, old folk). Went their specifically for the burger and left satisfied, great fries too. Bit crowded on a Sunday at 6pm but still got a seat at the bar which was dark, but not too dark. Would definitely go back to try the rest of the menu.
(4)
jenny v.
For your french fries and nachos, Queen Buttermilk Pancakes and King Sloppy Joe, I crown thee, Royal Tavern, a five-star rating. Your food is delicious, your drinks are a-plenty, and all are unhindered by the constraints of time; I want all of it, morning, noon, and knight. Vegetarian-lovely and crawling with cute and friendly wait staff! It's been really cold in the throne, but I'd change my guards at home before missing the royal visit.
(5)
Rebecca P.
I love this place and I eat here often. When I first started eating here I would dream about their fries and mayo and drag all of my friends here so I could consume them. Luckily my girlfriend was into the nachos (and now they have a 1/2 order! Yay!), so it has worked out for me. I also love the Wakame salad. It's healthy, fresh, and includes seaweed salad! Their grilled cheese is awesome, add a tomato, but per square inch it's probably one of the most caloric things you can consume. Also the wings are delicious and of course the burger is awesome! I do think their dinner food is better than their breakfast though. But if you get breakfast get the huevos rancheros. The tater tot scramble was actually kind of small and included too few tater tots! One thing I haven't liked was the grape leaves. Small, soggy, icky. I usually stick to the regular menu but I have ordered the fish tacos were kind of tasteless and I would not recommend them. Otherwise you can't go wrong with the RT! In terms of beverages, I am almost always into their draft selection, even though the list is smaller than many. I can almost always find something I'm excited to order. Oh and their bloody mary is reasonably priced and delicious.
(5)
erika t.
Freddie and i totally dig this place. If we go local-it's royal tavern. I highly suggest the grilled cheese sandwich! The bartender was great and had me sample a few beers that were close to the type of beers i like. We'd rather sit at the bar here than be seated at a table. Good stuff!
(4)
Kass H.
I love this place. Great food, good beer, not too hipster. Everyone is cool and relaxed. And the service is great. THANKS, Brian!
(4)
Kathleen T.
basically, the royal is a good time. they've definitely had their ups & downs as far as cooking staff goes, but--when they're good?? they're freaking awesome. too bad that when they're bad, they're bellyache inducing. the prices are higher than i wanna pay for brunch food of the royal ilk nowadays, but that's my issue, so i can't fault them.
(3)
Vicki H.
I really love the Royal Tavern, and so has everyone I've ever brought here-- out of towners, my dad, you name em, they've loved it. I really like the revolving beer list; it keeps things nice and fresh and seasonal (i wish the same could be said for their menu-- it could use a revamp every once in a while, not saying that the stuff isn't good, but a few new dishes to shake things up would be nice). For dinner, the burger is really amazing, but my favorite is the chicken sandwish with pear and gorgonzola-- it is the most amazing thing in the universe. On the lighter side, the mezze plate leaves nothing to be desired. Less favorite items: the sweet potato banh mi was a little too dry and the chicken frankie was super greasy and messy. Brunch here is also divine-- some of the best bloody maries in town (tried the bacon one, but it kind of freaked me out), I love that they put a ton of horseradish in there. Sometimes it's a little awkward getting a table...you walk in and stand there and kind of feel like you're in the way until someone notices you. So, I feel like I've written a lot of pros AND cons, but the bottom line is-- the place is close to me, the food is, on the whole, AMAZING, good beer list, good seasonal cocktails, won't break the bank-- yup, I dig the Royal.
(4)
s l.
Me and Royal Tavern are going to be BFFs 4EvR! Having more than one vegetarian thing on the menu really tests my decision making skills and everything looked so good. I got the tempeh club (like a BLT for vegans, akin to Mugshot's awesome vegan BLT). Anyway it was so good I almost didn't want to eat it. You know when you're reading a really great book and you keep saving the last few pages b/c you don't want it to end? It was like that. Also got the grilled stuffed grape leaves - wow, I never ate them warm before and now I wonder why. The gentleman had the burger and he did say it was one of his all time favorites. Hi, La Chouffe, I love you! Duvel? Yes. Too many great beers to remember or name. And everyone in there is nice. Oh Royal, Ima eat every veggie thing on your menu some day.
(5)
Benjamin B.
Enjoy the sandwiches and soups, the brunch is also pretty awesome, the tofu scramble is great as are the tator tots. Atmosphere is tolerable so long as a bunch of boners aren't playing their shitty favorites on the jukebox.
(5)
Jay O.
I love the Royal. I always will. Things have gone downhill though. Two years ago, I'd give it five stars without hesitation, but today I'm struggling to hit 4. Their beer list has gone to shit. A while ago, it was constantly turning and usually offered a few really nice beers. These days, it stays the same for too long and always features a "Philadelphia Brewing Company" beer. I love my city, but I wish PBC could make a beer like Yard's, Victory, or Sly Fox. Anyway, the selection is still okay, and of the 7 or 8, I usually like at least three. The spirits are pretty overpriced, but the Bloody Mary is freakin' amazing, even if Casey is no longer there to make it. The food has stayed the same: excellent. The burger is unrivaled, perhaps the best in Philly, and the malt vinegar mayo is crazy good. The meatloaf sandwich is also a favorite, and the Banh Mi is great. The specials are usually amazing, which is too bad because they can take a while to come back. The service is generally very good, and excellent, if you get Brian (ask for him, he's a good man).
(4)
Daniel B.
Ye Old Stomping Grounds...congrats on the #1 burger in PA from FoodTV, you've earned it. Still crave the duck-club every day.
(4)
Brayne W.
I really love the brunch here - we take out-of-town guests. Honestly, I never got the fascination with some of the other brunch places around, because this place has much better atmosphere and the food is awesome. Duck sandwich was really good, great beers + burgers, and the owner is a stickler for spelling! Waitstaff are friendly and helpful. The place just gives off a really good vibe.
(5)
Bill G.
My girlfriend used to live across the street and I spent plenty of nights and mornings here. The atmosphere is dark,night or day, but really comfortable. Their breakfast can be amazing-- we used to set our alarms so that we could get in for eggs before they stopped serving it. The beer selection is great and the bartenders were always attentive and interesting. My only warning is that this place can get super crowded and loud on weekend nights..but if you can get a stool at the table, big suggestion.
(4)
laura k.
Good meals at all hours. I'm especially fond of Royal Brunch. I've not had to wait more than half an hour for a table yet, even when it is super packed for brunch, later in the evening can be a bit insane however. I've tried a number of different things off the menu, but I fell in love with the grilled sweet potato bahn mi with a fruit salad side, which completely rocks my world, repeatedly. I know their fries are deadly good, which is why I was forced to switch to fruit, which is always super fresh and a great mix (they win me with good berries!). The coffee is very good and kept full. They always have tempting new additions to the changing menu, yummy cocktails and a fantastic vegetarian/vegan selection. Service is usually pretty good, not outstanding. Good juke box but it does get overwhelmingly loud at night, but they generally keep the music in check pre-dinner hours. They do the grastropub thing right and at a very decent price. They will keep me coming back so long as they keep it up!
(4)
M R.
The food's decent, if uneven, and the beer selection is pretty good. I usually get the burger. The room is way, way too noisy. But I keep coming back: the staff is cool, I enjoy watching the hipsters, and since I live in the neighborhood I often run into friends. I've enjoyed a couple very pleasant New Year's Day brunches. For a neighborhood pub, it's very good.
(4)
Garrett W.
Like just about everyone else who posted, I agree that the burger here is top notch. And the rest of the food I've tried here is great too. The only thing I would change is to expand the beer selection. Otherwise, I'm thrilled to live a couple of blocks away from the Royal.
(5)
Tom A.
This was my first favorite bar when I moved to this neighborhood from port richmond 5 years ago. When the Dive was Low and there was no POPE. It was all I could ask for in a bar. Good Beer and Good Food. Way back when the duck club had a good amount of duck on it and was only 9 bucks. Ah 2003. Beer was always nice, always had my faves. Now its the same. Good beers and good food. Last nights meatlof sandwich was deeeeelicious. As a matter of fact, Royal, you and everyone else has been doing the flavored mayo with fries routine for at least 5 years. Give me that Smoked Ketchup with my fries!!! that was some delicious ketchup. Switch over now. Actually next time I go I will just ask for it. It's better and no one is doing ketchup. Get the upper hand. This place is packed early and nearly empty by 12, it's mainly a dinner vibe, which is fine the food is great, but then you practically get the place to yourself for a lil bit. Prices are the highest of my local joints, but sometimes, and it's rare, that I don't wanna POPE it up, this is choice two. Only sad not... earlier this fall my coat was stolen from the back table by the bathrooms. never got it back. anyone know where it is?
(4)
lisa t.
Oh how it pains me to give my once fav neighborhood bar 3 stars. I am still mourning their legendary duck club and may not ever forgive them. The beer selection is solid and their fries are always delicious. I have since moved on to their burger but seriously, how many times can you eat their delicious burger without suffering from a heart attack? Their mussels are consistently yummy. The jukebox always has a great selection.
(3)
Andrea F.
I've been looking forward to the Royal Tavern burger for like 6 years now, anticipating that it would taste eons better than my favorites in the city (Good Dog, Rembrandt's, etc.). Much to my dismay, it didn't live up to the hype everyone gave it. But it was still a GOOD burger and the bar itself was nice, so I'd definitely come back and try something else off their extensive and creative menu. For me, it was so messy (which is fine), but the bun was kinda blah and flimsy (which isn't fine) and couldn't hold up to the juicy burger and its toppings. A friend ordered some chicken thing which looked okay and then my other friend ordered the fish and chips, which looked like it could serve like 5 people when it came out it was so gigantic. Needless to say, I tried it and it was also underwhelming- the batter had no flavor (St. Stephen's Green is far superior). The nachos were surprisingly tasty with a smoky flavor in the cheese. The drink list was good. The place was too dark, even for a "dive" bar (I put dive in quotes cause when you're serving up gourmet food at those prices in that area, it's not really dive anymore). Overall, I would still go back and try other stuff on the menu.
(3)
Larissa G.
I am amazed that this place flew under my radar for so long, but I'm not in south Philly that often. I stopped by today for a late lunch (errr it was 4pm and my roommates and I were all starving because we hadn't eaten all day and didn't want the fake food at Ikea) today. The place was much more crowded than I thought it would be for that hour and the interior is dark with a beautiful, huge, dark wood bar. We didn't get drinks because we have been on spring break this week and none of us thought we could handle any more alcohol at the moment... I liked the place instantly because I wanted to be friends with most the people working there. Our server reminded me a lot of a friend who had moved away and the other servers seemed really cool too (ahem- we all liked the "cats in outer space" leggings). I split the vegan beef nachos and the tempeh club with my boyfriend, per Kathleen V's suggestion. I really wanted the chipotle seitan taco special, but they were out :( Both dishes were good. Not awesome, but good. The nachos were piled high with plenty of toppings, but I should have ordered the small. My only complaint was that the vegan beef honestly added no flavor at all. The texture was good, but maybe not worth the extra $4? Next time, I will get a sans-meat nacho plate. The grilled tempeh club was very visually appealing and the bread was good. The basil aioli is by far the best part of the sandwich. The vegan bacon got a little lost in the mix and the tempeh tasted like it was made and packaged elsewhere. Overall, for all the components involved, this sandwich lacked flavor. The service was great and I liked the atmosphere. This is another Philly gastropub that's definitely worth frequenting, and this one actually gives you a physical menu instead of having to read it off the chalkboard on the wall! The food itself was 3-stars, but I'm giving it 4 because this place has the best vegetarian/vegan options of anywhere I have been in awhile. I'll be back... probably pretty soon.
(4)
Lindsay V.
A-OK describes this place pretty well. M and I came here for dinner on a Friday night and were seated promptly. The beer list was decent, but none of the food really grabbed me too much. I ordered an entree size of the gnocchi (with tomatoes, pine nuts, spinach, and some strange brown gravy deal). It was pretty tasty, but it got boring after a little while. M got the burger and said it was good. He also got the wings sampler and I got to taste the buffalo wings and BBQ wings -- both were pretty solid. The guy that waited on us clearly didn't care about waiting on us, but I didn't really expect too much.
(3)
Michelle C.
I have always liked Royal, but found it generally unremarkable. And then I had the burger. I like burgers, but I don't love them, and I generally am loathe to pay more than $10 for one (or any sandwich) but nothing else on the menu last night was catching my eye, and apparently it was "National Cheeseburger Day," so I acquiesced. What have I been missing? The most glorious mix of ingredients partied upon my tastebuds as I stuffed my face. The patty? Perfectly sized and cooked...and all those delectable ingredients stayed ensconced between the two buns! Sorcery! And that perfectly crispy bacon. I regret nothing. As a bonus, Royal, like all its sister bar/restaurants has lots of vegetarian options to keep my lover happy. He enjoyed the tempeh club. Subtract 1 star for a tap list I wish was longer and lighting so dim I nearly need a flashlight to read the menu. I think I can die happy now.
(4)
Jamie R.
Home of the 2015 Best Vegan Cheesesteak (which my non-veg friends couldn't tell from the real thing) and other plant-based dishes. It's great to be able to walk into a pub with your friends and know there is something lovingly cooked for you, that you won't have to watch everyone else eat. Super-friendly staff and a fantastic chef.
(5)
Kendel S.
This is THE best dive bar in Philly. The food is always on point and the people are friendly. Don't bother going on a Friday/Saturday night though because you'll be waiting forever.
(4)
Patricia B.
I wish I could give Royal 10 stars!! It's a fav spot of mine. I don't get down to the neighborhood enough, but when I do, I make sure to visit Royal Tavern. Their vegan entree options are so refreshing...not to mention delicious! I highly recommend the Tempeh Club and the Vegan Sloppy Joe--they're equally out of this world. The portions are sizable, so share with a buddy, if you're not starving. I visited Royal for my birthday about a month ago. They were able to accommodate a group of 12 for dinner within about an hour at 7 pm on a Saturday night--and did so graciously! Our server, whose name I think was Stephen, was THE BEST. He was just the right amount of attentive and super helpful with anything our big group needed. He didn't make us feel like we were a burden, as I think sometimes is the case with big groups. Thank you, Royal Tavern, for being you. See you soon!
(5)
Beef M.
Wow, great brunch! I got croque madame eggs bennedict, hot damn it was good. Good potatoes too, very well seasoned. I do think the meal was heavy, and I would not eat here everyday for that reason, but as a special treat, which it was, this place takes the cake. My friend got the burger and loved it, I think everyone I was with loved what they got. Great service and a great vibe to the place. It's dark and spooky, but also kind of basic in decor (unlike the wacky decor of north 3rd, which I love). Would be good for a date (though not quiet), taking out the parents, or just getting some beer with a glutenous meal (also GREAT beer selection). I'm sure some of the food there might be healthy, maybe, but if I really want to eat healthy, I'll probably be eating at home.
(5)
Steve B.
The hype is warranted; this place was highly recommended by my friends and it didn't disappoint. Stopped in for a late lunch over the weekend and enjoyed one of the best burgers I've ever had. The smoked gouda, pickled longhots, and chile mayo all came together to complement, but not overpower, the perfectly-cooked, medium-rare glory of the angus beef. I also enjoyed a side of old bay fries which were highly addicting, and tried my friend's stuffed grape leaf, also very tasty. Great craft beers on tap; a really friendly (but not overbearing) wait staff; decent prices; just an all-around awesome experience. As others have mentioned they have vegan/vegetarian options that are just as amazing. If I was in Philly more often, this would be a routine stop. Whenever I do get back down there, I'll be sure to pay a visit. Other bars take heed, this is how it should be done.
(5)
Larry M.
I have been here a handful of times mostly for brunch usually with lager group of friends. The service has always been good. Although a friend of mine had a very bad experience once. I wasn't there for it but the manager took care of the situation and all was well in the end. They have an ample beer selection and the food is good. My favorite is their burgers.
(4)
Matt B.
They told us we would wait 30 minutes until we could sit down to eat but they really made us wait 60 minutes!!! The food was good though.
(3)
Edwardius W.
I absolutely love the Angus burger w/ bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled longed hots and chile mayo! Paired with a side of tater tots because that's how I roll here. I wash it down with a icy cold draft of Miller Lite draft because I'm not classy.
(5)
Laur A.
This is our "go to" spot in my neighborhood. Food is great, the staff is cool, the music is pretty good, And the Bacon Bloody Mary is the best Bloody Mary I've ever had...and I've tried lots. Hands down the best.
(4)
Sonia C.
Came here on a busy Sunday night with my sister-in-law's entire family (including the 2 children). When I first walked in, I was sure they were going to kick us out because of the kids (the tavern, as the namesake implies, is mostly a bar), but it turns out that there are a few tables at the back of the place for minor diners. It is a place not conducive to conversation and I found myself needing to use my outdoor voice just to be heard! My brother-in-law started us off with some appetizers. The truffle butter popcorn was pretty good, hot with no burnt parts, but I could feel the butter bursting from the kernels under my teeth. Maybe they could be a little less aggressive with the butter and a bit more heavy-handed with the Parmesan (good on popcorn). The fried calamari was average, nothing to rave or complain about. We were still full from dim sum earlier in the day, so my husband and I opted to split a burger with steak fries. I loved how they allowed diners to substitute any side for another (except the mac and cheese). The burger was pretty great, a plump juicy medium rare with smoky bacon and grilled onions, served atop a soft brioche bun. The steak fries were good, but if it were up to me, I would have chosen tater tots as my side (mostly because I lurve tots). My nieces got them and I spent the whole dinner surreptitiously mooching off their shared plate. Service was pleasant - despite being busy, our server managed to always keep our soda glasses full and brought us anything we asked with a smile. I'd come here again.
(4)
Cameron P.
This place is great. The food lives up to the hype. Burger, meatloaf sandwich, fish and chips, Indian chicken sandwich are all amazing. The have great specials for brunch and dinner. I seriously doubt you could get a bad dish here bar is small and tables are hard to come by. Well worth the wait.
(5)
A X.
Based on my first and only time eating here I think it's 5 stars, but I feel uncertain and not experienced enough, so I will have to re-confirm the 5 star status that I hope remains. I will have to go back a couple more times before I can really say for sure. Had the Mezze. It was great. Good for couples to share. Definitely worth occasional visits and trying every vegan option. The atmosphere is really good and makes it all worth it. It has very dim lighting, which is perfect with the dark wooden interior. Good selection of vegan and vegetarian options. Nice service. I definitely recommend this place to anyone vegan or vegetarian.
(5)
Alyssa N.
I've lived in Philly for years and never knew about this place! What a great find. My friend and I got the grilled sweet potato banh mi and the meatloaf sandwich. The banh mi was on the perfect crusty bread and had a generous amount of shredded daikon radish, carrot and cilantro on top. I neeeever eat meatloaf but their version may have converted me with the addition of gruyere, bacon marmalade and smoked ketchup. The draft list didn't disappoint either. Next time I'm in town, we'll definitely be going back!
(4)
Leo I.
Nothing to complain about other than I wish I got a chance to try their korean fried chicken wings! It was a special on the board and I wasn't aware of it until after I placed my order for their delicious burger.
(4)
Sara N.
Dining at the Royal Tavern is slightly above munching on bar food but far from impressing a dinner date (e.g., dark cluttered bar, overwhelming ceiling fans, History Channel on the television?). The menu boasts some rich comfort foods, such as tater tots dressed up as nachos, but don't expect a gastronomic experience. The bland grilled sweet potato "banh mi" is a Westernized bastardization of the Vietnamese original. The service was pleasant and very accommodating, but it was still a disappointing meal (e.g., overcooked burgers, greasy sandwiches, cardboard salads). Overall, there are much more misses than hits at this gastropub.
(2)
Joe W.
My experience with Royal fully embodies the text prompt for two stars - "Meh. I've experienced better." I know this place is über popular, as the majority of reviews here will show, but I have never had anything close to a mind-blowing experience at Royal, and do not intend to go back by design based on my most recent encounter. First, the good. What everyone has to say about the food is spot-on. The wings are unreal good, and the burger definitely lives up to reputation. And that's where it all stops. Part of me wonders if it is, indeed, that very reputation getting to the head of the establishment and its staff that contributed to my sub-par experience... The service we received was nothing short of pathetic. A friend arrived a bit ahead of our group to grab seats by the bar so we could watch game 7 of the World Series. She ordered a drink but definitely felt like she was given a bit of an attitude for "holding" the table. I am always turned off by places that feel they're too good to let someone stake real estate (especially in a case like this, where we were only going out to watch the game, and Royal only has one t.v.). Strike 1. When I arrived, I sat for 15 minutes before the server came over to take a drink order. It was another 15 minutes before he came back to take our food order, and it was another 30 minutes before we saw him again after that. A runner brought out our wings and just left us there with the plate - no place settings, no small plates, nothing. We ended up having to be "that annoying table" and ask for a bunch of stuff that is pretty standard to have brought to your table without request. Strike 2 (3? 4?) As the game was winding down, our server came over twice and kind of awkwardly asked us if we wanted any more drinks (it's worth noting that all of our interactions were a bit awkward). After we all indicated that we weren't sure/might have another drink in a bit/etc., he stated in an annoyed tone that he was leaving and would have to give us our check. Now, I've been in this situation many, many times before - a server's shift is over, wants to close out, and will hand you off to the bartender or whoever's around - but will typically do so in an inviting and courteous manner. Not the case this night at Royal. Strike 3. A word of advice: If you're going to be cranky about holding a table, don't disappear and miss opportunities to add drinks to the bill, and definitely don't make like you're trying to skip town at the end of the night, when you again are passing on opportunities for sales. Again, the food was on par, but the service was terrible (something I've heard from folks who have frequented Royal more than myself), and the draft list was far from impressive; now that there are more options for decent bars in the area, there are definitely better draft selections elsewhere. I know this is only one experience, and would certainly invite folks to see what Royal has in store, but I don't expect to end up within their doors any time soon...
(2)
Pig E.
It's a Tavern, not a gourmet restaurant. Exceptional Beer list, knowledgeable bartenders and a good tasting burger as advertised. Everything at a good value and not overpriced
(5)
Anthony C.
I eat here often and I've never had a bad meal. Great food, beer and reasonable prices. Service was excellent . The crowd was a pleasant mix which included hipsters.
(4)
Dae S.
I still remember when this place opened in 2002, I was shy two years of being 21 when they open their doors, so I waited till I was 21 before I went there to eat and drink. Not once in the twelve years I have been going here have I been disappointed. Everything from the Nachos, Burgers (yes it is the best burger in that city), and vegan entree's are top notch. No matter if I was going here by myself or taking friends from out of the city here, I always felt comfortable. This place was where me and my girl first went on the first couple of dates we had back in 2007. I have since moved out of Phila last year after living there my whole life. I now live in Maine, people ask me if I miss the food (typical phila foods, cheese steaks, hard rolls, etc) The only foods I miss at this point are those served from The Royal. I make it a point when I visit to at least eat here once during that visit.
(5)
Helen V.
I'm so fortunate to have my favorite restaurant in my neighborhood. I'm probably here every other week. I would think the servers would recognize me by now. The reason why I keep going back is for the burger and the specials. I always recommend the burger for my first-time friends. Never disappoints. The specials change often and I've never had a bad meal. Everything is full of flavor, but nothing overpowering. Royal Tavern puts a great gourmet twist to all of your favorite foods. The vegetarian and vegan options are pretty darn good too for us loyal carnivores. Any time there's a vegetarian chili special I am all over it. (And I loveeeeee meat!) I'm not too fond of the vegan desserts though. It can get busy on the weekends at night, but during the day and on weeknights there's always a seat. Sit. Eat. Enjoy.
(5)
Brian D.
Going to stay for dinner but had a wait. Asked bartender in Jeff cap to please turn on College Football Playoffs instead of some meaningless show on CW. Told us he was too busy. He wasn't busy. So we decided to take our business elsewhere. And he forgot to bring our drinks.
(1)
Kathleen V.
I WANT TO EAT HERE EVERYDAY! Vegan Beef Nachos v. Tempeh Club! zesty chips, vegan beef, pico, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and jalapenos! The vegan beef is perfect on this, like it's scary how perfect it is. v. bangin' bread, grilled tempeh, vegan bacon, lettuce, tomato, basil aioli! I'm pretty sold on the basil aioli. This also comes with fries that are served with malt mayo, I'm a tad hesitant to dip fries in mayo but not here. (This is a good setting for a first date)
(5)
Nary K.
By far, the best burger I've tasted in Philly!!!! You have to get the burger with long hots and Gouda Cheese - it's delish and affordable (burger with fries, $11). Can't wait to go back. Thier chicken wings are awesome too!
(5)
Sarah P.
The Royal Tavern name is fitting, because I am unofficially crowning this place the king/queen of South Philly dive bars/gastropubs (apologies to its holiness, the P.O.P.E). Don't be fooled by the understated exterior and dark interior, this place is a shining gem in the neighborhood. It's the perfect spot to grab some beers with old friends or to take someone on a casual date, especially if you are vegan or vegetarian like me. With its well-executed variety of vegan entrees and its constantly-changing, inventive specials, Royal Tavern never disappoints. Royal Tavern's instagram feed regularly features tantalizing photos of new, limited-time specials. Even though I haven't had the luck of trying each and every vegan special, I'm always impressed with the creativity of their new veg offerings and their ability to create complex and satisfying meatless entrees that escape the boring veggie burger and pasta trap. My regular favorites are the surprisingly refreshing vegan sweet potato bahn mi and the comically large tempeh club. The sweet potato bahn mi is full of bright flavors and satisfying crunch and the tempeh club is divine. The vegan bacon provides a deep, smoky flavor while the tempeh is grilled and seasoned to compliment its delicious, slightly nutty flavor. The basil aoli is just as good as everyone says it is. The fries accompanying all of the sandwiches are crispy and perfectly seasoned, with a vegan mayo that keeps you coming back for fry after fry even when you KNOW you're full. Easily one of my top 5 bars in the city and my favorite in the neighborhood.
(5)
Judy C.
Nice drink selection... Although the kona beer I tried seemed a little watered down? Really had only 1 thing we liked from everything we ordered- the pulled pork tater tot nachos! Absolutely delicious! Roommie and I shared it and killed it. It was soo good. Definitely order this! If we ever came back, it would be for this dish. Everything else we ordered was disappointing... The grilled cheese was good... But it's not something you want to order out and pay $8(?) for. I heard the burgers were supposed to be really good... Instead of ordering the one on the regular menu, I opted for the special- Kobe beef patty stuffed with goat cheese with bacon, mushroom, a little bit of BBQ sauce, and a fried egg. Sounds good right? ...I was disappointed. I asked for medium rare- the burger was closer to medium well. What a waste of Kobe beef. I just couldn't eat it. I tried... But the party itself was tasteless and tough... Medium well!! Maybe I should've returned it and asked them to make it medium rare again and maybe the review would be different. Anyway, disappointed by the burger- can't anticipate the regular menu burger being better... Other roommie was disappointed by her banh mi. So she's Vietnamese... I understand "Americanizing" some cultural foods to make it "fusion" style, but it was so bland she had to ask for extra sauce! We prob won't be back... But if we do come back, I'd definitely get the pulled pork tater tot nachos again... Check out the specials and beer selection...
(3)
Ginger K.
One of our oldies but goodies! Always a great place to land for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cool atmosphere, very creative chef, specials are always different. Food is great! Thanks for always being consistently good!
(5)
Allie E.
Really great dive bar with amazing food! Love their popcorn. Great drink selection and fun atmosphere. Close quarters, so plan to stand around the bar if you go on a Saturday night. Highly recommended!
(5)
Jessica E.
Had an excellent time here. Went for weekday lunch, so it wasn't crowded at all. I got an omelet that was on special with proscuitto, asparagus, and fresh mozzerella and it was delicious. Service was quick and very friendly. Prices are very reasonable. Will definitely be going back for dinner and drinks. Update 10/24/11: Had high hopes for the nachos but they were unfortunately very bad. Not much cheese and very very large pool of cold tomato/lettuce water floating at the bottom of the plate. Service very unfriendly and weird. But the burger was still very delicious. I would go back but probably stick to brunch.
(3)
Elizabeth B.
Arriving early is the way to go. Erin F. and I walked in at 10:03am on a Saturday and truly received the royal treatment. Coffee was delicious as always and we had a delightful time. BEST HUEVOS RANCHEROS EVER. That is all.
(5)
chris c.
Not enough room to add all the details of this awful trip, but highlights:. 4top seated in the upper back area, 5mins later, waitress brings us 3 waters and ask if wed like drinks to start. great. she writes down 3 drinks, walks away and begins chatting with another table. she never puts our drink order in but seats a new table and takes their drink orders. after about 10mins, the new table's drinks come out, but still no sign of ours. we arent in a rush and the bar is busy so we dont say anything yet. finally at the 15 min mark (still havent been offered the chance to order our food) we have to wave her down as she returns to chitchat again with another table of people she clearly knows as friends. as i start to say "hey, sorry, were still waiting on our-" she abruptly cuts me off and barks "YEAH YEAH I KNOW you want to order drinks i was just about to come over here and see if you want drinks.", her tone inexplicably annoyed AT US, and, as was to be the case the entire visit, was devoid of the simple (i feel instinctual even?) notion of being like "oh geez, im sorry...". it was baffling considering the fact that i felt we were already being sort of laid back about it all...i know many people who would walk out if no one came back to take an order after 20mins of being seated AND forgotten drinks. we werent huffing and puffing despite having a legit gripe and she was annoyed at us? huh? it added to the bad vibe that she seemed to be friends with 2 other tables of people and was sort of putting on a louder voice and attitude almost as though it was a show for them. baffled, we re-ordered our drinks politely and stated we were ready to order our food too. she seemed annoyed that we wanted to order now, as though she only wanted to do drinks now, even though that was her error. as she finishes taking our orders, we have long since finished our waters, so i ask can she also bring more water when she gets a chance. she visibly rolls her eyes like i am being demanding. 5mins go by before she brings a pitcher, fills the glasses of her friends table first, then comes to us with a now-almost empty pitcher, proceeds to fill one and a half glasses of water. she says "ill get more, hold on one sec", walks away and takes another tables orders. she runs their orders, gets busy, never finishes refilling our water. she comes by again and i ask if i can still get the water (2nd request) and she barks "its coming!" even though she has taken an entire other tables order and stopped to chitchat with her friends again. she goes away again and comes back to the area to bring drinks to a table, still no water, so i have to ask a 3rd time(!)....this time she stamps away like an annoyed child and like "angrily pours" me my water, if you can envision that. my entire table is just like "what is this chick's deal?!" we are seated in front of the weird doorway to their upstairs/supply area. there's folding glass doors that swing out here and at one point becomes unlocked and swings open and is against our table and another table. no big deal really, and the servers are busy, so i stand up to close the doors myself. as im doing this, nasty waitress storms over (she couldnt be bothered to come fix it when it was swaying into our table...but now that i am dealing with it she runs over) she basically budges me out of her way and says "sir, i GOT it, its tricky, i GOT it.". and makes it seem like im doing something i shouldnt be doing. the other half of the door was affecting her 2top table of friends too and, after she closes both halves, she looks at me with disgust, then leans into the 2top customer's ear and covers her mouth with her hand and WHISPERS something while looking at me, laughing, and then that customer's eyes follow her words and looks at me...pretty universal indication that she was talking shit. to his credit the customer looked embarrassed and gave me a look like "awkwaaaard" as she left. i mean, WTF?? last straw: we get food, my sis notices her sweet potato bahn mi has only a small sliver of potato in one half of the sandwich. the other half just had a piece of lettuce, it was missing the "contents" of the sandwich. we show the waitress, she exhales annoyed- "ill tell the kitchen" -no apology - and stomps away. 15mins later she emerges with a heaping plate of uncooked sweet potato (you can see grill marks where they were seared, but they werent actually cooked) and she literally drops the plate on the table with a clatter and says in a pissy tone and loud enough for all the other tables to hear "if this isnt enough sweet potato to fill you up, i dont know what ta tell ya" and walks off to her credit she did take her drinks off our bill but id much rather have paid for our drinks and been treated with respect. still tipped her 40% though because even miserable people need to pay rent. but she cost royal a few customers for life.
(1)
Nick G.
This place is literally a diamond in the rough. From the outside it looks like a place the average person might not venture into, but the food is soo good and the staff is always nice and helpful. My favorite time to go is on the weekend when they have brunch. They usually have different brunch specials for the weekend. I highly recommend the breakfast burrito or the pancakes. I haven't had a bad experience yet and I've been going there for years.
(5)
Jenna S.
Best grilled chicken sandwich in the city. I find myself craving it. It's a little loud for a conversation between a couple, and the food takes a little while to get to you, but the taste makes up for it. I agree that it's not as divey as you think it will be, but that's obviously not a bad thing. The staff is all right, nothing to rave about, but they obviously get their jobs done. I think it's worth going there for a good meal.
(4)
Taimur A.
Hands down the best burger in Philadelphia, probably all of PA. Blows Shake Shack, Village Whiskey, and all these novelty burger shops that are popping up out of the water. It's a little off the beaten path, but totally worth it.
(4)
Ethan M.
Most recent experience here on a Friday night was disappointingly substandard. Mediocre food, poor service behind the bar. May not be back. Will probably make the trek to Kennett in Queen Village henceforth (far greater care taken in the food and service).
(2)
Angela e.
The front is very unassuming and you can easy walk right pass it. As you read the menu you realize that you walked into a new world. My friend and I happened upon it at brunch time. We shared a dogfish head theobroma, BACON bloody mary, an augus burger and french toast with dulce de leche. The burger had bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise. Every bite you tasted something a bit different. It wasn't about a hook it was just great beef and amazing toppings that will easily make us drive 3 hours to get more. Everything was amazing!
(5)
Brendan O.
The food is really good, specifically their awesome grilled cheese sandwiches, but two poor beer-related experiences force me to limit them to 3 stars. While the tap selection/rotation is an admirable one, I've twice had to switch to bottled selections because the beer on tap just tasted "wrong" all around. On the warm side, on the flat side, and with a bit of a funkiness in the taste that probably points to tap lines in need of a good flushing. The two occasions where this happened to me were weeks apart and involved completely different beers, not only the ones I ordered but the ones ordered by my companion. Possibly coincidence/bad luck I guess, but bordering on systemic and inexcusable for a Philly "craft beer" bar regardless. Additionally, when I pointed this out to the bartenders I was given "the eye" rather than the benefit of the doubt.
(3)
Suzanne S.
Always a great spot for a good bite and a good beer. Brunch is always pretty delicious, too (can you say mimosa?). They offer take-out service if you don't feel like eating in, but offer ample room for floor or bar seating. I like divey and this place is right up my alley. My faves are the grilled cheese, herb popcorn, and mac n cheese. Their vegan sloppy joe is actually pretty tasty as well.
(5)
Benjamin R.
I kinda love the Royal Tavern. They are doing the bar menu RIGHT. It's one of the best bar food menus in town in my opinion and it's cheap. Bonus point for offering good vegan/veg options that go way beyond the ubiquitous and boring portabello. Try the excellent vegan Sloppy Joes or the enormous Tempeh Club. They also have numerous delicious sides. I always supplement my meal with some garlic spinach. The Royal also offers up a solid, seasonal draught list. Also, this place is generally not overrun with hipsters. I'm hesitant to spread the word because it's usually not crowded, but they do offer an excellent brunch. In spite of some other reviews on here, I personally havent' had a bad experience with the service. It can be a little slow when it's really busy (especially if you're trying to settle up) because the servers have to write up all the checks by hand. But seriously, have a beer and relax.
(5)
Kate C.
Get the burger, you will not be disappointed. Don't eat meat? Go for the tempeh club sandwich, it's equally awesome.
(5)
Mathew M.
I have the occasion to travel through Philly periodically. When I'm not Philly, I dream of the Royal Tavern burger. No joke. It's that good. I can't really vouch for anything else... but the burger is perfection.
(5)
Rachel A.
Love the Royal Tavern. Go there all the time. The food (lots of heavier comfort food) is awesome and they usually have great specials. The beer list is always great. The Bloody Marys are good. Sometimes it's really crowded and you have to wait a while for a table, but if you're there early for brunch or most weeknights, it's fine. My favorite dishes are the meatloaf sandwich and the truffle butter popcorn (which is only available at dinner time!).
(5)
Annie D.
I had dinner here with some friends a few weeks back. They suggested the Royal Tavern and were kinda mortified when I had no clue what they were talking about... Anywho, we went and I was really happy with what I found there! They Have a good albeit straight forward beer selection; nothing you'd be shocked to find but you're not relegated to drinking a dreaded InBev product. It's the food that makes it worth the journey for a non-South Philadelphian such as myself. I had an amazing chicken sandwich, my friend had a Caesar salad with these awesome polenta croutons and the specials all looked amazing. They also have a great selection of veggie and/or vegan options so everybody will be happy if you're dining with a mixed eating crowd.
(4)
Chris G.
Truly good Friday night dinner w/female relative. Food is very well prepared - GREAT BEERS ON TAP-Servers & beer keeper are awesome Only negative is tables are way too close, I don't want somebody's fight w/ his frigging girlfriend in my ear, while trying to relax after work.
(4)
Maren M.
I've only eaten here once, but my burger was by far one of the best burgers i've ever had. ever. I still remember the smoked gouda and carmelized onion. And my fries were really tasty. My companion for the evening enjoyed his wings, but was def. feeling my burger, and gladly finished it for me. i was so high off that shit that i happily paid for the whole meal, even though i'm broke. it was new years day. whatever. Treat Yourself.
(5)
Sara C.
Holy crap. The sweet potato banh mi sandwich (that's a Vietnamese hoagie for those not in the know) is wonderful. Filled with all the fixings that make it so great - cilantro, jalepenos, pickled carrots, daikon radish, jicama - with some Royal additions - sweet potato, bibb lettuce, and cilantro aioli. SO GOOD. Based on the dishes I've had here - you'd think I'm vegetarian. If I had the money to eat at the Royal every night - I could probably pull it off.
(5)
sabrina j.
the best bar! the burger. the chicken sandwich. the vegan sloppy joe. so amazing. go there immediately if you enjoy living your life!
(5)
Lisa R.
Yes, there are great burgers here but there is so much more going on that you must check out the menu (note: slight variations once you arrive) to do this place, and yourself, justice. We enjoyed a phenomenal dinner, excellent service from waitress (who really knew their extensive beer offerings well), and the buss staff (who were attentive and helpful in packing up leftovers). We went for a Monday early dinner at 6 and the place was virtually packed to the brim but we got seated right away, by the time we left there was a line out the door and we thought, it's worth the wait. Kitc.hen serves 'til 1am.
(4)
Julia N.
There's just something I really like about this bar. Actually, there are a lot of somethings: a well-thought out beer list, tons of good vegetarian food options, including that awesome tempeh club, great brunch that never feels like an afterthought, the cozy interior, friendly staff, a fantastic jukebox and the fact that there always seems to be at least one other Morrissey fan there to play his songs too. The only problem I can find here is that Royal Tavern is not close enough to my apartment. Of course, no restaurant can deliver a flawless dining experience 100% of the time, but every time I come to Royal Tavern, I leave happy.
(5)
Sarah B.
YUM! Everything, just yum.
(4)
Phil T.
When I saw Frankie's Chicken Sandwich on the menu served with Indian coleslaw I couldn't help but think, "but will it be like my mother's traditional Indian coleslaw?" *rollseyes* I bit into the sandwich and it tasted as if one had cooked a traditional curry and used it in a sandwich. Most restaurants add "curry" to dishes at an attempt at a gimmicky fusion dish, but the Royal Tavern has done an admirable job of combining it with a sandwich.
(3)
Caitlin D.
This is a great go to place for gastropub fare. Dare I say, may favorite in the south Philly type area. The grilled cheese at this place is the best damn grilled cheese on the planet and I will fight anyone who disagrees. They always have specials that sound amazing (although I pretty much always order the grilled cheese). I don't know a single person that doesn't like this place. The bottle list isn't the greatest and slightly overpriced compared to other bar/restaurants...but that's never deterred me from going there. The jukebox is also really decent, and fun to look through if you ever have to wait for a table. Additionally, their brunch is awesome. My favorite is the burrito. I prefer going here in the cooler months, simply because its pretty dark inside....and I hate the idea of people in dark places when it's sunny and nice outside. Did I mention that the grilled cheese is seriously fucking good? OK, that is all.
(4)
Alexa R.
Shhh....did you know Royal Tavern has an awesome brunch? I am not sure I want to tell all of the patrons waiting outside Morning Glory and Sabrina's, because I love the fact that I can walk right into Royal and get a table of 4. Took my brother in law and sister here on Saturday morning - had a great waitress and busser (who I even forgave for spilling freezing cold water on me!) -- and great food. Myriad palates were pleased and husband raved about the bacon bloody mary's!
(4)
Stefanie A.
Not fancy, but doesn't need to be, This unassuming local tavern serves up some of the tastiest bar fare around. Not to mention the best burger in town IMHO. Service is friendly despite the continual crowds waiting for one of a handful of tables, and my friends say the veggie options are great, though I've never tried any as aside from the burger, the Korean fried chicken is also a favorite. Their house pomengranate sangris is great, as is the beer selection, and the stellar jukebox. Great place for a drink and eats with friends, thouggh going with a group larger than 4 can be challenging for finding table seating.
(5)
Samantha H.
Three cheers for the Royal Tavern! Open late, tasty food, good service, and great tunes. My favorites are the barbecue wings and bacon wrapped tater tots, which might have been a one time thing, not sure. Still, if you see 'em, get 'em! Almost everything that can be dipped comes with a tasty homemade dipping sauce as well. The menu is a little small but my friends and I ordered different things and we were all very satisfied with what we got. Dessert was a little disappointing though. Decent, but not worth the price. As for the non-food things, they were also quite good. Service was a little slow but still friendly and understanding. Luckily, they have a jukebox to keep you entertained while waiting filled with everything from Rick Ross to the Clash to Justice and beyond. Commendable hours too! More often than I'd like I'm stuck trying to think of a place that serves dinner and is open past 9 or 10 but now I know the Royal Tavern is there and serving tasty foods.
(4)
Amanda M.
My favorite place to grab a burger, hands down. A great beer selection, a variety of different types of food-their menu is always changing.The only food I have to complain about is the nachos. Nachos consisted too much toppings over nachos (which sounds silly, but when splitting with two people, its easy to run out) Overall, the royal gets an A.
(5)
Coco D.
Children, I have figured it out. The riddle of the Sphinx? No, the riddle of why people like the Royal Tavern! And having solved this caper, I think I may be able to figure out why folks like other places that appear to be located in Sucktown, USA. Anyway, back to her Royal Taverness. It's not a bar! It's a restaurant! If you (I) go there expecting it to be a bar, you (I) will most likely attempt some violent shit out of frustration. But once you realize it's just a restaurant, the whole game changes. Allow me to explain: Crowd? Expecting bar: Wow, everyone here is kind of sad and lame and should probably go shopping to replace their feeble excuse for a wardrobe. Expecting restaurant: Hey look, it's packed, and everyone seems kind of happy! Decor? Bar: Um, this is weird. It looks a little too fancy to not have a cocktail menu. Restaurant: Dark wood, low lights! Cool! Service? Bar: I'm too bored to care. Can we go to McGlinchey's now? Restaurant: Nice enough. Of course this whole expectation thing would be a moot point if the food were not up to par (yeah, I'm looking at you, Sidecar). Granted, I've only had the burger, but man. That was a good burger! I'm not usually into bacon on burgers, but I felt like all of the toppings (spicy mayo, long hots) had been thought out, and it worked! I would feel safe putting my palate at the mercy of the rest of their menu. And the jukebox...well, it doesn't fucking kill, but hearing more than one T. Rex song over the course of a burger is going to win you more than a few points with me....
(4)
G F.
This bar has my favorite beer, Ommegang's Three Philosophers. I like that. I also like the retro beer advertisements in the bathrooms (funny) and the super hand drying machines (the best kind of hand dryers). The dark colored wood which comprises the bar is classy. I also really enjoy the Pan Fried Gnocchi -- quite delicious (though overpriced). Throw all the pine nuts and arugula you want on it. It's still just gnocchi for $15. But that's kind of the overall theme here -- nice selection, but you're going to pay for it. Average to higher than average. Service can be hit or miss. Servers are quick to start... but taper off from there. I really want to love this place. I mean, I like it fine enough. I've been here many times with various groups of people. But it has never developed into the love category. I'm usually the guy who says, hey-- let's go to The Dive. And they say, hey-- let's go to the Royal Tavern instead. Seating is also limited. What can you do? The Royal Tavern is a fine bar. Just not one of the finest in the city, in this humble yelper's opinion. Meh.
(3)
Mortimer S.
Great food, great beer selection. Comparisions to Standard Tap are apt. The menu is fairly extensive and everything is a familiar item, almost always with an interesting twist. A salad with a limoncello vinaigrette, calamari with harissa, and so forth. I sampled a couple of IPAs which were both good, then had the wings, ordering a combination of the traditional buffalo as well as mango habanero. The latter weren't nearly as spicy as I expected, nor did I really taste mango very strongly, but they were good, and coated with crumbled wasabi peas to boot. Wings also come with carrot and pickled daikon in addition to the gorgonzola dressing. The waitress was attentive. The atmosphere is comparable to other establishments of this type and it seems to be a pretty laid back place. I look forward to trying more of their fare.
(5)
Hymae W.
Went here for breakfast Easter morning. I had a bagel sandwich that was excellent. 3 other in my group got a breakfast burrito which they all enjoyed. They also serve mimosas and bloody mary's but i opted out that day.
(4)
Emily C.
LOVE this place. Always a busy & fun atmosphere. The "Tempeh Club Sandwich" is one of the best. Great customer service! There is usually a wait (on popular nights of the weekend), but the staff is ALWAYS trying to accommodate you as much as possible, so that you are comfortable and seated as soon as possible. It's a nice change from places that seem to disregard your patience!
(5)
Cynthia D.
I love this swanky place for their unexpected touches to the classic american bar menu. The jukebox is sweet, as well. It's a beautiful bar with a lovely old interior nicely restored. Very Classy. Only complaint, as a short girl, the tall chairs are a bit rough. Ow.
(5)
Michael K.
What a great, relaxed pub tavern we have here. As I walk in the door, I just know there's gonna be a few great beers waiting for me to try. Sitting at the bar is great if I can grab a seat, though you do have a lot of foot traffic walking behind you all night. If I were the sort to start drinking around 1 pm on a weekday and drool on my bar stool, this place would be near the top of my list. The food here is very good without being pretentious - great mac n cheese. Or expensive - think just about ever sandwhich was under $9. However, just about every time I've come in and grabbed a table the service has been lacking (hence I prefer the bar seats). I've waited a looooong time just to put in a drink order. So have your order ready or you may wait a while to see your server again. And it was mentioned recently, but the jukebox here rules. Old punk, origins of rock, smarmy indie. Only problem is everyone KNOWS there's a good jukebox here...you may have to wait a while to hear your selections...
(4)
Bernard G.
Two words: Chicken Sandwich. I crave it. I live an hour away, but will make the drive for this piece of heaven. And, I don't even drink beer. I just want the sandwich. Thanks.
(4)
Megan M.
Great place. Surprisingly good food. Reasonable prices. Good vibes. Royal Tavern is one of my go-to places. It's the perfect blend of relaxed bar and great restaurant. I have never had anything there that I didn't like. Highlights include the Angus burger, popcorn, and cubano rolls. Their brunch is also fantastic! Breakfast burrito, baby! The only bummer is that it can get crowded. The slightly "relaxed" service doesn't always help that, but in this case, I don't hold it against them.
(5)
Big E.
Solid burger and solid beer list. Beautiful bar. I wonder if the ceiling is really tin? Definitely on my short list for best burger in Philadelphia. I am not sure if it is the best but in the top 3 for sure. Go eat, drink and enjoy yourself.
(4)
JACKIE G.
Ah, Royal Tavern. The perfect place to nurse a hangover with a bloody mary. Personally, I find them to be the best in the city, so usually, one does not suffice. I often frequent this place for brunch. If I don't feel like trying someplace new, the Royal is a go-to spot. Some of their classics are the grilled cheese- three cheeses and fries priced right at $7- and mac and cheese. Yesterday I tried for the first time the Jersey tomato salad and it was delectable. I ordered fries because I was afraid the salad world leave me a little hungry. I was wrong. The salad was adorned with two tomato slices bigger than my palms (and I have big hands). The bibb lettuce was perfect in this salad, it was soft as compared to a crunchier lettuce, it was perfect with the savory flavor of the tomato and salt. Generally speaking, the Royal is usually crowded with good reason. The happy hour is good too, half priced drinks. Yay!
(5)
Erica M.
This place was really good...I would probably give it 3.5 stars if possible, but it was good enough that I would round up rather than down. The server was really nice and we got our drinks and appetizer quickly. The mezze platter was DELISH! Hummus and baba ganouj were obviously homemade and oh-so-tasty. The grape leaves were warm and the fresh pita was grilled to perfection. We waited a little while for our entrees...we had a party of 5 and got the gnocchi, sweet potato banh mi, asiago/mushroom/arugula flatbread pizza, and 2 tempeh clubs. Overall, the food was really good except the person who got the sweet potato banh mi wasn't a fan. I enjoyed my tempeh club but thought it was a bit flavorless (I didn't even taste the vegan bacon). The basil aioli and their lavender honey mustard (we got both on the side for the tempeh club) were both AMAZING. The gnocchi-orderer enjoyed her dish, but said they were super heavy and could only eat a few bites of the appetizer portion. Portions are quite large! I will definitely go back...the burger looked delish, so I look forward to trying that upon my next visit. Overall a good experience!
(4)
Colleen D.
The Royal Tavern. One of my favorite bars in the city. Not only do they have a great beer selection, but they also have my favorite burger in the city - caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, bacon and condiments on top of a delicious roll. So why not give it 5 stars? Because, as many will state in their reviews, the service needs improvement. Last time i came here with a friend, our server forgot to put our order in, and it took an hour and a half to get our burgers. 90 minutes for two burgers! And she tried to blame it on the kitchen being busy. We ended up getting our food for free, but that is inexcusable, and she wasn't very apologetic. If I had done that in my years of serving I would no longer have had a job! But things are different in Philly.
(4)
Terri M.
Rule #1 - Get here before 6pm on any given night, or a table will not come easily. Brunch is super crazy, so either get there at opening or wait until mid-noon (brunch is served until about 4). But no matter what time you get there or how long you wait, the food is worth it. The atmosphere is relaxed, good music 100% of the time and the staff is efficient (There was a period several years ago when the service SUCKED ASS and we avoided this place at all cost, but they they've had a great crew for about the past 2 years). They always have a beer on tap that will suit anyone's preference. The food is fantastic. I LOVE the Tempeh Club - I will order this 95% of the time I eat here. For brunch, I am a sucker for the Tater Tot Scramble. Another great sandwich is the Vegan Sloppy Joe. Desserts are to die for, except for the Apple Crisp. Get the Grasshopper Cake or Coconut Cream Cake if they are available.
(4)
Michelle W.
It's a place I always go back to. The beer list is always great, but the food is what keeps me coming back. The meatloaf sandwich is awesome, hands down the best bar food I've had. The service is consistently great, and the bartenders are knowledgeable and nice. The environment is awesome, a hodgepoge of older folks, hipsters, and the neighborhood crowd. A plus is the jukebox and the chalk board in the bathroom!
(5)
Lauren D.
Sometimes I wonder why I haven't reviewed this place yet considering I'm there at least 2 or 3 times a month, but then I realize that this place has over 100 god damn reviews and, let's face it, no one will probably read this. ANYWAY. I really love Royal Tavern. Sometimes I get kind of apathetic towards it because every now and then the staff rubs me the wrong way (too much "I'm a Hipster and I don't care about anything" attitude), but it's never BAD service. In fact, they are usually really attentive, and this one day bartender with short blondish hair is just so nice and pleasant that I want to be his best friend always. The food here is also really freakin' delicious. Hands-down the best grilled cheese sandwich in the city. It has goat cheese, gouda, and something else that I can't remember, inside 2 slices of buttery, crispy, bread. To be perfectly honest, I don't think I've ever eaten anything else from this place. Maybe a soup, which you can add on to the grilled cheese sandwich for 3 dollars more. It's heavenly, and now I'm craving one of them at 8:40am because of writing this review. The space itself is kind of weird and not really good for larger parties (long and narrow), but it's kind of cozy. I also really dig the bathrooms, especially now that they added the chalk board walls, because who doesn't like drunkenly writing messages while breaking the seal? OH the only kind of lame thing about this place is that they don't take reservations, which makes going there on a weekend night sometimes not an option since it gets REALLY busy REALLY quickly. So yes. Go to the Royal Tavern. It's swell.
(5)
Jordan L.
Everyone gets all hyped up about the burger at Royal Tavern. but the unsung hero is the chicken sandwich. Grilled chicken, arugula, blue cheese, prosciutto, pears, honey mustard? Could this be the best chicken sandwich ever? For this Yelper it is! Pretty much everything on the menu is outstanding, you really can't go wrong. All they need is to bring back the hot apple cider with whisky for the fall and winter months.
(4)
David G.
Dear Royal, Sure, your food is unrivaled (the burger is as good as they say, as are about a half a dozen items on the menu), your servers and bartenders are fantastic, your atmosphere welcoming and without pretension, your beer selection utterly solid (with a nice kicker of whiskeys), your lighting dark as a bar should be, your jukebox balanced with awesomenss, your brunch kickass... Sure, you're a block from my house. Sure, sometimes when out-of-town guests are in-town for a weekend, we find ourselves coming to you twice at nights and once for brunch. Sure, all that. But you know, Royal, sometimes you're a little loud: so you only get five stars.
(5)
Beth R.
RT has a vibe that reminds me of Grace's Tavern or South Philly Taproom... with it's dark walls, wooden bar, and dim lighting inside. The beer list is good, and so is he menu. I had a wonderfully unhealthy dinner of tater tots and mac n cheese here last night (although they do have salads, sandwiches, mussels, etc on the menu as well). The downside is that the bar is pretty narrow and if you're standing, you will be jostled around by everyone going and going. Also, I know it's hot outside, but it was really steamy in there last night. I don't think they have central AC.
(3)
Kathy D.
Great beer selection and quality food! In my last Food Network magazine, the Royal Tavern won the award for the best burger in PA. The menu changes frequently and although there's some vegan and different items, you can always order the burger when in doubt. It's VERY dark and can get pretty loud in there depending when you go. GREAT beer and drink selection and service is top notch. Hipster vibe with lots of tattoos, but you won't feel out of place in here...probably because it's so dark :)
(4)
Ben P.
Always a good choice. One of my favorite spots to watch a Phils game. Great beer list, solid service, awesome...awesome food.
(4)
Amy K.
I love this bar. They have a decent beer selection, but the food is what keeps me going back. I've loved everything I've eaten there, especially the chicken sandwich. But other great things I've eaten there are the burger, the caesar salad, and the meatloaf sandwich. I also love that they offer tater tots. I try to get something I can dip the vinegar mayo in, because yyuuuuuummm I love that stuff. Brunch has also been great there.
(5)
Kristina K.
This is definitely in my top 5 brunch spots! I've never had a bad experience here. They boast about having the city's best bloody marys and its pretty damn close to the best I've ever had. They're spicy, but not on fire and I love the pickle n olive garnish it has. Usually I have to hide it from my bf because he loves it too. Their food is fab! I love their tater tot scramble with chipotle crema and pretty much any special I've gotten (ex chorizo and egg breakfast tacos) were amazing! Its a spot I will gladly come back to again and again.
(5)
Christina W.
If a well done burger means red and bloody, then Royal makes then best burger I've ever ordered. I don't know where the break down of communication started, but when my burger arrived, it bled all over my plate. Thankfully the plate came with a large serving of fries and delicious chile mayonnaise. Also, I'm a fat girl and I'll eat pretty much whatever the waitress brings out. On a Wednesday night at 7pm I really didn't think we'd have trouble finding a seat but unfortunately, we had to wait for about 20 minutes. Guess people love bloody burgers.
(3)
Robin S.
I'm sorry to give Royal Tavern 3 stars. Had this been a year or two ago it would have been 4 or 5. What happened dudes??? This used to be my favorite brunch spot in Philly. Awesome food, great drink specials (extra spicy bloody mary with bacon crumbled on top? Brilliant!) and friendly (if a bit harried) waitstaff. Then something changed. I went a while back to wait for a friend, sat at the bar and the bartender seemed really annoyed that I was there and that, god forbid, I only wanted a PBR bottle. Went back again with some friends for brunch and my one friend's order was screwed up several times (how hard is it to just leave mayo off the order?) and the waitress acted pissy when he politely asked her to fix it. On top of that the glorious bloody marys that I had raved about to my friends now come in half sized glasses and are pretty boring. Although they did serve it with a pickle which I loved. Maybe it's just the brunch crowd though. I went back again at about 7pm on a Sunday and our waiter was really nice and fast. My hope is that it's just a temporary downswing and things will get better soon. I miss my staple brunch place.
(3)
Alex K.
Went here with my buddy for his birthday, he had been wanting to go back and I'd never been, so I was excited to try some of this great food he was talking about. It's bar food at the end of the day, but it's not just bar food, it's the kind of foodie fuel Yelpers probably love, made with choice ingredients and served up in a pleasantly subtle, divey down-home atmosphere. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: This place is more well hidden than Waldo playing hide-n-seek at the Super Bowl...ok that's an exaggeration, but keep your eyes open for this place or you'll miss it. The place feels really warm, dimly, intimately lit (ie. xmas lights). THE FOOD/DRINKS: We drank lagers, so there's not much to say about the drinks, other than that they are reasonably priced, and the bar looked to be full of fun possibilities. I opted for their grilled cheese, which came with fries and a cup of their soup of the day (black bean), and a side of garlic spinach. The grilled cheese was thick sliced texas toast, buttery and crispy, with three cheeses, I forget which they were but damn was it good. Blackbean soup was a perfect dipping companion, with a few of what looked like handmade tortilla chips. The spinach was garlicky, just like I like it, although I think it was a little thicker than I'd have preferred, if that makes sense. THE SERVICE: Down to earth, responsive (for the most part), and friendly. Their laid-back demeanor matches the ambiance, without coming off as lazy or indignant. THE PRICING: Surprisingly reasonable. I was expecting a bigger bill, paying for both of us since it was my friend's bday, that made things extra sweet. I can definitely say that it factors into any future visit I'll be making there because I know I can explore the menu and enjoy something I know will be deliciously dope for less than other nearby spots. THE BOTTOM LINE: Check it out for sure, great for a laid back dinner, it's just pretty small and inconspicuous, so be ready for a comfortable, humble experience that won't hurt your wallet and reward your tastebuds generously.
(5)
Blake F.
spoiled by the royal. yup, that's what i am. see, i've tasted the liquid magic that is the royal bloody, and all bloody marys i've had since have in turn been the recipients of such remarks as "it's good, but not royal good." bloodys are a relatively new thing for me, and i don't claim to be an expert on what they should or shouldn't taste like, tho i will say i enjoy the super spiciness (including the spicy pickle garnish) and overall consistency (thick & chunky, in a good way). not sure what vodka they use, but they're definitely not skimping on that key ingredient! along with my bloodys, i often (but not always...) order brunch. the breakfast burrito is a personal fave (also, HUGE) and i recently enjoyed the tater tot scramble as well. eggs + tots + cheese + caramelized onions + chipotle cream sauce = awesomeness. and, as the queen, i would know. the royal is also one of the few places in philly that offers vegetarian sausage (and fakon) which, at 3 bucks for 3 patties, i can't pass up. so far i've only made it to the royal once for dinner (shame on me), but it's only a matter of time before i'm back for more of their veggie offerings - as they offer so many! the vegan sloppy joe rocked my flavor world and while i'd be tempted to order it again, i wanna try the tempeh club, the grilled cheese, the hummus platter, and so much more. oh wait - i did also get to taste the royal's take on the vietnamese hoagie at our last elite event where they provided their sweet potato banh mi. me want more!!
(4)
christina j.
G & I checked this spot out after a few beers at the POPE. We split the popcorn, potato skins and the burger. Yum! Enough food for 2 and the burger was delicious.
(3)
Kimberly S.
This place is my favorite neighborhood bar in Philly. The beer list is decent and reasonably priced and the food is awesome! You must try the burgers here. The last time I was here I had my dream burger....carmelized onions, smoked gouda, bacon, long hot pepper and a fried egg on top. I must say it was quite possibly the best burger of my life. Another favorite menu item is the grilled chicken breast sandwich, except I sub smoked gouda for the bleu cheese (I don't care for bleu cheese) and I think it makes the sandwich even better because the smoked gouda and the thinly sliced pear compliment each other so well. I love - love - love this sandwich. One time I was here with a friend that ordered the meatloaf. If you had a mom like mine who cooked meatloaf like hers and went to a school with a lunch menu like mine, then you probably HATE meatloaf as I do. But this meatloaf at Royal Tavern was actually delicious! In spite of the Martha Stewarts, Top Chefs, Steven Starrs, Rachel Rays and Gordon Ramseys of the industry, I think the ultimate accomplishment for a chef should be when they succeed in making someone like a food that they have always hated. Well done Royal Tavern. I do have one complaint though. The last time I came here the service was TERRIBLE. The waitress either completely forgot about us or completely ignored us. I have been a restaurant worker for 10 years now and am a die-hard advocate of good tipping, but this service was so bad, so nonexistent, that I did not even care if she got a tip. Aside from that, the food is just so great that I will definitely be back in the future.
(4)
Joanne P.
Definitely a Hidden Gem, the burger was deeelish and the mac n cheese was wonderful. Loved the low key atmosphere and music was on but not so loud that i had to scream at my bf to talk to him. When it got a little darker out, they dimmed the light and brought out candles, didnt think it could get romantic in a bar haha. Will be recommending this place to many many more friends.
(5)
Xtine H.
I popped in here after a friend had told me about the mulled cider they carried in the winter months, which ended up being a nice break from a cold trip to the city. The menu is great, be sure to check the specials board. We ended up sitting at the bar and on a Saturday afternoon, it was hard to find a table! The servers were all conversational, and I even felt like a local by being included in their conversations
(3)
Tom D.
I elected to bring my friend here because of the number of reviews that highlighted the vegan food. I suppose when you have over 100 reviews and feature vegan food on your menu, you're bound to have a number of vegans eat at your restaurant. Well, the reviews are quite accurate. The vegan fare was excellent! I was also pleased with my selection. I ordered the grilled cheese and soup combo. The sandwich was super tasty with the gooey-factor reaching into the upper echelons of awesome! The soup was a chipotle tomato: a perfect foil to the sandwich. Cool vibe, good jukebox, decent service. It was crowded for dinner on Friday, I would advise reservations, though we were seated after only 15 minutes.
(4)
Rachel W.
This place was really great. I have been to the dive a bunch of times, and somehow I had completely missed it. Good beer selection that's moderately priced, (Franziskaner is 6 here, while you walk 50 feet away and it's 4 dollars at the dive.) and their draught selection is pretty good too, Happy Hour seems like a good place to be since all of the beers on tap are half off. I didn't try any beers because I had forgotten my ID, but I did have their Tempeh Club sandwich, and it was absolutely fantastic. The veggie bacon and tempeh almost seemed like they made it themselves... I have no idea whether it's store bought or made there, but it was great anyway. They also put this basil aoeli on the club which was a nice touch. My boyfriend had the bbq seitan sandwich, and although this was good too, the tempeh club was better. It was more spicy than sweet, and I'm partial to the more sweet bbq taste. The seitan had a really good texture though. Oh! They also have vegan cakes and desserts. I tried the carrot cake and it was super super moist, and the icing was way better quality than most vegan cakes / cupcakes. I will definitely visit this place again.
(4)
Justin B.
One of the best Burgers in Philly. Also the Chicken Sandwich is delicious. The atmosphere is really nice and beers are in the plenty. Get there early if you want a table because this place is pretty popular and for a very good reason. I love you RoyalTavern!
(5)
Dillon R.
Went there and had brunch for the first time. Get there early because it fills up quick! Packed by 10:30am today (Sunday). By far the best eggs Benedict I've ever had. Good selection of breakfast foods to satisfy anyone. Lots of vegetarian/ vegan options too Can't complain about a place that gives you 6 slices of bacon when you order a side of bacon. Plenty of free street parking at that time of day too.
(4)
Andrew C.
Found this bar through yelp looking for brunch while wandering around south Philly. Wasn't sure whether what looked like a standard bar was even open as we walked in the door.... But the food was incredible! I ordered the breakfast burrito and have never had a better one! Smooth guacamole, spicy peppers, and sausage ignited my tastebuds and cured my hangover. The coffee was also much better than average. I've been back a few times and have yet to be disappointed. It may not look like much at first, but this place is truly a gem.
(5)
Aly M.
The Royal is awesome. I'd only been here a few times before recently, but I've had the privilege of living literally around the corner for the past few months and have consequently been there at least weekly if not more. Their food is generally over the top good. The cubano spring rolls are excellent, and the burger is very deserving of the "best of" title. The only reason they don't get 5 stars is because last time I was there, my dad and I opted for a cup of soup each and to split a grilled cheese. The black bean soup really left something to be desired, it was pretty bland and we had to ask the bartender like 5 times to get some jalapenos on the side. Black bean soup is usually served with sides to drop in such as cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, raw onion. This was not accompanied by anything, thus the blandness. It also had to be sent back to be warmed because it came out cold. I got the pork, white bean, and broccoli rabe soup which was a special of the day. It was very tasty but my bowl was less than half full, which was made even more apparent by the fact that we both ordered soup and his bowl was filled to an appropriate level. Overall that one experience was not a deal breaker (obviously, cause it's still gettin 4 stars) just a small stain on my otherwise glistening review of the Royal. Oh- the meatloaf sandwich!! TASTY! I only wish they had non-vegan sloppy joes as well. YUM.
(4)
Leah G.
While everyone is such a fan of the burger at Royal Tavern, I really think the grilled cheese should have a similar following. I am constantly in search of great grilled cheese and mac and cheese in philly, and the Royal Tavern has definitely made my grilled cheese map. They do it very well - the cheese is melted well (yes this seems to actually be a recurring problem with grilled cheese at several philadelphia establishments), the corners are not dried out (yes another problem). The different cheeses are paired well, and help to create a solid, quality grilled cheese. PS if you have a favorite grilled cheese locale, please let me know!
(4)
Dustyn C.
I'm a big fan of the Royal Tavern. It has been within a few blocks of my house for almost half of the 9 years I've lived in this city, and during that time I've seen it go through many changes. Years ago, it was the best place for some kind of stuffed french toast on a sunday morning. These days, I don't bother with brunch there anymore because it became too popular for it's own good, and the poor servers constantly look overextended and the wait times can be awful. There's a good reason for the popularity, but I'd rather avoid it. I tend to grab dinner here frequently. Partially this has to do with the fact that unlike some local bars who say their kitchens are open late but close them down early if they aren't busy enough, I can always count on the kitchen here to be open until 1am. I work an odd schedule, and so this has saved me from going hungry or going Wawa many, many evenings. The menu always has vegetarian / vegan options, once in awhile the specials menu will as well, and the soups are consistently great. This is good to keep in mind, because they pair well with the grilled cheese and a beer. (an aside about beer: i tend to like darker beers. the fact that the Royal always has bottles of Yuengling porter in the fridge makes me very, very happy. a lot of bars don't carry it, and it's one of my favorites, so kudos to them. now if i could convince them to keep a keg of the Yards Brawler on tap at all times, I'd be content forever.) All that being said, my two true loves at the royal tavern are the popcorn and the tempeh club. the popcorn is so good that sometimes when we're sitting around the house getting ready to throw in a movie, i'll run down the street and grab a few orders of popcorn to bring home and eat with the movie. seriously. and it's a perfect inexpensive bar snack. enough other people have gushed about the tempeh club so i'm not going to, but i will say that even if i wasn't a vegetarian, I'd still be ordering the tempeh club. it's a mess to eat, but 100% delicious. the jukebox can be hit or miss depending on your tastes, but i'm pretty sure there's something in there for everyone. watch out though because sometimes it gets LOUD for no apparent reason when you start picking selections and it's mildly embarrassing because everyone in the bar turns to glare at you as if you turned the volume up to deafening on purpose. and finally, i have to say that the staff is pretty great. I've watched the servers sit and take written tests on the menu and the beer selection, so they definitely know their stuff. they are always very friendly, and i've spent many nights sitting at the bar drinking and being entertained by the bartenders goofing around. good vibes abound. my favorite bar in the city.
(5)
Jenn M.
Royal is one of the best places to go after a long work week and relax with some drinks and great food. My husband and I have been coming here since we started dating, and it continues to be one of our favorite little date spots. I have been a vegetarian for about 9 years now, and he is a devoted carnivore so its great we can both find things we love on the menu. The drinks are good and strong and the beer list is always awesome as well. The jukebox always has a fun selection and the crowd is usually packed in but having a great time.
(5)
Dave W.
This is what a bar should be. No frills inside. Just a nice long bar, some high tops, and some tables towards the back. A friendly face behind the bar who is well informed about their various offerings. A TV in the corner usually playing old movies on AMC or sports (depending on when you're there and whose bartending). The crowds a little hipstery but if you dont feel comfortable in this place it probably says more about you then the crowd. The beer selection is diverse and very good. The food is excellent- I get the same thing almost every time. The grilled chicken sandwich, arugula, blue cheese, pear, lavendar honey dressing. They will happily sub a salad for fries at no charge if you're trying to keep it on the somewhat healthy tip. It is one damn good sandwich. I finally ordered the much talked about burger yesterday and it is also really, really good. Not for a traditionalist and not for someone with a heart problem, as it comes with bacon, smoked gouda, long hots, and chili mayo on it, but it is very, very tasty. This is currently my favorite bar in philadelphia, though I enjoy it more during off peak hours. The 4-6 happy hour is a good deal too, as you can drink some really good beers on draft at half price.
(5)
patrick k.
The Royal is the best bar in the city. I used to diss this place even though I always admitted that their food and the beer list and the ambiance and the juke box and the location were all perfect. mostly I guess hated how condescending I thought the service was. But that was years ago and nowadays I find all the bartenders and waiters there to be completely attentive and very pleasant if not downright friendly. I often cite their food and service and ambiance as paragons of pub fare. In fact, when I visited the Dogfish Head (my favorite brewery) brew pub in Rehoboth Beach and was disappointed in the food, i wrote to them and told them to check out the Royal for some pointers. The calamari and the meatloaf sandwich and the popcorn and the bloody mary's and mimosas are all just as good as they can be. The Royal is just like a good Simpsons joke, you can't imagine how it could be any better. I brought my love here on an early date and I think somehow I owe a little bit of our relationship to them. And also props for the real tin ceiling and the gorgeous hand-crafted bar.
(5)
Mike H.
Completely laid back place. Amazing menu with tons of vegetarian and vegan options. I definitely plan on visiting this place more often.
(5)
Ray D.
My favorite gastro-pub in Philadelphia. I think that at one point last year I was in serious danger of being charged rent at this place. The burger is one of the tastiest things I've ever had the pleasure of eating. The chipotle bbq wings are a sleeper which I highly recommend. The whole feel of this place has got me smiling as I write the review. Don't judge a book by it's cover though. You may not feel like you fit in with the crowd that flocks here. I'm the furthest thing from being considered hipster or alternative. I have no tattoos, no facial hair, and my ear lobes are not stretched to unusual proportions. You'll be comfortable here regardless of what you're into. If you like good food, good drink, good music, and good times, grab a table and get hooked like the rest of us.
(4)
Dera S.
The Royal has seriously great vegan beef nachos. The stack of deliciousness is so high it seems like an architectural feat and can easily be shared by two (or three) people. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike will dig them. Their beer selection is good too, though sometimes on the pricey side (I wish they would get on board with a Kensinger special or some such thing). My husband and friends love their burger.
(4)
Kristin M.
Royal Tavern is the kind of place where you really don't care that the waitress politely, even cautiously, just asked if you would leave so she can sit a waiting party of eight. This was after paying, of course. And staying more than two hours. So when she asked, we immediately put on our coats and headed for the door. Despite loving Sabrina's for brunch just like everyone else, Royal Tavern has them beat with its bar--and insanely good bloody marys. I've taken my Jersey-living parents here, chain-restaurant loyalists that they are, and I could even see that they thought this place was a find. So what to get: The burger is a winner, as is the chicken sandwich with proscuitto, apples, gorgonzola and lavendar honey mustard on a toasted bread of some sort. The wings are decadent, slathered with sauce and pack some heat. The wine list is surprisingly filled out but most of the food here stands up better with a beer. Order several but, please, smile and grab your stuff when the waitress asks you for the table back.
(4)
kara p.
i've been here at least once a week recently. i don't drink but i've been slowly trying every veg option on the menu. last thing i had was the hummus plate and my god it was incredible. great presentation and taste. and it was huge! i took home the leftover hummus and it lasted me another few days. their fries are great, a doi. the butter snap peas are soooooo good, but i little heavy on the butter for my taste so next time i'll ask for it to be lighter. the stuffed grape leaves have a great kick to them but are a little mushy. the tater tots are nice and crispy. next time i'm going for the sloppy joe! yummmm
(5)
Katy D.
I went on a Monday night, which was surprisingly busy - always a good sign! The beer selection was nice although they didn't have much in the way of lager. It was all Pils, Pale Ale, and IPA - lots of hops and wit beers. I ended up with a Saison Dupont, one of my favorite beers ever. The only reason this place didn't get 5 stars is the service... the waitress wanted to take our order right away. Like the moment we were seated. Then, she disappeared for a bit and after we did order, the food did take quite a while. However, the gnocci and burger were worth the wait. Both delicious! I didn't really care for the mixed green salad I got. It was way too acidic - very vinegary greens, feta, and orange slices, all acidic... It could have used a different cheese or something to balance it out more. Another note on the service... it took two requests to get me parmesean cheese for the gnocci. Strangely, though, they were always right there when our drinks were low, asking if we wanted another. With a bit faster and friendlier service, this place could easily be 5 stars in my book.
(4)
Heather M.
This was my and my husband's first visit to the Royal. We are big fans of Chef Mark McKinney (thinking of making a fridge magnet that says WWMMD), and will happily eat anything that he has a hand in creating. We practically live at Cantina Dos Segundos. For a week prior to our visit, I'd been reading on various local food blogs that the Royal was doing an all vegetarian specials menu to celebrate their anniversary (we may also have gotten the word from the Chef himself, but I'm not saying...). Since the spouse and I eat not of the flesh, we decided to give it a shot. My first impression upon entering the Royal: this is a bar. It smells like a bar. This is not necessarily a bad thing, if you like that stale beer and old cigarettes smell. It's not really our cup of tea, though. I drink, the spouse doesn't, and we don't really hang out in bars. It's also crowded. Being in South Philly, real estate is scarce, and tables are tightly packed. We arrived early enough that we didn't have to fight a crowd to sit in the back area, where the tables are more evenly separated, but upon leaving, I was wishing for a Moses like power to part the mass of people crowded around the bar. Upon receiving the menu, I was overwhelmed with all of the vegetarian options available to me! Even the regular menu is chock full. We went with an order of the vegetarian chicken wings off of the specials menu. I also got the vegetarian sloppy joe. The spouse got the grilled seitan sandwich off of the specials menu. The food was awesome. My only food related complaint: the order of wings was sparse. I wanted a big pile, we got 4 to share. I also needed a bigger serving of the bleu cheese dressing for dipping because I'm a dipaholic. My sloppy joe sandwich was incredible. It was served on a toasted brioche bun, and had a cole slaw which included jalapeno peppers. It came with fries. Oh, the fries! Crispy, skin on, perfection. There was mysterious vinegar flavored white condiment provided along with the fries...some sort of vinegar mayo? I finished both my and my husband's dip (because he hates condiments) using the fries. I may have been making little grunty noises, too, it was that good. My husband said his seitan sandwich was good, but he didn't share, so I have no idea what it tasted like. We finished with a slice of tasty pumpkin cake. The service was eh. When we entered, no one really noticed us, and we didn't know the routine (seat yourself? wait to be seated?), so I approached the bar and was directed to sit anywhere. Ok. We ordered drinks, and they came out quickly. I drink sparsely during a meal, but my husband has some need to guzzle iced teas at every restaurant. He really is a server's nightmare in this regard. Sadly, he judges the quality of service based on how often he has to wait or ask for a refill. I could tell from his face that the service at the Royal was failing. On top of that, the iced tea was actually gross...it had that flavor like the container hasn't been cleaned out in a while, like moldy washcloths. He had to switch to diet soda. When asking for a refill of his soda, he was actually told "it would be a little while" because our server was so busy. Ok. Again, this is not really my issue, but when my husband gets cranky at a restaurant because he's thirsty, it kind of ruins my ability to enjoy my meal properly. Will we go back? Maybe. The food was certainly worth it. The ambiance, though, eh. It would probably be a good place to hit with a group of people and hang out late at night. We tend to eat during "old people hours," though, so I doubt we'll be back on our own anytime soon.
(3)
Lindsay H.
vegan sloppy joe could have used more sauce buttttt...... $2.25 beers during happy hour makes for a happy lass! cant find great deals like that in ny!
(4)
Sally f.
i have always had good experiences here, despite it being small dark, noisy and crowded. i always get seated eventually - even when there are no tables open when i wak in and i have a group of ppl! and the food is great!
(4)
Dani S.
I love this place! Great staff, cool atmoshphere and most importantly... the best bloody mary, hands down
(5)
Heavenly O.
I went there for brunch, and the food was great. Simple and homemade-like, in a good way. Also, my friend's Bloody Mary was on the house. Nice.
(4)
Jon B.
I joined some friends at this fantastic little hide-away. When I arrived they were polishing off some hot wings and sweet potato fries. I was able to sample a wing and it was bold and flavorful! I almost took a star away because their sweet potato fries came out soggy, no joke. However, the real reason they deserve credit is for the burger which is what you've all been waiting for. The burger is out of this world!!! It comes on a plate with delicious crispy fries (maybe sweet fries were a one-off) and a dipping sauce which I can't really remember for some reason. Ok, ok, the burger: This bad boy is probably like 6-7 oz of pure angus heaven. I should preface that I always order a quality burger temp RARE. It came out and it was just the right balance of reddish pink color (not to be confused w med.rare.) As if this weren't enough, there is just the right proportions of crispy bacon, perfectly caramelized onions (I hate when they say caramelized but they're not fried long enough and lack the natural sweetness which comes out... not here) and these delicious hot peppers which I wasn't familiar with called longhots which were pickled and oh so satisfying to the tongue. It is hard to chose the ideal cheese to compliment a sandwich of this caliber but they wisely chose smoked gouda. I don't know if there was some kind of synergistic effect on the palate between the bacon and the gouda or what but it complemented this juicy patty from Above just right. The bun was lightly toasted with a light butter glaze and stayed true throughout until completion. They also spread a slight bit of this chile mayo on it for added punch. Wimps need not apply; so far this is my BBEP (best burger experience in Philly) to date on my quest for Philly's ultimate hamburger. Sorry Good Dog, you've just been served. (Good Dog was my previous top two along with the special aged prime burger at Pub and Kitchen.) I'm a Philly native but have lived all around the world sampling all kinds of delicious cuisine. My current focus is on my burger search, but stay tuned for other great recs and lousy places to avoid.
(5)
Sheri C.
I LOVE this place! Out of the way but definitely worth seeking out. Vegetarian food was outstanding. HUGE portions!
(5)
Caitlin A.
You can't go wrong with the Royal Tavern. It's probably my favorite casual place in the city. They have great options for vegetarian and vegans, and will also make the biggest meat-lovers happy. I have never had an entree I didn't love, and the same goes for everyone I've dined there with. The service is great even when they're super busy. The specials are always to die for. Brunch is also great. I would eat here every night if I could!
(5)
Crystal S.
I had the grilled cheese and tomato basil soup, he had the meatloaf sandwich. We both couldn't have been happier. The beer selection is also delicious, and the bar back is this gorgeous old wood/mirror wall that I found myself admiring. We'll be going back for sure.
(5)
heather j.
love to get there on sunday mornings drink a bloody mary (very spicy) and eat there great food. portions are on the small side, but I dont like to eat more than I can handle. quiche is excellent (changes every week) and comes w/ a small mixed green salad and great fresh fruit. love this place, cause you can tell that everything is fresh.
(4)
John M.
Great Great Burgers. Cool bar/restaurant with a good selection of beer. Gets busy but always worth it. If it's too busy, just put your name in and go to the dive bar (next door) until they're ready to seat you.
(4)
Jules P.
This place is great. The food is awesome and they have a nice selection of beer. My only real concern is that since it's so good, there tends to be a wait to eat there at any time on the weekend.
(5)
Mike H.
This has become a weekend standard for my girlfriend and I. They have vegan and vegetarian on their standard menu and some nice specials. Their brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays is pretty good. Also their portions are pretty big for the price.
(4)
Emma B.
just go here for brunch or for a casual date with someone that does or doesn't eat meat or dairy. everyone wins.
(4)
Jessica K.
Great food- I'm not a vegetarian and the Vegan Sloppy Joe there is one of my favorites. They also always have my favorite Woodchuck Dark & Dry Cider. The smoke used to be excessive, but no longer a problem. Sometimes the service can be a little spotty- depends on who you get. Some of the waitstaff has been there for a while, but the newbies are often not on the ball.
(4)
Alex B.
what can i say that hasn't been said before about this place. great food, great beer selection, and very reasonable (may seem slightly pricey at first, but the quality of the food more than makes up for the extra dollar or two more you'd spend here than for a burger elsewhere). the crowd/vibe is definitely that of the hipster/artsy persuasion, but if you don't mind, they certainly don't. everyone is super nice and helpful. the downsides is it can get very crowded around dinner time, and you may have to wait (and there really isn't a spot inside you can wait without being in the way of someone). also it's not very good for large groups, because of the close quarters inside.
(4)
Ted B.
Easily on my top five list of places to eat in Philly. Excellent (cheap) food, especially appetizers (the hummus plate is a must-have, and don't be skeptical of the popcorn, it's amazing), excellent beer list at a reasonable price, and fun setting. They're always blasting (usually quite good) music, so if you come to socialize, plan to yell. Well worth the walk from South St. after a concert. Hell, it's well worth the trip just for the food!
(4)
Celeste P.
Love, love, love the grilled cheese here. It's amazing. I'm prob the only person reviewing their grilled cheese, but I'm telling you it's very worth ordering. Besides the grilled cheese this place has a nice vibe and ambiance, local crowd, and lots of vegetarian/vegan food options. Wait staff has never been anything to brag about. Go and order their grilled cheese. Thank me.
(4)
Una M.
I love this place for Sunday brunch. I bring both children and staff, though always busy, are attentive and fun. The food is always great and what a selection! In my next life I want to go here at night like a grown up!
(5)
J Q.
Great spot for whatever you are looking for, food beer and atomsphere! Jukebox is killer. Walking in has that calming effect one seeks regularly and can quite capture - except here. Menu specials are always changing but it remains consistent in delivering. In fact while writing this it seems a good idea to go, burger.
(4)
Julie B.
Quite simply the best pub food in town. I recently moved back to Philly from DC and there is not a single place in DC that comes close to the Royal. This place is a gem. The service is great and everything I have tried on the menu is excellent and reasonably priced. The tempeh club is my favorite and I am not normally a tempeh fan. Brunch is awesome. The jukebox is great, too.
(5)
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Address :937 E Passyunk Ave
Philadelphia, PA, 19147
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Hipster Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
laura k.
Good meals at all hours. I'm especially fond of Royal Brunch. I've not had to wait more than half an hour for a table yet, even when it is super packed for brunch, later in the evening can be a bit insane however. I've tried a number of different things off the menu, but I fell in love with the grilled sweet potato bahn mi with a fruit salad side, which completely rocks my world, repeatedly. I know their fries are deadly good, which is why I was forced to switch to fruit, which is always super fresh and a great mix (they win me with good berries!). The coffee is very good and kept full. They always have tempting new additions to the changing menu, yummy cocktails and a fantastic vegetarian/vegan selection. Service is usually pretty good, not outstanding. Good juke box but it does get overwhelmingly loud at night, but they generally keep the music in check pre-dinner hours. They do the grastropub thing right and at a very decent price. They will keep me coming back so long as they keep it up!
(4)Garrett W.
Like just about everyone else who posted, I agree that the burger here is top notch. And the rest of the food I've tried here is great too. The only thing I would change is to expand the beer selection. Otherwise, I'm thrilled to live a couple of blocks away from the Royal.
(5)Tom A.
This was my first favorite bar when I moved to this neighborhood from port richmond 5 years ago. When the Dive was Low and there was no POPE. It was all I could ask for in a bar. Good Beer and Good Food. Way back when the duck club had a good amount of duck on it and was only 9 bucks. Ah 2003. Beer was always nice, always had my faves. Now its the same. Good beers and good food. Last nights meatlof sandwich was deeeeelicious. As a matter of fact, Royal, you and everyone else has been doing the flavored mayo with fries routine for at least 5 years. Give me that Smoked Ketchup with my fries!!! that was some delicious ketchup. Switch over now. Actually next time I go I will just ask for it. It's better and no one is doing ketchup. Get the upper hand. This place is packed early and nearly empty by 12, it's mainly a dinner vibe, which is fine the food is great, but then you practically get the place to yourself for a lil bit. Prices are the highest of my local joints, but sometimes, and it's rare, that I don't wanna POPE it up, this is choice two. Only sad not... earlier this fall my coat was stolen from the back table by the bathrooms. never got it back. anyone know where it is?
(4)lisa t.
Oh how it pains me to give my once fav neighborhood bar 3 stars. I am still mourning their legendary duck club and may not ever forgive them. The beer selection is solid and their fries are always delicious. I have since moved on to their burger but seriously, how many times can you eat their delicious burger without suffering from a heart attack? Their mussels are consistently yummy. The jukebox always has a great selection.
(3)Bill G.
My girlfriend used to live across the street and I spent plenty of nights and mornings here. The atmosphere is dark,night or day, but really comfortable. Their breakfast can be amazing-- we used to set our alarms so that we could get in for eggs before they stopped serving it. The beer selection is great and the bartenders were always attentive and interesting. My only warning is that this place can get super crowded and loud on weekend nights..but if you can get a stool at the table, big suggestion.
(4)Heather M.
This was my and my husband's first visit to the Royal. We are big fans of Chef Mark McKinney (thinking of making a fridge magnet that says WWMMD), and will happily eat anything that he has a hand in creating. We practically live at Cantina Dos Segundos. For a week prior to our visit, I'd been reading on various local food blogs that the Royal was doing an all vegetarian specials menu to celebrate their anniversary (we may also have gotten the word from the Chef himself, but I'm not saying...). Since the spouse and I eat not of the flesh, we decided to give it a shot. My first impression upon entering the Royal: this is a bar. It smells like a bar. This is not necessarily a bad thing, if you like that stale beer and old cigarettes smell. It's not really our cup of tea, though. I drink, the spouse doesn't, and we don't really hang out in bars. It's also crowded. Being in South Philly, real estate is scarce, and tables are tightly packed. We arrived early enough that we didn't have to fight a crowd to sit in the back area, where the tables are more evenly separated, but upon leaving, I was wishing for a Moses like power to part the mass of people crowded around the bar. Upon receiving the menu, I was overwhelmed with all of the vegetarian options available to me! Even the regular menu is chock full. We went with an order of the vegetarian chicken wings off of the specials menu. I also got the vegetarian sloppy joe. The spouse got the grilled seitan sandwich off of the specials menu. The food was awesome. My only food related complaint: the order of wings was sparse. I wanted a big pile, we got 4 to share. I also needed a bigger serving of the bleu cheese dressing for dipping because I'm a dipaholic. My sloppy joe sandwich was incredible. It was served on a toasted brioche bun, and had a cole slaw which included jalapeno peppers. It came with fries. Oh, the fries! Crispy, skin on, perfection. There was mysterious vinegar flavored white condiment provided along with the fries...some sort of vinegar mayo? I finished both my and my husband's dip (because he hates condiments) using the fries. I may have been making little grunty noises, too, it was that good. My husband said his seitan sandwich was good, but he didn't share, so I have no idea what it tasted like. We finished with a slice of tasty pumpkin cake. The service was eh. When we entered, no one really noticed us, and we didn't know the routine (seat yourself? wait to be seated?), so I approached the bar and was directed to sit anywhere. Ok. We ordered drinks, and they came out quickly. I drink sparsely during a meal, but my husband has some need to guzzle iced teas at every restaurant. He really is a server's nightmare in this regard. Sadly, he judges the quality of service based on how often he has to wait or ask for a refill. I could tell from his face that the service at the Royal was failing. On top of that, the iced tea was actually gross...it had that flavor like the container hasn't been cleaned out in a while, like moldy washcloths. He had to switch to diet soda. When asking for a refill of his soda, he was actually told "it would be a little while" because our server was so busy. Ok. Again, this is not really my issue, but when my husband gets cranky at a restaurant because he's thirsty, it kind of ruins my ability to enjoy my meal properly. Will we go back? Maybe. The food was certainly worth it. The ambiance, though, eh. It would probably be a good place to hit with a group of people and hang out late at night. We tend to eat during "old people hours," though, so I doubt we'll be back on our own anytime soon.
(3)Lindsay H.
vegan sloppy joe could have used more sauce buttttt...... $2.25 beers during happy hour makes for a happy lass! cant find great deals like that in ny!
(4)Jon B.
I joined some friends at this fantastic little hide-away. When I arrived they were polishing off some hot wings and sweet potato fries. I was able to sample a wing and it was bold and flavorful! I almost took a star away because their sweet potato fries came out soggy, no joke. However, the real reason they deserve credit is for the burger which is what you've all been waiting for. The burger is out of this world!!! It comes on a plate with delicious crispy fries (maybe sweet fries were a one-off) and a dipping sauce which I can't really remember for some reason. Ok, ok, the burger: This bad boy is probably like 6-7 oz of pure angus heaven. I should preface that I always order a quality burger temp RARE. It came out and it was just the right balance of reddish pink color (not to be confused w med.rare.) As if this weren't enough, there is just the right proportions of crispy bacon, perfectly caramelized onions (I hate when they say caramelized but they're not fried long enough and lack the natural sweetness which comes out... not here) and these delicious hot peppers which I wasn't familiar with called longhots which were pickled and oh so satisfying to the tongue. It is hard to chose the ideal cheese to compliment a sandwich of this caliber but they wisely chose smoked gouda. I don't know if there was some kind of synergistic effect on the palate between the bacon and the gouda or what but it complemented this juicy patty from Above just right. The bun was lightly toasted with a light butter glaze and stayed true throughout until completion. They also spread a slight bit of this chile mayo on it for added punch. Wimps need not apply; so far this is my BBEP (best burger experience in Philly) to date on my quest for Philly's ultimate hamburger. Sorry Good Dog, you've just been served. (Good Dog was my previous top two along with the special aged prime burger at Pub and Kitchen.) I'm a Philly native but have lived all around the world sampling all kinds of delicious cuisine. My current focus is on my burger search, but stay tuned for other great recs and lousy places to avoid.
(5)Sheri C.
I LOVE this place! Out of the way but definitely worth seeking out. Vegetarian food was outstanding. HUGE portions!
(5)Caitlin A.
You can't go wrong with the Royal Tavern. It's probably my favorite casual place in the city. They have great options for vegetarian and vegans, and will also make the biggest meat-lovers happy. I have never had an entree I didn't love, and the same goes for everyone I've dined there with. The service is great even when they're super busy. The specials are always to die for. Brunch is also great. I would eat here every night if I could!
(5)Crystal S.
I had the grilled cheese and tomato basil soup, he had the meatloaf sandwich. We both couldn't have been happier. The beer selection is also delicious, and the bar back is this gorgeous old wood/mirror wall that I found myself admiring. We'll be going back for sure.
(5)heather j.
love to get there on sunday mornings drink a bloody mary (very spicy) and eat there great food. portions are on the small side, but I dont like to eat more than I can handle. quiche is excellent (changes every week) and comes w/ a small mixed green salad and great fresh fruit. love this place, cause you can tell that everything is fresh.
(4)John M.
Great Great Burgers. Cool bar/restaurant with a good selection of beer. Gets busy but always worth it. If it's too busy, just put your name in and go to the dive bar (next door) until they're ready to seat you.
(4)Jules P.
This place is great. The food is awesome and they have a nice selection of beer. My only real concern is that since it's so good, there tends to be a wait to eat there at any time on the weekend.
(5)Mike H.
This has become a weekend standard for my girlfriend and I. They have vegan and vegetarian on their standard menu and some nice specials. Their brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays is pretty good. Also their portions are pretty big for the price.
(4)Emma B.
just go here for brunch or for a casual date with someone that does or doesn't eat meat or dairy. everyone wins.
(4)Jessica K.
Great food- I'm not a vegetarian and the Vegan Sloppy Joe there is one of my favorites. They also always have my favorite Woodchuck Dark & Dry Cider. The smoke used to be excessive, but no longer a problem. Sometimes the service can be a little spotty- depends on who you get. Some of the waitstaff has been there for a while, but the newbies are often not on the ball.
(4)Alex B.
what can i say that hasn't been said before about this place. great food, great beer selection, and very reasonable (may seem slightly pricey at first, but the quality of the food more than makes up for the extra dollar or two more you'd spend here than for a burger elsewhere). the crowd/vibe is definitely that of the hipster/artsy persuasion, but if you don't mind, they certainly don't. everyone is super nice and helpful. the downsides is it can get very crowded around dinner time, and you may have to wait (and there really isn't a spot inside you can wait without being in the way of someone). also it's not very good for large groups, because of the close quarters inside.
(4)Ted B.
Easily on my top five list of places to eat in Philly. Excellent (cheap) food, especially appetizers (the hummus plate is a must-have, and don't be skeptical of the popcorn, it's amazing), excellent beer list at a reasonable price, and fun setting. They're always blasting (usually quite good) music, so if you come to socialize, plan to yell. Well worth the walk from South St. after a concert. Hell, it's well worth the trip just for the food!
(4)Celeste P.
Love, love, love the grilled cheese here. It's amazing. I'm prob the only person reviewing their grilled cheese, but I'm telling you it's very worth ordering. Besides the grilled cheese this place has a nice vibe and ambiance, local crowd, and lots of vegetarian/vegan food options. Wait staff has never been anything to brag about. Go and order their grilled cheese. Thank me.
(4)Una M.
I love this place for Sunday brunch. I bring both children and staff, though always busy, are attentive and fun. The food is always great and what a selection! In my next life I want to go here at night like a grown up!
(5)J Q.
Great spot for whatever you are looking for, food beer and atomsphere! Jukebox is killer. Walking in has that calming effect one seeks regularly and can quite capture - except here. Menu specials are always changing but it remains consistent in delivering. In fact while writing this it seems a good idea to go, burger.
(4)Julie B.
Quite simply the best pub food in town. I recently moved back to Philly from DC and there is not a single place in DC that comes close to the Royal. This place is a gem. The service is great and everything I have tried on the menu is excellent and reasonably priced. The tempeh club is my favorite and I am not normally a tempeh fan. Brunch is awesome. The jukebox is great, too.
(5)Dave W.
This is what a bar should be. No frills inside. Just a nice long bar, some high tops, and some tables towards the back. A friendly face behind the bar who is well informed about their various offerings. A TV in the corner usually playing old movies on AMC or sports (depending on when you're there and whose bartending). The crowds a little hipstery but if you dont feel comfortable in this place it probably says more about you then the crowd. The beer selection is diverse and very good. The food is excellent- I get the same thing almost every time. The grilled chicken sandwich, arugula, blue cheese, pear, lavendar honey dressing. They will happily sub a salad for fries at no charge if you're trying to keep it on the somewhat healthy tip. It is one damn good sandwich. I finally ordered the much talked about burger yesterday and it is also really, really good. Not for a traditionalist and not for someone with a heart problem, as it comes with bacon, smoked gouda, long hots, and chili mayo on it, but it is very, very tasty. This is currently my favorite bar in philadelphia, though I enjoy it more during off peak hours. The 4-6 happy hour is a good deal too, as you can drink some really good beers on draft at half price.
(5)patrick k.
The Royal is the best bar in the city. I used to diss this place even though I always admitted that their food and the beer list and the ambiance and the juke box and the location were all perfect. mostly I guess hated how condescending I thought the service was. But that was years ago and nowadays I find all the bartenders and waiters there to be completely attentive and very pleasant if not downright friendly. I often cite their food and service and ambiance as paragons of pub fare. In fact, when I visited the Dogfish Head (my favorite brewery) brew pub in Rehoboth Beach and was disappointed in the food, i wrote to them and told them to check out the Royal for some pointers. The calamari and the meatloaf sandwich and the popcorn and the bloody mary's and mimosas are all just as good as they can be. The Royal is just like a good Simpsons joke, you can't imagine how it could be any better. I brought my love here on an early date and I think somehow I owe a little bit of our relationship to them. And also props for the real tin ceiling and the gorgeous hand-crafted bar.
(5)Mike H.
Completely laid back place. Amazing menu with tons of vegetarian and vegan options. I definitely plan on visiting this place more often.
(5)Ray D.
My favorite gastro-pub in Philadelphia. I think that at one point last year I was in serious danger of being charged rent at this place. The burger is one of the tastiest things I've ever had the pleasure of eating. The chipotle bbq wings are a sleeper which I highly recommend. The whole feel of this place has got me smiling as I write the review. Don't judge a book by it's cover though. You may not feel like you fit in with the crowd that flocks here. I'm the furthest thing from being considered hipster or alternative. I have no tattoos, no facial hair, and my ear lobes are not stretched to unusual proportions. You'll be comfortable here regardless of what you're into. If you like good food, good drink, good music, and good times, grab a table and get hooked like the rest of us.
(4)Dera S.
The Royal has seriously great vegan beef nachos. The stack of deliciousness is so high it seems like an architectural feat and can easily be shared by two (or three) people. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike will dig them. Their beer selection is good too, though sometimes on the pricey side (I wish they would get on board with a Kensinger special or some such thing). My husband and friends love their burger.
(4)Kristin M.
Royal Tavern is the kind of place where you really don't care that the waitress politely, even cautiously, just asked if you would leave so she can sit a waiting party of eight. This was after paying, of course. And staying more than two hours. So when she asked, we immediately put on our coats and headed for the door. Despite loving Sabrina's for brunch just like everyone else, Royal Tavern has them beat with its bar--and insanely good bloody marys. I've taken my Jersey-living parents here, chain-restaurant loyalists that they are, and I could even see that they thought this place was a find. So what to get: The burger is a winner, as is the chicken sandwich with proscuitto, apples, gorgonzola and lavendar honey mustard on a toasted bread of some sort. The wings are decadent, slathered with sauce and pack some heat. The wine list is surprisingly filled out but most of the food here stands up better with a beer. Order several but, please, smile and grab your stuff when the waitress asks you for the table back.
(4)kara p.
i've been here at least once a week recently. i don't drink but i've been slowly trying every veg option on the menu. last thing i had was the hummus plate and my god it was incredible. great presentation and taste. and it was huge! i took home the leftover hummus and it lasted me another few days. their fries are great, a doi. the butter snap peas are soooooo good, but i little heavy on the butter for my taste so next time i'll ask for it to be lighter. the stuffed grape leaves have a great kick to them but are a little mushy. the tater tots are nice and crispy. next time i'm going for the sloppy joe! yummmm
(5)Katy D.
I went on a Monday night, which was surprisingly busy - always a good sign! The beer selection was nice although they didn't have much in the way of lager. It was all Pils, Pale Ale, and IPA - lots of hops and wit beers. I ended up with a Saison Dupont, one of my favorite beers ever. The only reason this place didn't get 5 stars is the service... the waitress wanted to take our order right away. Like the moment we were seated. Then, she disappeared for a bit and after we did order, the food did take quite a while. However, the gnocci and burger were worth the wait. Both delicious! I didn't really care for the mixed green salad I got. It was way too acidic - very vinegary greens, feta, and orange slices, all acidic... It could have used a different cheese or something to balance it out more. Another note on the service... it took two requests to get me parmesean cheese for the gnocci. Strangely, though, they were always right there when our drinks were low, asking if we wanted another. With a bit faster and friendlier service, this place could easily be 5 stars in my book.
(4)Dave G.
Royal Tavern rules! Highlights: Delicious burgers! Awesome, unique selection of beers (this is the only restaurant I've been to that serves Delirium!) Sriracha sauce! Great service!
(5)Mindy I.
let me just state right off the bat that the 5 stars are for the tempeh club. it is hands down the best (vegan) sandwich in philadelphia, maybe the world, and i would probably choose it as my last meal on earth. i go here fairly often and always get it. sometimes i am embarrassed when i have the same server each time i go because it feels like they know exactly what i'm going to order. i've had the tofu/tempeh hash and their hummus plate (sans feta) before--and they're both excellent--but they don't compare to the tempeh club. but most things don't. sometimes i want to order the other vegan options because they all look delicious, but i just can't bring myself to. as for the service, it's pretty hit or miss, although it's usually hit. i've had more positive experiences than negative ones, but i have had two memorably rude servers who almost kept me from my beloved tempeh club. however, there's one server (whose name i forget) who is just sweet as pie, and lots of the other servers seem great too.
(5)Ben K.
I honestly don't know how I've lived in Philadelphia for years and never have been to Royal Tavern. All of the reviews here are dead on. This place is the truth! If you haven't read it enough, here is how they described the Angus burger: caramelized onions, bacon, Smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise. The diameter of the patty was small but it was hand molded and very thick. The sesame seed bun is from Baker Street Bread and was fantastic - dark and crusty on the outside while chewy on the inside. The cheese, mayo, everything was just gooey and delicious. The only thing I'd complain about was the longhots. Perhaps they were overcooked but the skin was a little plasticy - but no worries, I pulled them off easily. Another complaint? Why can't a cook in this city actually make a proper medium-rare burger? I understand people are nervous about food poisoning but come on! When I order a medium-rare burger I expect it to be pink and juicy, not mostly brown. I also highly recommend the meatloaf sandwich. Although my mom never made meatloaf, the thick cut slabs of meat on this thing taste exactly how I'd imagine hers would. It's served on ciabatta with bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini ketchup. This sandwich is enormous, I mean EPIC and I was surprised we couldn't finish it. The fries are amazing, the beer is great. We drank Corsendonk, Brooklyn Brown and Lagunitas IPA. Our waitress was super cute and extremely nice. I will definitely be here again and again.
(4)Stef A.
I love places like the Royal Tavern.......warm, laid back pub atmsophere with GREAT food. I went here for a small birthday dinner gathering and expected typical pub fare - standard wings, nachos, etc. Not so. With appetizer specials like soft shell crab and truffled popcorn, the Royal Tavern is not your typical pub. The grilled cheese and tomato soup combo is delicious and so is the burger and homemade pickles. Expect a bit of a wait if you go here on the weekend, but it's worth it. After reading the reviews, I definitely want to try their brunch.
(4)Jon K.
This place is the real deal, if you don't like it you're probably dead. The Meatloaf Sandwich (with bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini mushroom ketchup on ciabatta) is probably the single greatest thing I've ever eaten in my life. The burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun) was listed as the best in Food Network magazine, for whatever that may be worth. Not EVERYTHING there has bacon, and they've got a ton of veggie/vegan options (recommend the Vegan Sloppy Joe and Tempeh Club). Sick beers everywhere, and a great brunch as well. Can get a little loud in there, but well worth enduring.
(5)Maxwell S.
I like it here. More low key not as crowded as the other places I always go to. I like it because it's a little more mellow. The food has been good every time and the girls are really nice every time I go in. Check it out if you've never been. They always have good salads. Oh and I like the music too.
(5)Johnny B.
enjoyed half of a bacon-vodka bloody mary- with tater tots, eggs and caramelized onions scrambled together for brunch. ahhh! brunch, lunch and dinner is always good at the royal t. please have the burger. I've had it so many times. one of the best in Philadelphia.
(4)Kori M.
The best and I went on a "nice weather shopping/stroll aimlessly around Philly" adventure yesterday and decided to go to Royal Tavern. He has been before but I have not. Being a vegetarian/trying to be a vegan they have great options! The sweet potato ban mi was awesome! I love grilled sweet potatoes! They have great fries too and well my Maker's and diet could have been a bit stronger, the price was not bad. I got an angus burger to-go for the boyfriend and he thought it was the best burger he has ever had! I will for sure be back! I need to try the vegan sloppy joe next!
(4)Erik s.
I always thought the best bar food was in northern libs but royal tavern puts bella vista on the map, though northern libs still rules the roost says I. Their burger is one of my favorites in philly and their mac and cheese is very good too. nachos and wings are good too but North 3rd wings are better. the wait staff is super nice and they actually know bout beer which the Royal has a pretty good selection in. its a pretty diverse mix of people which I like and it is crowded but not the unbearable u want to donkeypunch the person elbowing u in the small of your back crowded. Good food+good service+good beer = good fat and drunken times in my book.
(4)Christa M.
The best gastro pub in Philadelphia. This is a great "go to" place for great drinks and great food. They have an excellent selection of vegan and vegetarian options while also offering great selections for the carnivores in your life. I've been for brunch, lunch and dinner so many times it is hard to count. Each time I leave satisfied and happy!
(5)Lauryn Z.
Royal Tavern has been on my list of places to try for a while now, so when we were searching for a place to grab a beer and quick bite too eat on a sunday evening, I was eager to check it out. The menu provided a solid selection of vegetarian and vegan options. I was starving and ordered the tempeh club, my boyfriend and friend both ordered the grilled cheese and soup. The beer selection was varied and we ordered MaredSous 8 (always good to see one of the less popular belgians on draft) and Arrogant Bastard. The soups (Potato and Butternut Squash) arrived first and were rather watery- I understand they were vegan, so that explains the lack of cream used...) My tempeh club was good, except for the fact that the sandwich was stacked so high, that I had to pull it apart to eat or else it would have created a mess on my plate...My boyfriend and friend however, were rather disappointed with the grilled cheese. The sandwich was listed on the menu as containing 'smoked gouda, provolone, and goat cheese' - which it most definitely did not . gouda and goat cheese both have distinctively strong flavors and the cheese in this sandwich was bland. The 'rustic french bread' was also a bit soggy and greasy. Fries were decent. I felt the descriptions of the food on the menu exaggerated what was nothing more than average bar food. Food aside, I really liked the atmosphere of this place- dark and cozy. Good place to go meet for a beer with friends when its not too busy. Service was also friendly. I'll be back here again because of the decent beer selection- perhaps it was just an off night...
(2)Karen G.
The food was delicious however service was incredibly slow. Our server was overwhelmed, it took thirty minutes to get a cup of coffee n when we received it we had no cream, sugar or spoons.
(2)Apathy K.
Very excited for this place. The vegan options looked hopeful and the reviews were positive. The waitress forgot to write my order down on the receipt. So the rest of my family received their food and I didn't have anything. I'm patient so I waited and the waitress gave me a drink on the house. My father's medium burger was dry and black but everyone else's food was okay. My food came out when they ordered dessert and the tempeh club was ok. Basil aoili was excellent and the fries well done. The blueberry bread pudding was incredibly dry and the brownie was as well. My uncle thought it was angel food cake and didn't like it. After the waitress missing a few more drink orders from us, we just gave up and asked for the check. Very nice atmosphere so I would go back for a beer, but the service was lower than par. Not worth a $92 lunch. And apparently the waitress was wearing her shirt inside out so if she was drunk, I fully understand. It is St. Patrick's day weekend after all.
(2)Meredith B.
Whenever I come to visit my sister in Philly, I ask her to take me to the Royal Tavern. The atmosphere is great, the juke box rules, and the drinks are good. It's my favorite place to go for drinks at night and it's also my favorite place to have brunch. Their heuvos rancheros can not be beat! If there was a Royal Tavern in Brooklyn I'd be a regular but since there's not, I look forward to visiting every few months.
(5)Kate S.
I am a fan of any bar where I can get standard pub fare made in a veggie way and I'm not limited to a makeshift salad that's composed of burger toppings. Royal Tavern has an awesome tempeh club with fries and malt vinegar mayo. It was delicious and they even had Rogue Chocolate Stout on draft!! The staff was also really nice and told me the trick to the tempeh club is to order it without the middle bread because it makes it easier to eat. My favorite part was the cd jukebox which had anything from The Jam to David Bowie to Panda Bear to Vivian Girls to Jay Z to etc. The one bummer, to which I exhaled a disgruntled "harumph" was that the illusive duck-wich is no more. I was excited about this from another review and apparently should have read all reviews and spared myself the disappointment. (Full disclosure: not totally a vegetarian, more like an ugletarian in that I've sworn off all cute animals.)
(4)Ryan Z.
First just let me state if you want a pure beer bar, this isn't the place. That isn't to say there aren't good beer selections, but this is the gastro-pub you should frequent. They have two staple sandwiches, the meatloaf and the chicken breast sandwich (i wish they still had the duck club), everyone should have at least once when you go. These two sandwiches alone will keep you coming back, and that is not to say that is all there is on the menu, and the specials are always tasty. I've neglected this bar the past couple of years because the pope opened up, but I always enjoy a dinner at the Royal.
(4)Jen P.
Great beer selection, lots of yummy vegetarian and vegan menu options, a fun jukebox...what more could you want? The staff is usually very friendly, too. May I suggest brunch on Saturday or Sunday? The daily specials are always interesting and delicious. Seriously, you should go.
(4)Phil P.
Great and friendly service, great beer selection, and the best burger I've ever had. I've only been here once so the sample size is too small to give it 5 stars, but maybe I'll write another review once I start going more often.
(4)Jimmy A.
always good. always consistent. Great specials and brunch.
(5)Susanne J.
Some friends and I wandered into the Royal Tavern to continue my birthday celebration after leaving the South Philly Taproom. The place is tiny, but wasn't crowded when we arrived and we were able to grab seats at the bar. The bar tender was attentive and friendly and we didn't have to fight with other patrons to get drinks. We ordered a plate of Nachos which were some of the best I've had - lots of fresh tomatoes and cheese, generous helpings of guacamole and sour cream, and the chips were perfectly crisp instead of soggy or stale. The single strand of holiday lights above the wood bar lend a perfect ambience to the dimly lit tavern. The kitchen is open until 1am which is great for night owls. I was impressed by the beers that they had both in bottles and on draught - enough choices to suit a variety of tastes. I look forward to going back to try more of their culinary offerings, especially their brunch.
(4)Derrick C.
The Royal Tavern never struck me as a place that I wanted to go to, until I went there. The vibe is cool and the staff is pleasant and nice. I have since been there many times with my wife and it seems that I can't get enough of their burger. For years, I thought that it was impossible to find a burger that was better than Monk's burger, that is until Royal Tavern. There is nothing crazy about the burger, but it is cooked to perfection every time, with the right mix of Gouda cheese, roasted long hot pepper, bacon and spicy mayo. I even get mine with an egg on top to add to its decadence. It would also be dumb of me to forget their great selection of beers, both on tap and in the bottle. They certainly have more choices on the menu and they always have a interesting mix of vegetarian and carnivore specials, but I can't seem to get past the burger. Great place to go if you want a cool place to hang out with good food and drink. Did I mention that the burger comes with fresh cut fries and a malt vinegar mayo?
(5)Lizzie P.
Yay! Such a fun place! If I lived here I'd come here all the time. Fun hip vibe, great bar and local beers. Good selection of vegan/vegetarian food! We had to wait about ten minutes for a table on a week night, as it was a little packed. The great thing was there is a jukebox with a wonderful indie music selection that kept us occupied. I had the vegan sloppy joe and I have to admit I was a little hesitant. I'm a new vegetarian and sloppy joes is a favorite. I was hoping it would hold up. Oooh, it did. It was soo tasty and huge, I ate the entire thing. It also came with a side order of cole slaw which was great. We shared the mac and cheese, which wasn't too bad, a litte chalky but full of flavor. The fries were very yummy too. We tried their local beers. The local dark beer is very smooth, good but I'm not a big dark beer fan. I ordered the Sweaty Betty beer (honestly just so I could repeat the fun title to the waitress), its a lighter beer with a hint of fruit but with a Miller kick at the end which I could have done without. Overall an awesome place to go, little pricey but totally worth it.
(5)Amy M.
it's all about the burgers. and the beer, of course. this place is too damn crowded when i go, however!
(5)Chris Y.
Amazing food! Not sure if there is much more room for elaboration but I will of course make my point. Great beer selection and terrific soft shell crab salad (thanks Nathan). I had eaten his salad by accident. Grilled octopus was out of this world. I got the wing sample and it was delicious. Not Memphis Tap Room good but nonetheless it can hold its own. Next time I'm there I'll have to try the pork chop, which was the largest cut of pork I've seen to date or the burger.
(4)Sally f.
i have always had good experiences here, despite it being small dark, noisy and crowded. i always get seated eventually - even when there are no tables open when i wak in and i have a group of ppl! and the food is great!
(4)Dani S.
I love this place! Great staff, cool atmoshphere and most importantly... the best bloody mary, hands down
(5)Rev. B.
it was going to be "a-ok" until I wrote the review and thought about it for ten minutes. MEZZE PLATE- awesome. very good, smokey baba, hummus was right, cucumber-olive salad with pickled red onions very good...palate cleansing. Good quality feta, perfectly toasted and grilled lavash and pita. Some quality olive oil drizzled around the plate. stuffed grape leaves were on point. traditional. delicate. Excellent dish. CUBAN SPRING ROLLS- eh. very cool idea that just didn't deliver. Nothing really happening on my palate as I ate them. the ancho sauce was weak. the harissa and skordalia that came with the calamari was an entirely better pair of sauces to go with the spring rolls. hint-hint chef. CALAMARI- crispy, good flavor, but I have a feeling they hung in the pass a bit to long waiting for the rest of the apps to join the party. Not hot and fresh fried when they arrived at table. Harissa and skordalia were very, very good sauces. I could put that shit on everything. WINGS- pretty darn good, especially the chipotle bbq. The mango-hab were tasty as well. Cooked right, crispy, flavorful. Sandwiches... MEATLOAF- I call bullshit. gay, weak-ass, poor excuse for a slice of meatloaf, that I'd bet was just a seared or grilled burger patty. And it was about the size of a postage stamp (ok, I'm exaggerating, but you get the point). The bun engulfed the "meatloaf". Quality bread too, but just overshadowed every other flvor on the sandwich. Bacon marmalade? really? where? Cuz it was lost on my sandwich. smoked tomato ketchup? Oh yea? tasted like friggin heinz to me. Gruyere? ninja, please. domestic swiss probably. AND YOU BURNT MY FN BUN. No, I love charcoal with my sandwich; don't worry about it. CHICKEN FRANKIE- actually really good flavor. I'm guessing a house blend of curry spice as it was original and fresh. very good. The wrap fell short only because it was a soggy, muddled mess, leaking out everywhere. Left the lavash wrap with barely any structural integrity. More like a fork and knife affair. FISH AND CHIPS- a friend had this, and I didn't try it, but she said the fish and chips were good, but YOU BURNT THE FN ASPARAGUS. I mean, really guys. So, obviously, grill man sucks. Burnt asparagus and my toasted bun. My other buddy had a meatloaf sandwich and his bun wasn't bad. Which means you're a friggin hack without the discipline to tell yourself you burnt one bun and you should do another. But, no, let's just serve this charcoal...it's cool. Final bullshit; we were ignored after our order was placed. Had to catch peoples attention for more drinks and beer. Also, three out of four plates had fries with them, and guess what? 2 out of 3 were soggy, limp bullshit. One plates portion of fries looked white and translucent, as if they had only taken a quick dip in the fryer. Ridiculous. Apparently, the hardest thing in the world for a pub to do is cook a decent fry. wtf. Congratulations Royal Tavern; you made the boycott list. And folks rave about this place. I don't get it. It's really a shame too, cuz the place is nice, and the apps, for the most part, are so good.
(2)Brett D.
Sorry Royal, but you're probably the most overrated restaurant on Passy Ave. I think you're prone to the same disease that the Cantina has, which is unfortunate. Don't bother eating here if it's busy. Fill up on their wonderful selections of beer instead.
(3)Colleen C.
Royal Tavern straight sucks. In all of my years living in Philly and trying all sorts of spots, I have never been treated by staff so poorly, and so insulted. I went with my boyfriend and another couple, our best friends, after a surprise party, because none of us felt like partying hard with drinking or doing the center city bar scene, but wanted a chill drink and some midnight snacks. A friend parked right around the corner, since she lives a block away, and we first tried the ever-friendly and divey 'Dive bar', but turns out they don't serve any food, so we turned around to try the Tavern. My girl friend and I walked in first and as we were lookign around for a spot, we turned behind us to see her boyfriend being cornered into the wall by one of the bouncers. Before we knew it, andother bartender was in our faces telling us to get out. They had apparently been 'watching us from the window and saw (us) get thrown out of the Dive'. That was pretty funny, as we parked right in front of the Dive, walked in, asked about the food sitch, and then turned right around. When I asked the bartender for please explaining why they wouldn't serve us, he retorted 'Uh cause I said so, how about that!' Since it was midnight of April Fools day, we thought for SURE they were messing with us. Never in my life could I imagine that type of treatment or 'flagging' without even speaking to us. If they had spoken to us first, they would have seen they were seriously mistaken and silly for treating potential customers in such an agressive manner. We were humiliated in front of their patrons. We ended up getting beers at the Dive and talked shit on RT with the Dive bartenders for the rest of the night, as their local patrons joined in passionately. Oh, also for its location, it is completely overpriced and pretentious. The Dive 1, Royal Tavern 0.
(1)michelle p.
I've heard good things about the Royal Tavern, some of them were true. I just really need to go back, I wasn't hungry enough to order their tempeh club so I just got the Old Bay fries. They were a pretty big portion, and I ended up not finishing them even while sharing. The person I was with managed to scarf all his food, it must have been good or he was just really hungry. I've had their popcorn before and that was pretty amazing and I don't eat meat I've had recommendations that the burgers and fried chicken were good. All and all it was an ok experience, the service was a little spotty and it was wicked loud. It also didn't help that game 2 of the World Series was on.
(3)Michael M.
A quick add to my previous review: after previewing a grilled seitan sandwich as a special in the spring, they added it to the menu full time sometime in the summer/fall. It's amazing (with gruyere!), and solidifies the Royal's place as the king of Philly pubs for vegetarians... pun not intended. Also, Lancaster Milk Stout is back on tap. WHOOHOO!
(5)Nicole R.
The Royal Tavern has been through a few culinary changes during the time it's been open. They do have pretty good food, although some of the things I really liked are no longer on the menu. It's great for brunch or a lazy afternoon going into happy hour. They have good happy hour specials, good burgers and a decent beer selection. Their draughts are always changing out, which is good because then you don't get bored of the same options all the time. I don't think the staff or the patrons are particularly rude. They tend to be people who live in the neighborhood and they are what they are (some may be bike messengers, others may be hipsters). I've never felt unwelcome or out of place but it might be my hair (which is admittedly pretty hip).
(4)John P.
Any joint that has Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live in the Juke is certainly alright in my book. The food here is crazy awesome, a good place to grab a bite with your vegetarian and/or vegan friends. There is a great booze selection, and there is a certain ambiance I enjoy about this place. The waitstaff is supercool as well. The only problem I can see is that Im not in here more often
(4)ezekial f.
one of the best bars in the city. and though i love sabrinas brunch, i do not have the patience on a sunday, so off to royal tavern we go! thats not to downplay the quality of brunch there either, they always switch up the specials and the regular menu is high qual too. i know its been said before but this is one of the top five burgers in the city. i can live without smoked gouda but long hots and bacon, wow! the beer selection is great too! the waitresses are always great even when they are really busy. dont go on sunday because i want to!
(5)Nikki D.
i come to this place quite often. mainly after roller derby several nights a week. the staff is always awesome and the food rarely disappoints. only a few times did i have fries that were over salted. i am however pretty sad that they took the seitan sandwich off the menu. the beer selection is diverse, although lately i havent been too impressed. all in all this place is great. from the atmosphere to the staff to the food..... go here.
(4)jenny v.
For your french fries and nachos, Queen Buttermilk Pancakes and King Sloppy Joe, I crown thee, Royal Tavern, a five-star rating. Your food is delicious, your drinks are a-plenty, and all are unhindered by the constraints of time; I want all of it, morning, noon, and knight. Vegetarian-lovely and crawling with cute and friendly wait staff! It's been really cold in the throne, but I'd change my guards at home before missing the royal visit.
(5)M R.
The food's decent, if uneven, and the beer selection is pretty good. I usually get the burger. The room is way, way too noisy. But I keep coming back: the staff is cool, I enjoy watching the hipsters, and since I live in the neighborhood I often run into friends. I've enjoyed a couple very pleasant New Year's Day brunches. For a neighborhood pub, it's very good.
(4)Bill M.
Royal Tavern has quite possibly been one of those places that have been on my radar to hit up ever since I started to Yelping. So when a friend mentioned it as a place to meet up at before we went to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams(Seriously see it if you haven't - imdb.com/title/tt1664894 ) There was something about it that seemed apropos. And in the end it gave me good insight into why Royal is well worth the hype that it has maintained. Arriving around 4pm on the dot gave us access to there impeccable happy hour. And while I'm normally not a fan of Happy Hours starting so early, I welcomed it when I was on the receiving end for a change. especially when it lead 1/2 off drafts. The beers rotate fairly frequently and do manage to offer up a fairly eclectic mix. And even though one of the oddly named beers that I went with ended up tasting like un-carbonated soda, I was satisfied. When it came to food options the Angus Burger was the only thing on my mind since many people that I know have dubbed it the best in Philly. and while it fell short of hitting that mark; the smoked gouda, pickled longshots, and chile mayonnaise all provided some exemplary ingredients that I have never before seen utilized. And it was also true testament as to why there's always room for bacon (Although it is possible to get carried away - youtu.be/FCxFn3sAw68 )! After looking around on a Friday afternoon, I ran into plenty of locals that I knew. Including one half of the Spinning Leaves and Flash Mob Productions on their graduation day. I also got satisfactory service and plenty of good reason as to why I'll be back!
(4)K. B.
Really crowded on a Friday night. Place is really tiny, no place to stand while waiting. Food was above average, would probably try it again.
(3)L. K.
Best burger in town. Great friendly service. Great soba noodle salad. Fine beer selection. Will Oldham's instrumental album on the iPod -- "Seafarers" -- what?! So up my alley. Used to love to sit in the window and read and watch the sun change the color of the wall across the street. Isaiah Zagar has since done that wall up with what's maybe his mirrored mosaic masterpiece. But before and surely now the bottles and the beautiful mahogany bar illuminate in such a way in the evening that irradiates the soul (especially if you've had a few). Anyway, my first meal in town -- a forgettable tempeh reuben in July 2006 -- but I've since been here dozens of times, mostly sticking to the burger with collards or the soba salad. One of the reasons I love where I live. So stable. Same decor, one or two of the same waitstaff. Hope they never change.
(5)Ken D.
Great Burgers!!! Went there this past weekend and hear great things on there burgers and wings. The rumors are true. Had the wings and burger and walk out a happy and full man. Great flavors of wings and the burger was really fresh. Can't wait to go back and see what else is on the menu. Plus our server was fast and on top of his game, with the drinks.
(5)Sophie U.
I -love- Royal Tavern. It's dark, it's got a great layout, the food is AMAZING and the service is friendly. They have a nice selection of vegetarian and vegan food, desserts included! Two dinners at Royal Tavern allowed me and Boyfriend to try a variety of items and to say that we were bathing in gastronomical bliss both times is a bit of an understatement. Dinner #1: - Cubano Spring Rolls (roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, ancho mustard): This was an unfortunate introduction to Royal Tavern; I can't think of a word other than "meh" to describe it. This is what the missing star is for. - Meatloaf Sandwich (bacon marmalade, gruyère, fried onions, smoked tomato ketchup) + fries: My boyfriend loves a lot of things and meatloaf happens to be one of them. So a MEATLOAF sandwich with BACON marmalade? Yes, please! This was delicious. - Angus Burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise) + fries: Whoa. This burger kicked me in the face. It was big and spicy and BOY was it tasty! and those were very, very good fries. - Tiramisu: I'm a big fan of dessert. Unfortunately I never leave enough room in my stomach for sweet little things; this dinner at Royal Tavern was no exception but I absolutely wanted to try the tiramisu. Yes, it was like a piece of Heaven. And yes, I was miserable for a long time afterwards. Nope, no regrets whatsoever. Dinner #2: - Mezze (hummus, smoked eggplant baba ghanoush, feta, grilled stuffed grape leaves, cucumber-olive salad, lovash chips, grilled pita): This has to be the best hummus plate I've had, or at least one of the best. - Chicken Frankie + fries (curry chicken, Indian coleslaw wrapped in lovash): Boyfriend's choice! He liked it. - Mussels (chorizo sausage, poblano peppers, roasted garlic, corn-saffron broth, rustic French bread): Sophie's choice! I love mussels -- these were really tasty, mussel-y despite the surrounding flavors. You really can't go wrong with chorizo! We also got a side of grilled asparagus (for him) and a side of fries (for me); the malt vinegar mayo makes me want to die (in a good, delicious way). The restrooms have chalkboard paint, or just chalkboards -- I don't really remember. Either way if you're still five-years-old inside, like me, you're bound to spend a lot of time in there.
(4)Danan R.
The chicken frankie wrap in lovash is quite good with a nice, spicy curry kick and a serving of crunchy cole slaw. It's a welcome change for your taste buds. Get it with a side of the truffle-parmesan popcorn. The popcorn is an absolutely delectable steal at $3! It's served hot and fresh and is much better for your arteries than say, the tater tots, although those are pretty good too... Anyhow, definitely try the wrap and popcorn here. They also have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too, which is a nice touch.
(4)Regina F.
Christmas Morning. Present wrapped in Box. Perfectly packaged puppy. Jumps out. Licks Face. Happiness. Hot day in June. Enter dark pub. Served: Crispy. Medium width. Long. Fries. Dipped. In. Malt. Vinegar. Mayonnaise. Medium rare. Perfectly pink inside. Sweet caramelized onions. Crispy bacon. Smoked Gouda not quite melted. Fluffy brioche bun. Another. Perfect Package. Royal. Tavern. Rules.
(5)Jason R.
Very good gastropub! Try the burger and sloppy joe sandwich. Great beer selection. Sometimes can be really busy, loud and tough to get a table.
(4)Kathleen D.
Every few months this happens. It starts as a whisper of a suggestion in the back of my mind, when hunger strikes. "Hey I'm hungry, where should we go?" I might ponder. And then from that part of my memory murmurs, "Reeemember that Royal Tavern burgeeerrrr... Reeeemember thaaat, kathleeeeen?" That's as ghostly and mysterious as it sounds. I try to ignore its call... but eventually I will buckle like a pilgrim's shoe. The hankerin hits me hard, ya see. Royal Tavern is a lovely bar with a good selection of beers and it can get craaazy crowded and you might hafta wait A WHILE and the bar is packed and you might feel like there's nowhere to stand without being in the way and awkward-feelings-levels are on the rise... but then...you finally get seated and you have a delicious burger for yourself, and all is well. That's my story. I really like that burger a lot. When I order it medium, it's medium. Thank you. Smoked gouda, bacon and long hots, I love all you foodstuffs too. All together it's a dope burger indeed. The mezze is a good starter to share. Pita and lovash chips are served up with hummus, smoked eggplant baba ghanoush (LOVE), feta, stuffed grape leaves, and cucumber-olive salad. Definitely good. That truffle-buttery popcorn is great great too, as you're having yourself a beer. I'm down with sharing the hill of nachos with vegan beef as well. But I return for that burger. This is what I'm telling you. And I have to stop thinking about it already! I admit to you that the hushed notion is too soon begining to plague me. Quiet you! Quiet, don't make me resent my own good cooking tonight. Update: And I return for the chicken frankie wrap, annnnd the vegan tempeh club, annnnd bloody marys....and bites of what other people have ordered...
(4)Aruna A.
I could really go here every time I walk by, and be so very satisfied. It's so predictably good, and the beer selection is always amazing. I'm a big, big, big fan of the vegan sloppy joe (just be careful - it's extra hot and spicy), and the tater tots, and mac and cheese. NOT so much of a fan of the sweet potato banh mi (I was sad about that - I love banh mi). But definitely a huge fan of everything else I've had there!
(5)Joshua J.
I went here because I was told the burgers here were the best in the city. I'm a big Sketch fan, so I had to compare them. Overall, the experience here was really good. The waitstaff jammed us in a table, even though it was packed, we still got in and out at a pretty normal amount of time. The food took a bit to come out but no big deal. Burger was great, better than Village Whiskey in my opinion, but not up to snuff with Sketch. I'd come here to drink again anytime.
(4)rachel k.
VEGAN SLOPPY JOES! And sweet potato banh mi. And vegan onion rings. And a delightful peach cocktail and microbrews that make the 'gent happy. My lady beverage/vegan dreams come true.
(5)Kurt I.
Always awesome food. Always good service. Always fantastic beer selection. Always the darkest bar in town. Chef Mark McKinney always has a fantastic meal for you. If you are veg, get the tempeh club and fall in love with a sandwich.
(4)Jemma C.
One of the few bars I regularly return to in Philly. Staff are great (ESP the waitress with the short hair), beer selection is spot on and the sloppy joe is PERFECT!
(4)David A.
Went today for brunch on Memorial Day. Thanks fellow yelpers. Passed this place a zillion times and would have never walked in. A real sleeper! It's an old bar with great food. Nice atmosphere. You walk into a big, old wood bar and it's a narrow place with about 20-25 tables. Servers are friendly and efficient. They were serving the brunch menu that didn't hace a chicken dish I read about. No worries. Everything was really good. Was not in the mood for breakfast so we ordered from lunch side of the menu. They also have lots of vegetarion and vegan choices which we enjoy but didn't take full advantage of on this trip. For starters we had the mezze. Excellent but really big and filling. Pita and flat crackers with hummus, baba ganush, grape leaves, etc. Split the burger and meatloaf sandwich with my daughter Devon. Both were really good (read about the burger and it was great!). Meatloaf well seasoned with great toppings. Burger as well. I preferred the burger but no complaints! Ordered medium rare and served right. Both dishes had fries which were not greasy and addicting. My other daughters had the grilled chicken sandwich which had proscuitto and other good stuff on top. They could have shared one sandwich. Very large. My wife had the buffalo chicken wings. They serve four or five different sauce options. I was stuffed and didn't try them but they were big and she enjoyed them. Had the bloody mary was was spicy and very good. We look forward to trying this place for dinner soon!
(4)tom s.
Amazing daily specials and a beer list the waitress was actually educated about. If they have the BBQ pork grilled cheese get it!
(5)Dan B.
This place is excellent. The food is soooo good and it has a great beer selection. It's one of the best gastro pubs I've been to in awhile
(5)John K.
Went for lunch and had a vegan club made with seitan and vegetarian bacon .It was pretty good.They have an imaginative selection of draft beer and the music isn't too loud- a relief! I sat at the bar and found the bartender pleasant and efficient.It was relaxing and I'd go again .
(4)Ben S.
I love the Royal. It's great place for lunch, a great place for brunch, a great place to hang out on a weekend, a great place if you are just looking for a place to go. The only burger I have ever eaten that is better than the Royal's was at a place called Kuma's Corner, in Chicago. The Royal's is so delicious, as is their grilled cheese sandwich. They always let you substitute tater tots instead of fries, and the vinegar/mayo aioli beats ketchup anytime for dipping. I don't really like Bloody Mary's, but all of my friends rave about the Royal's. The only slight drawback is that it fills up really quickly, especially during the brunch rush, but that really just means you have some extra time to order a drink before you get seated. The staff are all friendly and accommodating. I love this place. If I wasn't feeling sick right now I'd probably head over there right now.
(5)Michael S.
So....I waited a couple of weeks since I don't post negative reviews about businesses, but I felt that their other potential customers needed a heads up. 1. The Food at the Royal Tavern is excellent - no complaint. 2. The staff is great when dining in. 3. The atmosphere is very nice and comfortable. Unfortunately, they had fallen short on updating their website to reflect the increased pricing on the menu...as well as menu items that aren't available anymore. My girlfriend and I wanted some food for take-out. We ordered two appetizers. The chicken wings and the nachos. The food, as always, was delicious. The problem is that the online menu on their site had old pricing. Our order ended up being $5 more than we had planned, which isn't a huge deal. But when you walk in with enough money to pay the tab and leave a tip, but end up only having enough to leave a $1 tip, it makes you feel like a jerk. If the price of the order was mentioned on the call when we ordered, it wouldn't have been an issue. Yet, I found myself apologizing for leaving a bad tip when the source of the problem wasn't me. It left for a bad experience, when I've had nothing but good experiences there in the past. It's a great neighborhood place to grab a meal. Just ensure you know what you're going to pay when you do take out. I gave 3 stars because the food was delicious, but only 3 stars when it would have been 5 stars if I hadn't felt like I'd been mildly hoodwinked. I worked for many years in the restaurant and service industry and when pricing is listed and proof is given, the expected price was honored if it was the establishment's error. I was given a shoulder shrug and a "sorry, yeah we need to change that. it's been a problem." I understand it wasn't the server's responsibility to update the website, yet their normally fine customer service was lacking...and on a not so busy night (only 3 or 4 tables being filled and 4 or 5 people at the bar).
(3)Amy F.
The Royal Tavern is magnificent. The food has never, not once, disappointed me in 7 years of going there. I' ve never had the burger and I just don't care. If something is that hyped, obviously some people are going to feel the item in question has fallen short. But (the few) haters need to recognize this place is for real. The soba noodle and seaweed salad strikes the perfect textural balance with its toothsome noodles, crunchy peanuts, and pillowy soft tofu nuggets. The caesar salad, perfect in its simplicity, gets slightly dressed up with polenta croutons, brilliant! I crave those croutons. And vegan desserts, lots of them. There are items on this menu to accommodate all manner of dietary restriction and they're all good. Herbivores are no longer relegated to picking glumly at some sad array of over balsamic-ed veg on a "grilled vegetable plate", not at the royal tavern. And yes, the tempeh club is as good as everybody says.
(5)Kate W.
This is a great place when you are in the mood for great food in a casual atmosphere! We stumbled upon this place this afternoon for lunch, and we were delightfully surprised with how refined and fresh the menu was for a bar. I had the chicken sandwich. It was delicious.. So delicious that I ate my leftovers before I got home! My husband ordered the burger. He eats burgers all the time and said this was a contender for the best burger he's ever had. Both were served with fries with malt vinegar mayo... Yummy!! The place was packed, so I think my love for this new find is shared by many others.
(5)Ken M.
We were surprised to find a nearby parking lot (owned by the notorious Philadelphia Parking Authority) down the block from the Royal Tavern...... It is a 3-hour limit lot and think it was free. I say 'I think' as I didn't see any kiosks/signage about paying and I didn't get a ticket on my windshield. + Plus one !! ...... As for the Royal Tavern: It's fairly small but not claustrophobic..... was cozy. The fellow patrons didn't seem pretentious, good mix of people. They have good Happy Hour specials. Our server was cool, friendly, had a sense of humor, gave us good beer suggestions, kept our water glasses refreshed, cleared the dishes off the table in a timely fashion. She gave us the right mix of attention and space. The bathroom was clean. - hummus plate: excellent - house Angus burger: excellent (would of liked the smoked gouda cheese to be a little more melted) - Kobe beef burger special: very good. - tater tots: good, would of liked em a little more crispier. - french fries: very good, skin-on, crispy - beer selection: not extensive but decent. Yeah, it's a solid 4 stars and we will be back. Until then......
(4)Louis V.
My reasons for heading out to Royal Tavern was based on overall Yelp reviews. Since I would be dining with a vegan, vegetarian, and two meat eaters I wanted to find a great over all place that everyone could be happy with. The Royal Tavern is small inside. It's layout is typical for a Philadelphia restaurant and there is good utilization of space. The seating arrangements are perfect for couples, however larger groups will suffer on finding a spot. On the night that my party visited the Royal Tavern was filled in pretty good. There were 6 open tables spread out in pairs and 2 open seats at the bar. None of these accommodated my party of 4 and we ended up going first on the wait list. We were told 15-20 minutes for a table. However, after 30 minutes of waiting and no sign of a table opening up anytime soon, we decided it was best to cancel our wait and order take-away. While we waited, we decided to watch how the waitstaff operated. There were four employee's working the floor this particular night. There was one bartender, a waiter and a waitress, and what appeared to be a runner. They all seemed friendly, but very frantic and disorganized. No one really seemed to have a grasp on what was going on. There seemed to be confusion at points on who was suppose to be seated next, or who was waiting on who. The bartender seemed overwhelmed to the point that I noticed the runner making drinks just to help her out. It's a shame, as if they would have had one more person to keep everyone on track the service would have been much better. Our take-away was estimated to be out in 25 minutes. Half of our order came out in about 35 minutes and the remaining half came out in 45 minutes. This was a real disappointment as there is nothing worse than seeing food die on a person's plate (in this case, a take-away container) while they sit there waiting for the rest of their friends food to come out. It's also disturbing that the only reason we got our food in 45 minutes is because we informed the waiter that we had to leave and could no longer wait for the order. As soon as we had this conversation he came back in seconds with our order, bagged and ready to go. The only thing I could think of when I was walking out was, 'how likely is it that my food done with my friends and it ended up sitting there for an additional 10 minutes, dying at the window, with no one noticing?' The saving grace of this visit was the food. After waiting an hour and 15 minutes for some vegan sandwiches with fries - the food was fantastic and the wait was worth it. It's a real shame that the food couldn't have been enjoyed in the right atmosphere and that it came bundled with some aggravation. In a less busy night with good service this would have been a 4, if not 5 star review. I plan to revisit the Royal Tavern with some extra time build into my schedule. When I do, I will update my review to include details of a hopefully better experience. Overall, I believe that this place can live up to it's hype - I think I just caught it in a bad night. Update ----------- I recently had the opportunity to revisit the Royal Diner and as promised here is my update. On the night that I visited the Royal Tavern was at half capacity and the service was much faster then my previous visit. The customer service was still nothing to brag about, average at best. The waiter seemed rushed and didn't check back with us after our food was delivered to make sure everything was alright. Lucky for us it was, but we could have used another round of drinks. The food was just as good as the first time so it's nice to know there is a level of consistency there. Lastly, at no fault to the tavern, finding parking took over 20 minutes and we almost gave up until we found a spot a few blocks away. Overall, 3/5 still seems like a honest review. It's a great place to go with good food, but the service is nothing special.
(3)Francis U.
Another C+, B- pub. There is no shortage of pubs in the city with slightly better than average food and trendy beer lists. Royal Tavern fits right into that groove. I have to admit that the burger was good. It had a bit of kick to it, with the addition of pickled longhots. Decidedly above average, but nothing I couldn't make better at home. The 'Korean Chicken' is a glorified chicken wing dish for $16...one may want to avoid that. Some of the appetizers we sampled had fairly developed flavour, but are also overpriced for what they are. The draft list isn't bad, but I need to ask pub owners a question. Why all the big, heavy beers in the summer? As a foodie, and an a fairly scrupulous critic, I wouldn't be mad at a couple 'fast balls' on the draught list. 1 Lager and 1 Ale is all I'm asking. Be as trendy as you like, but keep 2 staples for the traditionalists among us. They did however have Pilsner Urquell in bottles, which was nice. I went with a party after an event we attended. A few beers, and some light comida wound up at $80/couple. I can't say that I'm in a hurry to do that again. I'd rather cook circles around the chef at home for around $40, or take a major step up restaurant wise if I want to move closer to a three digit meal.
(3)Vinny P.
Now my local bar. It still rocks. Great specials and reasonably priced. The draft list, albeit small always has a few beers that are "very drinkable." When I use that term, I mean, I probably drank a few too many of them. Oh and the popcorn is amazing. That's the best 3 bucks you will ever spend. The popcorn is so good, it inspires fist-pumps.
(5)Bora M.
Good food, good ambiance, good vibe, good music, great service.... Five stars across the board ! p.s. I asked if I can substitute fries on my burger for something else and they offered me grilled asparagus (can't get that anywhere else in the city).
(5)Rebecca P.
I love this place and I eat here often. When I first started eating here I would dream about their fries and mayo and drag all of my friends here so I could consume them. Luckily my girlfriend was into the nachos (and now they have a 1/2 order! Yay!), so it has worked out for me. I also love the Wakame salad. It's healthy, fresh, and includes seaweed salad! Their grilled cheese is awesome, add a tomato, but per square inch it's probably one of the most caloric things you can consume. Also the wings are delicious and of course the burger is awesome! I do think their dinner food is better than their breakfast though. But if you get breakfast get the huevos rancheros. The tater tot scramble was actually kind of small and included too few tater tots! One thing I haven't liked was the grape leaves. Small, soggy, icky. I usually stick to the regular menu but I have ordered the fish tacos were kind of tasteless and I would not recommend them. Otherwise you can't go wrong with the RT! In terms of beverages, I am almost always into their draft selection, even though the list is smaller than many. I can almost always find something I'm excited to order. Oh and their bloody mary is reasonably priced and delicious.
(5)erika t.
Freddie and i totally dig this place. If we go local-it's royal tavern. I highly suggest the grilled cheese sandwich! The bartender was great and had me sample a few beers that were close to the type of beers i like. We'd rather sit at the bar here than be seated at a table. Good stuff!
(4)Kass H.
I love this place. Great food, good beer, not too hipster. Everyone is cool and relaxed. And the service is great. THANKS, Brian!
(4)Kathleen T.
basically, the royal is a good time. they've definitely had their ups & downs as far as cooking staff goes, but--when they're good?? they're freaking awesome. too bad that when they're bad, they're bellyache inducing. the prices are higher than i wanna pay for brunch food of the royal ilk nowadays, but that's my issue, so i can't fault them.
(3)Vicki H.
I really love the Royal Tavern, and so has everyone I've ever brought here-- out of towners, my dad, you name em, they've loved it. I really like the revolving beer list; it keeps things nice and fresh and seasonal (i wish the same could be said for their menu-- it could use a revamp every once in a while, not saying that the stuff isn't good, but a few new dishes to shake things up would be nice). For dinner, the burger is really amazing, but my favorite is the chicken sandwish with pear and gorgonzola-- it is the most amazing thing in the universe. On the lighter side, the mezze plate leaves nothing to be desired. Less favorite items: the sweet potato banh mi was a little too dry and the chicken frankie was super greasy and messy. Brunch here is also divine-- some of the best bloody maries in town (tried the bacon one, but it kind of freaked me out), I love that they put a ton of horseradish in there. Sometimes it's a little awkward getting a table...you walk in and stand there and kind of feel like you're in the way until someone notices you. So, I feel like I've written a lot of pros AND cons, but the bottom line is-- the place is close to me, the food is, on the whole, AMAZING, good beer list, good seasonal cocktails, won't break the bank-- yup, I dig the Royal.
(4)s l.
Me and Royal Tavern are going to be BFFs 4EvR! Having more than one vegetarian thing on the menu really tests my decision making skills and everything looked so good. I got the tempeh club (like a BLT for vegans, akin to Mugshot's awesome vegan BLT). Anyway it was so good I almost didn't want to eat it. You know when you're reading a really great book and you keep saving the last few pages b/c you don't want it to end? It was like that. Also got the grilled stuffed grape leaves - wow, I never ate them warm before and now I wonder why. The gentleman had the burger and he did say it was one of his all time favorites. Hi, La Chouffe, I love you! Duvel? Yes. Too many great beers to remember or name. And everyone in there is nice. Oh Royal, Ima eat every veggie thing on your menu some day.
(5)Benjamin B.
Enjoy the sandwiches and soups, the brunch is also pretty awesome, the tofu scramble is great as are the tator tots. Atmosphere is tolerable so long as a bunch of boners aren't playing their shitty favorites on the jukebox.
(5)Jay O.
I love the Royal. I always will. Things have gone downhill though. Two years ago, I'd give it five stars without hesitation, but today I'm struggling to hit 4. Their beer list has gone to shit. A while ago, it was constantly turning and usually offered a few really nice beers. These days, it stays the same for too long and always features a "Philadelphia Brewing Company" beer. I love my city, but I wish PBC could make a beer like Yard's, Victory, or Sly Fox. Anyway, the selection is still okay, and of the 7 or 8, I usually like at least three. The spirits are pretty overpriced, but the Bloody Mary is freakin' amazing, even if Casey is no longer there to make it. The food has stayed the same: excellent. The burger is unrivaled, perhaps the best in Philly, and the malt vinegar mayo is crazy good. The meatloaf sandwich is also a favorite, and the Banh Mi is great. The specials are usually amazing, which is too bad because they can take a while to come back. The service is generally very good, and excellent, if you get Brian (ask for him, he's a good man).
(4)Daniel B.
Ye Old Stomping Grounds...congrats on the #1 burger in PA from FoodTV, you've earned it. Still crave the duck-club every day.
(4)Brayne W.
I really love the brunch here - we take out-of-town guests. Honestly, I never got the fascination with some of the other brunch places around, because this place has much better atmosphere and the food is awesome. Duck sandwich was really good, great beers + burgers, and the owner is a stickler for spelling! Waitstaff are friendly and helpful. The place just gives off a really good vibe.
(5)Heavenly O.
I went there for brunch, and the food was great. Simple and homemade-like, in a good way. Also, my friend's Bloody Mary was on the house. Nice.
(4)Kristen H.
Not that Royal Tavern needs another glowing review, but I'll put my two cents in. Whenever I have friends or family in from out of town, I take them to the tavern. Love the burger, love the hummus plate (I make everyone try it), love the sauce that comes with the fries. The pomegranate sangria is delicious. Beer selection is incredible. Brunch isn't too bad either, but given the choice, I'd go for dinner. Atmosphere is spot on. (Can we talk about their gorgeous carved-wood bar back?) Reasonably priced. Go early! It fills up fast.
(5)Michael B.
Man, know that this place is great! Great food, great beer - it works from there for me. I agree with most people below about good food. I will add emphatically: CHECK OUT THE POPCORN APPETIZER - fresh popped corn with truffle butter and parmesan. It made two of us cower in its deliciousness and was worth every penny of the $3 we spent on it!
(4)Tim H.
Alright Royal Tavern, you got my attention. That was a f'n good burger. No joke, I think it's the best I've ever had. In an unrelated note, "Best I Ever Had" is a pleasant song by David Grey (or Gray, not sure). Back to burgers, that was a damn good burger. Meat was good, sauce was good, bacon was good, smoked cheese was good, and the pepper was freaking hot! Beyond that, the beer selection was good, but choices 1 and 2 were out. We decided to go experimental rather than door 3, and that was okay. I forget what we got. It wasn't memorable. The hot cider drink was good. Which reminds me, if you plan to go camping when it's cold out, definitely make it a priority to bring something that burns (wood, stove, witches), something that holds liquid without burning (pot - metal, you know what I mean), Captain Morgans, and Apple Cider. "Back to the lesson at hand." The Cuban rolls were very good, good thinking on that one. Friendly staff, and the one youngish guy with the blond hair knew his beer. Props to him. That's it.
(4)Carlie E.
To the point- Go here and get a fun appetizer .. salty buttery pop corn.. etc. then get the burger. If you don't like spice.. don't get it with the hot pepper.. You'll be breathing out fire for the night. Get a good beer to drink it down with and enjoy the dark bar atmosphere. My Favorite bar and burger spot. fries are tasty too.
(4)Dan K.
While not in love with the Royal, I think I lean more towards the P.O.P.E for my East Pazz bar experience. Granted, the place looks awesome inside, good jukebox, nice folks, decent service and pretty rad food, I always seem to forget about this place. For sure get the grilled cheese, the burgers are tasty and if you want some yummy vegan fare, get the vegan sloppy joe, it will blow you're mind. Then hit the P.O.P.E and compare.
(3)Thuong D.
The burger is excellent everytime! Maybe it tasted so good because every time i stopped here i am a bit intoxicated. Service is good.
(4)Matt D.
Decided to check this South Philly pub out on Tuesday since my girlfriend and I had a friend in town who loves beer and vegan food. Thankfully, this little secret is known for both and it definitely lived up to expectations. For an appetizer, I tried the Fried Shrimp wrapped in bacon and some Old Bay Fries and both were awesome. The shrimp were tempura style and the bacon inside was totally tasty and crispy. For my meal, I got the mussels and basically ate 90% of my girlfriend's Smoked Gouda Grilled Cheese, because she wasn't feelin' it. Our vegan friend got the Vegan Sloppy Joe and she said that it was well spiced and a nice alternative to the original. That's a good sign, since it's often hard to find a decent bar with a menu full of vegan and vegetarian options. The beer selection was very nice, if not totally exceptional. All the usual favorites were on tap or in bottles and our table got a bottle of Chimay Red, two Franziskaner Hefes, Delirium Tremens and a glass of Bell's Kalamazoo Stout (which still didn't really live up to its hefty reputation). Our waitress was extremely friendly, offering up several menu and beer recommendations and the crowd was laid back and made some superb jukebox selections. All in all, this place is a total diamond in the rough and a watering hole I plan to return to as often as possible.
(4)D M.
This place isn't for hipsters, yuppies, or old timers, but for the rest of us. I came here this Saturday night at 10. The decor is classy with probably 20 tables, all full, so we sat at the bar. The beers on tap weren't your usual victory / dogfish / y lager, which was a nice change (although I like those beers). The menu was vegetarian friendly, although we just had two sides, the fries and tater tots, both greasy delicious. Maybe the best way to describe this bar is as the compliment to its next door neighbor, Dive Bar. One is smoky and dingy, the crowds are five years and several pay grades apart, but both are friendly. I've also been here at closing time, and then the place was deserted. Still, a good place to know and visit.
(4)Katrina C.
The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is because the food can seriously take forever. However, it is always good. The malt mayo stuff they serve the fries with is awesome. The nachos are huge, but the chips and salsa (homemade/fresh) is a great app to have while waiting for the food. They serve Franziskaner beer which is my favorite. The vegan panini is awesome as is the grilled cheese. The soups are always great. There are specials every night of the week. Great place! I come here often! Brunch is good too - mimosas are only $5.
(4)Kris M.
I hadn't been to The Royal in at least 6 years. The food was just as good as I remembered! My friend and I had the short ribs and veal special for dinner. We were both impressed. Great place for a casual and inexpensive meal.
(5)Deann M.
Definitely in my top five places to eat in Philly. Amazing food with a selection of vegetarian foods too. Also, the specials keep it fresh (one time I had a plaintain w/ smoked chili soup! Sweet and spicy!! Mmmm. I wanted to lick the bowl). The nachos are a challenge for even the biggest of eaters. I recommend going during Happy hour if you can, there's no fighting for a table and 1/2 off drinks. I only eat red meat once a month and the last three months its been the Royal for a burger. The only cons I would say are how small it is (one time we waited over an hour), also, I ordered one of the specials (some type of fish tostada) and it was only two tiny little portions for $15. I was still hungry, luckily a friend of mine shared her mound of fries with me. Otherwise, the staff, the food, the ambience, the creative menu, everything is awesome! The servers even deal with large parties trying to split their checks on several credit cards, which must be annoying. (sorry... thanks!)
(5)Neil K.
This place is my favorite place for a hungover Saturday or Sunday lunch. I have tried almost all the sandwiches on the menu and they are all very good, the only exception for me is the Vegan Sloppy Joe(not good). Although I am not vegan or vegetarian but this place has a great selection for anyone who is. My personal favorites on the menu are the Burger, the Meatloaf, and the chicken sandwich. I like that the chef has put together some really interesting twists on traditional pub grub. There is one downside to Royal Tavern...be prepared to wait for a seat lunch or dinner. I suggest going at 3 o'clock if you want to sit right away. The staff are always friendly and helpful...if you haven't been go here now!
(5)JEAN S.
I can't believe I have never reviewed this place because I have been having a love affair with the Royal for years. I'm in love with the grilled cheese, the mac and cheese, and the Caesar salad with the little polenta croutons. Their bloody mary cures what ails me. The food specials are usually delicious and the beer selection is great.
(5)Robert H.
This place delivers everytime I go there. Just had a meal there the week before Christmas. My friend and I started with Chimay (can't go wrong there) and the most delicious homemade soup. She had the braised short ribs which melted in your mouth as did the buttery spaetzel and roasted parsnips (which have become my new favorite veggie). I had a pork loin stuffed with provolone, spinach, and pesto. This was one of the best pork dishes I have had in years. We finished with with a decadent black and white cake. Simply awesome!
(4)Justin L.
This review is about brunch. More specifically, it is about huevos rancheros. Royal Tavern gets my vote for BEST huevos rancheros in town and I have tried it just about everywhere. I've had other things at Royal that were also really good, but whenever I go its hard not to get the huevos. They are perfection.
(5)Stevie S.
Favorite brunch spot in Philly for real. Went for dinner the other night after a long time and it was awesome. Always great beer on the menu and the food is siiiiick. The staff is great too! Very friendly and personable
(5)Adam R.
My fiance and i wanted to go to a nice brunch spot today and chose The Royal Tavern. We got their early and it was a good idea because as soon as we sat down the place filled up. Upon entering we were told to sit at any two top table we liked, so we picked the one next to the stairs. We were served water right away but no menus. in the seven minutes we were waiting for menus we saw the bartender seat two separate couples at tables and give them menus. As if on cue when I told my fiance that maybe we should pick a better place our waitress showed up with menus. At that point we were ready to order drinks but she had left just as fast as she had dropped the menus. Another five minute wait and she was back to take our drink order. She seemed rushed and was not even going to take the food order till I told her that we were ready to order. Our order was as follows: Me - A Bacon Bloody Mary A cup of coffee Nachos A Burger (since I heard they were good here) My fiance - A cup of tea The Cubano Omelette I got my bloody mary first and took a sip. Wow, super concentrated taste and a little heavy on the vodka. My fiance said that is what I get for ordering a bloody mary but I told her to look at the bartender when she makes one. The bartender poured in the vodka and then out of a tupperware container poured in the mix. Now don't get me wrong, using a pre-made mix is fine but you have to shake the drink to mix all of the ingredients together before you serve it. So basically I was served a thick bloody mary shake with a kick of vodka at the bottom. As for the cup of coffee I ordered our server forgot it until I asked. At that point she seems to busy to care and threw down a cup that was maybe 3/4s full. She never refilled it again the whole time we were there. We got the nachos and they were good. Piled high with fresh sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and jalepenos. My fiance said that they were a bit salty but I found no problem with them. It's really hard to make a plate of nachos I don't like. As we waited for our main course I noticed the bartender taking new champagne glasses out of a cardboard box. I asked my fiance if she thought the bartender was going to wash them. Well, I am sorry to say that she did not. Each time a person ordered a mimosa, she just used one of the new, out of the box, unwashed flutes. Disgusting. Our food got there and was decent. My burger was cooked well and had good flavor. What disappointed me were the fries. Though fresh, some of them were soggy with grease, or under done. Her omelette was good. We ended up taking home half of each dish since we were stuffed because of the nachos. As soon as we stepped outside of the place I started feeling sick. This feeling has not left me. As soon as we got back home I ran to the bathroom. I have been running there every hour since. The only reason I gave the Royal Tavern one star was because the food was decent, and I hope I am sick from something else. I don't think we'll be back there anytime soon.
(1)Caitlin C.
Who would think that this establishment would have good food? I used to come here with coworkers for a drink after work. It is dark and small and usually loud, but that's what a bar usually is. The service is exceptional, and the crowd is a bit indie punk. But the food is amazing (popcorn with truffle oil) and this could definitely be classified as a gastropub. I would recommend this bar to anyone looking to get away from city chic lounges, but is still a food/beer snoob.
(4)june g.
Royal Tavern is very hit or miss. Often times, the service has been very slow, and inattentive. But note, I say often times, not all the time. But I have waited 10 minutes to have my name taken for the wait list to the point that I'd have to tug at a servers shirt only to be asked "Are you on the list?" Obviously, I'm not, or I wouldn't be asking for a table. Today, our server forgot our drinks after I reminded him twice, but at least we ended up not having to pay for them. Food has sometimes taken 45 min+ to come out of the kitchen. I also saw a server snort a line. I've had some snooty servers who choose favorites but also some very pleasant ones. As for the food, that's hit or miss too. My grilled cheese has come out hot and crispy, but also soggy and warm sometimes. It's very, very oily as well. My 'spicy' tomato soup has tasted like Campells with too much chili and cayenne pepper. My seitan sandwich has been soggy and falling apart but still tasty, although at different times other friends seitan sandwich's have been well constructed with a natural toasted whole grain bread. I've heard rave reviews regarding their burgers and sloppy joes. I've noticed, lunch portions, although at the same price, are smaller than those at dinner. I have not tried their brunch. I'm not a fan of how my bartenders have made my simple cocktails, although the beer list is okay if you don't mind waiting 10+ minutes if you're seated at a table. Young and old, hipster and trendy, all dine here. The inside has an old philadelphia charm to it, and a half decent jukebox. But sometimes, the place can smell of piss. It could be the scruffy servers. I have frequently given it many chances but I feel as any future visits that my friends may coerce me into coming along will be few and far inbetween. I'm giving it 3 stars for some good food I have had there at okay prices, and for the servers who have been friendly and accomodating. Also, mostly everyone on yelp likes it, so I could just be missing something.
(3)Jaime K.
Best burger in the city. There, I said it.
(5)Brian K.
I was visiting a friend in Philly who took me to Royal Tavern for breakfast. The strawberry crumble pancakes were amazing! Super friendly staff with great food, can't beat that. I will definitely be back next time I am in the area!
(5)Scott F.
Royal Tavern has long been atop my list of places to try, specifically to try their burger. I decided after being on that list for over a year it was time to get my fill of their recommended fare. In a word, pretty good. Pretty damn good. Not my favorite burger in the city and maybe not even in my top 5, but usually anticipation that simmers as long as it does will ultimate deflate the overall reaction. Fair beer selection combined with a decent food menu and comfortable atmosphere creates a pretty solid trilogy of reasons for me to return to Royal, but with so many other places on my list to try.... I hope I can return again....
(4)Bob S.
I have been coming here for about 4 years and I have yet to have a bad experience at Royal Tavern. Try: Burgers Specials (some very unusual and tasty choices are on the board) Soups Grilled Cheese Salads Enjoy the atmosphere the partrons taking people here for the first time. the music Waiters/Waitresses are polite efficient and helpful. Also the bathrooms are clean. Also they are consistent!
(5)Jon D.
Royal's my standard-bearer of bars. It's my basis of comparison for most other bars, and the neighborhood place I drank at the most over the past few years. Royal's food is great. All of their specials (though sometimes pricey) are always delicious. The nachos with vegan beef were my long-time favorite until they switched-up their tempeh club recipe - it's by far the best in town. Their vegan sloppy joe is the best greasy vegetarian sandwich around, and the grilled octopus salad is great when you're in the mood for something healthy. (By healthy I mean green and smothered in olive oil). Royal always has a great rotating list of beers at prices that have unfortunately become the standard in town ($5-$6.50 a pint). Overall it's easily one of the best gastropubs in the city.
(4)David B.
Listen, I have been here a handful of times and I have only had the burger...because it is one of the best burger's I have ever had. They are always busy but the wait staff does a great job of keeping up with it. Expect a wait for a table anytime after 7pm, but it's worth it.
(5)Christine R.
Simply put: I love this place. I have been here several times and always leave happy. Royal Tavern has a divey atmosphere, dimly lit, but cozy. I especially love coming here in the cooler months to enjoy a beer and one of their soups. The place is a bit on the small side but I have yet to wait a long time to get a seat. They usually have food specials written on the board. And the food.... is delicious! I've had their grilled cheese, and vegan sloppy joe. I've also tried two of their desserts, which was a chocolate mouse cake and a pumpkin cake. Both amazing, which is significant because I feel bars aren't obligated to produce above average desserts. I've also been here for brunch a couple of times and enjoyed my experience. They have good coffee which is an important standard for me when it comes to brunch. I've never had to wait for brunch either which is great because most brunch spots in the south philly area are packed on the weekends, with an average of 40 minute wait. I came here at 11 a.m. on a Sunday and got seated fairly quickly. They have a couple of vegan and vegetarian options too. And as stated in previous reviews, Royal has a solid draft list.
(5)Heather F.
There's something special about the Royal Tavern. It's dimly lit, and they have a single strand of holiday lights that seems to stay up all year long. The bar is gorgeous, too. It must be original to the building. I've been there several times, and the food is very consistent, and very good. I am a fan of the hummus platter, however, it's too big for just one person. They have a fantastic grilled cheese sandwich, too. I'm a grilled cheese sandwich snob, so trust me when I say it's awesome. If you're used to American cheese, however, then you won't like this sandwich. They use different cheeses, such as provolone and gruyere. Delish! If you're looking for comfort food, and grilled cheese isn't your thing, then maybe you'll enjoy the mac and cheese. The beer selection is pretty awesome, as well. They carry different types of brews, ranging from local microbrews, to Belgian delights. If you have a more "refined" palate for beer, you'll be happy at the Royal.
(4)Kevin J.
Not a place one would expect great vegetarian dish but "all" can enjoy a wonderful experience! A must!
(5)Carlos L.
This place is CONSISTENTLY one of my favorite restaurants every time I'm asked for a list. Love it... fantastic VEGAN food (try the tempeh club. it will rock your afternoon), super friendly staff, the best jukebox in philadelphia, good prices, awesome (albeit small) rotating draft list, vegan desserts, nice atmosphere, yadda yadda yadda. The only complaint i have is the line for brunch if you show up too far after 11. But honestly, i can't blame success on a business that deserves it this much. I don't live in the area (haven't for about four years), but i still make sure to get my friends cross-town for a night of food and drinks at the Royal Tavern more than just once in a blue moon.
(5)Sarah B.
I live right down the street and I go here about once a week- great food and prices. Truffle butter ppopcorn is to die for. I love the grilled chicken sandwich. Variety of beers on tap and they always have seasonal cocktails. Great to come for dinner, drinks, etc. Love it here!
(5)Heather R.
Best Burger in Philly, enough said.
(4)Rob R.
The Royal Tavern has a great menu, I've had both the chicken sandwich and the burger. The burger was very good, a bit spicy, I'd say it ranks among the top 5 burgers in the city behind Village Whiskey, Butcher and Singer, and Rouge. My only complaint about this place is that the wait staff seems to be overutilized and when its crowded (which it always is) that creates a problem, also the air conditioning or lack there of makes the restaurant very uncomfortable.
(4)Jen C.
The food is great, the service is pleasant, and I can always get a table. Try the wings, their amazing, and I love the spicy sauce on the angus burger. A little tip for you: Play MGMT on the juke box and you might get a dance from one of the servers (I wont tell you who).
(5)Stacey S.
UPDATE: I've since been back for dinner, and although we had to wait ages for a table, it was TOTALLY WORTH IT! The food was FANTASTIC! Yummmmmm. After gorging myself on the truffle butter parmesan popcorn again, I wasn't quite up for a full meal, so I got the appetizer gnocchi and it was a super generous portion and super delicious!
(4)Sara H.
there's lots to like about the royal: 1. good beer 2. vegan and veggie-friendly food items that are delicious, especially with #1. i recommend the vegan sloppy joe. 3. relatively chill and down-to-earth atmosphere, although it often gets crowded quickly. one of my favorite bars in philadelphia.
(4)JJ N.
Great spot. Everything I've had on the menu including specials has been fantastic. Great beer selection as well.
(4)Anna B.
The Royal Tavern is pretty awesome. It is ridiculously nondescript from the outside but is so quaint and cozy inside. This tavern is tucked inside a converted row home on Passyunk amidst a very residential area (save for The Dive, a few doors down). It is a small space but is super lively every time I've been. The service is good; some waitresses are a bit friendlier than others but the entire staff seems to be knowledgeable and to take their job seriously. The food is awesome as well. A portobello/arugula pizza special they had once was AMAZING. Really awesome bar fare mixed with interesting entrees and sandwiches. There are a ton of bar/restaurants within a few blocks of here but the Royal Tavern is BY FAR the best. *One complaint: My boyfriend gets pick up from here at least once a week. One time he didn't tip, just left the change he was owed, and the bartender threw the change back down on the bar angrily and told him to keep it. Having been a server for years, I know not to EXPECT a tip on take out orders. Also, my boyfriend had tipped this guy plenty of times before this. UNNECESSARY.
(4)Liz R.
I'm not vegan and pride myself on an unapologetic love of meat -- but the vegan sloppy joe may be my favorite item on the menu. The sloppy joe sauce is out-of-this-world good. Paired with a beer and some crab fries with a game on the TV at the bar -- it's transcendant. If you prefer a table experience, there are plenty of seating options away from the TVs at the bar. The place is rightfully a popular neighborhood hang out, so be prepared to wait to get a seat if you go at a peak evening time.
(5)Justin W.
I Sampled the Angus Burger... Extremely tasty. Oh and they had Rouge Chocolate on draft. The atmosphere is more urban contemporary.
(3)Jake V.
I kind of see a trend going on here where the No. Libs and Bella Vista have some sort of alter ego thing going on. While No. Libs has the Abbaye, Bella Vista has the Royal Tavern. Both have delicious beers and really, really delicious food that tend to lean towards the veggie side. I prefer the Abbaye due to it's proximity to my homestead, though. Royal Tavern is basically the same thing for when I'm in South Philly.
(4)keith m.
I approve of the royal tavern. I went friday and got pan fried gnocci with spinach, grape tomatoes and mushrooms. it was tasty and really hit the spot. The atmosphere is nice, the juke box has a lot of great music, and the beer selection is good. The prices are also fair. All around a nice bar.
(4)Joseph W.
This place clearly does a lot of things right. I'm not sure where they lost me. I like the decor and ambiance, and the service was good. The food wasn't too great, nothing looked great to me and I ended up with mussles which I normally love. They put their own spin on it by using a curry sauce. I liked the curry sauce, although it made a messy dish messier. The only thing that I didn't like was that they had many fully cooked cloves of garlic in their. I love garlic as much as the next person but I kept on inadvertantly eating the whole garlic cloves. Again, I like garlic, but I like my friends much more so I imagine it made me more difficult to be around as the night went on.
(3)Andrea F.
I've been looking forward to the Royal Tavern burger for like 6 years now, anticipating that it would taste eons better than my favorites in the city (Good Dog, Rembrandt's, etc.). Much to my dismay, it didn't live up to the hype everyone gave it. But it was still a GOOD burger and the bar itself was nice, so I'd definitely come back and try something else off their extensive and creative menu. For me, it was so messy (which is fine), but the bun was kinda blah and flimsy (which isn't fine) and couldn't hold up to the juicy burger and its toppings. A friend ordered some chicken thing which looked okay and then my other friend ordered the fish and chips, which looked like it could serve like 5 people when it came out it was so gigantic. Needless to say, I tried it and it was also underwhelming- the batter had no flavor (St. Stephen's Green is far superior). The nachos were surprisingly tasty with a smoky flavor in the cheese. The drink list was good. The place was too dark, even for a "dive" bar (I put dive in quotes cause when you're serving up gourmet food at those prices in that area, it's not really dive anymore). Overall, I would still go back and try other stuff on the menu.
(3)Larissa G.
I am amazed that this place flew under my radar for so long, but I'm not in south Philly that often. I stopped by today for a late lunch (errr it was 4pm and my roommates and I were all starving because we hadn't eaten all day and didn't want the fake food at Ikea) today. The place was much more crowded than I thought it would be for that hour and the interior is dark with a beautiful, huge, dark wood bar. We didn't get drinks because we have been on spring break this week and none of us thought we could handle any more alcohol at the moment... I liked the place instantly because I wanted to be friends with most the people working there. Our server reminded me a lot of a friend who had moved away and the other servers seemed really cool too (ahem- we all liked the "cats in outer space" leggings). I split the vegan beef nachos and the tempeh club with my boyfriend, per Kathleen V's suggestion. I really wanted the chipotle seitan taco special, but they were out :( Both dishes were good. Not awesome, but good. The nachos were piled high with plenty of toppings, but I should have ordered the small. My only complaint was that the vegan beef honestly added no flavor at all. The texture was good, but maybe not worth the extra $4? Next time, I will get a sans-meat nacho plate. The grilled tempeh club was very visually appealing and the bread was good. The basil aioli is by far the best part of the sandwich. The vegan bacon got a little lost in the mix and the tempeh tasted like it was made and packaged elsewhere. Overall, for all the components involved, this sandwich lacked flavor. The service was great and I liked the atmosphere. This is another Philly gastropub that's definitely worth frequenting, and this one actually gives you a physical menu instead of having to read it off the chalkboard on the wall! The food itself was 3-stars, but I'm giving it 4 because this place has the best vegetarian/vegan options of anywhere I have been in awhile. I'll be back... probably pretty soon.
(4)Lindsay V.
A-OK describes this place pretty well. M and I came here for dinner on a Friday night and were seated promptly. The beer list was decent, but none of the food really grabbed me too much. I ordered an entree size of the gnocchi (with tomatoes, pine nuts, spinach, and some strange brown gravy deal). It was pretty tasty, but it got boring after a little while. M got the burger and said it was good. He also got the wings sampler and I got to taste the buffalo wings and BBQ wings -- both were pretty solid. The guy that waited on us clearly didn't care about waiting on us, but I didn't really expect too much.
(3)Michelle C.
I have always liked Royal, but found it generally unremarkable. And then I had the burger. I like burgers, but I don't love them, and I generally am loathe to pay more than $10 for one (or any sandwich) but nothing else on the menu last night was catching my eye, and apparently it was "National Cheeseburger Day," so I acquiesced. What have I been missing? The most glorious mix of ingredients partied upon my tastebuds as I stuffed my face. The patty? Perfectly sized and cooked...and all those delectable ingredients stayed ensconced between the two buns! Sorcery! And that perfectly crispy bacon. I regret nothing. As a bonus, Royal, like all its sister bar/restaurants has lots of vegetarian options to keep my lover happy. He enjoyed the tempeh club. Subtract 1 star for a tap list I wish was longer and lighting so dim I nearly need a flashlight to read the menu. I think I can die happy now.
(4)Jamie R.
Home of the 2015 Best Vegan Cheesesteak (which my non-veg friends couldn't tell from the real thing) and other plant-based dishes. It's great to be able to walk into a pub with your friends and know there is something lovingly cooked for you, that you won't have to watch everyone else eat. Super-friendly staff and a fantastic chef.
(5)Kendel S.
This is THE best dive bar in Philly. The food is always on point and the people are friendly. Don't bother going on a Friday/Saturday night though because you'll be waiting forever.
(4)Patricia B.
I wish I could give Royal 10 stars!! It's a fav spot of mine. I don't get down to the neighborhood enough, but when I do, I make sure to visit Royal Tavern. Their vegan entree options are so refreshing...not to mention delicious! I highly recommend the Tempeh Club and the Vegan Sloppy Joe--they're equally out of this world. The portions are sizable, so share with a buddy, if you're not starving. I visited Royal for my birthday about a month ago. They were able to accommodate a group of 12 for dinner within about an hour at 7 pm on a Saturday night--and did so graciously! Our server, whose name I think was Stephen, was THE BEST. He was just the right amount of attentive and super helpful with anything our big group needed. He didn't make us feel like we were a burden, as I think sometimes is the case with big groups. Thank you, Royal Tavern, for being you. See you soon!
(5)Beef M.
Wow, great brunch! I got croque madame eggs bennedict, hot damn it was good. Good potatoes too, very well seasoned. I do think the meal was heavy, and I would not eat here everyday for that reason, but as a special treat, which it was, this place takes the cake. My friend got the burger and loved it, I think everyone I was with loved what they got. Great service and a great vibe to the place. It's dark and spooky, but also kind of basic in decor (unlike the wacky decor of north 3rd, which I love). Would be good for a date (though not quiet), taking out the parents, or just getting some beer with a glutenous meal (also GREAT beer selection). I'm sure some of the food there might be healthy, maybe, but if I really want to eat healthy, I'll probably be eating at home.
(5)Steve B.
The hype is warranted; this place was highly recommended by my friends and it didn't disappoint. Stopped in for a late lunch over the weekend and enjoyed one of the best burgers I've ever had. The smoked gouda, pickled longhots, and chile mayo all came together to complement, but not overpower, the perfectly-cooked, medium-rare glory of the angus beef. I also enjoyed a side of old bay fries which were highly addicting, and tried my friend's stuffed grape leaf, also very tasty. Great craft beers on tap; a really friendly (but not overbearing) wait staff; decent prices; just an all-around awesome experience. As others have mentioned they have vegan/vegetarian options that are just as amazing. If I was in Philly more often, this would be a routine stop. Whenever I do get back down there, I'll be sure to pay a visit. Other bars take heed, this is how it should be done.
(5)Larry M.
I have been here a handful of times mostly for brunch usually with lager group of friends. The service has always been good. Although a friend of mine had a very bad experience once. I wasn't there for it but the manager took care of the situation and all was well in the end. They have an ample beer selection and the food is good. My favorite is their burgers.
(4)Matt B.
They told us we would wait 30 minutes until we could sit down to eat but they really made us wait 60 minutes!!! The food was good though.
(3)Edwardius W.
I absolutely love the Angus burger w/ bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled longed hots and chile mayo! Paired with a side of tater tots because that's how I roll here. I wash it down with a icy cold draft of Miller Lite draft because I'm not classy.
(5)Laur A.
This is our "go to" spot in my neighborhood. Food is great, the staff is cool, the music is pretty good, And the Bacon Bloody Mary is the best Bloody Mary I've ever had...and I've tried lots. Hands down the best.
(4)Sonia C.
Came here on a busy Sunday night with my sister-in-law's entire family (including the 2 children). When I first walked in, I was sure they were going to kick us out because of the kids (the tavern, as the namesake implies, is mostly a bar), but it turns out that there are a few tables at the back of the place for minor diners. It is a place not conducive to conversation and I found myself needing to use my outdoor voice just to be heard! My brother-in-law started us off with some appetizers. The truffle butter popcorn was pretty good, hot with no burnt parts, but I could feel the butter bursting from the kernels under my teeth. Maybe they could be a little less aggressive with the butter and a bit more heavy-handed with the Parmesan (good on popcorn). The fried calamari was average, nothing to rave or complain about. We were still full from dim sum earlier in the day, so my husband and I opted to split a burger with steak fries. I loved how they allowed diners to substitute any side for another (except the mac and cheese). The burger was pretty great, a plump juicy medium rare with smoky bacon and grilled onions, served atop a soft brioche bun. The steak fries were good, but if it were up to me, I would have chosen tater tots as my side (mostly because I lurve tots). My nieces got them and I spent the whole dinner surreptitiously mooching off their shared plate. Service was pleasant - despite being busy, our server managed to always keep our soda glasses full and brought us anything we asked with a smile. I'd come here again.
(4)Cameron P.
This place is great. The food lives up to the hype. Burger, meatloaf sandwich, fish and chips, Indian chicken sandwich are all amazing. The have great specials for brunch and dinner. I seriously doubt you could get a bad dish here bar is small and tables are hard to come by. Well worth the wait.
(5)A X.
Based on my first and only time eating here I think it's 5 stars, but I feel uncertain and not experienced enough, so I will have to re-confirm the 5 star status that I hope remains. I will have to go back a couple more times before I can really say for sure. Had the Mezze. It was great. Good for couples to share. Definitely worth occasional visits and trying every vegan option. The atmosphere is really good and makes it all worth it. It has very dim lighting, which is perfect with the dark wooden interior. Good selection of vegan and vegetarian options. Nice service. I definitely recommend this place to anyone vegan or vegetarian.
(5)Alyssa N.
I've lived in Philly for years and never knew about this place! What a great find. My friend and I got the grilled sweet potato banh mi and the meatloaf sandwich. The banh mi was on the perfect crusty bread and had a generous amount of shredded daikon radish, carrot and cilantro on top. I neeeever eat meatloaf but their version may have converted me with the addition of gruyere, bacon marmalade and smoked ketchup. The draft list didn't disappoint either. Next time I'm in town, we'll definitely be going back!
(4)Leo I.
Nothing to complain about other than I wish I got a chance to try their korean fried chicken wings! It was a special on the board and I wasn't aware of it until after I placed my order for their delicious burger.
(4)Sara N.
Dining at the Royal Tavern is slightly above munching on bar food but far from impressing a dinner date (e.g., dark cluttered bar, overwhelming ceiling fans, History Channel on the television?). The menu boasts some rich comfort foods, such as tater tots dressed up as nachos, but don't expect a gastronomic experience. The bland grilled sweet potato "banh mi" is a Westernized bastardization of the Vietnamese original. The service was pleasant and very accommodating, but it was still a disappointing meal (e.g., overcooked burgers, greasy sandwiches, cardboard salads). Overall, there are much more misses than hits at this gastropub.
(2)Joe W.
My experience with Royal fully embodies the text prompt for two stars - "Meh. I've experienced better." I know this place is über popular, as the majority of reviews here will show, but I have never had anything close to a mind-blowing experience at Royal, and do not intend to go back by design based on my most recent encounter. First, the good. What everyone has to say about the food is spot-on. The wings are unreal good, and the burger definitely lives up to reputation. And that's where it all stops. Part of me wonders if it is, indeed, that very reputation getting to the head of the establishment and its staff that contributed to my sub-par experience... The service we received was nothing short of pathetic. A friend arrived a bit ahead of our group to grab seats by the bar so we could watch game 7 of the World Series. She ordered a drink but definitely felt like she was given a bit of an attitude for "holding" the table. I am always turned off by places that feel they're too good to let someone stake real estate (especially in a case like this, where we were only going out to watch the game, and Royal only has one t.v.). Strike 1. When I arrived, I sat for 15 minutes before the server came over to take a drink order. It was another 15 minutes before he came back to take our food order, and it was another 30 minutes before we saw him again after that. A runner brought out our wings and just left us there with the plate - no place settings, no small plates, nothing. We ended up having to be "that annoying table" and ask for a bunch of stuff that is pretty standard to have brought to your table without request. Strike 2 (3? 4?) As the game was winding down, our server came over twice and kind of awkwardly asked us if we wanted any more drinks (it's worth noting that all of our interactions were a bit awkward). After we all indicated that we weren't sure/might have another drink in a bit/etc., he stated in an annoyed tone that he was leaving and would have to give us our check. Now, I've been in this situation many, many times before - a server's shift is over, wants to close out, and will hand you off to the bartender or whoever's around - but will typically do so in an inviting and courteous manner. Not the case this night at Royal. Strike 3. A word of advice: If you're going to be cranky about holding a table, don't disappear and miss opportunities to add drinks to the bill, and definitely don't make like you're trying to skip town at the end of the night, when you again are passing on opportunities for sales. Again, the food was on par, but the service was terrible (something I've heard from folks who have frequented Royal more than myself), and the draft list was far from impressive; now that there are more options for decent bars in the area, there are definitely better draft selections elsewhere. I know this is only one experience, and would certainly invite folks to see what Royal has in store, but I don't expect to end up within their doors any time soon...
(2)Pig E.
It's a Tavern, not a gourmet restaurant. Exceptional Beer list, knowledgeable bartenders and a good tasting burger as advertised. Everything at a good value and not overpriced
(5)Anthony C.
I eat here often and I've never had a bad meal. Great food, beer and reasonable prices. Service was excellent . The crowd was a pleasant mix which included hipsters.
(4)Dae S.
I still remember when this place opened in 2002, I was shy two years of being 21 when they open their doors, so I waited till I was 21 before I went there to eat and drink. Not once in the twelve years I have been going here have I been disappointed. Everything from the Nachos, Burgers (yes it is the best burger in that city), and vegan entree's are top notch. No matter if I was going here by myself or taking friends from out of the city here, I always felt comfortable. This place was where me and my girl first went on the first couple of dates we had back in 2007. I have since moved out of Phila last year after living there my whole life. I now live in Maine, people ask me if I miss the food (typical phila foods, cheese steaks, hard rolls, etc) The only foods I miss at this point are those served from The Royal. I make it a point when I visit to at least eat here once during that visit.
(5)Helen V.
I'm so fortunate to have my favorite restaurant in my neighborhood. I'm probably here every other week. I would think the servers would recognize me by now. The reason why I keep going back is for the burger and the specials. I always recommend the burger for my first-time friends. Never disappoints. The specials change often and I've never had a bad meal. Everything is full of flavor, but nothing overpowering. Royal Tavern puts a great gourmet twist to all of your favorite foods. The vegetarian and vegan options are pretty darn good too for us loyal carnivores. Any time there's a vegetarian chili special I am all over it. (And I loveeeeee meat!) I'm not too fond of the vegan desserts though. It can get busy on the weekends at night, but during the day and on weeknights there's always a seat. Sit. Eat. Enjoy.
(5)Brian D.
Going to stay for dinner but had a wait. Asked bartender in Jeff cap to please turn on College Football Playoffs instead of some meaningless show on CW. Told us he was too busy. He wasn't busy. So we decided to take our business elsewhere. And he forgot to bring our drinks.
(1)Kathleen V.
I WANT TO EAT HERE EVERYDAY! Vegan Beef Nachos v. Tempeh Club! zesty chips, vegan beef, pico, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and jalapenos! The vegan beef is perfect on this, like it's scary how perfect it is. v. bangin' bread, grilled tempeh, vegan bacon, lettuce, tomato, basil aioli! I'm pretty sold on the basil aioli. This also comes with fries that are served with malt mayo, I'm a tad hesitant to dip fries in mayo but not here. (This is a good setting for a first date)
(5)Nary K.
By far, the best burger I've tasted in Philly!!!! You have to get the burger with long hots and Gouda Cheese - it's delish and affordable (burger with fries, $11). Can't wait to go back. Thier chicken wings are awesome too!
(5)Sarah P.
The Royal Tavern name is fitting, because I am unofficially crowning this place the king/queen of South Philly dive bars/gastropubs (apologies to its holiness, the P.O.P.E). Don't be fooled by the understated exterior and dark interior, this place is a shining gem in the neighborhood. It's the perfect spot to grab some beers with old friends or to take someone on a casual date, especially if you are vegan or vegetarian like me. With its well-executed variety of vegan entrees and its constantly-changing, inventive specials, Royal Tavern never disappoints. Royal Tavern's instagram feed regularly features tantalizing photos of new, limited-time specials. Even though I haven't had the luck of trying each and every vegan special, I'm always impressed with the creativity of their new veg offerings and their ability to create complex and satisfying meatless entrees that escape the boring veggie burger and pasta trap. My regular favorites are the surprisingly refreshing vegan sweet potato bahn mi and the comically large tempeh club. The sweet potato bahn mi is full of bright flavors and satisfying crunch and the tempeh club is divine. The vegan bacon provides a deep, smoky flavor while the tempeh is grilled and seasoned to compliment its delicious, slightly nutty flavor. The basil aoli is just as good as everyone says it is. The fries accompanying all of the sandwiches are crispy and perfectly seasoned, with a vegan mayo that keeps you coming back for fry after fry even when you KNOW you're full. Easily one of my top 5 bars in the city and my favorite in the neighborhood.
(5)Judy C.
Nice drink selection... Although the kona beer I tried seemed a little watered down? Really had only 1 thing we liked from everything we ordered- the pulled pork tater tot nachos! Absolutely delicious! Roommie and I shared it and killed it. It was soo good. Definitely order this! If we ever came back, it would be for this dish. Everything else we ordered was disappointing... The grilled cheese was good... But it's not something you want to order out and pay $8(?) for. I heard the burgers were supposed to be really good... Instead of ordering the one on the regular menu, I opted for the special- Kobe beef patty stuffed with goat cheese with bacon, mushroom, a little bit of BBQ sauce, and a fried egg. Sounds good right? ...I was disappointed. I asked for medium rare- the burger was closer to medium well. What a waste of Kobe beef. I just couldn't eat it. I tried... But the party itself was tasteless and tough... Medium well!! Maybe I should've returned it and asked them to make it medium rare again and maybe the review would be different. Anyway, disappointed by the burger- can't anticipate the regular menu burger being better... Other roommie was disappointed by her banh mi. So she's Vietnamese... I understand "Americanizing" some cultural foods to make it "fusion" style, but it was so bland she had to ask for extra sauce! We prob won't be back... But if we do come back, I'd definitely get the pulled pork tater tot nachos again... Check out the specials and beer selection...
(3)Ginger K.
One of our oldies but goodies! Always a great place to land for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cool atmosphere, very creative chef, specials are always different. Food is great! Thanks for always being consistently good!
(5)Allie E.
Really great dive bar with amazing food! Love their popcorn. Great drink selection and fun atmosphere. Close quarters, so plan to stand around the bar if you go on a Saturday night. Highly recommended!
(5)Allison I.
Get the nachos with everything!! Always nice service and savory offerings. Thanks Royal!
(4)Chloe R.
Royal tavern has the best burger in the city, and I am having one on saturday!
(5)Vlad G.
I had their burger last night, and, it was one of the best I have ever experienced. It was a burger so good, so nuanced, that I almost didn't want to eat it at all. (For what it's worth, I also enjoyed a plate of their chicken wings the first time I came here to watch America lose to Belgium, and they were exquisite.)
(5)Nico L.
I came here on hype that was the greatest burger in Pennsylvania. The ambiance of the place was great, friendly, and enough space to maneuver around. The table we had was barely large enough for three. The server we had, was awesome. I wish I remembered her name. Friendly, straight to the point. All three of us had burgers, though with different sides. Luckily, they were all the same price. I had the steak fries, which were massive and delicious. And piping hot. Give them a second to cool. I ordered the house burger (Angus Burger I think it was on the menu). The pepper was a nice little twist. However, I wasn't blown away. The bread was delicious, the bacon was great. The meat left something to be desired however. I would come back here to try the other menu items, but the burger is probably something I would opt against.
(3)Douglas K.
I visit Royal Tavern with my partner and some of his teacher friends from time to time and always have a good time. We usually go there after school and have a late lunch/early dinner. This last time we were lucky enough to have the peach sangria - yum. For us, it's a nice little quiet place to go after a day at work. I always leave happy.
(4)Anya M.
Went for the first time last night for dinner with friends. Service was friendly and never felt rushed even though the place was packed. Food was delicious - I had the meatloaf sandwich. My only complaint was that seating was tight because they were so busy and those of us seated on the bar side of the table felt a little in the way of others coming and going. 4.5 stars.
(5)Lou P.
I the Royal Poutine and it was a grand slam! Great fries topped with cheese curds, loads up shredded duck confit, and gravy topped with two eggs. Brunch heaven! The service was on point and the place was jumping. WELL DONE ROYAL TAVERN...we'll be back?!?
(5)Brendan L.
You just have to have the burger. For any burger lover out there.... The royal tavern burger has it all! It's like a religious pilgrimage every time I go there. Great laid back service and out of this world food. I always want to try something else on the menu, but the burger is so good I rarely have the courage to order something different. The atmosphere is great too!
(5)Courtney J.
I have had two pleasant visits to Royal Tavern in the past month. This place is related to the extremely delicious Mexican restaurant Dos Segundos, so I am not surprised that I had a very well-cooked and flavorful meal there! The first time I came, I had a tuna steak sandwich that was on special. The tuna was cooked perfectly with a nice pink center and topped with a rich kalamata olive spread and crisp fennel, and placed on ciabatta bread. The malt vinegar aoli was tangy and the fries were fresh. The server knew the food and drink menus well. I had a couple of cocktails, a white peach sangria and a tea vodka lemonade drink. While they were not the most amazing cocktails I've ever had, the price was right at around $6 a piece, and they didn't skimp on the booze. My husband had a bacon burger on special that he really enjoyed. I didn't hesitate to come back here a few weeks later when co-workers choose it as a happy hour spot. Again, the service was great, and the drinks were good pours. I ordered a few cocktails not on the menu, a Zombie and a Mojito, and the bartender had no problems. The ginger beer mixed with rum drink that was on special was quite tasty as well. However, I am deducting one star because the main course I ordered on this visit was just okay, and nothing special. I had the sweet potato banh mi that was on the regular menu. The description sounded amazing with crunchy daikon pickles, spicy jalapenos, roasted sweet potato, and a cilantro sauce. However, the actual sandwich was just really bland and missing that oomph. The daikon could have been more vinegary and tangy, and the cilantro sauce was just boring. The flavors didn't really meld together. It was a big disappointment compared to the amazing sandwich I'd had there a few weeks before. On the plus side, the smoked coleslaw that I subbed for the fries was smokey, crispy and some of the best coleslaw I've ever had. It was much more impressive than my sandwich. I also love that they are flexible and will let you substitute any of their many side dishes without an up-charge. I think the only one that cost more to sub out was the mac and cheese. I can't wait to come back and try the bread pudding that I was too full for both times, and also check out some other new specials. I can see myself coming here quite often!
(4)Elsa U.
So many choices, so many beers, awesome servers, open late. Our favorite place to go when it's late!
(5)Abbie D.
EPIC BURGER - perfectly done to temperature and the toppings were spot on! The long hot was the perfect amount of heat to this delicious mouth watering piece of meat! YUM YUM YUM malt mayo is killer too!
(5)Courtney H.
Went for brunch. Menu had plenty of choices but I went for the grilled cheese so that I could add the soup of the day (bacon & white bean). I was surprised (and disappointed) to see that the soup was tomato based and I could barely find any bacon. The grilled cheese was also underwhelming, as it lacked flavor in the cheese blend and bread that tasted like it was dipped in butter. Ordered a side of tots which were greasy and unseasoned. I hope my next brunch experience is better. On the plus side, the food delivery was lightening fast.
(3)Mike G.
Bad bartender=me gone. Ive been to this bar a few times and eaten there a couple of those times. It's overrated in my opinion. Ive had way better food in most bars these days and the service has always been just OK at best. I recently met a friend there. We had planned on dinner and drinks to catch up at the bar. My friend ordered me a wheat beer , as I requested, and himself an IPA - just before happy hour was over. The female bartender (4/10/13) poured my beer then informed my friend that she could only serve one drink at a time. He explained I was only a couple blocks away, but he offered to just buy one at happy hr price and asked for his beer. She claimed it was against the law to ever sell more than one drink to one customer. Staring in dismay, at the beer he didn't want to drink, at that point he finally just asked if he could have whiskey. She poured him his whiskey and removed my beer from the bar, with a stern bitchy face you see on an abused people-hating nun. My friend quietly explained to me what happened when I arrived 3 minutes later and she was rude enough, eavesdropping and directing comments at me with a snotty look "It's against the law" even though we clearly were not speaking loudly or to her. Well, I don't know if there is actually some archaic law like this, but it's safe to say she didn't handle it very nicely. It's my opinion that NO bar in the city has ever claimed such policy. If that was the law, then someone needs to explain the "city-wide" drink or a Boiler maker. We paid our tab and left quickly and took our long night's business elsewhere. The experience made it clear that this mediocre bar isn't worth ever returning to. It's on my grudge-list now.
(1)Akshay M.
There are days when I feel like a Kei$ha song brushing my teeth with bottle of jack, and leave for the night not coming back , and the next day morning I feel like Diddy, maybe worse. With a throbbing headache to cure there is only one place in the city my dilapidated senses can think of - Enter Royal Tavern. As there isn't a better cure to a hangover than a juicy burger and a bloody Mary concoction. Though the hike to the tavern frm my crib is a tedious one , each step towards it just builds on the anticipation of another great meal for the books. The service at the bar and the tables is pretty prompt even though this place has a laid back feel to it. The place is abuzz with mostly regular locals from around the area who like me can't resist the charm of the place. We generally grab the seat at the bar and indulge in sipping bloody marys and Mimosas till the food arrives. They probably have the best bloody mary to rule the roost of brunch Concoction in the neighborhood. They generally have a good stock of beautiful beers flowing thru their taps and bottles along with a list of other libations, to keep u quenched. U'd find me nibble on those truffle Parmesan butter flavored popcorn most days while the wait continues. This place ignited the Burger snob in me as far as can think of, I used to be happily content with a decent grill of the meat at most places, but NOT anymore. The 8oz burger was topped with bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled long hot peppers, and chili mayonnaise on a seeded brioche bun. I need to issue a drool alert cos it takes in a while for the beauty of the burger to sink in. The first bite wakes u up with the explosions of the Chili Mayo and Pickled hot peppers making a dent on the palate in a good way. The patty is fluffy made to ur order, and with each bite it keeps getting harder to keep track if the intoxication is because of last night's alcohol or the juicy goodness dripping off the burger. They also have a wicked meatloaf sandwich and a bunch of Vegan options that though I haven't bothered with yet, as I have unrequited love for the burger. So if you are on a quest for "One" of the best burgers in phila, I shall stand like a tall lighthouse and guide ur exploits to Royal Tavern.
(5)C T.
The service I received here tonight for a to-go order was completely unacceptable. And yes, I am posting this already because I am so bothered about the terrible service. I ordered two burgers to go on the phone and was told that it would be ready in 15 minutes. I showed up at Royal about 15 minutes later and was told by a waitress that it wasn't ready yet. Ok, totally fine with that. About a half hour later, I notice a to-go order come out and the SAME waitress who I spoke to when I came in, looked at the ticket and then put it above the bar. Obviously I assume it's not mine since she knows I've been waiting in the bar for well over 30 minutes and sees me standing there. Bartender finally goes over and checks the order about 15 minutes after she brought it out- wouldn't you know, it's my order. Then my fiance and I got to come home and eat cold, soggy burgers. I've worked in the restaurant business and understand that to-go orders are annoying and don't usually result in tips; however that waitress' behavior was completely unacceptable. I don't care how much I like their burgers, I will never return to a place that employs people who don't care about the customers and only care about their tips. The waitress was the one with the really long hair.
(1)Adam L.
The Royal Tavern is one of my favorite destinations for good eats in Philadelphia. The Food Girl and I have been frequenting The Royal (thats what its fans call it) for years now. There are just so many reasons to go, really. Where do I even start? Are you a blood-thirsty, unapologetic carnivore? Well then the Royal is the place for you. Their angus burger is the apex of the recent burger resurgence in Philly. Piled high with long hots, smoked Gouda, bacon and a spicy mayo, this is as good as it gets. It comes served with a generous portion of fries alongside their patented malt vinegar mayo. YUM. Or maybe you are a tree-hugging hand-across-the-world vegetarian type, like my lovely fiance. You're covered too. Their tempeh club is out of this world, and just one of many vegetarian-friendly options. Perhaps- like us- you love brunch. Again, the Royal is a winner. It's as alive at 11am on a Sunday as it is midnite on a Friday. There are always interesting specials, reliable standbys & damn good coffee and bloody marys. Or maybe you are just a stone-cold drunk who cares about nothing more than satisfying the pathetic lush who lives inside all of us. I suggest you go to the Royal as well. Theirs is a fantastic drinking spot, with a reliable and rotating list of beers. As you can the see, the Royal Tavern is many things for many folks. Go there and see for yourself. You wont regret it.
(5)Kevin W.
When I went in here my first thought was,this is a pretty run down lookin place so why is their burger rated so highly on the Internet? Bun--high quality and tastes great Meat--really good Toppings--comes with a delicious fried egg
(4)Colleen M.
After multiple times of trying to get into the Royal Tavern, we were finally successful on Saturday. Usually any time we try to go there, they are so busy that we can't find a place to sit, but with Saturday being on Labor Day weekend, they weren't as busy as usual. I have to say, this place lived up to the hype. I had the meatloaf sandwich, and the meatloaf was delicious. I love a good meatloaf, but it seems like so many places don't do it well, obviously not the case with the Royal Tavern. I had mac and cheese on the side, and it was also delicious. I try mac and cheese at a lot of places, and it's another dish that's hard to get prepared correctly. My husband had tilapia tacos, and he thought they were delicious. Service was also attentive; they replaced my Magner's quickly when I said it didn't taste right. If we can ever get in the door again, we wil definitely be back.
(4)Michael M.
I have never had bad food here ever. Everything I have ever tried from breakfast to burgers to mixed drinks. A great place.
(5)Kristine D.
I am about to go on record and say that Royal Tavern has the best burger in the city. Other notable mention goes to the Chicken Frankie (curry chicken wrap, but the size of a burrito). Never really impressed with their draft beers. And the service is usually pretty surly, so I never feel comfortable asking for a recommendation. But the food is really good and you can usually get a table, so I do like to frequent this place a lot.
(4)Walter K.
The "Royal Burger" is a hot item. If you don't believe me, steer over to the write up about it on Food Network, which calls it the best burger in the state. A more credible write up can be seen at A Hamburger Today. And if you still need more reading material, check Unbreaded. I needed to add myself to this laundry list of bloggers who have written about this famed burger. I've been to the Royal a few times, and it's never struck me as a great place. The tap list is small, the prices aren't great ($9 for the burger is decent however), and the bar doesn't have much character. I went hoping the burger would be a reason to bring me in. Before I finished my visit, I had another reason to avoid the Royal. I had the worst service I've experienced in Philadelphia in quite some time. Our drinks took far too long, as did the check. Empty glasses were left on our table, and I was brought the wrong beer. One or two of these may have been understandable, but the overall result was pretty poor. I was dining with my friend Danny, and he ordered the chicken sandwich. He enjoyed it, but didn't really have too much to say, either. Nothing special. I was hoping that my burger would be something to rave about. On paper, it sounded fantastic: bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled long hot peppers, and chili mayo. The pickled long hot peppers had great taste, but they weren't strong enough to stand out with the rest of the flavors. That may be the problem with the burger; too many good flavors mixed together in a way that they just cover up each other. The bun was thick and dense, and left a lot to be desired. I ordered medium rare, and it came out medium. The result was a dry burger, which wasn't even remedied by the chili mayo. I was underwhelmed by the burger. Bottom Line: Not the best burger in Philadelphia, or even South Philly. Poor service and a limited beer selection leave a lot to be desired. I haven't been for brunch in years, but I remember liking this spot. They have a lot of veggie options. $17 for fish and chips is a complete joke.
(2)E J.
Salad was not as described (where was the advertised cheese? bacon? surprise unmentioned grapefruit segments don't make up for those lacking components, y'all!) and boyfriend's chicken and brie sandwich fair at best. At least the fries/beverages were decent.
(2)Matthew B.
The RT seems like a slightly toned down version of the South Philly Tap room IMHO. Good food, decent prices. Somewhat less adventorous on the menu and a not quite as broad a draft beer selection. Good by the bottle selection. Had the mussels - unusual preparation - seemed like a cream of Tomato base? but tasty and nice portion. Crab fries were good and well portioned - but lacked a bit on the old bay flavor. I'd go back again. Btw - Is it just me, or has "the burger" become a competition in phila? It seems that way to me. Everybody has thier own twist. Not complaining, just saying it seems it has become the ubiqitous menu signiture item for taverns these days.
(3)Brad P.
This is an amazing burger. It has bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on brioche bun. If you do not enjoy this burger, then you are either a vegetarian or you hate great things. Don't hate great things. Their fries, service, and laid back-bar ambiance are very good. Right now, Royal Tavern's Angus burger and Village Whiskey's Village burger are engaged in a brutal struggle for my loyalty. Both burgers know what is at stake here - The official title of "The best burger in Philadelphia according to Brad P." They are fighting hard, each landing well-executed attacks against the other. As I write this review, the battle becomes more heated. The Angus has broken a chair over the Village's spine. Undaunted, the Village Springs up and starts choking the Angus over the ropes. The referee was knocked out by a flying elbow but nobody cares...the fight just keeps getting worse. It is brutal. I can't watch anymore. When the smoke clears, I see both fighters still standing...a draw. Here's the deal- As a raw, solo burger, the Village Burger beats out the Angus burger by a slim margin. However, as a full burger-fries-bar package, the Angus burger wins the match. When you go to Village Whiskey for dinner, you will wait an extraordinary amount of time to be seated. You will have to order your side items a la carte. You will spend more money. You will consume inferior fries. There is also an element of fine tuning at Village Whiskey, as you are responsible for choosing some of your own toppings that don't automatically come with the burger. This may lead two different people to have two different experiences of the burger...but it is a phenomenal burger. By contrast, Royal Tavern is not nearly as crowded, the fries are better, and your order comes with all of the fixings that they feel go best with their beef. The quality is consistent and reliable. They choose the toppings for me. They don't make me panic over whether the bleu cheese will be better than the chevre or if I should get avocado instead of a fried egg. I appreciate them for taking the guesswork out of the best way to top my burger and just serving it how they feel it should be. The longhot is a great touch to add a little spice to the experience. In conclusion, I am very positive about Royal Tavern. I take my burgers very seriously and this place is definitely worth heading to. I have not tried anything else but I don't know if I will ever be able to order anything but the burger because it is so damn tasty.
(5)Nicole V.
I like the atmosphere of this place. The waitress was friendly and attentive. I had the two egg breakfast special and it was good. Nothing amazing but better than a lot of diners. I would like to come back at night and try some of the other food though. I would have if it wasn't 11:30am and I didn't have an egg and cheese craving.
(4)Christian M.
One of my favorite places to eat, period. The vegan sloppy Joe is my favorite. I order this 99% of the time. The sauce that comes with your fries is so good. Friends who eat meat swear by the burger. More than one has said it is the best. They have rotating specials that are always worth eating. Don't get me started on the desserts. Since it is such a great place to eat, it gets very crowded really fast. If you arrive and there's a little bit of a wait, stay put. The food more than makes up for it. As for the service, some people will say negative things while others rave about it. The service is fine. They know what they are serving you. I think the service is great. I no longer live in South Philly. I miss this place the most.
(5)Eliza P.
As a single girl, a lot of my "social engagements" involve me crashing the dates of friends - I'm basically making a career out of being a Third Wheel (the pay sucks, but it's fairly entertaining). Last night, I went out with a couple that...has their moments...so I was a little nervous to take them up on their dinner invitation, but my apprehension immediately turned to overwhelming excitement when I found out we were going to Royal Tavern. I had been to the bar once a few months ago, loved it, swore I would go back..but obviously never did because, well, I have no reason. Anyway, the place is awesome. Great atmosphere, great vibe, great ambiance (I think that's all the same, but go with it). Think Trendy Dive Bar, or something like that. Friendly servers and fellow patrons, if a little on the emo/hipster side for my taste, but it's worth noting that I was there literally wearing sweatpants and a hoodie and felt totally comfortable. It's perfect for anything from a date to a quick bite to a place to go after-work - definitely a "no judgement" zone. So, beer is my first love in life, and Royal does not disappoint in this department. They have about 10 beers on tap that were all legit, and maybe 30 or so in bottles and/or trendy cans - including not only the drink of the Hipster Gods (PBR, duh), but my real faves of Dogfish Head 60 Min and Lagunitas. Solid showing. On the plus side, when one of my fellow diners asked a beer question, the waitress actually knew the answer and didn't have to "um, let me check with the bartender," which is always appreciated. Food was (almost, ha) as good as the beverages. I had a grilled cheese which was about as far away from Wonder Bread and Kraft Singles as you could get. Goat cheese, gouda and something else on toasted bread with great fries and some mysteriously awesome dipping sauce. My friends had fried shrimp soft tacos and gnochhi - I don't play the shellfish game, so I can't speak to that dish, but the gnocchi were really good for a "bar;" a little heavy, but who's complaining. We didn't actually order it, but I've heard the popcorn is also pretty orgasmic. In sum, this place is great, and I wish I didn't live on the opposite side of the city so I could go more often. Oh, they also get bonus fun points for having a blackboard and chalk on the bathroom walls. I hope they didn't erase my phone number!
(5)Ann R.
This is great dive-like joint with cheap drinks and good, affordable food. The service is not really good but I guess you shouldn't really expect too much out of a place like this. It is kind of like Grace Tavern but bigger if you've ever been there in the Graduate Hospital area. But Grace definitely has way better service. One time, we just stood there and waited forever before anyone acknowledged us and came to take our order. Another time, someone tried to squeeze in on the table next to us and dropped our drink and the waitstaff kind of gave us a dirty look and charged us for the drink even though we didn't drop it and it was pretty much full still. You definitely come here for the burger! The burger is amongst the best in Philadelphia. They also have a lot of really good vegetarian options if you are vegetarian. We've had brunch here and they seem to make their eggs with butter instead of oil, I prefer oil but that's just me. As far as drinks, they have awesome Bloody Mary's! All their other drinks including beer are well-priced and pretty good.
(3)Jennifer O.
The menu looks amazing so I'll definitely return, even though I didn't have the best experience here yet. I ordered the Tater Tot Scramble ... when it came out there were literally two tater tots in the entire dish. I asked the waitress if I could get some more and she said I'd have to order a side. So, my $10 breakfast turned into $16, but the additional tater tots made the meal really good (without them, the dish is just mushy eggs and sauce with no texture or crunch). I had a taste of the meatloaf sandwich (wow!!! but very intense) and of the bacon-vodka Bloody Mary (I'd recommend this if you're a horseradish lover). Spying on other people's orders, I decided that when I return I might order the burger (looks huge, has the kind of buns I like with the glossy top) or the huevos rancheros ("with extra chips" she asked, and received). Although it seems to have started as a dive bar (decor, waitstaff), everyone in there was hipsters or yuppies, so The Secret is clearly out.
(4)Robert M.
Solid upscale pub fare. I had the meatloaf sandwich, wherethe meat was thinly sliced, with an egg, mushroom and cheese and it was delicious, served with excellent pomme frites and mayo. A small but varied draft craft brew list was a great plus. I'll be returning for more sampling soon.
(4)Gandhus M.
I had to check the place out and have their burger. I want to say the choice of smoked gouda is overambitious, but it's not. I want to say the long hot was too hot, but it wasn't. This burger's components are different but they work in an unexpected & glorious way. I'll leave the labeling to others. It suffices to say Royal's burger was very, very good. Hipster-casual with decent beer, a decent kitchen & dark as hell. It was my first time here and it reminded me briefly of the Standard Tap except with a longer bar, darker wood, in an unassuming building & neighborhood. I'll wager many north of Fairmount wish they could call the Royal Tavern their own. I'll also wager many along Passyunk proudly do. I want to come back here for some serious drinking and/or the nachos. Someone next to me got them and they looked and smelled amazing. Thumbs up for the Royal, I'll be back.
(4)Tom S.
Just as I'd hoped/planned/expected, the wonderful Royal Tavern has quickly become my go-to neighborhood watering hole. Their tap list is short but well selected, and I'm undertaking the glorious task of trying each of the names on their rather extensive list of bottles, which has thus far yielded some pleasant surprises. I tried their burger - freakin amazing. We popped in for brunch, too - not as amazing as the burger but an excellent meal nonetheless. All of our servers have been great, and I've never had a problem with the crowd, or even with finding a seat. Love this place. If I'm not at home or at work, check here next.
(5)Mari D.
This place is a really great option if you have a lot of differing tastes in your group. The menus has a huge variety with vegetarian choices, ethnic dishes - it's easy to find something everyone will like. The atmosphere is a true dive bar, but it can get really packed for brunch and dinner. They don't take reservations, though, so try coming at an off time to assure you get seated quickly.
(4)B P.
I've never failed to have great food or great beer here. Seems like a lot of spots that I go in will have total crap for beer selection while they're trying to be different, but there's usually something interesting and tasty here. The food is also great, I love their grilled cheese and appreciate the cool veg options, and it never feels uptight. Great jukebox too.
(5)Milk W.
Wow! Great place! Beer selection rocks, food is diverse and more importantly quite good. Vegetarian and Vegan selections clearly marked. What a relieft! Unlike many other Gastropubs in the city, they are all too happy here to let you sample a beer or two until you find one that you like. That is much better than being stuck with a $6 beer that you do not like. Food is quite good. We had multiple tasty dishes. Sweet potato banh mi and Tempeh Club are great choices. Fries and tots are all good. Spinach has more garlic than is legal in many localities in Pennsylvania. All in all, I would recommend going out of your way to enjoy a fine brew, some good food, and a hip atmosphere in Philly.
(5)Craig L.
Went for Sunday brunch and it was awesome as always. The Bloody Mary is spicy and delicious, and they have great burgers.
(5)Brian H.
The burger is good. All the food is good. It's good. (Royal Tavern) 4 Stars
(4)Jonathan M.
I recently moved to queens village and needed a place to grab a bite to eat late with friends visiting, mind you i did little due diligence before moving to a new area, well we walked. we ended up at royal and order various apps and beers. I had a dogfish head aprihop and split the chix nachos and mac chz. Everything was great other than the push over bartender that greated us. Could have been more warming but the female waitress pulled through and made a solid evening. Ill be back.
(3)Paul M.
Best burger I've ever had. Ask for BBQ instead of the normal sauce (I forget what it is) that comes on the burger, it's homemade and incredible. My only small complaint is that they will usually leave up the dinner specials at lunchtime which makes you think they are available to order. They are not.
(5)Mary S.
Royal Tavern has got to be one of the most unassuming looking bars in the city. It's lovely inside, old timey, hard wood, but the food is like a gastro-pub explosion that you may not be ready for. I've never had a meal here that was anything less than totally awesome. The beer menu is ever changing, with solid standards as well as epic additions. The staff is generally super friendly, and even when I had a less than pleasant server, I still had prompt and efficient service- so the server was probably just having a bad day. Overall, this is a gem of a place, and I feel more than lucky to have it within walking distance of my apt.
(4)Luca B.
I am not a hipster & I think vegans are silly. Yes, I ride a vintage bike but no, my pants aren't as tight as my girlfriends are. I also love Royal Tavern. I also accidentally ate vegan sloppy joe, and liked it... I've been here 3 times now, each time making the trek for their (i think famous now) burger. The first time I came here my friend Rob, who's a vegetarian ordered the vegan sloppy joe (or vegan something or other, either way it had tempeh or tofu or something) which I tried, and kept eating not knowing it was... vegan! If they can make vegan food taste good, they can do anything right? Anyway, back to the burger. It's awesome. There's really not much else you can say about a burger really, its beef, its bread, its got a hot pepper (you might wanna open up the burger and spread it out a bit lest you want to eat the whole thing at once...), its got cheese, its got bacon, its awesome and you should eat one. In fact you should eat it and wave it in your vegan friend's face to distract them so you can steal pieces of their vegan sloppy joe. Oh right, this place gets pretty crowded and its pretty small so get there early. The service has always, always been great.
(4)Christine B.
Have been hearing about Royal for months from various yelpers. I finally made it there for brunch. I went with the Breakfast Burrito, which is possibly my favorite breakfast food, but hard to find in Philly. It really hit the spot, a huge burrito filled with eggs, cheese, and poblano peppers, with guac and pico on the side. I only ate half so had a bonus dinner out of it. I also tried the melon mimosa which was very refreshing. I definitely have to get back to Royal for dinner.
(5)Jen K.
I came here the other night straight from work (read: not in the best mood/needing alcohol). I was by myself, so I sat at the bar. I found the service to be very attentive; the bartender was nice and helpful. Since I can't drink beer, I stuck with Woodchuck, which was average priced compared to other bars in the city ($4.50). For my meal I ordered the Caesar salad and added grilled chicken. It was their own take on Caesar salad, which included lettuce, polenta croutons, roasted red peppers, and some extremely cheesy-lime?-based dressing. It was tasty, although it didn't taste quite like Caeser salad and the dressing was a bit dry or sticky. I put some hot sauce on it, NBD. Serving size was generous, which it better have been for $11. All in all I had an enjoyable experience; it defintely beat the post-work blues and it only helps that it's a block from my house!
(4)Kelly M.
The place is a little divey but the food is awesome. Gourmet ingredients at fair prices.
(5)Elisabeth Y.
To me, this is a restaurant, not a drinking establishment: I think I've only been to the Royal Tavern once for the specific purpose of having a few beers. To be honest, the drinks seem overpriced to me, and it gets crowded fast. But for meals? YES! Don't bother messing around with any vegetarian entree other than THE TEMPEH CLUB. It is so good.
(4)John F.
I revel in raving about rowdy regals This was a destination I've heard much about in my time on Yelp, something in the vein of "Holy Sh*t, you haven't been to Royal Tavern - WTF is wrong with you?" So, I traipsed in here one chilly evening and low and behold, my senses were jolted. Looking around in a seduced gaze, I soaked in the ambiance and was immediately in love. Hauntingly dark, like a Saw movie or a nightmare that has yet to turn vicious. I enjoy being in this sort of escaping darkness. We sat at a table, the place was packed. Some sports game was on the TV behind me but I was disappointed it wasn't a horror flick or perhaps UFC if they had to show sports - it would have been more mood setting. A winter ale was delivered to me, my date had a solid whiskey drink. They were a perfect start to our feast... We split a burger fit for this prefect of West Wash Square, bloody and seared with sealed screams. Sweet potato fries were everything I wanted them to be, infused in the tears of salty oppression. Intending to leave full and happy, we also had the tots - each were brought to the chopping block - there were no survivors. Personally, I feel the place should be called The Oubliette, or perhaps Dreary Hollows. Regardless, I shall return.
(5)Caroline C.
I think I'm in love!!! I wish I lived in Philly so I could come here all the time. What a fantastic place! The atmosphere and energy of this place is amazing. One step in the door and you can feel it. Decent menu with great food - try the tempeh club...OMG it's incredible! Great selection of beer too. Waiters are super friendly as well which makes this place one of my new must-go-back-to-immediatly places in Philly. Even tho you might have to wait a few minutes for a table...this place is completely worth it.
(5)maj s.
Good beer, great food. But goddamn is this place dark and crowded.
(5)Jim M.
After reading all of the reviews of the burger here I had to try it. I got the burger an order of mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was a small order that wasn't very cheesy. and the cheese sauce wasn't that great. The shells were also the small elbow macaroni variety. Unfortunately the burger wasn't much better. While I did like the long hots on it, the gouda that came on the burger was subpar. It tasted and looked like it was from a pre slicked and packed container. And it tasted like it sadly. The burger was also not cooked to medium rare, but was in fact medium. Not my cup of tea.
(2)Adrienne C.
I have mixed feelings about this place. The food is really great, awesome chill atmosphere, good beer selection...but the wait was soooo long. We went for an early Sat dinner, and ended up being there for nearly 2.5 hours just to eat two sandwiches and apps. I do have to say that the grilled chicken sandwich is really good - lavender honey mustard ftw - and the meatloaf sandwich was similarly very good. The duck confit potato skins are just ok, while the mussels are spicy in a good way (thicker sauce that expected, but good). But 2.5 hrs for pub-like food was excessive.
(3)Jeff G.
Fantastic burgers and tacos. Decent beer selection. Very cool neighborhood bar. Caitlin the bartender was great.
(4)Brett M.
I don't know if I can explain my undying adoration for this place. I love the dimly lit bar. I love the great beer selection (quality over quantity). I love the chalkboard in the bathroom. But most of all, I love the food. I love love love the food. I'm going to make a very bold statement: The burger here is the best burger in Philadelphia. Nay, the world. Smoked gouda, pickled long hots, chili mayonnaise, brioche bun! I salivate at the thought... That's not to say the rest of the menu isn't darn near perfect either. Some of the highlights include... spicy greens, truffle butter popcorn (at $3, a must while you wait), the meatloaf sandwich, mussels with chorizo, and those delicious fries. The only thing I would avoid is the Sweet Potato Bánh Mi (which I found to be relatively bland and very dry), especially when I've heard such great things about another vegan option on the menu: the Tempeh Club. Annnnnd, I think I know where I'm going for dinner again tonight...
(5)Vsssh P.
First of all: One of their best sellers the chicken Frankie is only sold during dinner so after 5 which I just found out which infuriates me cuz I always get that but today that's not the case. They have a huge beer selection and great food especially great vegan and vegetarian choice. Place has good vibe to it kinda low key, nice, warm and comfortable place to grab some food. They also have fresh popcorn which again is only after 5 which I don't really get. Bad things: the wait the wait and the wait... We've been waiting for ever and that happens all the time. Plus they dont take reservations so imagine waiting 20 mins for a table followed by about an hour for food people start getting antsy unless they are there for drinking primarily and not for food. So why am I giving it a 4 star? Well the food, booze and atmosphere is great
(4)Heather W.
I'm pretty sure I had a foodgasm when I bit into that savory burger. Best I have ever tasted. I loved it so much, even though I was full and beginning to be in pain, I kept on eating it. MMMmmmm. They have a great selection of beer and the service was spot on and friendly. I can't wait to go back and sink my teeth into that burger again....my mouth is watering just thinking about it...
(5)Peter D.
Great spot. I like the ambiance much better than The Dive, which at times feels stuffy. The crowd here is definitely older and a lot of people definitely have money that go here. I would like to try their brunch sometime and they look like they have an extensive bar food menu that looked tempting. The drink selection is pretty good despite not carrying the best selection of wines. I had a Basil Hayden and was pleased. I'll be back!
(4)Andrea L.
I was with my vegitarian friend so we split some veggie apps and ordered a salad. Everything was really good. Wish i would have ordered a burger though, because they looked SO good. Don't waste your time on the bacon bloody. Their regular bloody, is bigger, stronger, and one of the best i've ever had.
(4)Michelle E.
Yikes. One star is rough but appropriate. I had been here a few times and stomached the boring veg options and lackluster beer menu since friends wanted to come here. The crowd has always been ehh, and usually included some of the d-bags who work at Modern Eye, etc. One day on my walk home from work, I was drawn in by some of the specials on the board outside. Okay, I'll give it one more chance. The menu denotes which items are vegan and which are vegetarian. My husband asked a question about the fries and our server, who I'd never seen before this visit, answered that they are vegan although the menu says vegetarian. We suggested that maybe it should be updated so others who had that concern could enjoy them, and she shrugged her shoulders and said nothing. We made it clear that we were vegan (at the time). I ordered a special off the board which was some sort of asparagus salad with lots of fresh veggies that sounded light and just what I was in the mood for. It had all the ingredients listed on the board. She brought our food out and my husband had his sandwich, as ordered, and the plate that was slammed down on the table in front of me was clearly some kind of steaming meat dish. Before I could protest, she stalked away into the kitchen for several minutes. The bartender was occupied. I pushed the duck dish with asparagus away from me, nauseated by the plate. When she came back, she offered no apology, but stated that she wrote the wrong thing, and off she went with the plate. So...I don't really understand how a duck dish that had a side of asparagus could have been written any way that would have confused the chef. What seemed like ages later, she brought out this salad that was completely covered in blue cheese, with a few asparagus spears, and was missing some of the other ingredients listed. I told her it doesn't say anywhere on that board that it has blue cheese. She scolded me by saying, "YOU DIDN'T SAY YOU WERE VEGAN!" although it was clear we were, and regardless, that is not the type of attitude a server should give an easy-going and patient but now agitated and disgusted diner. I asked her to just bring us the check, please, which she slammed on the table while smirking, and stormed away. Unacceptable all around.
(1)Bill D.
"The best burger in town." That's a pretty heavy statement. Yet there it is, just inside the front door, written on the dry erase-board in the cajoling spirit of a 19th Century huckster. It's just the kind of outrageous claim you'd expect from a cigar-chomping, bowler-wearing fellow with his thumbs stuck cavalierly beneath his suspenders. But unlike snake oil liniments, laudanum tinctures and most things from the Age of Quackery, this is real. It's not even up for debate. Royal has the best burger. The end. Believe me, I know insert-name-of-your-local-douchebag-gastropub-or-Âhip-diner has bread with locally harvested sesame seeds, beef from a vegan cow and cheese made by ecomentalists on the other side of the world. But all of that sucks. They also have a Bloody Mary that you can use to take oil stains off your driveway. It is the spiciest, pepperiest, horseradishiest thing known to man. I drank one and went the rest of the day wondering when something was going to go terribly wrong with my internal organs. I definitely recommend it.
(4)Erin D.
The vegan sloppy joe is excellent and super spicy. I highly recommend it.
(4)Dan F.
"Great When It's Good. Gross When It's Bad." Royal Tavern, I'm mad at you. When your food is good, it's oooooh so good. But when it's bad, like tonight, you absolutely, positively suck. Tonight's Porchetta Sandwich, a hunk-slobber of roast pork and broccoli rabe on a roll, was a minor-key oleaginous gunkstorm of bad. So greasy, well beyond what any Richter scale could measure, I couldn't eat it. I went home a stroppy child, feeling like I'd been sent to bed without supper. Yet I'd had supper. Another evening's Veggie Burger was standout terrible. It was a loose pile of refried beans scooped into a free-flowing cake, then set upon a bun, which said no thanks and pushed the highly spiced miasma over the bun's ledge and onto the plate below. There's the matter of the BBQ chicken. This dish was a winner -- except, why did the chicken have to be so unbelievably dried out, like Matthew Shepard against the Wyoming wind? The accompanying baked beans were phenomenal: soft but not too soft, tangy but not too tangy. Just right. And as for the matter of your soups. Please stop serving them barely above room temperature. It's dispiriting. Then's there's your cakes. I was highly relieved to hear you don't make these, because my vegan grodometer (measures levels of grody-ness. (c) G. B.) kicks into overdrive here. Apparently all your cakes are vegan -- perhaps this accounts for: (a) the Crisco frosting, (b) cardboard butterlessness, and (c) blanched egglessness served with an afterhowl of (d) throatcatching bitter. At least do this: plainly state on the menu that ALL CAKES ARE MADE VEGAN! And spare the rest of us this shande. But then there's your show-stopping grilled cheese. The incomparable meatloaf sandwich. Your commendable burger. Not to mention your great bartenders, excellent beer selection, famous bloody mary, de-scrumptious breakfast burrito, and wonderfully sunshine-y wait staff. All of which garner you the highest recommendation. I just wish your food were more even. Because when you let me down, it's a giant frown.
(3)Ted C.
I live right next to this place but I hardly ever come here. I suppose my main reason is because the place is always so packed. In addition, I've been told the food here is amazing but yet the first two times I came I was rather disappointed. That however is all subject to change. Based on a few comments on Yelp I went with the recommendation of the Angus Burger. Seriously the burger was out of this world. The pepper they put on top was simply magnificent! I have also tried the Grilled Cheese once before and I liked that as well. Unfortunately I would love to give this place more stars but personal based on my experiences and taste buds it has been hit or miss. I do really like this place and the customer service is great. I would definitely suggest giving it a shot. They do have the beers I like so I will probably be back. :)
(3)Vince C.
Always have great food and interesting specials. Staff is friendly and knowledgable.
(5)Maricel B.
Ate here with 6 other friends and was pretty happy overall with the food, drinks, and atmosphere. Tried the Angus burger on recommendation of my friend who frequents the place since she moved nearby recently. Have to say it was quite delicious as well as the fries that accompanied it. The Angus burger came with bacon, smoked gouda, carmelized oniions, pickled longhots, and chile mayo. I asked for my longhot on the side but I did cut pieces of it to put on my burger just so I knew how the whole ensemble was supposed to taste like and I have to say that it was awesome. The burger was cooked well and was nice and juicy and the gouda was sooo gooda. I also tried the Strawberry Bread Pudding which I thought was pretty good way to end my meal. Malbec was my drink of choice and paired well with my burger. I would have liked to have given it 5 stars but we went on a Saturday night and got there when every table was pretty much taken up. Well we didn't wait long and it looked like a party of 5 were getting up to leave. When we started toward the table for fear of losing it to someone else, one of the waiters yelled at us that they had to clean the table. I don't think there was any need for that, so that is why 4 stars. My next visit I hope to upgrade this to 5 because I really thought the food was delicious.
(4)Gen Y.
This place is lovely. It is a great place for my neighborhood, as well as for being a vegetarian! Great food and decent prices. Nice happy hour specials and the blood mary's on sundays are only $5! GET THE POPCORN!
(5)Evan C.
So my friend, who shall remain nameless... Neil. Swears by these burgers, so I had to try them. Went here on a Friday night, it was pretty crowded, but they were still able to seat my g/f and I pretty quickly which was good. The waiter was good even though it was busy, he got my beer pretty quickly and that's all I really needed to give him an A. We ordered the burgers, and the timing was good. We both got the Angus Burger. I must say - They are pretty good. I wouldn't say they're my favorite, however it's a different burger which is nice to have instead of the same old thing everywhere you go. It had bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on a seeded brioche bun. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the bun, I like soft buns (hun). And the mayo was really good, again a different taste which is refreshing. I'm a huge gouda fan as well, and it all worked together. The only thing was the longhots, next time (there will be a next time soon) I'll have those guys on the side. I apparently couldn't read when I saw the ingredients and wasn't expecting them, so when I took a bite I got the whole thing, that's when I needed another beer.
(4)Rachel S.
Great food! It was an early Sat night around eight and the husband and I went out for a bite and some brews. Started off with Ballast Point IPA and moved to a black IPA (per the bartender's suggestion). We shared the Cubano Spring Rolls which were awesome - roast pork, ham, swiss and pickles jammed into 3 nice sized rolls. Husband got the Meatloaf Sandwich (sans fried onions) with Old Bay Fries and I got a pizza on special - Prosciutto, eggplant and mozzarella. It was so so good. The crust had so much flavor in it - I usually toss the crusts away b/c I'd rather save my calories, but this was a must eat. We really enjoyed the visit and will definitely be back.
(5)Thomas M.
I have to say that I always considered myself a "Loyal Follower" of Royal Tavern but after my last visit I have to say I was definitely disappointed. We were there for brunch and I choose the Italian Sausage Gravy over Biscuits that WAS NOT described as spicy and I have never seen a spicy version in my life BUT I have been to Royal Tavern many times and I know they often make dishes spicy without putting it in the description, which by the way I will never understand but whatever. So I asked the waitress just to be sure and her exact words were "na, it's not really spicy, not at all". Now let me explain, I am not someone that is scared of spicy food but currently I have some acid reflux issues due to medicine I am taking so sadly I have to stay away from spicy food, temporarily thank God! The dish came out and not only was it spicy, EVERYTHING WAS SPICY. The Sausage - Spicy, Gravy (which is normally a white gravy) was so spicy it was a pink, Biscuits - Spicy (and not that good I might add). Even the hash browns on the side were dusted in Cyan Pepper. I took one bite to give it the "Old College Try" but I just couldn't do it. So I then waited 5/10 minutes for the waitress to finish doing her shoots with the Bartender and other waitress before I could send it back. I have nothing against waitresses and bartenders doing to occasional shot but Saturday morning Brunch, really??? The waitress offered to make me something else but my wife was already half way though her meal so I declined. Then it took a turn from crappy experience to I clearly do not care about my customer right now because the bill comes and the waitress charged me for the Biscuits and Gravy!!! After she clearly did not know the menu and I took one bite and sent it back she still charged me!!! Everything considered I would have given a 3 star for this meal since I love Royal Tavern but is this a sign that things are changing there? I can not mark my experience as "A-OK" if I had to pay for a meal I could not eat because the waitress doesn't know the menu. It won't be my last trip to Royal Tavern because above of all else they still have the BEST BURGER IN PHILLY. But I guess only time will tell if they are starting to slip on the food and service that gave them there "Loyal Following".
(2)Aubrey E.
If reviewing the Royal Tavern by food only, I definitely would have given it 5 stars. However, we were extremely disappointed with the service. Our waiter was quite cold and it took forever for our food to come out. With that said, we would still definitely go back. The Tavern has some great beers on draft. The food was excellent! For our entrees, we split the burger and the wing sampler, with a side of baked beans. All three were very tasty. The sauces for the wings couldn't have been better and the burger was one of the best we've had. Even the baked beans were exceptional. We went a little early (around 6pm) on a Saturday and did not have to wait for a table, but by the time we left, it appeared to be very crowded. All in all, we will be back for sure (with the hopes that we get a different server).
(4)Peter H.
A Hipster spot, with Hipster bartenders and Hipster servers, serving a Hipster beer list, and Hipster food, including Hipster asian influences such as banh mi, and Hipster vegan options. Love it. Made me feel cooler by association. Everything I've had here has been good, including the burger, curry lovash, cuban omelette, sloppy joe. But the cuban omelette was the biggest surprise. I'm big on brunch, and this one took the cake.
(4)Matthew M.
Close out the place a Saturday night, come back on a hazy Sunday morning to bite the dog, or chase a dog's hair, or ... whatever ... just get a Bloody Mary. Because these robust, horseradish-y, spicy glasses of boozy love are -- and I do NOT say this lightly -- the best I have sampled in Philadelphia. Standard breakfast fare is well prepared and makes the perfect and hearty accompaniment for your AM drink-on. Regarding dinner: The burger's vaunting is much-warranted, I bet. But don't sleep on the the vegan and veg options, which far surpass your standard begrudging veg-friendly offer of the generic and ubiquitous Sysco "veggie burger." Royal T don't play that! Can you say "Tempeh Club?" Seriously, try it. (Really, it's not that hard to say). Then you can EAT it. Tasty fake bacon, basil aioli ... as an aside, when do we get to start saying "mayonnaise" again? It's delish. Go ahead, get it with a side of tater tots. You've been good! After all, you are getting the veg option. You deserve it. Make sure your dining mate orders the fries with malt vinegar mayo, so you can steal them. For real: You had me at Vegan Sloppy Joe.
(4)Josh S.
If you ever catch me at rehab, it's because I'm addicted to this place. My favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. Amazing servers, interesting & inventive menu, awesome beers. Love.
(5)Jason T.
Easily my fave bar in Bella Vista, and way better than any of the hangouts on South Street. The Royal is a fun, funky sort of place that has a super-friendly and very knowledgable waitstaff, a killer jukebox, and plenty of good brews on tap and in the bottle to satisfy everyone from your usual drinker to a person likes me who loves Belgians and good microbrews. The food served here is very tasty. Many people on here seem to rave over the vegan Sloppy Joe, but I'm not a fan, and neither was my girlfriend when she ordered it. On the other hand, I think the pan fried seitan sandwich they serve is one of the best treats you can find in the city, hands down. I'm not vegan myself, but the Royal does their best to cater to that crowd. The wings are fantastic as well, and are sprinkled with crunchy little green things (What the hell are those?). You also can't go wrong with the wonderful chips and salsa (the chips are those really good bubbly kind and not just typical tortilla chips) and the huge bags of popcorn with truffle butter. The Royal's popcorn is possibly second only to the greatness that is served at the Ritz theatres. I always seem to get there at the right time, which seems to be between 6 and 7 PM. The place can fill up pretty fast and get a bit crowded, so be prepared for a full house even on nights when it seems like no one is out. The crowd at the Royal is a mix of all sorts of folks, from younger college types to older patrons. The decor is simple, yet fun, and the bar is one of the nicest I've seen. All in all, the Royal Tavern is a great place to go off the beaten path with prices that can fit any wallet or purse.
(4)jillian n.
I love almost everything about this place. The staff is very friendly, the drink selection is amazing and the food is phenomenal. I always got the burger because i just couldn't resist, but i have branched out recently. Everything i have ordered here has been stellar. Also the service is almost always quick.
(5)Kristen D.
I'll reiterate and reinforce what everyone else has already said: the best food. I've tried the tempeh club, vegan beef nachos, fish & chips, and sweet potato banh mi. I absolutely loved and devoured every one of them (except the banh mi--you're better off getting it from an authentic Vietnamese place for $4 on Washington!). I also love that you can choose any side you want with your meal, you don't have to choose strictly fries or side salad. The food specials are always creative and delicious too! Beer is great. Ambience is great. The food is what keeps me coming back. Great place to bring Philly outsiders to impress them with some of Philly's best bar food!
(5)Alick W.
This place is located in South Philly on Passyunk and Carpenter. I have been here a few times and each time the food has been great. They are known for their burger which has been on a few top burgers in Philly lists and for good reason. It has bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise and is pretty big size. The grilled chicken sandwich and the meatloaf sandwich are really good as well. The place seems like a hipster dive bar, but the food is fantastic and a little bit pricier than what you normally get with a dive bar. There's seating at the bar and enough tables to fit about 40 people, but almost every night the tables are filled. The atmosphere is dark, with no tv's and some music playing in the background and some vintage signs for decoration. They also have a decent craft beer list along with a wine and whiskey list.
(5)Adam N.
Excellent food. We stopped in for lunch a couple weeks back. There was only one person working, but he was very attentive and quick with our orders. The space was a typical bar, nothing fancy but nice enough. Wish they had a couple TVs for sporting events, but good place nothethless.
(4)B M.
This is the best gastropub/bar burger in Philadelphia. Worth the trip for anyone just to try it. Decent beer selection, and decent non-burger options on the menu. If they fix some of the side dishes, this could bump to a five star tavern.
(4)Jennifer O.
Great beer and sandwich place. My boyfriend and I had the Angus burger and the vegan sloppy joe, both with fries. Delicious burger and really unique vegan sandwich. My bf (who is not a vegetarian) said you couldn't tell the sloppy joe wasn't vegetarian). Very chill place with a decent beer selection. Will definitely come back again!
(5)Joe R.
Burger is sick as fuck, so is the meatloaf. Those Arnold Palmers will ruin your day. Night time is kinda crowded, so day drinking is way better.
(5)Christina W.
The food is delicious. I got take out yesterday and ordered the chicken sandwich. It was delicious. The only negative was that the bread was a little soggy. I would defiantly eat here again.
(5)Paul C.
It took me forever to remember what I ordered here..... ah yes... their "banh mi." Which I definitely remember was not very good and I regret ordering in the first place. It had sweet potatoes, lettuce, and the usual daikon, carrots, jalapenos, and aioli sauce. I would not recommend it at all. If you've ever had a real Vietnamese banh mi before, you will be very very very dismayed by this cheap fusion ripoff. I remember I had trouble deciding what to order because nothing on the menu seemed very appealing to me. Some other things: (-) I was with a group of ~7-8 people for someone's birthday dinner. We did not even get to sit at one large table so they broke us up into two separate parties essentially. Very festive! (-) Waitress was really standoff-ish and impatient when I was looking through their alcohol list. I asked her about the differences in their brandy selection and she basically left me in the dust. That was embarrassing. I think they have a cozy gastropub atmosphere, however. I definitely do not plan on being back anytime soon.
(2)Jody P.
Dimly lit warm saloon atmosphere. New American meals are consistently good. Very knowledgeable beer loving bartenders. The place is always packed, expect a manageable wait on the weekends.
(4)doreen s.
Went today and it's wAs great. My son and I had the French toast...Wonderful. My husband had the Angus burger... Huge ! Thank u for making our visit enjoyable!
(5)Di P.
Friday night I came here. Busy. Ok, makes sense. Tuesday night I came here. Busy. Okkkk, it was sort of a warm winter Tuesday evening. Sure. Monday night I came here. It was freezing and it was supposed to maybe snow starting in the evening. Busy. Crazeballs! I think that reflects how popular this place is. And it's not the interior-- it's not cool or interesting inside or even spacious. It's really the good beers, fun and tasty food with above average vegetarian options, and an efficient nice staff that make this place a Philly staple.
(4)Meg A.
Have you ever gone to brunch knowing you really shouldn't as you know you cannot inhale all the carbs (French toast, pancakes, etc) without feeling and wearing it on your bum? Yeah. So have I. When that happens, I usually settle on a breakfast burrito. Settle. Meh. So, feeling a little doughy, I met my friend for brunch at Royal Tavern, deciding to settle on something. I read the description of the breakfast burrito and figured - meh, why not? I could not have been more wrong! This was, hands down, the best breakfast burrito I have ever had anywhere in my life! I can't even tell you why except that it was beautifully seasoned, and had varying textures and was a good size. You really felt like you were eating something. It was accompanied by vegan (!) refried beans and fresh housemade guacamole and pico de gallo. I tried to eat a little bit of each topping with each bite as it all harmonized so nicely on my pallet. A pineapple mimosa was unique and refreshing. The coffee was rich and full-bodied. I will definitely go back for brunch. __________________________________________________Â_______ My boyfriend and I went to Royal Tavern the day after for their burger. I had heard good things and am currently on the hunt for my favorite burger in Philly (If anyone has a recommendation of a place I should try, message me). Royal Tavern has a good burger. It is NOT my favorite but it was well cooked (I ordered it medium rare) Angus beef, and the gouda cheese was a nice touch. I would probably leave the long hots off next time. The roll was a little over-sweet for my liking, but held up well under the weight of the sandwich. I would order this burger again. It is solid. It is just not my current favorite.
(4)Merribeth P.
WHY DIDN'T I EVER COME HERE BEFORE I've walked by Royal Tavern for years without ever entering its door. We came here for a late Saturday lunch. I had the grilled freakin cheese with three types of cheese- smoked gouda, sharp provolone, and goat cheese on a delicious buttery hearty bread. I asked to add tomato slice, and mayo to mine, cuz that is the way I like 'em. My dining partner had the vegan sloppy joe. They said it had a kick, but wasn't overpowering; however if you are really sensitive to spice, don't order it. As a side they had tater tots and I had fresh cut french fries (so much better than Devils Den, POPE) with malt vinegar mayo. OMG MALT VINEGAR! LOVE LOVE LOVE! We didn't drink, but their iced tea was good. The fountain cola was carbonated, but not sweet, almost like they needed to change the mix. All in all, it was decent priced, delicious food. The cola taste, eh, it can happen...we didn't say anything about it because it was still drinkable. The jukebox was totes awesome. Great selecton of music. The interior was older, but nicely done. The tall tops are in the front, short top table in back. While we didn't drink, they had a solid beer list, with some of my favs such as Sixpoint Sweet Action. Yum.
(5)Greg M.
Philly is my favorite city and this is absolutely my new favorite haunt. We arrived at Chifa late one night and had a drink. One of the chefs was about and overheard that we were hungry. He recommended Royal Tavern for its late night kitchen and interesting pub fare. They have comforting classics with a twist. Fish and chips with a jalapeno mayo, vegan chili dog, and on and on. Supposedly the best burger in town, but I'm primarily a pescatarian. On top of that, friendly (but not too friendly to be interrupting your good time so much) and they have a fantastic jukebox. I absolutely LOVE this place!!!
(5)Felicia D.
Royal Tavern is to East Passyunk as the Standard Tap is to Northern Liberties, but with better service. Architecturally, the dark-red room is a slacker but still somehow manages to be all things to all people. Herds of hipsters drown their hangovers in Royal's ur-Bloody on the weekends, while midweek days are quiet enough for deliciously productive lunch meetings. Of course, debauchery beckons with half-priced draft beers during the dangerously early happy hour (M-F, 4-6). You might have to wait for a table during prime dinner hours, when the neighborhood descends for a super-hearty meatloaf sandwich, seitan sloppy joe or always-intriguing blackboard special of the day. Vegan and vegetarian grub receive heavy play, from soups to desserts. No matter the hour, the kitchen still bangs out one of the bangin-est burgers in the city. Bacon, smoked gouda, sauteed onions, chili mayo and a super spicy long hot pepper make a messy heap on top of the beef bomb; the former squishy brioche roll has recently been supplanted by a heartier gluten. It remains sinfully enjoyable, even contrasted to this year's crop of cow contenders.
(5)Bill P.
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Philly. The burgers are amazing. The best I've ever had. I love their fries with the mayo vinegar dipping sauce and a delicious La chouffe to wash it all down. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Its small so you can expect a wait during typical busy times but tables turn over fast.
(5)Jessica B.
I would give it 5 stars if only it had a little bit more diversity on the menu. The food there is GREAT, the drink selection is GREAT! Nice atmosphere, although expect it to be somewhat small and a little bit loud for conversation (at least in the evenings). Still, not bad even for a date night.
(4)Alex Z.
I liked this place. It has a warm, homey atmosphere, dark, and with lots of wood. Not too loud. I was here on a weeknight around dinner time and there were a lot of young parents with their kids with them; I like that sort of atmosphere. It feels like more of a wholesome, neighborhood bar than a trendy place or a place to get really drunk. They had a decent selection of very good beers on tap, which was a plus. The food was outstanding. Very high-quality, fresh, and fairly creative, especially for bar food.
(4)Nikki R.
I am so disappointed with my experience here tonight. I was really looking forward to kicking back and enjoying some good beer with my friend after getting off of work, but boy was I wrong. We walked in at about 9:30 and thought the place was full, it was by no means packed. We grabbed 2 of the 4 remaining seats at the bar and proceeded to sit there for over 5 minutes without even being glanced at by the 3 people who were working. Mind you, they all had the opportunity to pour themselves waters, followed by shots, then take the shots together and quickly disperse, trying to make themselves look busy. One girl was tending to a couple of tables, but the other was on her phone and the guy working just looked around pretending not to see us. I dont know if you have to have a beard or hipster glasses to get service here, but I work in the industry and was completely turned off. My friend and I left. I dont care how great your food or beer selection is, the service was awful and I will not be back.
(1)Jess R.
Holy cow, what a surprise! My brother the local invited me over, and I grudgingly followed him into what I was expecting to be mozzerrella sticks and beer. Much to my surprise, the place was the opposite of all of my expectations. The atmosphere was nice; pretty wide open, good lighting, and a "sit where you want" policy. The menu was incredible!!!!! Being a vegetarian, I was floored by how many options I had on it... I ended up going with a grilled cheese and black bean soup, my brother with the pan-fried gnocci, and my mom with the fish. Every single plate was nothing but mouth watering. Mom's fish came with grilled corn on the cob which was coated with some kind of cheese which made me want to pay her for it. The staff was incredibly nice and checked up on us at all the right times. This place is DEFINITELY one I'm going to return to time and time again when I come back to visit the family on the east coast! If I ever move to Philly like my little heart desires, this might become my hangout place. Love the Royal Tavern!!!
(5)Stephen H.
In the world of Philly bar food lore, the Royal Tavern is a legend. My appetite for pub grub is also legendary, yet somehow the two have never crossed. If you asked me about "the royal" I would be able to say a few quick quips 'best burger in south Philly" and so on, but truth be told I have never been there. I remedied the situation. Having barely recovered from a nightmare south of Washington, I got back on the horse. I really enjoyed the experience. Pretty well reviewed, I will just offer a few simple musings. The bar was full, subsequently loud with conversation but outside you could not hear a peep. Combined with the fact that the bar blends in with the surrounding houses, a perfect blueprint for how a business can blend in to a neighborhood without disturbing the neighborhood vibe. Hear me SWCC? The place was pretty dark inside. When our food arrived, They turned the lights down lower. I really like to see what I'm eating, but apparently I am the minority on this point. The beer list was on par with the other micro brew taverns in Philly. My meatloaf sand which with bacon marmalade was delicious. The fish and chips are gigantic and my friends enjoyed them. Gnocchi appetizer is a must. The Royal tavern stands shoulder to shoulder with many of my favorite bars. I will be back to try the burger.
(4)Jessica E.
Royal Tavern was a good option for Sunday brunch. It was crowded, but most people seemed to be seated within 15-20 minutes. (We lucked out and walked in just before the rush.) I ordered the tempeh club, which was delicious and accompanied by very tasty fries. They had an intriguing looking menu and a great bloody mary for only $5. I would definitely like to return and try to vegan sloppy Joe and the bacon bloody mary. (Obviously I am no vegan, but intrigued by sloppy joe nonetheless...) Service was pretty slow, hence the 3 stars. I must have caught them on an off day though since many of the other reviews rave about the service. There are a lot of positive things going on here though, so I would definitely like to return.
(3)Lauren F.
One of my absolute favorite places to eat/drink in the city. The staff is almost always very warm and friendly. Burgers rule. Beer selection rules, and they always keep the menu exciting with new specials. Brunch is just as good as dinner, and if you go on random days it will be less crowded than say a Sunday. They always manage to seat you pretty fast considering how packed it gets.
(5)Emily K.
I thought that I loved Royal Tavern. But our relationship has been steadily declining. On the first go, I was taken by the interior - dark and warm a la an old ship at night. The mussels and Tempeh BLT made my night complete (although the BLT was so salty I think I went into a coma). Our server was awesome. Beer list, pretty darn okay. I was determined to make it back ASAP. Second time around, service was pretty good. Wings, lip-smacking excellent. Vegan Sloppy Joe (don't hate me now) was not that good. Not that good at all. I do not recommend it. Third time around, tried for SPTR, but kitchen was closed. So trekked up to Royal. Service - I'll stick with the adjective "awesome." The root vegetable soup - I'll go with "freaking delicious." BUT. But. We got two entrees on special that made me really sad. The Chorizo Burger was dry, overcooked, and tasted like a mediocre hamburger. Like the Royal Burger, the bun to burger ratio was way off - the patty looked a little like the last cheerio floating in a bowl of milk. The Waldorf Salad was under-portioned and lacking in accoutrement. The "gorgonzola" was flavorless, and the walnut halves were more walnut sixteenths. Also, I understand that endive is a luxury lettuce, but I would appreciate if it were bulked up by some other green because when I order a $9 salad, I'm probably actually hungry. Anyway. I'm not sure what or how to feel anymore. We'll see if I end up back there. But it's going to take a while for the memory of being absolutely starving and handed a tiny lump of endive and grape halves to fade.
(2)Lilli C.
Oh, how I love the Royal Tavern and wish this were my neighborhood bar. The crowd is non-douchy/annoying, the waitsfaff is friendly, they have great beers on tap, and the food is delicious. Some standouts: the mango habenero wings...to die for...the burger with bacon and smoked gouda is amazing (the only downfall: it's a bit heavy and there's no lettuce/tomato, but they will graciously give it to you if you ask for it). There is also a great vegetarian selection as well: vegan sloppy joe, tempeh club, nachos w/ fake meat, and the hummus platter are all amazing.
(5)Gul A.
Never disappoints! This place is our neighborhood bar/restaurant and when we're in the mood for a low-key dinner and drinks theme night, this is the place to go. You might have to wait a bit for a table at rush-hour but it's worth it, the staff is always great, the food is amazing and it's a low-key bar scene with great people and a nice atmosphere. The food is really good and they have a full bar. Their menu has vegetarian and vegan options which is unique for a bar-style restaurant and everything is always really good! Highly recommend the sweet potato sandwich, the burger and the wings... they have daily specials worth checking out to. The
(4)Catherine C.
I love Royal Tavern. I seriously have dreams about their fries and malt vinegar mayo. I've never eaten anything there that wasn't delicious. My favorite dishes are the burger and the grilled cheese, or for brunch, the tater tot scramble. Glorious. The ambiance is great with dark wood, strings of multi-colored lights, and a truly superb jukebox. Most of the time the staff are really friendly, but the service is often quite slow. I've had a couple isolated incidents of being treated rudely, but these were exceptions to the rule. It gets crowded and loud, so get your table early. Actually, just don't go, because then there will be a table for me.
(4)Jorge G.
I remember coming in here on or about the time when it first opened and when people had their doubts about what it was trying to do. It seemed very experimental at the time when you considered the exotic beers and creative menu it offered; all set in what appeared to be just another down-at-heels, dusty, dive-bar type of space (which it played up). But it did NOT fail; it did not succumb to schizophrenia. If it was not the first gastro-pub in town then it certainly became one of the most emulated and notorious. Dark, splintery wood; red bordello paint scheme; and old-school 'flip-disc' classic-rock jukebox; scruffy, stringy-muscled patrons and staff all with tattoos and piercings and five-o'clock shadow; (the guys too). But as I say, the place has succeeded wildly and is on just about everyone' s radar nowadays. Me: I frequently used to stumble in here for brunch after a hard night of South Philly drinking. Service was angelic, even at that early-morning hour. Fabulous brunch offerings (eggs benedict usually my pick; with a LARGE bloody mary). Other years I missed brunch entirely but became obsessed with the quality of one of their sandwiches which for years shone like a beacon to me from their menu: their BLT sandwich. This is my favorite 'sammich' in the world, and even now I have found it prepared best right here at the Royal and nowhere else. Hear that? Nowhere else in western civilization, is this sandwich done any better. I used to travel 100 miles just to get here on a friday night after work and sample this sublime, supreme assemblage of flavors [applewood -smoked bacon, triple-decked with fresh Jersey tomatoes, garlic mayo, and a stack of crisp green lettuce]. Whoever the chef was, he just KNEW how to make this thing perfectly. It used to send me into a daze. Bite after bite, my eyes would be rolling back into my head and eyelids fluttering like receiving a BJ. It was that good. I begged them to keep it on their menu but for some reason, it vanished. And then still later--as Royal became a mature fixture of the neighborhood--I discovered that some autumns they will have chestnut soup available. Do you know how rare this soup is to find? I'd throw an old lady under a bus for this soup. Its my #1 favorite soup ever. At the Royal, it arrives at your table faintly tawny/taupe in color, shimmering and luminous in appearance; and very smooth and velvety, thick; rich to the palate. Its prepared with nutmeg and a touch of cinnamon; highly pureed; and with a large dollop of sour cream atop. The flavor is indescribable. Penetrating. Woodsy. Alternately sweet and salty. It changes flavor as it passes over your tongue. No one mouthful is quite the same as any other. Unforgettable. So think of it: just this one restaurant had both my fave soup and my fave sandwich. In just one place. That's the kind of surprises you get here. Whatever you come in here for, you leave satisfied and content and belly purring with sudsy dark porter swirling around within you as you exit. David Bowie's 'Heroes' tingling in your eardrums. You may even leave with some phone numbers. Just a great, great, bar! .
(5)Joey P.
Definitely a fan of the Royal. I live down the street and always appreciate going there with a friend to show where this neighborhood is headed and some of the good things my generation is doing in the city. I missed the Abbey Ale! They need to bring it back, it was so delicious and paired well with the chicken sandwich on the menu. I went there with a vegan friend who got some kind of vegan dish. I don't really pay attention but he seemed to like it. My only beef is not having Abbey Ale and being way too busy. I've stopped by 10 times and have only been able to stay 4...just too busy! It makes sense, though. Keep on keepin' on, Royal.
(4)Pat A.
AMAZING burger. I'd hold the long hot though, it's very spicy. Good fries. Good beer selection. The meatloaf sandwich - very good w/ a fried egg Ambiance is nice, although you might see a good number of hipsters HIGHLY recommended
(5)Anna Q.
My favorite neighborhood spot with great drafts, awesome brunch, and tasty vegan and vegetarian options for brunch and dinner.
(5)Beck G.
This place is hands down the place I love to take out of towners when they are visiting. The food and beer are reliably and consistently amazing! I love the burger and meatloaf sandwich and the vegan sloppy joe. Their special are always phenomenal but I wish they'd list the sides on the board (we just ask our server). I love the homemade mayo on the fries. Although it can get crowded, It's totally worth it and seriously awesome. We tend to go on less busy nights when possible (Mon-Thurs right around 5 or 6 seems to be a sweet spot in their level of busyness). I love this place.
(5)damien t.
This place needs to Timberlake and bring that Octopus Salad back, goddammit. The taps have been a little whack lately too. Last time I found some Fegley's Elf stuff although it was buried in a weird place on the chalkboard. Still one of my favorite spots to pub in Philly
(4)Rob F.
I've been here a few times and I have to say every experience has improved. I started with the much hyped royal burger and couldn't handle the pickled jalapeno which in my opinion took away from all of the other ingredients (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda,pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun) between the bun. Then I tried the meatloaf sandwich which didn't quite satisfy my tastebuds for the night (bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini mushroom ketchup on ciabatta). It wasn't until last night that I found exactly what will make me go back a 4th, 5th, and 6th time. Simple items, nachos and grilled cheese. Done to perfection. The nachos (corn chips, mozzarella and jack cheeses, pico de gallo,lettuce, jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole) started us off split three ways. I'm pretty sure I was trying to eat faster then my friends in order to get more then my fair share of guac. I probably could have ended there but alas I muscled through when the waiter brought out my meal. The grilled cheese (smoked gouda, sharp provolone and goat cheese on rustic french bread) was delicious and I will certainly mozy my way over to order this during happy hour one day after work when I come home to an empty fridge. Royal Tavern, it may have taken a few times but we're going to be good friends from here on out.
(3)Wedge W.
I actually don't know anyone who has eaten here and does not like the Royal Tavern. The food is delicious and the portions are generous. I like to try the specials because I know that whatever I get will be amazing and different, and there are usually at least 5 each day to choose from. The staff is friendly and really seem to enjoy working there. Cozy restaurant with a very intimate feel. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
(5)Mindy K.
finally finally FINALLY! i got to check out royal tavern. we had ventured here because of the awesome beer selection, but were just as amazed at the food - especially because the menu offers such a variety of options - whether your vegetarian, carnivore, picky-eater, large-portion desiring glutton, there is something for everyone here. we ended up dining for BRUNCH, but enjoyed it so much that we went back for dinner. THAT EVENING. You may think we're sad, but I'd say we're geniuses. WHAT WE DRANK *bloody mary & mimosa hell yes, we brunched it up properly. EXCELLENT! They use siracha in their bloody marys instead of tabasco, and it results in a thicker tomato-y, spicy beverage. The mimosas were also heavenly, with just a splash of orange juice with a healthy pour of champagne. It looks super cool with pulp-y OJ just floating around in the carbonated bubbles. *Angus Burger: bacon + caramelized onions + smoked gouda + pickled longhots + chile mayonnaise + seeded brioche bun this burger is always a frontrunner when the question of who makes the best burger in Philly is debated. I was a bit worried that it wouldn't live up to the hype (because hell yeah there is a lot of it), but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it totally does! The burger meat was perfectly seasoned! I really dislike when places don't use enough salt, or use too MUCH salt, for that matter (I'm looking at YOU, PYT), but this burger was fantastic. Even more exciting, is the bacon was ever so present (that's because my burger pet peeves are as follows: bland meat, minimal bacon presence, mushy bread), which is something I'm always happy to find. The pickled longshots provided a nice kick without being overwhelming and the large, thick slice of smoked gouda really held up within the mix of those flavors. YUM. I don't know that either of us loved the bun, but we didn't hate it. So I mention our ambivalence for that component - you know... just to be fair and pretend we're objective or something. *cuban omelet Cuban sandwich, omelet-style! This dish came out of nowhere and we foudn it to be AWESOME. We folded in pieces of the omelet into the tortillas and stuffed with the veggies and potatoes to make little wraps. Added a bit of siracha and BAM, deliciousness. *Beef Sloppy Joe The vegan sloppy joe was the sandwich I had really wanted to try, but this past weekend, the beef sloppy joe was one of the specials. At the behest of our adorable bartender, I went with the beef version. It was definitely excellent - tart, tangy, spicy and tender. I think the bun they used was the same as the burger, so again, I was ambivalent about that part, but the meat was great. Brought me back to the olden days of high school cafeteria dining - but properly gourmet'ed up, of course. * ah, nostalgia * OH yeah, and there was cheese! C'mon. CHEESE! I do need to note that the hand-cut fries at Royal Tavern are freaking unbelievable. Crispy, flavorful and addicting. It took everything in me to not gobble up this entire plate of them. *Chicken Frankie: indian curry chicken + indian slaw + warm lovash + hand-cut fries Our very interesting bartender told us that they make a huuuuuuuuuuge pan of curry chicken and just let it simmer (simma simma) for super long periods of time. He also said, if you pay attention, you can taste the TLC in each bite. Yes, we tasted it... YUM. Frankly, this frankie (HAHA, sorry, had to), is delicious, but if I had to choose where to eat a curry meat in a wrap, I think I'd prefer the japanese style beef curry burrito at Maru Global, but at least we have OPTIONS!
(4)Chris O.
I'm not an early riser. We went for brunch. I guess to start, the best compliment I can give is that Royal Tavern is worth waking up for. First, the Bloody Mary. I only sampled a friend's and absolutely regret not getting one for myself. great tomato flavor and a hell of a kick to it. Absolutely delicious. Now for the food. Orders at the table were the Strawberry Crumb Pancakes, An omelet with potatoes and toast, a Merguez Sausage plate, and my tater tot scramble. The omelet looked like an omelet. A nicely made omelet, but nothing special in and of itself. The pancakes looked great, a good amount of strawberries, and plenty of the crumb topping. the bite I had was quite delicious. The star was the Merguez sausage plate. I totally had order envy for a food I don't particularly care for. it may have been the best looking plate of food I've seen in some time. The sausage came over a tomato type sauce, with 2 beautiful eggs sunny side up, and a hash that had some peppers,probably poblano, in it. In hindsight I feel as if I'm a failure for not taking several food porn pics of it. judging from my friends reaction it was as delicious as it looked. Now for mine, the Tater Tot Scramble. Compared to the sausage plate, this looked...bland. It was exactly what it said it was, scrambled eggs with tater tots, a pinkish sauce on top, and some toast. It was fine, but compared to the other plates, it was not nearly as drool inducing. Some parsley or a tomato or something would have made the plate far more appealing. Then I took a bite. Perfect eggs and the tater tot crunch. It didn't matter what it looked like, this was delicious. A few bites in, I hit the center which is where the jack cheese and onions were hiding and reached another level of taste bud satisfaction. The chipotle crema added a creaminess, but I didn't taste too much of the chipotle. I wound up adding some Sriracha that they were kind enough to leave on the table because I like heat and really, why wouldn't you? Our server, who's name I forget sadly, was awesome. She clearly knew the menu well and helped two of my friends down the path to meals they enjoyed greatly. She was quite attentive, but not annoying, throughout the meal. She was clutch in having our drinks refilled before we knew we needed it. Will definitely be back next time I'm in town.
(5)Lauren T.
One of my absolute favorite bars. I've never had a less than amazing experience at the Royal. Beer list- perfect, always dark ales & stouts on tap. Burgers- the standard menu burger is juicy and wonderful, with bacon and long hots. A lot of times they offer special burgers (goat, kobe, etc.) which are great too. Truffle popcorn?! yes! The vinegar mayo dipping sauce for the fries is off the chain. I could drink it. The jukebox is great and the service is always sweet as pie! I really cannot gush enough about the Royal Tavern.
(5)Alex M.
GREAT burger, good selection of beers knowledgeable staff, and a wide diversity of clientele (hipsters, college kids, old folk). Went their specifically for the burger and left satisfied, great fries too. Bit crowded on a Sunday at 6pm but still got a seat at the bar which was dark, but not too dark. Would definitely go back to try the rest of the menu.
(4)Jessica E.
Had an excellent time here. Went for weekday lunch, so it wasn't crowded at all. I got an omelet that was on special with proscuitto, asparagus, and fresh mozzerella and it was delicious. Service was quick and very friendly. Prices are very reasonable. Will definitely be going back for dinner and drinks. Update 10/24/11: Had high hopes for the nachos but they were unfortunately very bad. Not much cheese and very very large pool of cold tomato/lettuce water floating at the bottom of the plate. Service very unfriendly and weird. But the burger was still very delicious. I would go back but probably stick to brunch.
(3)Elizabeth B.
Arriving early is the way to go. Erin F. and I walked in at 10:03am on a Saturday and truly received the royal treatment. Coffee was delicious as always and we had a delightful time. BEST HUEVOS RANCHEROS EVER. That is all.
(5)chris c.
Not enough room to add all the details of this awful trip, but highlights:. 4top seated in the upper back area, 5mins later, waitress brings us 3 waters and ask if wed like drinks to start. great. she writes down 3 drinks, walks away and begins chatting with another table. she never puts our drink order in but seats a new table and takes their drink orders. after about 10mins, the new table's drinks come out, but still no sign of ours. we arent in a rush and the bar is busy so we dont say anything yet. finally at the 15 min mark (still havent been offered the chance to order our food) we have to wave her down as she returns to chitchat again with another table of people she clearly knows as friends. as i start to say "hey, sorry, were still waiting on our-" she abruptly cuts me off and barks "YEAH YEAH I KNOW you want to order drinks i was just about to come over here and see if you want drinks.", her tone inexplicably annoyed AT US, and, as was to be the case the entire visit, was devoid of the simple (i feel instinctual even?) notion of being like "oh geez, im sorry...". it was baffling considering the fact that i felt we were already being sort of laid back about it all...i know many people who would walk out if no one came back to take an order after 20mins of being seated AND forgotten drinks. we werent huffing and puffing despite having a legit gripe and she was annoyed at us? huh? it added to the bad vibe that she seemed to be friends with 2 other tables of people and was sort of putting on a louder voice and attitude almost as though it was a show for them. baffled, we re-ordered our drinks politely and stated we were ready to order our food too. she seemed annoyed that we wanted to order now, as though she only wanted to do drinks now, even though that was her error. as she finishes taking our orders, we have long since finished our waters, so i ask can she also bring more water when she gets a chance. she visibly rolls her eyes like i am being demanding. 5mins go by before she brings a pitcher, fills the glasses of her friends table first, then comes to us with a now-almost empty pitcher, proceeds to fill one and a half glasses of water. she says "ill get more, hold on one sec", walks away and takes another tables orders. she runs their orders, gets busy, never finishes refilling our water. she comes by again and i ask if i can still get the water (2nd request) and she barks "its coming!" even though she has taken an entire other tables order and stopped to chitchat with her friends again. she goes away again and comes back to the area to bring drinks to a table, still no water, so i have to ask a 3rd time(!)....this time she stamps away like an annoyed child and like "angrily pours" me my water, if you can envision that. my entire table is just like "what is this chick's deal?!" we are seated in front of the weird doorway to their upstairs/supply area. there's folding glass doors that swing out here and at one point becomes unlocked and swings open and is against our table and another table. no big deal really, and the servers are busy, so i stand up to close the doors myself. as im doing this, nasty waitress storms over (she couldnt be bothered to come fix it when it was swaying into our table...but now that i am dealing with it she runs over) she basically budges me out of her way and says "sir, i GOT it, its tricky, i GOT it.". and makes it seem like im doing something i shouldnt be doing. the other half of the door was affecting her 2top table of friends too and, after she closes both halves, she looks at me with disgust, then leans into the 2top customer's ear and covers her mouth with her hand and WHISPERS something while looking at me, laughing, and then that customer's eyes follow her words and looks at me...pretty universal indication that she was talking shit. to his credit the customer looked embarrassed and gave me a look like "awkwaaaard" as she left. i mean, WTF?? last straw: we get food, my sis notices her sweet potato bahn mi has only a small sliver of potato in one half of the sandwich. the other half just had a piece of lettuce, it was missing the "contents" of the sandwich. we show the waitress, she exhales annoyed- "ill tell the kitchen" -no apology - and stomps away. 15mins later she emerges with a heaping plate of uncooked sweet potato (you can see grill marks where they were seared, but they werent actually cooked) and she literally drops the plate on the table with a clatter and says in a pissy tone and loud enough for all the other tables to hear "if this isnt enough sweet potato to fill you up, i dont know what ta tell ya" and walks off to her credit she did take her drinks off our bill but id much rather have paid for our drinks and been treated with respect. still tipped her 40% though because even miserable people need to pay rent. but she cost royal a few customers for life.
(1)Nick G.
This place is literally a diamond in the rough. From the outside it looks like a place the average person might not venture into, but the food is soo good and the staff is always nice and helpful. My favorite time to go is on the weekend when they have brunch. They usually have different brunch specials for the weekend. I highly recommend the breakfast burrito or the pancakes. I haven't had a bad experience yet and I've been going there for years.
(5)Jenna S.
Best grilled chicken sandwich in the city. I find myself craving it. It's a little loud for a conversation between a couple, and the food takes a little while to get to you, but the taste makes up for it. I agree that it's not as divey as you think it will be, but that's obviously not a bad thing. The staff is all right, nothing to rave about, but they obviously get their jobs done. I think it's worth going there for a good meal.
(4)Taimur A.
Hands down the best burger in Philadelphia, probably all of PA. Blows Shake Shack, Village Whiskey, and all these novelty burger shops that are popping up out of the water. It's a little off the beaten path, but totally worth it.
(4)Ethan M.
Most recent experience here on a Friday night was disappointingly substandard. Mediocre food, poor service behind the bar. May not be back. Will probably make the trek to Kennett in Queen Village henceforth (far greater care taken in the food and service).
(2)Angela e.
The front is very unassuming and you can easy walk right pass it. As you read the menu you realize that you walked into a new world. My friend and I happened upon it at brunch time. We shared a dogfish head theobroma, BACON bloody mary, an augus burger and french toast with dulce de leche. The burger had bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise. Every bite you tasted something a bit different. It wasn't about a hook it was just great beef and amazing toppings that will easily make us drive 3 hours to get more. Everything was amazing!
(5)Brendan O.
The food is really good, specifically their awesome grilled cheese sandwiches, but two poor beer-related experiences force me to limit them to 3 stars. While the tap selection/rotation is an admirable one, I've twice had to switch to bottled selections because the beer on tap just tasted "wrong" all around. On the warm side, on the flat side, and with a bit of a funkiness in the taste that probably points to tap lines in need of a good flushing. The two occasions where this happened to me were weeks apart and involved completely different beers, not only the ones I ordered but the ones ordered by my companion. Possibly coincidence/bad luck I guess, but bordering on systemic and inexcusable for a Philly "craft beer" bar regardless. Additionally, when I pointed this out to the bartenders I was given "the eye" rather than the benefit of the doubt.
(3)Suzanne S.
Always a great spot for a good bite and a good beer. Brunch is always pretty delicious, too (can you say mimosa?). They offer take-out service if you don't feel like eating in, but offer ample room for floor or bar seating. I like divey and this place is right up my alley. My faves are the grilled cheese, herb popcorn, and mac n cheese. Their vegan sloppy joe is actually pretty tasty as well.
(5)Benjamin R.
I kinda love the Royal Tavern. They are doing the bar menu RIGHT. It's one of the best bar food menus in town in my opinion and it's cheap. Bonus point for offering good vegan/veg options that go way beyond the ubiquitous and boring portabello. Try the excellent vegan Sloppy Joes or the enormous Tempeh Club. They also have numerous delicious sides. I always supplement my meal with some garlic spinach. The Royal also offers up a solid, seasonal draught list. Also, this place is generally not overrun with hipsters. I'm hesitant to spread the word because it's usually not crowded, but they do offer an excellent brunch. In spite of some other reviews on here, I personally havent' had a bad experience with the service. It can be a little slow when it's really busy (especially if you're trying to settle up) because the servers have to write up all the checks by hand. But seriously, have a beer and relax.
(5)Kate C.
Get the burger, you will not be disappointed. Don't eat meat? Go for the tempeh club sandwich, it's equally awesome.
(5)Mathew M.
I have the occasion to travel through Philly periodically. When I'm not Philly, I dream of the Royal Tavern burger. No joke. It's that good. I can't really vouch for anything else... but the burger is perfection.
(5)Rachel A.
Love the Royal Tavern. Go there all the time. The food (lots of heavier comfort food) is awesome and they usually have great specials. The beer list is always great. The Bloody Marys are good. Sometimes it's really crowded and you have to wait a while for a table, but if you're there early for brunch or most weeknights, it's fine. My favorite dishes are the meatloaf sandwich and the truffle butter popcorn (which is only available at dinner time!).
(5)Annie D.
I had dinner here with some friends a few weeks back. They suggested the Royal Tavern and were kinda mortified when I had no clue what they were talking about... Anywho, we went and I was really happy with what I found there! They Have a good albeit straight forward beer selection; nothing you'd be shocked to find but you're not relegated to drinking a dreaded InBev product. It's the food that makes it worth the journey for a non-South Philadelphian such as myself. I had an amazing chicken sandwich, my friend had a Caesar salad with these awesome polenta croutons and the specials all looked amazing. They also have a great selection of veggie and/or vegan options so everybody will be happy if you're dining with a mixed eating crowd.
(4)Chris G.
Truly good Friday night dinner w/female relative. Food is very well prepared - GREAT BEERS ON TAP-Servers & beer keeper are awesome Only negative is tables are way too close, I don't want somebody's fight w/ his frigging girlfriend in my ear, while trying to relax after work.
(4)Maren M.
I've only eaten here once, but my burger was by far one of the best burgers i've ever had. ever. I still remember the smoked gouda and carmelized onion. And my fries were really tasty. My companion for the evening enjoyed his wings, but was def. feeling my burger, and gladly finished it for me. i was so high off that shit that i happily paid for the whole meal, even though i'm broke. it was new years day. whatever. Treat Yourself.
(5)Sara C.
Holy crap. The sweet potato banh mi sandwich (that's a Vietnamese hoagie for those not in the know) is wonderful. Filled with all the fixings that make it so great - cilantro, jalepenos, pickled carrots, daikon radish, jicama - with some Royal additions - sweet potato, bibb lettuce, and cilantro aioli. SO GOOD. Based on the dishes I've had here - you'd think I'm vegetarian. If I had the money to eat at the Royal every night - I could probably pull it off.
(5)sabrina j.
the best bar! the burger. the chicken sandwich. the vegan sloppy joe. so amazing. go there immediately if you enjoy living your life!
(5)Lisa R.
Yes, there are great burgers here but there is so much more going on that you must check out the menu (note: slight variations once you arrive) to do this place, and yourself, justice. We enjoyed a phenomenal dinner, excellent service from waitress (who really knew their extensive beer offerings well), and the buss staff (who were attentive and helpful in packing up leftovers). We went for a Monday early dinner at 6 and the place was virtually packed to the brim but we got seated right away, by the time we left there was a line out the door and we thought, it's worth the wait. Kitc.hen serves 'til 1am.
(4)Julia N.
There's just something I really like about this bar. Actually, there are a lot of somethings: a well-thought out beer list, tons of good vegetarian food options, including that awesome tempeh club, great brunch that never feels like an afterthought, the cozy interior, friendly staff, a fantastic jukebox and the fact that there always seems to be at least one other Morrissey fan there to play his songs too. The only problem I can find here is that Royal Tavern is not close enough to my apartment. Of course, no restaurant can deliver a flawless dining experience 100% of the time, but every time I come to Royal Tavern, I leave happy.
(5)Sarah B.
YUM! Everything, just yum.
(4)Phil T.
When I saw Frankie's Chicken Sandwich on the menu served with Indian coleslaw I couldn't help but think, "but will it be like my mother's traditional Indian coleslaw?" *rollseyes* I bit into the sandwich and it tasted as if one had cooked a traditional curry and used it in a sandwich. Most restaurants add "curry" to dishes at an attempt at a gimmicky fusion dish, but the Royal Tavern has done an admirable job of combining it with a sandwich.
(3)Caitlin D.
This is a great go to place for gastropub fare. Dare I say, may favorite in the south Philly type area. The grilled cheese at this place is the best damn grilled cheese on the planet and I will fight anyone who disagrees. They always have specials that sound amazing (although I pretty much always order the grilled cheese). I don't know a single person that doesn't like this place. The bottle list isn't the greatest and slightly overpriced compared to other bar/restaurants...but that's never deterred me from going there. The jukebox is also really decent, and fun to look through if you ever have to wait for a table. Additionally, their brunch is awesome. My favorite is the burrito. I prefer going here in the cooler months, simply because its pretty dark inside....and I hate the idea of people in dark places when it's sunny and nice outside. Did I mention that the grilled cheese is seriously fucking good? OK, that is all.
(4)Alexa R.
Shhh....did you know Royal Tavern has an awesome brunch? I am not sure I want to tell all of the patrons waiting outside Morning Glory and Sabrina's, because I love the fact that I can walk right into Royal and get a table of 4. Took my brother in law and sister here on Saturday morning - had a great waitress and busser (who I even forgave for spilling freezing cold water on me!) -- and great food. Myriad palates were pleased and husband raved about the bacon bloody mary's!
(4)Stefanie A.
Not fancy, but doesn't need to be, This unassuming local tavern serves up some of the tastiest bar fare around. Not to mention the best burger in town IMHO. Service is friendly despite the continual crowds waiting for one of a handful of tables, and my friends say the veggie options are great, though I've never tried any as aside from the burger, the Korean fried chicken is also a favorite. Their house pomengranate sangris is great, as is the beer selection, and the stellar jukebox. Great place for a drink and eats with friends, thouggh going with a group larger than 4 can be challenging for finding table seating.
(5)Samantha H.
Three cheers for the Royal Tavern! Open late, tasty food, good service, and great tunes. My favorites are the barbecue wings and bacon wrapped tater tots, which might have been a one time thing, not sure. Still, if you see 'em, get 'em! Almost everything that can be dipped comes with a tasty homemade dipping sauce as well. The menu is a little small but my friends and I ordered different things and we were all very satisfied with what we got. Dessert was a little disappointing though. Decent, but not worth the price. As for the non-food things, they were also quite good. Service was a little slow but still friendly and understanding. Luckily, they have a jukebox to keep you entertained while waiting filled with everything from Rick Ross to the Clash to Justice and beyond. Commendable hours too! More often than I'd like I'm stuck trying to think of a place that serves dinner and is open past 9 or 10 but now I know the Royal Tavern is there and serving tasty foods.
(4)Amanda M.
My favorite place to grab a burger, hands down. A great beer selection, a variety of different types of food-their menu is always changing.The only food I have to complain about is the nachos. Nachos consisted too much toppings over nachos (which sounds silly, but when splitting with two people, its easy to run out) Overall, the royal gets an A.
(5)Coco D.
Children, I have figured it out. The riddle of the Sphinx? No, the riddle of why people like the Royal Tavern! And having solved this caper, I think I may be able to figure out why folks like other places that appear to be located in Sucktown, USA. Anyway, back to her Royal Taverness. It's not a bar! It's a restaurant! If you (I) go there expecting it to be a bar, you (I) will most likely attempt some violent shit out of frustration. But once you realize it's just a restaurant, the whole game changes. Allow me to explain: Crowd? Expecting bar: Wow, everyone here is kind of sad and lame and should probably go shopping to replace their feeble excuse for a wardrobe. Expecting restaurant: Hey look, it's packed, and everyone seems kind of happy! Decor? Bar: Um, this is weird. It looks a little too fancy to not have a cocktail menu. Restaurant: Dark wood, low lights! Cool! Service? Bar: I'm too bored to care. Can we go to McGlinchey's now? Restaurant: Nice enough. Of course this whole expectation thing would be a moot point if the food were not up to par (yeah, I'm looking at you, Sidecar). Granted, I've only had the burger, but man. That was a good burger! I'm not usually into bacon on burgers, but I felt like all of the toppings (spicy mayo, long hots) had been thought out, and it worked! I would feel safe putting my palate at the mercy of the rest of their menu. And the jukebox...well, it doesn't fucking kill, but hearing more than one T. Rex song over the course of a burger is going to win you more than a few points with me....
(4)G F.
This bar has my favorite beer, Ommegang's Three Philosophers. I like that. I also like the retro beer advertisements in the bathrooms (funny) and the super hand drying machines (the best kind of hand dryers). The dark colored wood which comprises the bar is classy. I also really enjoy the Pan Fried Gnocchi -- quite delicious (though overpriced). Throw all the pine nuts and arugula you want on it. It's still just gnocchi for $15. But that's kind of the overall theme here -- nice selection, but you're going to pay for it. Average to higher than average. Service can be hit or miss. Servers are quick to start... but taper off from there. I really want to love this place. I mean, I like it fine enough. I've been here many times with various groups of people. But it has never developed into the love category. I'm usually the guy who says, hey-- let's go to The Dive. And they say, hey-- let's go to the Royal Tavern instead. Seating is also limited. What can you do? The Royal Tavern is a fine bar. Just not one of the finest in the city, in this humble yelper's opinion. Meh.
(3)Mortimer S.
Great food, great beer selection. Comparisions to Standard Tap are apt. The menu is fairly extensive and everything is a familiar item, almost always with an interesting twist. A salad with a limoncello vinaigrette, calamari with harissa, and so forth. I sampled a couple of IPAs which were both good, then had the wings, ordering a combination of the traditional buffalo as well as mango habanero. The latter weren't nearly as spicy as I expected, nor did I really taste mango very strongly, but they were good, and coated with crumbled wasabi peas to boot. Wings also come with carrot and pickled daikon in addition to the gorgonzola dressing. The waitress was attentive. The atmosphere is comparable to other establishments of this type and it seems to be a pretty laid back place. I look forward to trying more of their fare.
(5)Hymae W.
Went here for breakfast Easter morning. I had a bagel sandwich that was excellent. 3 other in my group got a breakfast burrito which they all enjoyed. They also serve mimosas and bloody mary's but i opted out that day.
(4)Emily C.
LOVE this place. Always a busy & fun atmosphere. The "Tempeh Club Sandwich" is one of the best. Great customer service! There is usually a wait (on popular nights of the weekend), but the staff is ALWAYS trying to accommodate you as much as possible, so that you are comfortable and seated as soon as possible. It's a nice change from places that seem to disregard your patience!
(5)Cynthia D.
I love this swanky place for their unexpected touches to the classic american bar menu. The jukebox is sweet, as well. It's a beautiful bar with a lovely old interior nicely restored. Very Classy. Only complaint, as a short girl, the tall chairs are a bit rough. Ow.
(5)Michael K.
What a great, relaxed pub tavern we have here. As I walk in the door, I just know there's gonna be a few great beers waiting for me to try. Sitting at the bar is great if I can grab a seat, though you do have a lot of foot traffic walking behind you all night. If I were the sort to start drinking around 1 pm on a weekday and drool on my bar stool, this place would be near the top of my list. The food here is very good without being pretentious - great mac n cheese. Or expensive - think just about ever sandwhich was under $9. However, just about every time I've come in and grabbed a table the service has been lacking (hence I prefer the bar seats). I've waited a looooong time just to put in a drink order. So have your order ready or you may wait a while to see your server again. And it was mentioned recently, but the jukebox here rules. Old punk, origins of rock, smarmy indie. Only problem is everyone KNOWS there's a good jukebox here...you may have to wait a while to hear your selections...
(4)Bernard G.
Two words: Chicken Sandwich. I crave it. I live an hour away, but will make the drive for this piece of heaven. And, I don't even drink beer. I just want the sandwich. Thanks.
(4)Megan M.
Great place. Surprisingly good food. Reasonable prices. Good vibes. Royal Tavern is one of my go-to places. It's the perfect blend of relaxed bar and great restaurant. I have never had anything there that I didn't like. Highlights include the Angus burger, popcorn, and cubano rolls. Their brunch is also fantastic! Breakfast burrito, baby! The only bummer is that it can get crowded. The slightly "relaxed" service doesn't always help that, but in this case, I don't hold it against them.
(5)Big E.
Solid burger and solid beer list. Beautiful bar. I wonder if the ceiling is really tin? Definitely on my short list for best burger in Philadelphia. I am not sure if it is the best but in the top 3 for sure. Go eat, drink and enjoy yourself.
(4)JACKIE G.
Ah, Royal Tavern. The perfect place to nurse a hangover with a bloody mary. Personally, I find them to be the best in the city, so usually, one does not suffice. I often frequent this place for brunch. If I don't feel like trying someplace new, the Royal is a go-to spot. Some of their classics are the grilled cheese- three cheeses and fries priced right at $7- and mac and cheese. Yesterday I tried for the first time the Jersey tomato salad and it was delectable. I ordered fries because I was afraid the salad world leave me a little hungry. I was wrong. The salad was adorned with two tomato slices bigger than my palms (and I have big hands). The bibb lettuce was perfect in this salad, it was soft as compared to a crunchier lettuce, it was perfect with the savory flavor of the tomato and salt. Generally speaking, the Royal is usually crowded with good reason. The happy hour is good too, half priced drinks. Yay!
(5)Erica M.
This place was really good...I would probably give it 3.5 stars if possible, but it was good enough that I would round up rather than down. The server was really nice and we got our drinks and appetizer quickly. The mezze platter was DELISH! Hummus and baba ganouj were obviously homemade and oh-so-tasty. The grape leaves were warm and the fresh pita was grilled to perfection. We waited a little while for our entrees...we had a party of 5 and got the gnocchi, sweet potato banh mi, asiago/mushroom/arugula flatbread pizza, and 2 tempeh clubs. Overall, the food was really good except the person who got the sweet potato banh mi wasn't a fan. I enjoyed my tempeh club but thought it was a bit flavorless (I didn't even taste the vegan bacon). The basil aioli and their lavender honey mustard (we got both on the side for the tempeh club) were both AMAZING. The gnocchi-orderer enjoyed her dish, but said they were super heavy and could only eat a few bites of the appetizer portion. Portions are quite large! I will definitely go back...the burger looked delish, so I look forward to trying that upon my next visit. Overall a good experience!
(4)Colleen D.
The Royal Tavern. One of my favorite bars in the city. Not only do they have a great beer selection, but they also have my favorite burger in the city - caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, bacon and condiments on top of a delicious roll. So why not give it 5 stars? Because, as many will state in their reviews, the service needs improvement. Last time i came here with a friend, our server forgot to put our order in, and it took an hour and a half to get our burgers. 90 minutes for two burgers! And she tried to blame it on the kitchen being busy. We ended up getting our food for free, but that is inexcusable, and she wasn't very apologetic. If I had done that in my years of serving I would no longer have had a job! But things are different in Philly.
(4)Terri M.
Rule #1 - Get here before 6pm on any given night, or a table will not come easily. Brunch is super crazy, so either get there at opening or wait until mid-noon (brunch is served until about 4). But no matter what time you get there or how long you wait, the food is worth it. The atmosphere is relaxed, good music 100% of the time and the staff is efficient (There was a period several years ago when the service SUCKED ASS and we avoided this place at all cost, but they they've had a great crew for about the past 2 years). They always have a beer on tap that will suit anyone's preference. The food is fantastic. I LOVE the Tempeh Club - I will order this 95% of the time I eat here. For brunch, I am a sucker for the Tater Tot Scramble. Another great sandwich is the Vegan Sloppy Joe. Desserts are to die for, except for the Apple Crisp. Get the Grasshopper Cake or Coconut Cream Cake if they are available.
(4)Michelle W.
It's a place I always go back to. The beer list is always great, but the food is what keeps me coming back. The meatloaf sandwich is awesome, hands down the best bar food I've had. The service is consistently great, and the bartenders are knowledgeable and nice. The environment is awesome, a hodgepoge of older folks, hipsters, and the neighborhood crowd. A plus is the jukebox and the chalk board in the bathroom!
(5)Lauren D.
Sometimes I wonder why I haven't reviewed this place yet considering I'm there at least 2 or 3 times a month, but then I realize that this place has over 100 god damn reviews and, let's face it, no one will probably read this. ANYWAY. I really love Royal Tavern. Sometimes I get kind of apathetic towards it because every now and then the staff rubs me the wrong way (too much "I'm a Hipster and I don't care about anything" attitude), but it's never BAD service. In fact, they are usually really attentive, and this one day bartender with short blondish hair is just so nice and pleasant that I want to be his best friend always. The food here is also really freakin' delicious. Hands-down the best grilled cheese sandwich in the city. It has goat cheese, gouda, and something else that I can't remember, inside 2 slices of buttery, crispy, bread. To be perfectly honest, I don't think I've ever eaten anything else from this place. Maybe a soup, which you can add on to the grilled cheese sandwich for 3 dollars more. It's heavenly, and now I'm craving one of them at 8:40am because of writing this review. The space itself is kind of weird and not really good for larger parties (long and narrow), but it's kind of cozy. I also really dig the bathrooms, especially now that they added the chalk board walls, because who doesn't like drunkenly writing messages while breaking the seal? OH the only kind of lame thing about this place is that they don't take reservations, which makes going there on a weekend night sometimes not an option since it gets REALLY busy REALLY quickly. So yes. Go to the Royal Tavern. It's swell.
(5)Jordan L.
Everyone gets all hyped up about the burger at Royal Tavern. but the unsung hero is the chicken sandwich. Grilled chicken, arugula, blue cheese, prosciutto, pears, honey mustard? Could this be the best chicken sandwich ever? For this Yelper it is! Pretty much everything on the menu is outstanding, you really can't go wrong. All they need is to bring back the hot apple cider with whisky for the fall and winter months.
(4)David G.
Dear Royal, Sure, your food is unrivaled (the burger is as good as they say, as are about a half a dozen items on the menu), your servers and bartenders are fantastic, your atmosphere welcoming and without pretension, your beer selection utterly solid (with a nice kicker of whiskeys), your lighting dark as a bar should be, your jukebox balanced with awesomenss, your brunch kickass... Sure, you're a block from my house. Sure, sometimes when out-of-town guests are in-town for a weekend, we find ourselves coming to you twice at nights and once for brunch. Sure, all that. But you know, Royal, sometimes you're a little loud: so you only get five stars.
(5)Beth R.
RT has a vibe that reminds me of Grace's Tavern or South Philly Taproom... with it's dark walls, wooden bar, and dim lighting inside. The beer list is good, and so is he menu. I had a wonderfully unhealthy dinner of tater tots and mac n cheese here last night (although they do have salads, sandwiches, mussels, etc on the menu as well). The downside is that the bar is pretty narrow and if you're standing, you will be jostled around by everyone going and going. Also, I know it's hot outside, but it was really steamy in there last night. I don't think they have central AC.
(3)Kathy D.
Great beer selection and quality food! In my last Food Network magazine, the Royal Tavern won the award for the best burger in PA. The menu changes frequently and although there's some vegan and different items, you can always order the burger when in doubt. It's VERY dark and can get pretty loud in there depending when you go. GREAT beer and drink selection and service is top notch. Hipster vibe with lots of tattoos, but you won't feel out of place in here...probably because it's so dark :)
(4)Ben P.
Always a good choice. One of my favorite spots to watch a Phils game. Great beer list, solid service, awesome...awesome food.
(4)Amy K.
I love this bar. They have a decent beer selection, but the food is what keeps me going back. I've loved everything I've eaten there, especially the chicken sandwich. But other great things I've eaten there are the burger, the caesar salad, and the meatloaf sandwich. I also love that they offer tater tots. I try to get something I can dip the vinegar mayo in, because yyuuuuuummm I love that stuff. Brunch has also been great there.
(5)Kristina K.
This is definitely in my top 5 brunch spots! I've never had a bad experience here. They boast about having the city's best bloody marys and its pretty damn close to the best I've ever had. They're spicy, but not on fire and I love the pickle n olive garnish it has. Usually I have to hide it from my bf because he loves it too. Their food is fab! I love their tater tot scramble with chipotle crema and pretty much any special I've gotten (ex chorizo and egg breakfast tacos) were amazing! Its a spot I will gladly come back to again and again.
(5)Christina W.
If a well done burger means red and bloody, then Royal makes then best burger I've ever ordered. I don't know where the break down of communication started, but when my burger arrived, it bled all over my plate. Thankfully the plate came with a large serving of fries and delicious chile mayonnaise. Also, I'm a fat girl and I'll eat pretty much whatever the waitress brings out. On a Wednesday night at 7pm I really didn't think we'd have trouble finding a seat but unfortunately, we had to wait for about 20 minutes. Guess people love bloody burgers.
(3)Joanne P.
Definitely a Hidden Gem, the burger was deeelish and the mac n cheese was wonderful. Loved the low key atmosphere and music was on but not so loud that i had to scream at my bf to talk to him. When it got a little darker out, they dimmed the light and brought out candles, didnt think it could get romantic in a bar haha. Will be recommending this place to many many more friends.
(5)Xtine H.
I popped in here after a friend had told me about the mulled cider they carried in the winter months, which ended up being a nice break from a cold trip to the city. The menu is great, be sure to check the specials board. We ended up sitting at the bar and on a Saturday afternoon, it was hard to find a table! The servers were all conversational, and I even felt like a local by being included in their conversations
(3)Robin S.
I'm sorry to give Royal Tavern 3 stars. Had this been a year or two ago it would have been 4 or 5. What happened dudes??? This used to be my favorite brunch spot in Philly. Awesome food, great drink specials (extra spicy bloody mary with bacon crumbled on top? Brilliant!) and friendly (if a bit harried) waitstaff. Then something changed. I went a while back to wait for a friend, sat at the bar and the bartender seemed really annoyed that I was there and that, god forbid, I only wanted a PBR bottle. Went back again with some friends for brunch and my one friend's order was screwed up several times (how hard is it to just leave mayo off the order?) and the waitress acted pissy when he politely asked her to fix it. On top of that the glorious bloody marys that I had raved about to my friends now come in half sized glasses and are pretty boring. Although they did serve it with a pickle which I loved. Maybe it's just the brunch crowd though. I went back again at about 7pm on a Sunday and our waiter was really nice and fast. My hope is that it's just a temporary downswing and things will get better soon. I miss my staple brunch place.
(3)Alex K.
Went here with my buddy for his birthday, he had been wanting to go back and I'd never been, so I was excited to try some of this great food he was talking about. It's bar food at the end of the day, but it's not just bar food, it's the kind of foodie fuel Yelpers probably love, made with choice ingredients and served up in a pleasantly subtle, divey down-home atmosphere. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: This place is more well hidden than Waldo playing hide-n-seek at the Super Bowl...ok that's an exaggeration, but keep your eyes open for this place or you'll miss it. The place feels really warm, dimly, intimately lit (ie. xmas lights). THE FOOD/DRINKS: We drank lagers, so there's not much to say about the drinks, other than that they are reasonably priced, and the bar looked to be full of fun possibilities. I opted for their grilled cheese, which came with fries and a cup of their soup of the day (black bean), and a side of garlic spinach. The grilled cheese was thick sliced texas toast, buttery and crispy, with three cheeses, I forget which they were but damn was it good. Blackbean soup was a perfect dipping companion, with a few of what looked like handmade tortilla chips. The spinach was garlicky, just like I like it, although I think it was a little thicker than I'd have preferred, if that makes sense. THE SERVICE: Down to earth, responsive (for the most part), and friendly. Their laid-back demeanor matches the ambiance, without coming off as lazy or indignant. THE PRICING: Surprisingly reasonable. I was expecting a bigger bill, paying for both of us since it was my friend's bday, that made things extra sweet. I can definitely say that it factors into any future visit I'll be making there because I know I can explore the menu and enjoy something I know will be deliciously dope for less than other nearby spots. THE BOTTOM LINE: Check it out for sure, great for a laid back dinner, it's just pretty small and inconspicuous, so be ready for a comfortable, humble experience that won't hurt your wallet and reward your tastebuds generously.
(5)Blake F.
spoiled by the royal. yup, that's what i am. see, i've tasted the liquid magic that is the royal bloody, and all bloody marys i've had since have in turn been the recipients of such remarks as "it's good, but not royal good." bloodys are a relatively new thing for me, and i don't claim to be an expert on what they should or shouldn't taste like, tho i will say i enjoy the super spiciness (including the spicy pickle garnish) and overall consistency (thick & chunky, in a good way). not sure what vodka they use, but they're definitely not skimping on that key ingredient! along with my bloodys, i often (but not always...) order brunch. the breakfast burrito is a personal fave (also, HUGE) and i recently enjoyed the tater tot scramble as well. eggs + tots + cheese + caramelized onions + chipotle cream sauce = awesomeness. and, as the queen, i would know. the royal is also one of the few places in philly that offers vegetarian sausage (and fakon) which, at 3 bucks for 3 patties, i can't pass up. so far i've only made it to the royal once for dinner (shame on me), but it's only a matter of time before i'm back for more of their veggie offerings - as they offer so many! the vegan sloppy joe rocked my flavor world and while i'd be tempted to order it again, i wanna try the tempeh club, the grilled cheese, the hummus platter, and so much more. oh wait - i did also get to taste the royal's take on the vietnamese hoagie at our last elite event where they provided their sweet potato banh mi. me want more!!
(4)christina j.
G & I checked this spot out after a few beers at the POPE. We split the popcorn, potato skins and the burger. Yum! Enough food for 2 and the burger was delicious.
(3)Kimberly S.
This place is my favorite neighborhood bar in Philly. The beer list is decent and reasonably priced and the food is awesome! You must try the burgers here. The last time I was here I had my dream burger....carmelized onions, smoked gouda, bacon, long hot pepper and a fried egg on top. I must say it was quite possibly the best burger of my life. Another favorite menu item is the grilled chicken breast sandwich, except I sub smoked gouda for the bleu cheese (I don't care for bleu cheese) and I think it makes the sandwich even better because the smoked gouda and the thinly sliced pear compliment each other so well. I love - love - love this sandwich. One time I was here with a friend that ordered the meatloaf. If you had a mom like mine who cooked meatloaf like hers and went to a school with a lunch menu like mine, then you probably HATE meatloaf as I do. But this meatloaf at Royal Tavern was actually delicious! In spite of the Martha Stewarts, Top Chefs, Steven Starrs, Rachel Rays and Gordon Ramseys of the industry, I think the ultimate accomplishment for a chef should be when they succeed in making someone like a food that they have always hated. Well done Royal Tavern. I do have one complaint though. The last time I came here the service was TERRIBLE. The waitress either completely forgot about us or completely ignored us. I have been a restaurant worker for 10 years now and am a die-hard advocate of good tipping, but this service was so bad, so nonexistent, that I did not even care if she got a tip. Aside from that, the food is just so great that I will definitely be back in the future.
(4)Tom D.
I elected to bring my friend here because of the number of reviews that highlighted the vegan food. I suppose when you have over 100 reviews and feature vegan food on your menu, you're bound to have a number of vegans eat at your restaurant. Well, the reviews are quite accurate. The vegan fare was excellent! I was also pleased with my selection. I ordered the grilled cheese and soup combo. The sandwich was super tasty with the gooey-factor reaching into the upper echelons of awesome! The soup was a chipotle tomato: a perfect foil to the sandwich. Cool vibe, good jukebox, decent service. It was crowded for dinner on Friday, I would advise reservations, though we were seated after only 15 minutes.
(4)Rachel W.
This place was really great. I have been to the dive a bunch of times, and somehow I had completely missed it. Good beer selection that's moderately priced, (Franziskaner is 6 here, while you walk 50 feet away and it's 4 dollars at the dive.) and their draught selection is pretty good too, Happy Hour seems like a good place to be since all of the beers on tap are half off. I didn't try any beers because I had forgotten my ID, but I did have their Tempeh Club sandwich, and it was absolutely fantastic. The veggie bacon and tempeh almost seemed like they made it themselves... I have no idea whether it's store bought or made there, but it was great anyway. They also put this basil aoeli on the club which was a nice touch. My boyfriend had the bbq seitan sandwich, and although this was good too, the tempeh club was better. It was more spicy than sweet, and I'm partial to the more sweet bbq taste. The seitan had a really good texture though. Oh! They also have vegan cakes and desserts. I tried the carrot cake and it was super super moist, and the icing was way better quality than most vegan cakes / cupcakes. I will definitely visit this place again.
(4)Justin B.
One of the best Burgers in Philly. Also the Chicken Sandwich is delicious. The atmosphere is really nice and beers are in the plenty. Get there early if you want a table because this place is pretty popular and for a very good reason. I love you RoyalTavern!
(5)Dillon R.
Went there and had brunch for the first time. Get there early because it fills up quick! Packed by 10:30am today (Sunday). By far the best eggs Benedict I've ever had. Good selection of breakfast foods to satisfy anyone. Lots of vegetarian/ vegan options too Can't complain about a place that gives you 6 slices of bacon when you order a side of bacon. Plenty of free street parking at that time of day too.
(4)Andrew C.
Found this bar through yelp looking for brunch while wandering around south Philly. Wasn't sure whether what looked like a standard bar was even open as we walked in the door.... But the food was incredible! I ordered the breakfast burrito and have never had a better one! Smooth guacamole, spicy peppers, and sausage ignited my tastebuds and cured my hangover. The coffee was also much better than average. I've been back a few times and have yet to be disappointed. It may not look like much at first, but this place is truly a gem.
(5)Dustyn C.
I'm a big fan of the Royal Tavern. It has been within a few blocks of my house for almost half of the 9 years I've lived in this city, and during that time I've seen it go through many changes. Years ago, it was the best place for some kind of stuffed french toast on a sunday morning. These days, I don't bother with brunch there anymore because it became too popular for it's own good, and the poor servers constantly look overextended and the wait times can be awful. There's a good reason for the popularity, but I'd rather avoid it. I tend to grab dinner here frequently. Partially this has to do with the fact that unlike some local bars who say their kitchens are open late but close them down early if they aren't busy enough, I can always count on the kitchen here to be open until 1am. I work an odd schedule, and so this has saved me from going hungry or going Wawa many, many evenings. The menu always has vegetarian / vegan options, once in awhile the specials menu will as well, and the soups are consistently great. This is good to keep in mind, because they pair well with the grilled cheese and a beer. (an aside about beer: i tend to like darker beers. the fact that the Royal always has bottles of Yuengling porter in the fridge makes me very, very happy. a lot of bars don't carry it, and it's one of my favorites, so kudos to them. now if i could convince them to keep a keg of the Yards Brawler on tap at all times, I'd be content forever.) All that being said, my two true loves at the royal tavern are the popcorn and the tempeh club. the popcorn is so good that sometimes when we're sitting around the house getting ready to throw in a movie, i'll run down the street and grab a few orders of popcorn to bring home and eat with the movie. seriously. and it's a perfect inexpensive bar snack. enough other people have gushed about the tempeh club so i'm not going to, but i will say that even if i wasn't a vegetarian, I'd still be ordering the tempeh club. it's a mess to eat, but 100% delicious. the jukebox can be hit or miss depending on your tastes, but i'm pretty sure there's something in there for everyone. watch out though because sometimes it gets LOUD for no apparent reason when you start picking selections and it's mildly embarrassing because everyone in the bar turns to glare at you as if you turned the volume up to deafening on purpose. and finally, i have to say that the staff is pretty great. I've watched the servers sit and take written tests on the menu and the beer selection, so they definitely know their stuff. they are always very friendly, and i've spent many nights sitting at the bar drinking and being entertained by the bartenders goofing around. good vibes abound. my favorite bar in the city.
(5)Matthew C.
We first tried this place after Little Fish sent us here because they felt bad that we had to wait for our table. Loved it the first time and we have loved it again and again. Great selection of beers. They have PBR in bottles! Plus a variety of Belgium beers. The mango habanero wings rocked!! Sweet and spicy. Also try the old bay fries. I'm dying to try more things on the menu. I'll be back!
(4)Geronimo G.
Awfully expensive for a dive bar.
(2)Aly M.
The Royal is awesome. I'd only been here a few times before recently, but I've had the privilege of living literally around the corner for the past few months and have consequently been there at least weekly if not more. Their food is generally over the top good. The cubano spring rolls are excellent, and the burger is very deserving of the "best of" title. The only reason they don't get 5 stars is because last time I was there, my dad and I opted for a cup of soup each and to split a grilled cheese. The black bean soup really left something to be desired, it was pretty bland and we had to ask the bartender like 5 times to get some jalapenos on the side. Black bean soup is usually served with sides to drop in such as cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, raw onion. This was not accompanied by anything, thus the blandness. It also had to be sent back to be warmed because it came out cold. I got the pork, white bean, and broccoli rabe soup which was a special of the day. It was very tasty but my bowl was less than half full, which was made even more apparent by the fact that we both ordered soup and his bowl was filled to an appropriate level. Overall that one experience was not a deal breaker (obviously, cause it's still gettin 4 stars) just a small stain on my otherwise glistening review of the Royal. Oh- the meatloaf sandwich!! TASTY! I only wish they had non-vegan sloppy joes as well. YUM.
(4)Leah G.
While everyone is such a fan of the burger at Royal Tavern, I really think the grilled cheese should have a similar following. I am constantly in search of great grilled cheese and mac and cheese in philly, and the Royal Tavern has definitely made my grilled cheese map. They do it very well - the cheese is melted well (yes this seems to actually be a recurring problem with grilled cheese at several philadelphia establishments), the corners are not dried out (yes another problem). The different cheeses are paired well, and help to create a solid, quality grilled cheese. PS if you have a favorite grilled cheese locale, please let me know!
(4)Jenn M.
Royal is one of the best places to go after a long work week and relax with some drinks and great food. My husband and I have been coming here since we started dating, and it continues to be one of our favorite little date spots. I have been a vegetarian for about 9 years now, and he is a devoted carnivore so its great we can both find things we love on the menu. The drinks are good and strong and the beer list is always awesome as well. The jukebox always has a fun selection and the crowd is usually packed in but having a great time.
(5)MeMe M.
I think I have eaten just about everything on the menu here! Love this place! Hands down the best burger in Philly! Great caesar salad and awesome nachos too! Prices are very resaonable and they accept cash and cards. The servers are all great, super friendly and attentive, which goes a long way! There's a jukebox if you want to play some music, full bar and tv's for you sports lovers! Parking isn't too bad for this place, there is actually an open school parking lot around the corner where we always park, but usually you can find parking on the street
(5)Melissa D.
Went here with a few friends the other night. Heard they had great burgers, but there's only one on the menu. But that is okay, it was certainly one of the best I've had. Great beers on tap and good atmosphere.
(5)K K.
One word for this place, Burger! If there is one thing on the menu that you have to try, it's the burger. The flavors are amazing. The fries are the best I have ever had, mainly due to their dipping sauce. You will have to wait most evenings, on Friday and Saturday after 7, expect an hour wait. I recommend going early in the week or before 7. The food takes forever to come out, but when it does, it's to die for. If youre looking for a long date, this is your place. If you're looking for a quick in and out, not your place. I have waited over 30 minutes for my food multiple times, even when there was no one else in the place. The servers are pleasant, but often forget the small things, probably because there are only two for the whole place, even on a packed night. The decor is nice, but sometimes a little too dark for me. This place also carries Vegan Treats for the desserts. Vegan Treats will trick even the most anti-vegan food person out there. If you see vegan on the board next to the desserts, don't let that deter you, they are fantastic! PS - I hate vegan food!
(3)L B.
Sorry, but I just can't get into this place. I'm not sure if it's the noise level or the lack of personality, but I never have a very good time here. There are so many other great places out there. Go to one of them instead!
(3)Ally G.
This place made me smile :) First off, the vibe and decor of this place is really chill. Diggin' the christmas lights ;) Jukebox is a + too. It was a small place, nice bar (good beer selection). Service was speedy and very friendly! The menu was really, really cool. Very creative. A LOT of vegan and vegetarian options. But also some really tasty sounding meat-eater options too :D When you first walk into the place, a sign says "Best burger in Philly!" So naturally my boyfriend and I had to try their burger out. It was GOOOOD. The peppers on top were too spicey for me, so I took them off. But other than that... the burger was perfect. The fixings, patty, and bun all rocked. It was a party in my mouth :) Very savory and flavorful. It comes with fries and pickle... can't go wrong there. But what really won my heart... I was able to substitute the fries for tater tots! We shared the mac & cheese. I take my mac & cheese very seriously, my favorite comfort food... I was so upset! It was pretty cold and extremely bland. It didn't taste horrible, the texture was nice. But it was nothing to really brag about... So that made me sad... For dessert, we split the "Death by Chocolate". As a chocoholic, I approve. It was so rich we couldn't even finish it! That was a first ;) I'll definitely go back. Especially to bring my vegetation friends. Those vegetarian/vegan options looked good...
(4)Ryan E.
Food is awesome. Service is slower than grandma. I've finally figured out why this place is so packed... They don't serve anyone for at least 20 mins and then take another 20+ mins to bring out your food. Therefore they are creating demand by limiting supply. Brilliant! You walk in and think to yourself, wow, this must be good because it's Tuesday at 9pm and 77 people are waiting ahead of me. That's because everyone sitting down has been there since 5pm. Anyway, besides slow service this place rocks. The food is great and there are always good brews on tap. Let me just tell you... the Chicken Frankie is amazing. By far, one of my favorite weekday hangout spots when I am not looking for quick and convenient.
(4)Steph G.
After spending the morning at the Reading Terminal Market, and the afternoon at the Philadelphia Art Museum, my husband and I wanted a hip dinner option, with good draft beer selections, and vegetarian/vegan menu options. A friend who grew up in Philly recommended the Royal Tavern, and it was exactly what we were looking for. The parking is on-street, so can be a bit challenging, if you're not used to parallel parking. We have a very compact vehicle, so had no issues. We arrived around 4:45 PM on a Saturday, and there were only two tables available (good sign!). The atmosphere is hip/alternative/edgy, yet unpretentious, and even family friendly. Service was excellent. Decent draft beer options. I had a delicious Dogfish Head chicory stout. Husband had an Ithaca Saison. Food was delicious and healthy. We got the vegan sloppy joe and sweet potato banh mi, both of which were wonderful. The fries were some of the best we've had. We also had a vegan chocolate peanut butter cake, and it was one of the few desserts that I've ordered in my life that was worth the money paid. All in all, this place met and exceeded our expectations. We will definitely be back!
(5)Robin C.
So good! I went here for brunch on a random Sunday. I had the hash brown scramble and it was amazing. I'm not a huge fan of eggs and this sold me. Add the special blackberry mimosas and this meal made me a happy woman. And it's affordable especially when you go home happy and full.
(5)Frank R.
The service I had recently was inexcusable. It was about 130 on a Saturday for some burgers. The server took our order and came back with our beers. We didn't see her again for the rest of the day. She was in the place, but just ignored us. I raised my hand to get her attention like I was in high school but just never came back. It wasn't very crowded. There was about 4 tables in the back section and maybe 20 total people in the place. There is no excuse for service to be this blatantly ignorant. When I she finally came over to drop off our check, she didn't even smile or thank us for coming in. Its very unfortunate that this happened because I love the food and beer menu at this place.
(2)Jill A.
I like the Royal. I've been here a handful of times for brunch and it's always been dang tasty. The bacon is always cooked just how I like it without even having to ask. The servers I've had have always been pretty attentive yet laid back. (Liz, an old favorite from Good Dog works here. Always good to see the familiar faces of competent and fun servers!) The place is dark enough to make you happy if you're nursing a hangover. The prices are reasonable. The beer choices are ace. Plus, it's part of the Cantina(s)/Khyber family--reason enough in my book for hanging out. I've yet to try their burger (rumored to be one of the best in the city, right?) so I guess I'm going to have to get myself down to the dirty south more often, huh?
(4)Anne H.
The Royal Tavern has awesome food. My boyfriend is crazy about the tempeh club, which he orders every time we go there. Their nachos are also really, really good, but to be shared; they're enormous! The hummus platter, meatloaf sandwich, and Caesar salad are excellent as well. As for beer, the menu isn't as extensive as Monk's or the Devil's Den, so I would go to those places if you're looking for a great beer selection. Also, the jukebox combined with the crowds on the weekend can make it really loud and difficult for conversations. The menu is very friendly for vegetarians and vegans. It's very dark inside. Overall: food gets 4 stars, beer gets 2 stars and ambiance gets 2 stars.
(3)Brandon M.
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the whole city. It's basically a better Local 44, albeit with fewer draft beers and more (and more diverse -- we're talking Fin du Monde, Schneider, and Tripel Karmeliet) bottled beers. Royal Tavern is cramped and narrow, but this actually works to improve the atmosphere here. The bar is done up all in dark wood, and the walls are a light pastel red. Lighting is appropriately dim, and Christmas lights line the entire space no matter the time of year. As you stay here from 7pm later on, the crowd changes from 30- and 40-something couples here for food and wine by the glass to mid-to-late 20s hipsters here for the quality beer and cool, unpretentious vibe. Food is excellent, with the burgers being the best in the city (it's between here and Village Whiskey, in my mind) -- big, juicy, and perfectly garnished, especially their very hot chipotle pepper mayo. Chicken wings are also some of the best I've tried, as they are very meaty and their sauces -- BBQ, buffalo and garlic -- are all as good examples of each as I've tried. Service is hit or miss, but never so bad that it's unbearable...usually just a case of waiting a few minutes too long to get the cheque paid or to get my first order taken.
(5)Casey B.
We showed up as a group of 4 at 7pm on a Saturday over the summer. The place was full enough that we had to wait 25 minutes for a table but there was room at the bar so we were comfortable and had some drinks. After we were finally seated the service was reasonably snappy and we placed our orders in a reasonable amount of time. The food came quickly, the portions were huge, and our waiter checked in multiple times to see how things were going.
(4)Jessica W.
I really like Royal Tavern, but it can be VERY difficult to get a table here. Another one of those "go early or be willing to wait" places. Both of which are very hard if you're very hungry. The food is definitely worth waiting for, though.
(4)Larry I.
Where do I start? Dirty. Skirt steak tacos -- limp, unattractive, taste? None. Hericort vert almandine -- looked like a FEW limp, shriveled green beans. My friend had the taco also and refried beans which ran like sauce! My guess is that they keep it that dark so you can't see what you're eating and sitting on. Yuck!
(1)Natalie H.
I am going to have to agree with everyone and say this place is definitely a go. Beer selection is great, service is friendly, and the food is AWESOME! They make the best grilled cheese I have ever had, they use a combination of cheeses, one of which is smoked gouda-and they make it on GARLIC BREAD-you need to try one, today.
(4)Kara L.
I eat at Royal Tavern on average about once a week. "Royal" as it's locally known, has a great vibe, much like the neighborhood, lots of locals, great people, and good music. Where they really shine is their Specials Menu - local and seasonal, always delicious and inventive. There are of course trusty favorites I get on a regular basis. The Cubano Spring Rolls are a must try, and the Nachos are gigantic & delicious (oh word to the wise - that Longhot on the Burger is INTENSLY HOT just sayin' otherwise, the burger is a good bet as well). The portions are generous, and the tatertots always crispy. There are also a lot of Vegan items, including dessert! Brunch is no exception for the rule of deliciousness (there's also a Cubano Omlette which is one of my favs) and again, check the specials board before you make any decisions. If you're looking for a quick fix to take home & enjoy on your couch, while they don't take orders over the phone, I've gotten takeout while standing at the bar in my pajama bottoms plenty of times. Oh bonus - the kitchen is open until 1am, for semi-late night eating. It's a great place to grab a pint & a bite to eat in the neighborhood.
(4)Melissa R.
I had been wanting to try Royal Tavern for weeks. Heard and read great things about their burger and grilled cheese. I went here on a Saturday night with my parents and boyfriend. It ha a small bar and dining room, but is cozy and not as "divey" as I thought. At around 7pm on a Saturday night, we had a bit of a wait, but it wasn't too bad. My boyfriend loves popcorn, so we started with the truffle butter and Parmesan popcorn, which was addicting. I had a bite of the burger, which lived up to it's reputation. It was juicy and had a great flavor combination with bacon, caramelized onions, gouda, and chile mayonnaise. The Grilled Chicken Sandwich was both sweet and savory with proscuitto, sliced pear, arugula, blue cheese and a lavender-honey mustard. And the french fries were killer. They came with a malt vinegar mayo, reminding me of my childhood in Maryland, where the combo of fries, vinegar, and old bay are a staple. The menu had a myriad of mouth-watering options, I have a feeling we'll be back soon for Round 2.
(4)Betty B.
I found this place to be pretty unique for a South Philly bar. The tap list was great, the vibe inside really good but what made it stand out was the food.While a little pricier then I'd of liked, the food was phenomenal. Healthier choices then on average and great quality. Good atmosphere, will definitely come back. But! You must get here kind of early otherwise it gets packed and it will be impossible to be seated without a long wait.
(4)James W.
Went for the first time today. Heard good reviews from friends. Good beer selection on tap and for bottles. Service was friendly and attentive. As far as the food goes I got the steak fries which were very good and the meatloaf sandwich. I thought the sandwich was very good and quite tasty. Wish there was just a little more meat to the sandwich but overall I can't complain. I've heard the burger is very good here as well and will definitely be coming back to try it out. Overall good experience.
(4)Marilyn T.
Royal Tavern is on my list of Top 10 Philly Eats. The Brunch is solid. I've never been let down by it. Recently, I went out of my way to try the Angus burger that everybody raves about. I was afraid with that much hype, I'd be let down. Quite contrary. The burger lived up to its rep. It was made perfectly medium-rare (which is how I ordered it) and was insanely juicy. Burgers need to be juicy, ya hear? They also honored my request to replace the Gouda with goat cheese, since I'm cow's milk intolerant. Combining a perfectly cooked burger with bacon, caramelized onions, pickled long hots, and chile mayoannaise on on seeded brioche bun? Pure heaven! Favorite beef burger so far by far. I'll definitely be back!
(5)Becca C.
Over the past five years this place has become one of my standard spots for celebrating life's small victories. Granted, it has become increasingly difficult over the years to snag a table without waiting if you come past 6pm almost any night of the week. But I guess that's to be expected when I think the about the many nice things about the place. It's comfortable but still a little bit of a scene. The prices are reasonable for how yummy the food is. And I really like the inside of the place. It's narrow and dark. It has an impressive, beautiful wood bar and a split level dining area. It may sound silly but to me it has always had the feel of being in the belly of some old ship. I love the tempeh club. It was a little too salty the last time I had it but salt goes good with beer. And usually it's on point. It can get a little warm in there if you plan on going on one of these 90 degree days we've been having, but I must say: cold good beer conquers all.
(4)Lena S.
I came here once when I was a student, before living in Philadelphia and before eschewing dairy. I remember eating sharing the mac and cheese in the dark with a friend under the glow of Christmas lights. It was one of the best lunches I'd ever had. When I ended up living in South Phillly, I'd stop in frequently with other friends in the neighborhood, enjoying a huge meal (and even non-dairy dessert! I still fondly remember a massive slice of mint-chocolate cake with real bits of mint flavoring the icing!) and many drinks. I don't know what happened, though--sometime between stumbling home warm and happy many nights in the winter of 2007-8 and the spring of '08, this place just, like, got lame to me. My main drinking buddy and I had a couple of visits where we had really meh food and meh beer, and since those were no longer draws, we could only focus on how stupid-crowded it was when we went--like once I was here with two other people and one of the people in our party bailed because he was so annoyed by the amount of college-aged hipsters' elbows in his back and yelling in his ears and uncomfortable shuffling as we waited for a seat, other person in our party got angry at him as a result, I stood there feeling uncomfortable, etc., etc. Aforementioned best drinking buddy and I recently were in the neighborhood after dinner out, though, and we stopped in. Not teeming with posturing people with personal space encroachment issues this time. We sat and, usually beer drinkers, uncharacteristically went for the Arnold Palmers on the mixed drink menu. Deliciousness ensued: tea-flavored vodka and lemonade = we drank somewhere between 4-6 each and still wanted more (although isn't an alcoholic Arnold Palmer a John Daly?). Like old times, we said we would return. And we did just the other night, downing somewhere between 6-8 Palmers each and sharing some quality company. Tea vodka + lemonade = we remembered why the Royal Tavern was a good time.
(3)George R.
Oh my, I'm the only three star as of 8/1/2007. I've been to the Royal Tavern four times now and every time I get sick half way between walking from the restaurant to 15th and Broad. The last time was a disaster... I want to believe isn't the food, but I can't help believe that it's not the food. And on the subject of food, the main menu is filled with items that, if broken down into contents, are about 45% bread, 20% fries, 10% toppings/cole slaw/pickle, and the rest is left to whatever entree you order. For the prices that they ask, there is not enough food here nor is it good enough. (It just occured to me, this is all that is left to eat if you're a vegetarian.) They should take the hint from their other restaurant (El cantina) that good portions and quality are in order for the prices you charge. But, El Cantina is also heavy on the bread and fried things. No veggies or real meat substance to their dishes. The specials are the only thing that seem to be of interest at this place because that is where the culinary surprises come in. Sadly, the desserts are the worst part. The other day when I was there, I asked the server whether the desserts were made on the premises. "No," he said. Well, then, are they made by a local Philly baker? "No," he said. OK then, where do they come from. Get this... THEY SHIP THEM IN FROM NEW YORK! "What," exclaims my table of people. Hearing this we instantly made the choice to ask for the check and seek dessert elsewhere. Only problem was, I was too ill to go out after leaving the restaurant...
(3)Tim O.
A dark wooden abyss. And that's a good thing. get there early cuz it gets packed. went about 730 on a friday and got one of the last remaining tables without a wait. the wings are amazing. i'm thinking of them now. plus we got a bonus order for free because we were brought someone else's order first by mistake. one's gain is another's tragedy. good selection of beer on tap. a jukebox. bar stools are limited. this place is small. lots of menu choices. i'm going back soon. Prices aren't really that bad. A bargain nearly.
(5)Chris M.
Great wings and Mac and cheese. Pretty quiet and low key during the day, but gets loud and packed at night. Very fun though. Plus cute pretty waitresses always helps.
(3)Allison K.
I like Royal Tavern, I do, I promise. Good decor, football on the TV, nice bartenders, different and delicious things like truffle oil parmesan popcorn, and a quality jukebox. HOWEVER. I think I'm allergic to this otherwise fine establishment. I walked in tonight - immediate sniffles. Walked out - slight sneezing. And since I've graduated to puffy, watery eyes that can barely see to write this review. I'm willing to give Royal a second chance, but next time I'll be packing some Zyrtex.
(3)Jessica S.
I was hooked on the Royal Tavern after my very first visit. I went with friends for a few more drinks after a house party in Bella Vista, and we were in no way disappointed. We originally toyed with the idea of going to The Dive, but after setting foot inside, any bit of moisture was quickly sucked from my contacts by all the cigarette smoke lingering in the air. I couldn't bear to stay there. (Aside: You must realize I moved here from New York which has been entirely smoke-free for sometime now. I don't think I've been in a smoky bar since going to shows my freshman year of college. I can't handle it anymore.) After that short visit we walked a few doors down to The Royal Tavern, and were immediately happier. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the bar was still quite packed considering it was just about 1:30. We took a table in the back, and each ordered a beer, of which they have a great selection. I ordered a Brooklyn Lager, which I'd never had, but enjoyed. The beer is a nice amber shade, with a slightly bitter taste and after taste, that doesn't overpower or linger too long. Being in The Royal Tavern reminded me of being upstairs at Johnny Brenda's a bit. I can't say exactly why, but I think it had something to do with the decor, atmosphere, and lighting. I'm not saying saying it's a dead ringer for the place or anything, but definitely a similar feel. Considering I love JB's so much, this is by all means a compliment. Like I said, my friends and I showed up quite late in the night, and we ended up closing the bar. The staff didn't mind at all that we were hanging around after 2:00. The waitress just asked that we pay up our tab so she could cash out. The bartender and bar back just went about their business cleaning the place up, not trying to throw us out the door or anything. It sounds pretty stupid, but I really appreciate that. I'm still far to close to the days of being ushered out the doors of college bars right at close like cattle by some over-huge, over-'roided, over-confident bouncer. Bars for cattle: No like. The Royal Tavern: Love. EDIT: The food at the Royal is totally to die for. It's a perfectly sized menu, so decisions aren't too hard to make and you shouldn't worry, because they do EVERYTHING well. I'm a non-vegan addicted to the Vegan Sloppy Joe. The nachos are huge and awesome. The grilled cheese is wonderfully rich. Seriously, everything is perfect. Oh and, last time I was there they even put the Giants' Monday Night game on for me. Sweet!
(5)Yolanda Y.
The atmosphere in this place is good, the lighting is good, and the service is ok. If it weren't for the food, I'd give another star, but my food was just plain. I guess I should have ordered something more ordinary for a bar, or something fried, but anyway, the octopus salad sounded good at the time. It turned out to be bland, and for that price I expected more. This place is worth checking out though, and if I get something here that I really like, I'll edit this review.
(3)Kate S.
best vegan sloppy joe around! Awesome jukebox, pretty good service. I never appreciate the wait (since there's no area to wait in), but that's why I avoid it on a weekend early evening and aim for weekend late nights, weekdays for lunch or early dinner.
(4)Rand M.
Best spot for good beer selection and food.
(5)Jenna C.
I brought my mom here for dinner, the other night. As we were leaving, my mom turned to me and said, "You know, it's really nice that you would bring your mom to a place with a whole bunch of couples on dates and not be embarrassed" I said, "Mom, don't be silly. You're my friend." (Because I'm a great daughter) Then I added, "Besides, the food is really good." I really enjoy the Royal Tavern. They have a decent selection of beers on tap which sometimes rotate. And the drinks are reasonably priced. But it's the food that makes it worthwhile. I suggest that no matter what you get, you order a side of mac and cheese (for only $4, you might as well. You can always take it home). They do get busy... but even at their busiest, I've never had a terribly hard time getting a table. However, regardless of whether or not they are busy, the food can take a while to come out of the kitchen. One more suggestion- don't bother ordering a mojito here unless you want a toothache and diabetic shock from all of the sugar syrup in the drink. UPDATE- They got new locks on their toilettes! Green means go!
(5)Brent S.
Heard the Bloddy Marys at Royal were really good so Mel and I took the walk to see for ourselves. I must say it was in the top three I've had in the city. We split one of the much talked about burgers. It was cooked as ordered and was quite tasty. The service was spotty. It wasn't very busy and took far too long for drinks and food. Nice enough gal, just not in a real "service" mood that day I suppose. I'd go any time!
(4)Karla N.
this is a small bar, so don't come here with more than 3 people unless you want to wait forever. the staff weren't completely helpful when we walked in, but once seated we had a nice server. as a vegan i was happy to see there were several selections, clearly marked. Vegan sloppy joes, Tempeh Club, an interesting sounding salad option and a couple of the soups (a delicious sounding Plaintain Coconut and Avocado Gazpacho) and vegan desserts too! I chose the Tempeh Club. It came with fries, but i got tots instead, and a pickle spear. the club was large and came with grilled tempeh slabs AND tempeh bacon with lettuce, tomato and vegan mayo. it was really good. i could've done without the middle slice a bread and one less of the 2 slabs of tempeh (i took one off). the cost was $8, which was a good deal for all that food. someone with me ordered the octopus salad and said it was delicious. my other friend ordered a burger and said they were "good." she loves the fries.
(4)bryan m.
While still decent, Royal is nowhere near as good as it once was. The food, the service, and the atmosphere have all taken a turn for the worse. The food is still pretty good but something is certainly missing, on the past few visits the fries weren't as crispy, and the sandwiches were missing ingredients. The service is not nearly as friendly or attentive anymore and worst of all is the vibe. It used to always be packed, and had a good vibe. The last few times it was pretty dead, nothing on the juke box and quite occupied by douches. Conclusion: Pretty good bar food (but you can get better in the city), Pretty mediocre service, and pretty boring/dreary place to eat and drink. Find the next hot gastro pub, Royal's time has passed.
(2)Kevin W.
I've been to the Royal a few times, but my recent Fourth of July breakfast over there finally encouraged me to come and yelp about this remarkable discovery. I am a vegetarian and was thus excited to see a plethora of options on their breakfast menu. I ordered a bagel with fried egg and veggie sausage on it. I was expecting a glorified egg mcmuffin, but out came this massive bagel oozing with fresh cheese and well-prepared eggs. It was simply awesome. If you're a vegetarian, there's no better place for breakfast. Oh, and the best part is that you can even wash it down with some alcohol. I had a mimosa and it really hit the sport. The only negative I could find is that the service is a tad slow. But, the staff are super nice and when the food is this good, it's worth the wait. Besides, good music is usually being played. (Especially if you're into the whole indie rock thing) **EDIT/UPDATE** Royal Tavern, I love you, but please don't ever serve your "tomato and lager soup" ever again. It seemed like an awesome idea because I like imaginative dishes. But, a peanut butter and vinegar sandwich is also imaginative, but I'm sure it would taste just as awful as the tomato and lager soup. -- A public service announcement to my fellow yelpsters who enjoy the tavern.
(5)lana p.
I haven't been here in a while, but cute atmosphere and the grill cheese is to die for. I've never been able to eat the whole thing in one sitting but I think that's because I'm eating fries with it! But that's ok because the second half always feels like a reward!
(4)Lori H.
Maybe I'm just ordering the worst dishes on their menu but every time I go to the Royal I am underwhelmed. The most recent time there I had the Mango Habanero wings. While they were reasonably spicy the meat itself had the limpness suggesting that it was previously frozen - sort of like the wings that one would buy at the grocery - preseasoned and found in the frozen aisle. My friends and I also had sangria's that were just okay.
(3)Megan K.
well, i really wanted to love it. but i didnt. i am always hungry for a burger. i have heard too many times that royal tavern has a great one. it comes with bacon (i do not dine on swine) and onions. (not a fan) so i had those things removed. the bread was stale and broke apart as soon as i touched it. the whole burger fell apart in my hands. it was a mess. the meat was dry and tasteless. i couldnt taste any cheese. but the service was perfect. and the atmosphere great. i will go back. maybe to cocktail or try something else. the 2 of us both had burgers. 1 beer and 2 glasses of wine. it came to $44 bucks. i guess its not outrageous, but i hate wasting money on bad food.
(3)Steve A.
I went here for dinner for my birthday with some friends based on some ratings of their burger i read on the site. Let me tell you, this place did not dissapoint. We got there around 7, and the place was pretty crowded, especially for a group of 6. The staff though was extremely helpful in finding us seating, and we sat down after a few minutes. The beer list is pretty good, but what we really came for was the burger, and it was worth it. 5 of us ordered the angus burger, and 5 of us devoured it and wanted more. From the surprisingly tasty buns to the variety of toppings, this burger hit the spot. Definitely will be heading back.
(4)Dan G.
I can see this place from my living room and as a neighbor and brunch junkie I have to add my 2 cents. Let's start with brunch: You can usually find 1-3 items on the specials list every weekend that you'd like to eat. The quiche is usually pretty good, my lady likes to sub the greens salad for home fries. Tropical fruit pancakes are def a hit as well. Also, depending on what time you get in on a weekend morning/afternoon, the music selection is usually pretty good - either dub reggae, or indie rock...I swear I've even heard some Maiden at 11am. I would recommend it for drinks/dinner...the nachos are def one of my favorite non-breakfast items...ideal for sharing and you can get them with meat, or vegan "meatless" meat...either option is delicious. good beer selection, and if you don't like the tunes, the juke box is always hungry fo yo money
(4)Boogey K.
I miss some of the old staff. Food has been taking longer even when the place is empty. HOWEVER, I love the royal and will stick by it until it rights the ship. This place has fed me so many times that I feel like we are related. The fries are the best and there is always something on the menu I can enjoy. After further review some of the staff has grown on me. Love the waitress with the glasses, love the brunette bartender and the runners are super nice.
(4)Ben G.
I always find it amusing that as I am walking to the Royal Tavern, I can always pick out the other people on the street that are also going to the Royal Tavern. This place definitely attracts a certain type of person, and that type of person is a hipster. I don't mind all the hipsters, but it is good to know what you are getting into. The one downside to this type of crowd, however, is that there is way too much indie rock going on, and it is way too loud. Regardless of the hipness of the scene, this place may have the best bar food in the city. Even things that don't sound like anything special, like the meatloaf sandwich, are outstanding. And the specials, which of course do sound like something special, are usually outstanding as well. They are vegetarian and vegan friendly, too, so it is the perfect place to take your hipster buddy from Brooklyn to make Philly look cool.
(4)Dave C.
Oh, vegan friendly bars....is there no love for you in Philadelphia? Apparently not, because, so far the Royal Tavern is the only one I've seen. If you like good vegan friendly food and microbrews on tap, this is your place... Furthermore... This place is step one of the three part Passyunk Ave- Axis of Evil-Barcrawl, where in, you start at the Royal Tavern and drink good beer and eat vegan sloppy joes, then move 5 steps down the street to the Dive, drink pabst and watch blacksplotation movies on a huge flat screen tv, and after your 10th shot of MadDogg 20/20, if your feeling dangerous and have got the moxie, you make the walk 2 blocks down to Rays Happy Birthday where you participate in a duet singing the entirety of Meatloaf's Bat of out Hell with an obese leather-clad construction worker from south philly while slapping back Schlitz cans and smoking ungodly amounts of cigarettes.... So, yea.... Royal Tavern, good bar.
(4)Lianna W.
I've only been a few times, but it's nice to have vegan options that are more than afterthoughts! The service is so-so and it's usually pretty loud, but that's to be expected. Overall, not a bad place to meet up with people, and the table waits haven't been too bad.
(3)Erin D.
The vegan sloppy joe is excellent and super spicy. I highly recommend it.
(4)Seema F.
Royal Tavern has a rep of having one of the best burgers in Philly, and though I haven't tried every burger in town, RT didn't disappoint. The burger came with excellent, perfectly seasoned and textured fries, and unlike most places that serve you 1lb of fries, they nailed the perfect amount. I think this was the first time I finished my meal and all of my fries. One of the stranger things on the menu is the Chicken Frankie. I've never seen that anywhere in Philly, so I had to order it. My family is from Mumbai, so I'm quite familiar with the dish, and I can say this is not a frankie. (In my experience, a frankie is chunks of spicy, slightly tangy meat, wrapped up with chilies, onions, and chutney inside an egg-washed chapati.) Their version is shredded chicken in a stereotypical Indian curry, served with some slaw in a wrap. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but it certainly wasn't anything I consider a traditional frankie, and I'm not sure it belongs on a bar menu. Their draft list, though well chosen could stand some expansion. I think they have a total of 6 taps, which I don't really consider acceptable.
(4)Chelsea B.
You know when you reaaaaaly want to give a place an an awesome review, and the vibe was great and they were playing David Bowie songs and the bar was all dark wood and awesome and they have these candles for dramatic lighting everywhere and your server was super awesome about two of you showing up 30 minutes before the other two but taking up his four-top and it's all "this place is neat" and then.... you order the wrong thing? Well that's exactly what happened to me at Royal Tavern. I just wasn't feeling the chicken frankie. First off, damn was it spicy. Second off, I would say the slaw-to-chicken ratio was definitely tipped in slaw's favor, which surprisingly didn't help calm down the heat of this thing. The fries were delicious and the vinegar aioli, which was basically fancy mayonnaise, was awesome because who doesn't love mayo on anything? Even the lovash wrap was so fresh and tasty... but it was just wow hot and overwhelmingly curry-y. And I'm not really a wimp on this stuff. My dining companions got the mussels which had this awesome sauce and soggy bread at the bottom like a prize in a cracker jack box, and the boyfriend had a burger which he said pretty much rocked. So I can't wait to go back for what I'm pretty sure will be an upgrade when I order more carefully. Three stars or no, though, I liked this place right away and still do, unfortunate entree and all.
(3)Andrés D.
The first time I attempted to dine at the Royal we decided to turn away due to the wait. As I recall it was a Friday after 9pm, so I don't see this as a negative. I returned for brunch and it was still a bit packed, but they were able to accommodate our odd party of five. We all decided to pass on the hair of the dog so I can't speak for the drinks, but bloody mary's and mimosas both can be had for a reasonable $5. I did go with one of the featured specials of ham, swiss and scrambled eggs in crepes, and I received four of them with some sort of cream sauce on top. I was satisfied with my choice though I did find the lunch meat sliced ham to be a little disappointing. They have a rather extensive selection of vegetarian/vegan options and the vibe is somewhat hipster, but this is South Philly after all and if you want a cheese steak, well, you know where you can find one. Service was spot on, food was great, prices reasonable. Certainly worth checking out.
(4)Ali N.
Come into it knowing it's a pub, NOT a restaurant, and you'll leave with a full belly and a smile on your face. Place is really dark and grungy, but a buddy of mine claimed they had the best burgers so naturally I had to give it a try! Got the wings with the assorted sauces as an appetizer, the different flavors def. kept my interest and were really good! Next came the Angus burger, medium well. Burger was huge and came with a roasted pepper. The pepper was charred but strangely added a unique taste the burger that worked surprisingly well! The malt vinegar mayo is great as is, but mix a little sriracha in that bad boy and you got some serious sauce for the burger AND the fries! Honestly, if I was in the area, I'll grab another bite here. But I wouldn't go out of my way to make it here. *Con: No brand name soda, only had RC Cola and it was flat.
(4)Mike M.
Hands Down, Up, Side to Side this place has thee best burger in the city. And they also have a pretty amazing Chicken sandwich with pear on it and stuff. All in all too I feel the staff is pretty welcoming and friendly... unlike a lot of the other dive bars in that area where you walk in and if you are not wearing the thick black frame glasses, ordering the most obscure beer possible and talking about your up coming art show you are shunned away. Nope, not this place. Love it here
(5)Arthur S.
I've lived in south philly for about a year now, but just recently tried this place out for the first time because of a few friends recommending it for it's low key, "divey" vibes and great bar food. I was excited to try it out. My girlfriend and I ordered the duck confit potato skins, Mac and cheese, and their angus burger. The first plate we got were the potato skins. This was the most disappointing part of the meal. Upon ordering I was really excited to try these.. I love duck confit and have had/made it many ways. I thought the dish just lacked execution. Not seasoned properly and needed something to bring it up a few tones (something vinegar based) I put some sriracha on it which helped. The Mac and cheese was awesome- a perfect blend of cheeses for that "stick-to-your-ribs" goodness. The burger was easily the best I've had in the city so far. Cooked perfectly. The toppings on the burger were perfect. The shape of the burger was perfect. My first bite might've been the juiciest bite of a burger I've ever taken- that's no lie. Service was top notch. We sat pretty far from the bar on a slower night (Monday) and our water glasses/drinks were always full. This is a great local spot. Hopefully it's just as good on a busy night. I'll be going back soon.
(4)Kyle J.
Molto bene. Chill service. If you're in the mood for a burger and in South Philly, go here. Comes with bacon and cheese, mushrooms maybe??? And delicious. Had Bloody Mary's to go with it. Exquisite.
(5)Lauren S.
My friends always raving about this place for brunch so I'll probably need to come back at some point but we ended up here more midafternoon. The place was packed but we got lucky enough to snag a seat from some people leaving, score since she insisted we order the Nachos which were awesome. But defiantly something you need a seat to eat, or at least a good table space, some people were standing. Very busy place but if you hit it right its great.
(4)Lydia C.
This is a great place for a casual drink and bite to eat. Food is always delicious and great selection of beer.
(5)Amir K.
Ordered some food for take out from Royal Tavern and was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it was! We had the Angus Burger, the Grilled Chicken sandwich and an order of Tater Tots. All three were very tasty..the chicken sandwich had pears and prosciutto in it- genius! The angus burger was perfectly cooked to order and mmm soo good. If the take out was this good, I can't wait to dine in! Definitely recommend this place!
(4)Casey S.
I cannot speak for the whole menu since I am vegan and could only order a few options of the menu, but I ordered the Tempeh Club last time I was here and it was amazing. The basil aioli sauce is so good. Good prices and they also offer lots of drink options. VEGAN TEMPEH CLUB- do it! you won't regret it!
(5)Mike D.
I mean, you can't really go wrong here. We can take our vegan friends, friends from out of town, locals, and the like to Royal. In my search for best bloody Mary's, Royal ranks high on my list, especially since they serve them with the spicy pickle. An all around good menu, great beer selection and awesome, chill ambiance. It's sometimes easy to overlook Royal but the fact remains that everytime I come and everyone I bring is always thoroughly impressed.
(4)David B.
Although they have good food and drink, the place is over running with hipsters, both as customers and employees. It's chaotic and poorly managed. No ryme or reason to seating. Needs drastic change over.
(3)Sara S.
Love The Royal! The servers are great, the jukebox is killer and they make a damn good bloody mary. You can always get a decent beer here and brunch starts earlier than other places (10:00am). The portions are perfect and their specials are always great. This place will forever be a favorite Philly spot of mine.
(5)Sean T.
Great spot for a burger and a beer....or fish and chips. Especially if you have a vegan in tow! Cool vibe and service. What's not to like?
(4)Jill L.
OMG... their angus burger is to. die. for. It's probably my favorite burger in Philadephia. Tied with 500 degrees or Village Whiskey for that title. I also really like the atmosphere here- very laid back and an overall cool place to chill out and drink a few beers while you try to digest the massive burger you just ate. Speaking of beers, I've always been satisfied with both the beer listing and prices. Word of caution- they do not accept reservations, so arrive early if you have a larger group or do not want to wait for a seat. But the burger is worth the wait, I assure you.
(4)Jennifer G.
When asked what I wanted for my birthday dinner from my friends, I replied "I want a burger." So it was with that simple statement that we ended up at Royal Tavern this weekend. We arrived around 7:30 and found the place not as packed as I expected, so we were seated right away. Our waiter seemed a little distant at first, but warmed up to us by the end of the meal. We ordered drinks and as a non-beer drinker I was pleasantly surprised by their wine list. I got a nice Cabernet to go with my burger. We ordered two plates of the wing sampler for the table and even though I said I was only going to eat one, I ended up eating four because they were THAT good. The mango habanero was by far my favorite, with their buffalo coming in second and the BBQ coming in third (give me heat and more heat with my wings). For my dinner, I got the burger without the mayo (because yuck) and a side of mac and cheese. I was a little bummed I couldn't substitute the mac and cheese for the fries so instead ended up with both. I didn't enjoy their fries at all, but it wasn't anything I could put my finger on, I just didn't like them. The macaroni and cheese was a little on the drier side but very tasty. I did feel like it needed a touch of salt as well. The burger was sublime, though, and exactly what I wanted for my birthday dinner. They brought out a plate of bread pudding with (thankfully only one) birthday candle in it as my friends sang to me. I guess it's a necessity for your friends to publicly embarrass you on your birthday. Great night, great meal, and I'll be back for more of those wings.
(4)Christian S.
Royal Tavern is another establishment that I have visited frequently, yet never composed a review. On my first trip to Royal Tavern I thought by friend and coworker was setting me up for a hit. The place looks like a hole in the war and the bar is dimly lit. The daylight is probably the only bit of light coming through that place during the day. Don't let the ambiance fool you. This place serves up some pretty bar fare. The wings are just slightly better than what you will receive at most bars. Whenever I go here with female coworkers, they have a hard time staying away from the french fries. and we all know having good french fries is key. Let's get to the red meat of things. If you have never been to Royal Tavern, or have and never tried a burger...what are you waiting for. The burgers here are good and are served with some pretty exotic items. I never thought that I would enjoy smoked gouda on burger. Now I can live without it, but in combination with the long hot, and chili mayonnaise... it works. This past Thursday a buddy of mine and I shared a burger, which was her first time at Royal Tavern, and a grilled chicken sandwich. The chicken sandwich was ok, but just wasn't for me. My friend vowed that next time she will be ordering her own burger. Not my favorite burger joint which is why I give it three stars. The planning committee at work is thinking about this place for happy hour.
(3)Becky M.
Hidden gem! Good beers on tap and even better food menu. Went for happy hour, I ordered tacos from their daily special menu and my husband got a burger. Both entrees were great! Happy hour food specials would be nice, as they only offer drink specials, but then again, their food is better than your average "bar food."
(5)Christina G.
I've been to Royal Tavern a bunch for drinks and dinner, but had my first brunch experience on Saturday after having a Bloody Mary craving and a bit of a hangover. I am yet again happy to have this place around the corner. I read that this is one of the best places in the city for Bloody Mary's and I absolutely agree. I can't recall any place in Philly that has better Bloody Mary's. It was garnished with lime, lemon, olive and a pickle. It was also perfectly spicy and for only $5! And it is a rather large, filling Bloody Mary. It is in a big glass. I don't think I could handle more than 2 of these since they are so big and filling. (I hate when you order a Bloody Mary and you get a small glass filled with a bunch of ice and you can suck the thing down in 3 sips- not the case here.) The brunch food was also pretty good but I think I am a bigger fan of their dinner food than I am the brunch menu. I had the salmon special which was pretty much lox on a bagel with a side of potatoes. The salmon was good and fresh. My bf ordered the biscuit special and said it was good but I didn't try it. Serving size was perfect- filled you up without making you feel disgusting about yourself. We also ordered buffalo chicken wings which were good, not the best I ever had, but still tasty. My favorites here are still the vegan tempeh club and vegan sloppy joe. Also, there was no wait for brunch when we arrived a bit after noon on a Saturday.
(4)Alea G.
Always hits the spot. They have an amazing grilled cheese & exceptional beer selection.
(4)Kelly P.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER. TATER TOT NACHOS! MORE BEEEEEEEEER! i've gotta come back here.
(3)Sean A.
Its cold inside when its cold outside - but don't worry - the food, drink and service will warm you right up! Had the Pulled Pork grilled cheese that kicked ass with the house made tomato basil soup for dipping. Maggie(my wife) had the egg& chorizo special. Always solid food. Ultimate hipster scene - but in a good way!
(4)Dan M.
This place has a laid back vibe and great staff. Drinks were good and food was something to come back for. Meatloaf sandwich is awesome! It looks shady from the outside but don't let it stop you from stopping in and checking it out.
(4)Chloe A.
Normally my husband and I love this place but we were very disappointed in the service today. Our server,"server #5" according to the check, was awful. She was absolutely miserable the whole time. We were not asked once if we needed anything after the food came and it took her 20 minutes to give us the check after we asked for it. I'm not sure if she was hungover or what, but We will make sure not to sit in her section next time we come.
(2)Liz S.
Based solely on the food I could eat at Royal Tavern, I have to give it high marks. I had the Angus burger "gluten free" style (i.e., no bun, no malt vinegar mayonnaise). It was a thick patty, cooked just right, and the best part was the "grilled pickled longhot," a spicy pepper that added a fantastic, complex flavor. Here's what I didn't like. As someone with a gluten allergy (celiac disease) I am always excited when I hear that there's a gluten free menu at a restaurant. But I would rather a place had NO gluten free menu than offer one that lists non-gluten-free items on it. That's just cruel. In this case, the gluten free menu listed french fries. I asked the waiter about the fryer and, as is usually the case, they use the fryer for breaded items, which means anything that comes out of it--including fries--is NOT gluten free. So I explained all this to the waiter. And yet, when burger came out, the plate was piled high with fries. Also, there was a ramekin of the malt vinegar mayo on the plate, which the restaurant lists as containing gluten. Normally, I would have sent the plate back, but it was my husband's birthday and I didn't want to embarrass him by drawing a lot of attention. So I shoved the fries to the side and used only one tiny corner of my plate. But it's just not cool. Do you know how hard it is to have a plate of hot, delicious fries sitting right under your nose and not be allowed to eat them? I hope that when the new FDA regulations kick in defining gluten free as less than 20 parts per million, these restaurants will take the time to learn what is actually gluten free and what is not.
(3)Monica L.
This place is literally great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their brunch is amazing (I strongly recommend the huevos racheros!) with awesome specials and the BEST, repeat, BEST bloody mary's around. They are only $5 too! Their lunch and dinner options also feature spectacular specials in addition to their meat-eater and vegetarian/vegan friendly menu. To top it off - draft selection is unique and exciting every time I'm in there. Happy hour is half off drafts too!
(5)Cat P.
I want to like you, Royal. I really do. But you're making it hard. I've heard wonderful things about you, but I've yet to experience them for myself. During my first visit, it was packed. We were seated in the back and I was worried they would forget about us. Our waitress still came by, though, so I thought all would be well. I ordered the vegan sloppy joe, which did come out rather quickly. It was horribly over-spiced, though (this coming from someone who enjoys spicy food). I felt the need to protect my digestive system, so I was only able to get 3 bites down. For my second visit, I returned with a group that had reservations. We were told that they could not accommodate us. My most recent visit happened on a late Sunday night. "Perfect!" I thought. I thought wrong. The place was still packed. We scored a table in the back, and this time the service was slower. My iced tea didn't come out for close to 15 minutes and the wings that we ordered had some sort of mystery ingredient on top of them that wasn't on their menu. Since I have almost every allergy under the sun, I was obviously very concerned about eating them. It took us a while to track someone down to ask what it was (crushed wasabi peas). I'm being generous with my rating only because I've heard such wonderful things from fellow Yelpers. Please, oh please, let my next trip to Royal be better.
(3)Jayna B.
I had heard that this place was fantastic but was disappointed, sorry Mindy K. My friend and I went here for brunch and tried to sit in the back section but were told that the ac was out and it would be cooler in the front. Evidently, their ac goes out a lot. So, we sat right by the door, the only seats available. Besides being awkwardly placed, I did have a nice view of the bar and my friend got a breeze every time the door opened. I ordered the Tot Scramble which sounded ingenious and my friend ordered the Breakfast Burrito. Presentation was great, coffee was great, food going down was great. Food coming out, not so great. Too much grease, I think. And very heavy on the belly. If people are meeting here for drinks, I'd go back. But I am not initiating contact.
(3)Kim T.
This is my favorite place to go for a quick bite and a beer. I have never had a bad meal here. My favorite is the seaweed salad. I am a vegetarian and there are always plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. The specials are always on point, too. My friend tried the tater tot nachos and they looked amazingly delicious. Nice beer selection as well. I had the pumpkin stout which had a nice spice too it. I always thoroughly enjoy my time here.
(5)Pam S.
Royal ... Oh, Royal. Have you jumped the shark? You're so fun on an early night, but that night keeps getting earlier and earlier. Can a girl get a table at 6pm? The biggest downside of the Royal is that the secret is out, if it ever was a secret. The lights are still dim, the walls still adorned by festive lights, but the crowd is louder, the groups are bigger (NO, do NOT bring your group of 5+ people here! Seriously!), and the best times ... they're tapering off. Is the food still delicious? Definitely. Am I still unreasonably obsessed with the vegan banh mi and a side of fries with vegan malt vinegar mayo? For sure. However, the other vegan options (I'm looking at you, undercooked tempeh club) leave something to be desired, and the 'new' crowd that seems to show up at the place is harshing my mellow. Old Royal, please come back.
(3)Colleen G.
I usually have a hard time finishing an entire burger because of how filling they are ..not here. I kinda blacked out eating this burger it was so good. I'm not sure if I even chewed, just inhaled it haha. The beer selection is solid and the service was great.
(4)Noise J.
It's a bar...has great burgers. Pretty cool scene and its nice that there isn't a butt ton of annoying hipsters (newbs) ruining the vibe.
(3)Jodi E.
This place is the best. I am lucky to live right around the corner from it, but it's totally a destination spot, as well. The burger is bar none, and the rest of the menu is inventive, fresh, and interesting. (Favorites include the meatloaf sandwich, chicken frankie, the seasonal salads, chicken sandwich. The only thing I don't recommend there are the wings. But who needs 'em with all of the other choices, really?) The specials are always amazing. It's a great bar/restaurant hybrid. It's got a good bar-type vibe (and juke box), but then the food is some of the best in the city. Oh, and great beer and well-edited wine selection, as well. Love this place!
(5)Sarah F.
I've only ever had the tempeh club and fries here, and there isn't any reason to get anything else. It's delicious. From the tempeh bacon, to the pesto, to the bread, this is a perfect sandwich. Filling, too. Christina G and I shared a sandwich and fries, and I ended up taking half home. Unfortunately, on our last visit, we received some major attitude from one of the servers. We put our name in for a table for four, and seeming like it was going to be a long wait sat at the bar. I ordered food to go so we could move to The Dive next door. Our name was called sooner than anticipated, so I asked to move my take out order to a table. She was a huge biatch about it. The bartender moved it over though, no problem. A few minutes later she brings over waters, and one of us asked her for a beer. She said "No, I'm not your server." and walked away. It took awhile for our actual server to come over. When he did, he was nice enough. I was okay with the slow service, as it was busy, until I saw a few employees taking shots in the corner. On a bright note, they have a chalkboard in the bathroom, which is just awesome. It's a free for all graffiti wall, that you don't have to feel guilty about writing on.
(4)Michelle C.
I would like to take this time to appeal to the folks at the Royal in a request to get the chicken frankie wrap on the lunch menu. Yesterday I had a craving, and that craving was for more chicken frankie. Sad was my heart when, after reading and re-reading the menu three times, there was no frankie or even frankfurter for that matter. I went with my backup, the grilled chicken sandwich with pears and gorgonzola, but it was a very distant second to the wrap.
(5)Allison B.
Yep, this place is awesome. The interior is cozy, the service is great, the food is fantastic. Ordered the Chicken Frankie because of all the rave reviews (I'm lookin' at you, Michelle C.) even though Indian flavors aren't really my thing-- and I LOVED It. French fries were potatoey, just how I like 'em, and served with a vinegar aoli. I also sampled a few items from the Mediterranean plate. The hummus tasted homemade for sure. I can't wait to return to the Royal!
(5)Hunter M.
After years of patronage, myself and friends had one really negative experience with a server at Royal. I am thrilled to say that the Manager, Josyln, went out of her way to make up for the experience and we were beyond appreciative. I think it is a true testament to the character of a business as successful and popular as the Royal Tavern to make such an effort to retain customers and so graciously. And thank god it went the way it did because none of us wanted to say goodbye to brunch at Royal or the nachos. Thank you Josyln for going above and beyond and to Royal for being consistently wonderful. I am proud and my tastebuds are thrilled to support such a wonderful local business.
(5)Jena M.
I love the Royal- my roommate works here so I'm here more often than other places. I love the burgers, and the eggs benedict on top of biscuits are phenomenal. I also love the vinegar mayo- its so good with the tots! The bloody mary's are also my favorite anywhere. Perfectly spicy and chunky with horse raddish! They have a pretty good craft beer selection too. Good place anytime of day!
(5)Bri H.
Yum. Love love love Royal Tavern. This is the first place where I brunched in Philly when I moved here years ago, and it's still one of my favorite gastropubs in the city. Great beer selection, great food and great ambiance. The nachos with vegan beef is a must. I order it every time I go and have never been disappointed. Go with the smaller size. It's still huge (the larger size is just obscene...really not necessary unless you're splitting between like 6 people). All the food is delicious but I have only just recently discovered the tempeh club with vegan bacon & basil aioli. The tempeh is really flavorful, not bland or rubbery. And the sandwich is HUGE. It's so thick that I couldn't fit my mouth around it (and yes, that is what she said). It tends to get very crowded, so it's best to arrive early or late, or else you may end up standing around awkwardly while you wait for a table (there's really nowhere to stand and the bar seats are pretty much always full).
(5)Amanda C.
I have been here a ton of times and most of my experiences have been awesome. Last time I stopped by I ordered a Longtrail IPA(yum!) and the fish and chips entree. The breading on the fish was good but the large pieces of battered cod I was served were tasteless and not up to the Royal's normal standards. The dish came with under seasoned steak fries, and a pretty tasty side of grilled asparagus. Do not order fish and chips here, it was tasteless and I was disappointed. Previous trips have brought awesome food and drink choices, the beer list is always varied. Standouts for me are the Sweet potato bahn mi, a spicy and sweet take on the Vietnamese sandwich, vegan sloppy joe, and the tempeh blt. Do not forget to try the truffle popcorn. The staff is polite and efficient, my friend and I stopped by around 7pm on a Saturday night and we were seated just before they were slammed with a crowd, talk about good timing!
(3)Ed C.
I really enjoy this place. The vegan food options are really good. I absolutely love the tempeh reuben! They also have a very nice beer selection. The only downside is it can be tricky to get a table on weekend evenings, but the wait usually isn't terribly long. Just grab a brewskie at the bar while you're waiting!
(4)Callan W.
You know they have the best bloody around right? Do I really have to tell you about it? No...ok...well then... Did you know they have a tasty bowl of mussels? Oh you didn't...well they do. Maybe some of the best in this town. There is a tasty little surprise piece of bread at the bottom of the bowl and chunks of yummy spicy chorizo. The sauce is perfect and goes well with a side of fries (though the mussels are filling enough). I am addicted to vinegar, so the vinegar aioli that accompanies the fries was heaven. Service is perfection. The decor is the usual "Let's just throw up some Christmas lights because our food is good enough and we don't need to pretty up the place". It is true. The food and drink is enough to take me this far south again.
(4)Lauren H.
Up until this point, I've always felt like getting to the Royal Tavern was an adventure. It's on Passyunk, but not far enough down where Passyunk is it's own little universe/restaurant mecca. Royal Tavern is still at that point where you're not sure if you're on 6th or 7th or Carpenter, or if this is a house or not a house? But, now that I live two blocks away (!), it's a challenge not to find. Beer selection, food and service are always great, although, as a meat eater, the menu can be tilted a little more towards vegetarian/vegan than I would prefer. Like, for instance, tonight, I got excited about the special pulled pork sandwich, until I realized it was seitan pulled "pork". I've been here countless times, and now am very happy to deem this one of my "neighborhood" establishments. It can get crowded, even on a Monday night, so it's best to always expect a wait for a table - but it's worth it.
(4)Beth C.
Everything's pretty much already been said about the Royal Tavern... 60 reviews! and still 4.5 stars.. the odds are with you that you'll like this bar if you haven't been. I extra highly recommend the grilled chicken sandwich that has not only prosciutto, pears, and "elitist" arugula.. but blue cheese and LAVENDER honey mustard, too. You'd think all those flavors conflict, but somehow it works. French toast with dulce de leche? Sold! I once had an omelet on special there that had cilantro sauce. Never even heard of that before, but now every time I go for brunch, I hope to see it on the board. (Though I haven't yet, so, Hint Hint.. if Royal Tavern people ever read these reviews)... Lastly.. I went once with 5 of my family members, including two 50something year olds, a vegetarian, and my fancy Paris-dwelling sister, and everyone found something on the menu that they truly enjoyed. So again.. it's all about the odds, and it seems they're stacked for the Royal Tavern.
(5)Anna Marie C.
um, why did it take me so long to come here? i guess because i don't live down in this area, but my my, it was worth the trip. i, the non-veggie, chose the meatloaf sandwich, which is what i would imagine it would taste like at home. all this was washed down with a healthy selection of beer. my friend thoroughly enjoyed her salad, and the server was uber-chill, and was super-patient with us whilst we made all our food and drink decisions. i wish i had more vegetarian and vegan friends, just so that if i wanted bar food, i would *have* to go to royal tavern, just so they could be appeased.
(5)Colin S.
Food = good Beer selection = good Crowd = good The 40 minute wait for a table or stool = brutal You decide....
(4)Veronica S.
Heard the burger at Royal Tavern was out of this world so after a drink and short wait at the bar for a table I ordered my burger with seasoned fries. DEFINATELY worth going to try the burger! Actually, all 4 of us at the table ordered a burger and were very happy with our choice! You can order fries, tater tots, or even green beans if you like but what is better with a burger than french fries? Not much! As far as atmosphere, it's a typical bar with a decent crowd. The music is loud and it's dark...it's a great bar for a night out with friends.
(3)Dave G.
Royal Tavern rules! Highlights: Delicious burgers! Awesome, unique selection of beers (this is the only restaurant I've been to that serves Delirium!) Sriracha sauce! Great service!
(5)Mindy I.
let me just state right off the bat that the 5 stars are for the tempeh club. it is hands down the best (vegan) sandwich in philadelphia, maybe the world, and i would probably choose it as my last meal on earth. i go here fairly often and always get it. sometimes i am embarrassed when i have the same server each time i go because it feels like they know exactly what i'm going to order. i've had the tofu/tempeh hash and their hummus plate (sans feta) before--and they're both excellent--but they don't compare to the tempeh club. but most things don't. sometimes i want to order the other vegan options because they all look delicious, but i just can't bring myself to. as for the service, it's pretty hit or miss, although it's usually hit. i've had more positive experiences than negative ones, but i have had two memorably rude servers who almost kept me from my beloved tempeh club. however, there's one server (whose name i forget) who is just sweet as pie, and lots of the other servers seem great too.
(5)Ben K.
I honestly don't know how I've lived in Philadelphia for years and never have been to Royal Tavern. All of the reviews here are dead on. This place is the truth! If you haven't read it enough, here is how they described the Angus burger: caramelized onions, bacon, Smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise. The diameter of the patty was small but it was hand molded and very thick. The sesame seed bun is from Baker Street Bread and was fantastic - dark and crusty on the outside while chewy on the inside. The cheese, mayo, everything was just gooey and delicious. The only thing I'd complain about was the longhots. Perhaps they were overcooked but the skin was a little plasticy - but no worries, I pulled them off easily. Another complaint? Why can't a cook in this city actually make a proper medium-rare burger? I understand people are nervous about food poisoning but come on! When I order a medium-rare burger I expect it to be pink and juicy, not mostly brown. I also highly recommend the meatloaf sandwich. Although my mom never made meatloaf, the thick cut slabs of meat on this thing taste exactly how I'd imagine hers would. It's served on ciabatta with bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini ketchup. This sandwich is enormous, I mean EPIC and I was surprised we couldn't finish it. The fries are amazing, the beer is great. We drank Corsendonk, Brooklyn Brown and Lagunitas IPA. Our waitress was super cute and extremely nice. I will definitely be here again and again.
(4)Stef A.
I love places like the Royal Tavern.......warm, laid back pub atmsophere with GREAT food. I went here for a small birthday dinner gathering and expected typical pub fare - standard wings, nachos, etc. Not so. With appetizer specials like soft shell crab and truffled popcorn, the Royal Tavern is not your typical pub. The grilled cheese and tomato soup combo is delicious and so is the burger and homemade pickles. Expect a bit of a wait if you go here on the weekend, but it's worth it. After reading the reviews, I definitely want to try their brunch.
(4)Kristen H.
Not that Royal Tavern needs another glowing review, but I'll put my two cents in. Whenever I have friends or family in from out of town, I take them to the tavern. Love the burger, love the hummus plate (I make everyone try it), love the sauce that comes with the fries. The pomegranate sangria is delicious. Beer selection is incredible. Brunch isn't too bad either, but given the choice, I'd go for dinner. Atmosphere is spot on. (Can we talk about their gorgeous carved-wood bar back?) Reasonably priced. Go early! It fills up fast.
(5)Michael B.
Man, know that this place is great! Great food, great beer - it works from there for me. I agree with most people below about good food. I will add emphatically: CHECK OUT THE POPCORN APPETIZER - fresh popped corn with truffle butter and parmesan. It made two of us cower in its deliciousness and was worth every penny of the $3 we spent on it!
(4)Tim H.
Alright Royal Tavern, you got my attention. That was a f'n good burger. No joke, I think it's the best I've ever had. In an unrelated note, "Best I Ever Had" is a pleasant song by David Grey (or Gray, not sure). Back to burgers, that was a damn good burger. Meat was good, sauce was good, bacon was good, smoked cheese was good, and the pepper was freaking hot! Beyond that, the beer selection was good, but choices 1 and 2 were out. We decided to go experimental rather than door 3, and that was okay. I forget what we got. It wasn't memorable. The hot cider drink was good. Which reminds me, if you plan to go camping when it's cold out, definitely make it a priority to bring something that burns (wood, stove, witches), something that holds liquid without burning (pot - metal, you know what I mean), Captain Morgans, and Apple Cider. "Back to the lesson at hand." The Cuban rolls were very good, good thinking on that one. Friendly staff, and the one youngish guy with the blond hair knew his beer. Props to him. That's it.
(4)Carlie E.
To the point- Go here and get a fun appetizer .. salty buttery pop corn.. etc. then get the burger. If you don't like spice.. don't get it with the hot pepper.. You'll be breathing out fire for the night. Get a good beer to drink it down with and enjoy the dark bar atmosphere. My Favorite bar and burger spot. fries are tasty too.
(4)Kris M.
I hadn't been to The Royal in at least 6 years. The food was just as good as I remembered! My friend and I had the short ribs and veal special for dinner. We were both impressed. Great place for a casual and inexpensive meal.
(5)Dan K.
While not in love with the Royal, I think I lean more towards the P.O.P.E for my East Pazz bar experience. Granted, the place looks awesome inside, good jukebox, nice folks, decent service and pretty rad food, I always seem to forget about this place. For sure get the grilled cheese, the burgers are tasty and if you want some yummy vegan fare, get the vegan sloppy joe, it will blow you're mind. Then hit the P.O.P.E and compare.
(3)Thuong D.
The burger is excellent everytime! Maybe it tasted so good because every time i stopped here i am a bit intoxicated. Service is good.
(4)Matt D.
Decided to check this South Philly pub out on Tuesday since my girlfriend and I had a friend in town who loves beer and vegan food. Thankfully, this little secret is known for both and it definitely lived up to expectations. For an appetizer, I tried the Fried Shrimp wrapped in bacon and some Old Bay Fries and both were awesome. The shrimp were tempura style and the bacon inside was totally tasty and crispy. For my meal, I got the mussels and basically ate 90% of my girlfriend's Smoked Gouda Grilled Cheese, because she wasn't feelin' it. Our vegan friend got the Vegan Sloppy Joe and she said that it was well spiced and a nice alternative to the original. That's a good sign, since it's often hard to find a decent bar with a menu full of vegan and vegetarian options. The beer selection was very nice, if not totally exceptional. All the usual favorites were on tap or in bottles and our table got a bottle of Chimay Red, two Franziskaner Hefes, Delirium Tremens and a glass of Bell's Kalamazoo Stout (which still didn't really live up to its hefty reputation). Our waitress was extremely friendly, offering up several menu and beer recommendations and the crowd was laid back and made some superb jukebox selections. All in all, this place is a total diamond in the rough and a watering hole I plan to return to as often as possible.
(4)D M.
This place isn't for hipsters, yuppies, or old timers, but for the rest of us. I came here this Saturday night at 10. The decor is classy with probably 20 tables, all full, so we sat at the bar. The beers on tap weren't your usual victory / dogfish / y lager, which was a nice change (although I like those beers). The menu was vegetarian friendly, although we just had two sides, the fries and tater tots, both greasy delicious. Maybe the best way to describe this bar is as the compliment to its next door neighbor, Dive Bar. One is smoky and dingy, the crowds are five years and several pay grades apart, but both are friendly. I've also been here at closing time, and then the place was deserted. Still, a good place to know and visit.
(4)Katrina C.
The only reason this place doesn't get 5 stars is because the food can seriously take forever. However, it is always good. The malt mayo stuff they serve the fries with is awesome. The nachos are huge, but the chips and salsa (homemade/fresh) is a great app to have while waiting for the food. They serve Franziskaner beer which is my favorite. The vegan panini is awesome as is the grilled cheese. The soups are always great. There are specials every night of the week. Great place! I come here often! Brunch is good too - mimosas are only $5.
(4)Caitlin C.
Who would think that this establishment would have good food? I used to come here with coworkers for a drink after work. It is dark and small and usually loud, but that's what a bar usually is. The service is exceptional, and the crowd is a bit indie punk. But the food is amazing (popcorn with truffle oil) and this could definitely be classified as a gastropub. I would recommend this bar to anyone looking to get away from city chic lounges, but is still a food/beer snoob.
(4)Deann M.
Definitely in my top five places to eat in Philly. Amazing food with a selection of vegetarian foods too. Also, the specials keep it fresh (one time I had a plaintain w/ smoked chili soup! Sweet and spicy!! Mmmm. I wanted to lick the bowl). The nachos are a challenge for even the biggest of eaters. I recommend going during Happy hour if you can, there's no fighting for a table and 1/2 off drinks. I only eat red meat once a month and the last three months its been the Royal for a burger. The only cons I would say are how small it is (one time we waited over an hour), also, I ordered one of the specials (some type of fish tostada) and it was only two tiny little portions for $15. I was still hungry, luckily a friend of mine shared her mound of fries with me. Otherwise, the staff, the food, the ambience, the creative menu, everything is awesome! The servers even deal with large parties trying to split their checks on several credit cards, which must be annoying. (sorry... thanks!)
(5)Neil K.
This place is my favorite place for a hungover Saturday or Sunday lunch. I have tried almost all the sandwiches on the menu and they are all very good, the only exception for me is the Vegan Sloppy Joe(not good). Although I am not vegan or vegetarian but this place has a great selection for anyone who is. My personal favorites on the menu are the Burger, the Meatloaf, and the chicken sandwich. I like that the chef has put together some really interesting twists on traditional pub grub. There is one downside to Royal Tavern...be prepared to wait for a seat lunch or dinner. I suggest going at 3 o'clock if you want to sit right away. The staff are always friendly and helpful...if you haven't been go here now!
(5)JEAN S.
I can't believe I have never reviewed this place because I have been having a love affair with the Royal for years. I'm in love with the grilled cheese, the mac and cheese, and the Caesar salad with the little polenta croutons. Their bloody mary cures what ails me. The food specials are usually delicious and the beer selection is great.
(5)Robert H.
This place delivers everytime I go there. Just had a meal there the week before Christmas. My friend and I started with Chimay (can't go wrong there) and the most delicious homemade soup. She had the braised short ribs which melted in your mouth as did the buttery spaetzel and roasted parsnips (which have become my new favorite veggie). I had a pork loin stuffed with provolone, spinach, and pesto. This was one of the best pork dishes I have had in years. We finished with with a decadent black and white cake. Simply awesome!
(4)Justin L.
This review is about brunch. More specifically, it is about huevos rancheros. Royal Tavern gets my vote for BEST huevos rancheros in town and I have tried it just about everywhere. I've had other things at Royal that were also really good, but whenever I go its hard not to get the huevos. They are perfection.
(5)Stevie S.
Favorite brunch spot in Philly for real. Went for dinner the other night after a long time and it was awesome. Always great beer on the menu and the food is siiiiick. The staff is great too! Very friendly and personable
(5)Adam R.
My fiance and i wanted to go to a nice brunch spot today and chose The Royal Tavern. We got their early and it was a good idea because as soon as we sat down the place filled up. Upon entering we were told to sit at any two top table we liked, so we picked the one next to the stairs. We were served water right away but no menus. in the seven minutes we were waiting for menus we saw the bartender seat two separate couples at tables and give them menus. As if on cue when I told my fiance that maybe we should pick a better place our waitress showed up with menus. At that point we were ready to order drinks but she had left just as fast as she had dropped the menus. Another five minute wait and she was back to take our drink order. She seemed rushed and was not even going to take the food order till I told her that we were ready to order. Our order was as follows: Me - A Bacon Bloody Mary A cup of coffee Nachos A Burger (since I heard they were good here) My fiance - A cup of tea The Cubano Omelette I got my bloody mary first and took a sip. Wow, super concentrated taste and a little heavy on the vodka. My fiance said that is what I get for ordering a bloody mary but I told her to look at the bartender when she makes one. The bartender poured in the vodka and then out of a tupperware container poured in the mix. Now don't get me wrong, using a pre-made mix is fine but you have to shake the drink to mix all of the ingredients together before you serve it. So basically I was served a thick bloody mary shake with a kick of vodka at the bottom. As for the cup of coffee I ordered our server forgot it until I asked. At that point she seems to busy to care and threw down a cup that was maybe 3/4s full. She never refilled it again the whole time we were there. We got the nachos and they were good. Piled high with fresh sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and jalepenos. My fiance said that they were a bit salty but I found no problem with them. It's really hard to make a plate of nachos I don't like. As we waited for our main course I noticed the bartender taking new champagne glasses out of a cardboard box. I asked my fiance if she thought the bartender was going to wash them. Well, I am sorry to say that she did not. Each time a person ordered a mimosa, she just used one of the new, out of the box, unwashed flutes. Disgusting. Our food got there and was decent. My burger was cooked well and had good flavor. What disappointed me were the fries. Though fresh, some of them were soggy with grease, or under done. Her omelette was good. We ended up taking home half of each dish since we were stuffed because of the nachos. As soon as we stepped outside of the place I started feeling sick. This feeling has not left me. As soon as we got back home I ran to the bathroom. I have been running there every hour since. The only reason I gave the Royal Tavern one star was because the food was decent, and I hope I am sick from something else. I don't think we'll be back there anytime soon.
(1)june g.
Royal Tavern is very hit or miss. Often times, the service has been very slow, and inattentive. But note, I say often times, not all the time. But I have waited 10 minutes to have my name taken for the wait list to the point that I'd have to tug at a servers shirt only to be asked "Are you on the list?" Obviously, I'm not, or I wouldn't be asking for a table. Today, our server forgot our drinks after I reminded him twice, but at least we ended up not having to pay for them. Food has sometimes taken 45 min+ to come out of the kitchen. I also saw a server snort a line. I've had some snooty servers who choose favorites but also some very pleasant ones. As for the food, that's hit or miss too. My grilled cheese has come out hot and crispy, but also soggy and warm sometimes. It's very, very oily as well. My 'spicy' tomato soup has tasted like Campells with too much chili and cayenne pepper. My seitan sandwich has been soggy and falling apart but still tasty, although at different times other friends seitan sandwich's have been well constructed with a natural toasted whole grain bread. I've heard rave reviews regarding their burgers and sloppy joes. I've noticed, lunch portions, although at the same price, are smaller than those at dinner. I have not tried their brunch. I'm not a fan of how my bartenders have made my simple cocktails, although the beer list is okay if you don't mind waiting 10+ minutes if you're seated at a table. Young and old, hipster and trendy, all dine here. The inside has an old philadelphia charm to it, and a half decent jukebox. But sometimes, the place can smell of piss. It could be the scruffy servers. I have frequently given it many chances but I feel as any future visits that my friends may coerce me into coming along will be few and far inbetween. I'm giving it 3 stars for some good food I have had there at okay prices, and for the servers who have been friendly and accomodating. Also, mostly everyone on yelp likes it, so I could just be missing something.
(3)Jaime K.
Best burger in the city. There, I said it.
(5)Brian K.
I was visiting a friend in Philly who took me to Royal Tavern for breakfast. The strawberry crumble pancakes were amazing! Super friendly staff with great food, can't beat that. I will definitely be back next time I am in the area!
(5)Scott F.
Royal Tavern has long been atop my list of places to try, specifically to try their burger. I decided after being on that list for over a year it was time to get my fill of their recommended fare. In a word, pretty good. Pretty damn good. Not my favorite burger in the city and maybe not even in my top 5, but usually anticipation that simmers as long as it does will ultimate deflate the overall reaction. Fair beer selection combined with a decent food menu and comfortable atmosphere creates a pretty solid trilogy of reasons for me to return to Royal, but with so many other places on my list to try.... I hope I can return again....
(4)Bob S.
I have been coming here for about 4 years and I have yet to have a bad experience at Royal Tavern. Try: Burgers Specials (some very unusual and tasty choices are on the board) Soups Grilled Cheese Salads Enjoy the atmosphere the partrons taking people here for the first time. the music Waiters/Waitresses are polite efficient and helpful. Also the bathrooms are clean. Also they are consistent!
(5)Jon D.
Royal's my standard-bearer of bars. It's my basis of comparison for most other bars, and the neighborhood place I drank at the most over the past few years. Royal's food is great. All of their specials (though sometimes pricey) are always delicious. The nachos with vegan beef were my long-time favorite until they switched-up their tempeh club recipe - it's by far the best in town. Their vegan sloppy joe is the best greasy vegetarian sandwich around, and the grilled octopus salad is great when you're in the mood for something healthy. (By healthy I mean green and smothered in olive oil). Royal always has a great rotating list of beers at prices that have unfortunately become the standard in town ($5-$6.50 a pint). Overall it's easily one of the best gastropubs in the city.
(4)David B.
Listen, I have been here a handful of times and I have only had the burger...because it is one of the best burger's I have ever had. They are always busy but the wait staff does a great job of keeping up with it. Expect a wait for a table anytime after 7pm, but it's worth it.
(5)Matthew M.
Close out the place a Saturday night, come back on a hazy Sunday morning to bite the dog, or chase a dog's hair, or ... whatever ... just get a Bloody Mary. Because these robust, horseradish-y, spicy glasses of boozy love are -- and I do NOT say this lightly -- the best I have sampled in Philadelphia. Standard breakfast fare is well prepared and makes the perfect and hearty accompaniment for your AM drink-on. Regarding dinner: The burger's vaunting is much-warranted, I bet. But don't sleep on the the vegan and veg options, which far surpass your standard begrudging veg-friendly offer of the generic and ubiquitous Sysco "veggie burger." Royal T don't play that! Can you say "Tempeh Club?" Seriously, try it. (Really, it's not that hard to say). Then you can EAT it. Tasty fake bacon, basil aioli ... as an aside, when do we get to start saying "mayonnaise" again? It's delish. Go ahead, get it with a side of tater tots. You've been good! After all, you are getting the veg option. You deserve it. Make sure your dining mate orders the fries with malt vinegar mayo, so you can steal them. For real: You had me at Vegan Sloppy Joe.
(4)Josh S.
If you ever catch me at rehab, it's because I'm addicted to this place. My favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. Amazing servers, interesting & inventive menu, awesome beers. Love.
(5)Jason T.
Easily my fave bar in Bella Vista, and way better than any of the hangouts on South Street. The Royal is a fun, funky sort of place that has a super-friendly and very knowledgable waitstaff, a killer jukebox, and plenty of good brews on tap and in the bottle to satisfy everyone from your usual drinker to a person likes me who loves Belgians and good microbrews. The food served here is very tasty. Many people on here seem to rave over the vegan Sloppy Joe, but I'm not a fan, and neither was my girlfriend when she ordered it. On the other hand, I think the pan fried seitan sandwich they serve is one of the best treats you can find in the city, hands down. I'm not vegan myself, but the Royal does their best to cater to that crowd. The wings are fantastic as well, and are sprinkled with crunchy little green things (What the hell are those?). You also can't go wrong with the wonderful chips and salsa (the chips are those really good bubbly kind and not just typical tortilla chips) and the huge bags of popcorn with truffle butter. The Royal's popcorn is possibly second only to the greatness that is served at the Ritz theatres. I always seem to get there at the right time, which seems to be between 6 and 7 PM. The place can fill up pretty fast and get a bit crowded, so be prepared for a full house even on nights when it seems like no one is out. The crowd at the Royal is a mix of all sorts of folks, from younger college types to older patrons. The decor is simple, yet fun, and the bar is one of the nicest I've seen. All in all, the Royal Tavern is a great place to go off the beaten path with prices that can fit any wallet or purse.
(4)jillian n.
I love almost everything about this place. The staff is very friendly, the drink selection is amazing and the food is phenomenal. I always got the burger because i just couldn't resist, but i have branched out recently. Everything i have ordered here has been stellar. Also the service is almost always quick.
(5)Allison I.
Get the nachos with everything!! Always nice service and savory offerings. Thanks Royal!
(4)Chloe R.
Royal tavern has the best burger in the city, and I am having one on saturday!
(5)Vlad G.
I had their burger last night, and, it was one of the best I have ever experienced. It was a burger so good, so nuanced, that I almost didn't want to eat it at all. (For what it's worth, I also enjoyed a plate of their chicken wings the first time I came here to watch America lose to Belgium, and they were exquisite.)
(5)Nico L.
I came here on hype that was the greatest burger in Pennsylvania. The ambiance of the place was great, friendly, and enough space to maneuver around. The table we had was barely large enough for three. The server we had, was awesome. I wish I remembered her name. Friendly, straight to the point. All three of us had burgers, though with different sides. Luckily, they were all the same price. I had the steak fries, which were massive and delicious. And piping hot. Give them a second to cool. I ordered the house burger (Angus Burger I think it was on the menu). The pepper was a nice little twist. However, I wasn't blown away. The bread was delicious, the bacon was great. The meat left something to be desired however. I would come back here to try the other menu items, but the burger is probably something I would opt against.
(3)Douglas K.
I visit Royal Tavern with my partner and some of his teacher friends from time to time and always have a good time. We usually go there after school and have a late lunch/early dinner. This last time we were lucky enough to have the peach sangria - yum. For us, it's a nice little quiet place to go after a day at work. I always leave happy.
(4)Anya M.
Went for the first time last night for dinner with friends. Service was friendly and never felt rushed even though the place was packed. Food was delicious - I had the meatloaf sandwich. My only complaint was that seating was tight because they were so busy and those of us seated on the bar side of the table felt a little in the way of others coming and going. 4.5 stars.
(5)Lou P.
I the Royal Poutine and it was a grand slam! Great fries topped with cheese curds, loads up shredded duck confit, and gravy topped with two eggs. Brunch heaven! The service was on point and the place was jumping. WELL DONE ROYAL TAVERN...we'll be back?!?
(5)Brendan L.
You just have to have the burger. For any burger lover out there.... The royal tavern burger has it all! It's like a religious pilgrimage every time I go there. Great laid back service and out of this world food. I always want to try something else on the menu, but the burger is so good I rarely have the courage to order something different. The atmosphere is great too!
(5)Courtney J.
I have had two pleasant visits to Royal Tavern in the past month. This place is related to the extremely delicious Mexican restaurant Dos Segundos, so I am not surprised that I had a very well-cooked and flavorful meal there! The first time I came, I had a tuna steak sandwich that was on special. The tuna was cooked perfectly with a nice pink center and topped with a rich kalamata olive spread and crisp fennel, and placed on ciabatta bread. The malt vinegar aoli was tangy and the fries were fresh. The server knew the food and drink menus well. I had a couple of cocktails, a white peach sangria and a tea vodka lemonade drink. While they were not the most amazing cocktails I've ever had, the price was right at around $6 a piece, and they didn't skimp on the booze. My husband had a bacon burger on special that he really enjoyed. I didn't hesitate to come back here a few weeks later when co-workers choose it as a happy hour spot. Again, the service was great, and the drinks were good pours. I ordered a few cocktails not on the menu, a Zombie and a Mojito, and the bartender had no problems. The ginger beer mixed with rum drink that was on special was quite tasty as well. However, I am deducting one star because the main course I ordered on this visit was just okay, and nothing special. I had the sweet potato banh mi that was on the regular menu. The description sounded amazing with crunchy daikon pickles, spicy jalapenos, roasted sweet potato, and a cilantro sauce. However, the actual sandwich was just really bland and missing that oomph. The daikon could have been more vinegary and tangy, and the cilantro sauce was just boring. The flavors didn't really meld together. It was a big disappointment compared to the amazing sandwich I'd had there a few weeks before. On the plus side, the smoked coleslaw that I subbed for the fries was smokey, crispy and some of the best coleslaw I've ever had. It was much more impressive than my sandwich. I also love that they are flexible and will let you substitute any of their many side dishes without an up-charge. I think the only one that cost more to sub out was the mac and cheese. I can't wait to come back and try the bread pudding that I was too full for both times, and also check out some other new specials. I can see myself coming here quite often!
(4)Elsa U.
So many choices, so many beers, awesome servers, open late. Our favorite place to go when it's late!
(5)Abbie D.
EPIC BURGER - perfectly done to temperature and the toppings were spot on! The long hot was the perfect amount of heat to this delicious mouth watering piece of meat! YUM YUM YUM malt mayo is killer too!
(5)Courtney H.
Went for brunch. Menu had plenty of choices but I went for the grilled cheese so that I could add the soup of the day (bacon & white bean). I was surprised (and disappointed) to see that the soup was tomato based and I could barely find any bacon. The grilled cheese was also underwhelming, as it lacked flavor in the cheese blend and bread that tasted like it was dipped in butter. Ordered a side of tots which were greasy and unseasoned. I hope my next brunch experience is better. On the plus side, the food delivery was lightening fast.
(3)Mike G.
Bad bartender=me gone. Ive been to this bar a few times and eaten there a couple of those times. It's overrated in my opinion. Ive had way better food in most bars these days and the service has always been just OK at best. I recently met a friend there. We had planned on dinner and drinks to catch up at the bar. My friend ordered me a wheat beer , as I requested, and himself an IPA - just before happy hour was over. The female bartender (4/10/13) poured my beer then informed my friend that she could only serve one drink at a time. He explained I was only a couple blocks away, but he offered to just buy one at happy hr price and asked for his beer. She claimed it was against the law to ever sell more than one drink to one customer. Staring in dismay, at the beer he didn't want to drink, at that point he finally just asked if he could have whiskey. She poured him his whiskey and removed my beer from the bar, with a stern bitchy face you see on an abused people-hating nun. My friend quietly explained to me what happened when I arrived 3 minutes later and she was rude enough, eavesdropping and directing comments at me with a snotty look "It's against the law" even though we clearly were not speaking loudly or to her. Well, I don't know if there is actually some archaic law like this, but it's safe to say she didn't handle it very nicely. It's my opinion that NO bar in the city has ever claimed such policy. If that was the law, then someone needs to explain the "city-wide" drink or a Boiler maker. We paid our tab and left quickly and took our long night's business elsewhere. The experience made it clear that this mediocre bar isn't worth ever returning to. It's on my grudge-list now.
(1)Kristen D.
I'll reiterate and reinforce what everyone else has already said: the best food. I've tried the tempeh club, vegan beef nachos, fish & chips, and sweet potato banh mi. I absolutely loved and devoured every one of them (except the banh mi--you're better off getting it from an authentic Vietnamese place for $4 on Washington!). I also love that you can choose any side you want with your meal, you don't have to choose strictly fries or side salad. The food specials are always creative and delicious too! Beer is great. Ambience is great. The food is what keeps me coming back. Great place to bring Philly outsiders to impress them with some of Philly's best bar food!
(5)Alick W.
This place is located in South Philly on Passyunk and Carpenter. I have been here a few times and each time the food has been great. They are known for their burger which has been on a few top burgers in Philly lists and for good reason. It has bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise and is pretty big size. The grilled chicken sandwich and the meatloaf sandwich are really good as well. The place seems like a hipster dive bar, but the food is fantastic and a little bit pricier than what you normally get with a dive bar. There's seating at the bar and enough tables to fit about 40 people, but almost every night the tables are filled. The atmosphere is dark, with no tv's and some music playing in the background and some vintage signs for decoration. They also have a decent craft beer list along with a wine and whiskey list.
(5)Adam N.
Excellent food. We stopped in for lunch a couple weeks back. There was only one person working, but he was very attentive and quick with our orders. The space was a typical bar, nothing fancy but nice enough. Wish they had a couple TVs for sporting events, but good place nothethless.
(4)B M.
This is the best gastropub/bar burger in Philadelphia. Worth the trip for anyone just to try it. Decent beer selection, and decent non-burger options on the menu. If they fix some of the side dishes, this could bump to a five star tavern.
(4)Jennifer O.
Great beer and sandwich place. My boyfriend and I had the Angus burger and the vegan sloppy joe, both with fries. Delicious burger and really unique vegan sandwich. My bf (who is not a vegetarian) said you couldn't tell the sloppy joe wasn't vegetarian). Very chill place with a decent beer selection. Will definitely come back again!
(5)Joe R.
Burger is sick as fuck, so is the meatloaf. Those Arnold Palmers will ruin your day. Night time is kinda crowded, so day drinking is way better.
(5)Christina W.
The food is delicious. I got take out yesterday and ordered the chicken sandwich. It was delicious. The only negative was that the bread was a little soggy. I would defiantly eat here again.
(5)Paul C.
It took me forever to remember what I ordered here..... ah yes... their "banh mi." Which I definitely remember was not very good and I regret ordering in the first place. It had sweet potatoes, lettuce, and the usual daikon, carrots, jalapenos, and aioli sauce. I would not recommend it at all. If you've ever had a real Vietnamese banh mi before, you will be very very very dismayed by this cheap fusion ripoff. I remember I had trouble deciding what to order because nothing on the menu seemed very appealing to me. Some other things: (-) I was with a group of ~7-8 people for someone's birthday dinner. We did not even get to sit at one large table so they broke us up into two separate parties essentially. Very festive! (-) Waitress was really standoff-ish and impatient when I was looking through their alcohol list. I asked her about the differences in their brandy selection and she basically left me in the dust. That was embarrassing. I think they have a cozy gastropub atmosphere, however. I definitely do not plan on being back anytime soon.
(2)Jody P.
Dimly lit warm saloon atmosphere. New American meals are consistently good. Very knowledgeable beer loving bartenders. The place is always packed, expect a manageable wait on the weekends.
(4)doreen s.
Went today and it's wAs great. My son and I had the French toast...Wonderful. My husband had the Angus burger... Huge ! Thank u for making our visit enjoyable!
(5)Di P.
Friday night I came here. Busy. Ok, makes sense. Tuesday night I came here. Busy. Okkkk, it was sort of a warm winter Tuesday evening. Sure. Monday night I came here. It was freezing and it was supposed to maybe snow starting in the evening. Busy. Crazeballs! I think that reflects how popular this place is. And it's not the interior-- it's not cool or interesting inside or even spacious. It's really the good beers, fun and tasty food with above average vegetarian options, and an efficient nice staff that make this place a Philly staple.
(4)Rebecca S.
As I look through my list of reviews that have been on the start and stop list for far too long, I realize that there are way too many places in my neighborhood that I visit fairly consistently yet have never made it to the Yelp-o-sphere. Royal is one of those. Dark as its heavy wooden interior may be, the amount of light and joy Royal brings to my life makes this one of my favorites within walking distance of home. Wolfpack (Vinny P. Steven W. and yours truly) has had a lot of chats over brews at the bar, this is where I bring visitors for brunch, it's also a great place to soak up booze after a day of drinking around the hood. The decor is a little funky in that there pretty much is none, but there are strung Christmas lights. You might say to yourself, "but Christmas lights in a bar are so tacky" and normally you'd be right, but Royal can get away with it because the food is just that good. I have never had a bad experience here, not once...the food is always top notch, the tap selection always rotating, the servers are friendly and attentive, and it caters to both my vegan friends and fellow meat-eaters alike, not to mention they have one of the best bloody mary's in the city. I have only ordered off of the standard menu once, the sweet potato banh mi is absolutely divine with its side order of fries and vegan aioli; every time I visit I order from their specials figuring that the menu will always be there if the specials fail me, but they don't...ever. Yes it's still a bar, but they take bar food to a whole other level and keep all of their neighbors dietary choices and restrictions in mind, now THAT'S a great neighborhood friend.
(5)Ana R.
The Royal Tavern is a dark pub with out-of-the-ordinary pub food. It has excellent atmosphere and really friendly staff. I had the gnocchi, which came with way too much sauce, but it was yummy and well cooked. I hope I can go back sometime and try the hand-cut fries!! We left a big tip for our waitress who helped us charge our phones while we ate. It was definitely appreciated. They should invest in more bike parking out front!
(4)Elizabeth H.
Lovely hangar steak and burgers, peaceful wood laden atmosphere and knowledgable bartenders. And when you're almost broke, you can just walk down to the Dive for PBRs.
(4)Mo R.
I didn't give this place 5 stars because of how small it is. When it's busy (and it is very often), it's a wait for a table plus the tables are mostly small. If you're lucky enough to get a bigger table, it's just a lot of chaos always going on around you. Even with that said, there isn't an extended wait for service. The food is incredible...I mean it. They have specials on the board along with a dessert menu. Always vegan options on both and their daily menu is incredible. I have heard their fish and chips is good enough to fool a British person! The popcorn appetizer is ordered every time we go. I always stick with the vegan sloppy joe unless there's a great vegan special on the board. Always have to get some cake for dessert too! Prices aren't bad for the amount of food you get and their beer menu is always on point! Perfect place! A go-to spot for going out to eat! Never a bad meal here!
(4)Payal D.
Only had the veggie sloppy joe and grill cheese, and veggie wings all of which were fantastic! Not to mention the tots...so good. Only reason for the 3 was long wait for table and semi bitchy waitress. Don't go here if you are in a rush.
(3)Nina S.
I really like the menu at Royal Tavern. The food is very good and not just greasy bar food. It's a great spot in the neighborhood for a good casual meal and drinks. I had the grilled chicken sandwich and its as delicious! It had blue cheese, apples, arugula served on Italian bread with a sweet sauce. French Fries also come on the plate. I ordered one of their famous Bloody Marys but I was not as impressed as I thought that I would be. I heard they are award winning so it was a must to order! It was a lot spicier than I usually like my Boddy Marys and my friend who was with me frequents that Royal Tavern and she said that it was much spicier than what is usually served. I'll def be back. Next time I go I will try the Mac & Cheese because it sounds delicious and someone recommended it!
(4)J C.
Royal tavern is a great option for vegetarians. Good beer selection, intimate, warm interior, and really good food. Usually have a vegetarian daily special as well. This is the only place where you will run out of chips for your nachos because they do not skimp on the toppings! Its our go to late night dinner place. My only critique is that the service is almost always slow, even when not busy.
(4)Monika S.
Pretty good food, but not amazing to make me come back. I can see the appeal to vegetarians and vegans though, those selections seemed more interesting than the others. Service was meh... I told our server I didn't want blu cheese on my sandwich and she looked at me like I was a manic and replied, "sooo, what kind of cheese do you want? Cheddar?" What if I didn't want cheese?! Lol. Our food took longer to come out than it was to eat, and mine was going cold as my boyfriend's burger (which looked way better than what I got) came out hot. Not to mention, our cheese loving server gave me a side of fries even though I asked for a side of tots. I got the chicken sandwich with pear slices, arugula, and prosciutto and some other forgettable sauce and fries on the side. It was just alright. My chicken was charred, and they stuffed the arugula in it like it was going on sale. Like I said, I probably would pass on this place unless I came with my boyfriend again. We came here for the food and tots (because who doesn't love tots) and even the tots were forgettable. Could've just been that particular day that the food was lacking because this is one of my boyfriend's favorite spots but I'm not willing to come back too often.
(3)Joe C.
I love this place. Stopped in for lunch on Thursday and zeroed right in on the Angus Burger, medium rare and, what the hell, throw a fried egg on top (there's a tip for ya). The burger came a bit more cooked than I would've liked which prevents me from giving 5 stars. I'd also prefer a better roll, one less flaky. Otherwise, it was fantastic; the long hots and chili mayo offer a great kick. On the side, how can you go wrong with hand-cut fries, with malt vinegar mayo, no less? To wash it all down, a Sly Fox can, kicking it old school. A tall, attractive, bespectacled brunette bartender provided quality service. Great food, great drink, great vibe.
(4)Sara P.
First my disclaimer. Bar hotspots are not my thing. I don't like crowds, noise, alcohol, or fattening comfort foods. I know - I am boring. Boring people like me have to go out with more interesting people from time to time however so I have had some experience with local taverns. After showing up at RT for meals several times (more about that later), we recently got seated and ate there. My evaluation. My experience at RT was just as good or better than any other tavern I have been dragged to, and therefore, it gets four to five stars in my book. The food. The other three folks loved their food and drinks. For appetizers we had a tray including hummus, with refills on pita and really OMG bread they gave us. I ate a wonderful sandwich made with tempeh, and although I regretted it when I got on the scales the following morning, I had no complaints as I wolfed it down. The smoked coleslaw was the best I have had, but I suspect it was not a low fat version. I also tasted someone's fries which were delicious although I knew better than to eat more than one fry with my sandwich, less I'd be afraid to step on the scales again. In addition, I tried a huge vegan chocolate cake - well, I already had blown the diet hadn't I? Despite my reputation as a dessert lover or maybe because that reputation is well deserved, I'd say that the dessert was my least favorite thing. It was dry and not a good representative of vegan cake. I hope the baker tries to make it a little moister (add some applesauce or pureed dates). The rest. It is very very crowded. We had to go there several times before we were willing to wait long enough to be seated. This may mean that it is a good place to eat, but you need to have Plan B if hungry or restless. Parking is not fabulous, but circle around the neighborhood and you'll be ok. Servers are excellent. It was way too dark for me so I used my small table candle to light my menu. BTW If you like local taverns, none of these things will bother you. The best. I really appreciate RT having vegan, vegetarian and low fat options for people like me who are social but don't like the bar scene. Keep up the good work RT! We will be back!
(5)Tracie P.
Just went here for lunch, and I already can't wait to go back! I was a little in doubt when we first walked up, as the facade is very unassuming, but the inside is really cute. Great laid back bar atmosphere. RT has an impressive bottled beer list, including a number of gluten free options (ciders, Omission). A ton of great vegan food options too. I went with the Bahn mi, which, admittedly left something to be desired. Not enough pickled veg and cilantro. Good bread though, and the sweet potato was tasty. That said, RT still gets five stars from me because my gf ordered the vegan sloppy joe and it was AMAZING. I am confident it will be a dish I crave and require on a regular basis. The side of smoky vegan coleslaw was also out of this world (and comes in the sloppy joe too). So delicious. Good fries, with vegan mayo dipping sauce, also hit the spot. Yet another awesome vegan-food-and-beer spot to add to our list of favorites.
(5)Christine B.
I have absolutely no excuse for not writing a review for this place before now. For nearly three years, I dined at this place at least twice a month. OK...maybe more frequent than that. Let's just put it this way - the servers knew me. Let's just say; I am inconsolable because I now live in the 'burbs and can't find a replacement. The menu regularly changed - but I am a vegetarian, which at Royal meant that (unlike most restaurants in the area) I was assured of having at least four (5 if you consider nachos a meal; 6 if you consider popcorn a meal, which I do) yummy options. Not the bland "1 veggie burger/ 1 vegetable pasta/ 1 vegetarian salad" option you see at most places, with sorry excuses for sides and mass produced ingredients. But fresh ingredients, a light touch with the oils, good use of seasonings. The crowning glory in my opinion is the the tempeh club. Tempeh is admittedly an acquired taste but, if you like it, you will love it here. The triple decker sandwich - 2 layers of tempeh, 1 layer of tempeh "bacon" - has a haunting basil aoili smeared on lovely bread and is presented with hot, crispy, french fries served with a malt vinegar mayonnaise. All of the vegetables in this restaurant - including those used as garnish on the sandwiches - are fresh and flavorful. Although at first glance the dark "wood", Christmas lights, faux tin details, beer menu, and some of the clientele may make you think that you have (unfortunately) landed yourself in hipster paradise, the spicy greens and garlic spinach will convince you that these people take their food seriously. Their truffle oil popcorn is good for days. Days...I say! The macaroni and cheese is exactly what it needs to be. You won't lose your sh!t over it, but it is creamy, cheesy, and filling. The menu prices increased during my patronage, but not appreciable, and certainly well within the mean of other establishments in the area. The service was generally welcoming if sometimes (understandably) slow when it was busy, with the notable exception of one middle aged, tattooed woman who was never efficient or friendly. However, she was evidently let go before too long, as I later saw her working at another (Honey's) restaurant.
(5)Chrissy K.
There is nothing negative to say about Royal Tavern besides that it's so popular! They have a great selection of beers and the food. If you have some vegan friends, this is a great place to take them. And don't forget to get the fries because they come with the best malt vinegar mayo! Basically, if you're looking for a nice bar with great food, Royal Tavern is always the perfect choice.
(5)Elle W.
Lovvveeee Royal. They have the best vegan options around! I frequent Royal and have never had bad service or meal. Highly recommend the soba noodle salad and the tempeh club. Make sure you get some tater tots with vegan mayo on the side.
(5)Beeswax D.
great vegan, vegetarian and meat selections. a little light on the gluten free, but you can find something if you look. fare is comfort/bar food - so yeah, there's gonna be salt and grease, perfect with your beers. good selection of drinks, could use more ciders but still very very good. and i can't remember the last time i sat for a meal with metallica, dio, the stooges, the avengers and bad brains playing. agree with other reviewers about the service being slow, but NEVER rude. prices are excellent.
(5)John K.
Nothing short of amazing. My friends and I were visiting my girlfriend here a few months ago and decided to check it out. The atmosphere was exactly what we were looking for. Just a hole in the wall, old style tavern/pub feel. Great beer on tap as well. One special that day was a beef brisket grilled cheese sandwich with smoked gouda and bacon. It literally had all of our favorite things between two slices of sourdough bread. So much so, that all three of us decided to order it. We were not let down. The flavor can only be described as "buttery" and not in a bad way. Everything blended so nice together. The brisket was cooked perfectly, it was not dry at all. The cheese and bacon did not make the sandwich overly greasy either. Honestly, one of the greatest sandwiches that has every graced my presence. I ordered a side of fries with Old Bay Seasoning, where as my friends ordered collard greens. We sampled from each others plates and we just simply were thrown back by how amazing everything was. Honestly, it was so good, we ended up going back for brunch the next morning.
(5)Justin B.
This is one of my favorite places in the city! Everything I've tried there is good. However what keeps me coming back is the burger! The royal burger for me is hands down the best in the city. I gave up red meat due to high cholesterol but every few months I have to have a royal burger. The atmosphere is great too. It's not a real loud bar that you have to shout to hear yourself which is a huge deal for me. when I go out I want to relax and talk to friends. I never feel like I have to shout or like the wait staff is rushing me. I have been going there for five years and have never been disappointed.
(5)Benjamin M.
I was driving back from D.C. and needed to find a spot in Philly to watch the Steelers/Giants game. I obviously wanted to find something close to I-95, but wanted to avoid the typical "sports bar" scene. What to do? Well, I've always wanted to check out one of Vinny P's Dukedoms, Royal Tavern, and it fit both of my previous criteria nicely. Boom! Took the exit and was on my way. Open stools at the bar. Bingo! Only one TV above the bar, but the game was on. Double Bingo! Menu? Yes please. Not a ton of selections, but when I saw the bartender place a large Angus burger with bacon, caramelized onions and smoked Gouda in front of the guy next to me, a decision was instantly made. Gimme that with a side of tater tots. Short draft list? No problem, give me a Winter Solstice. Easy choices all around. Overall, a great meal, relaxed atmosphere and cool vibe. E Passyunk strikes again!
(4)Parker S.
I had heard good things about the Royal Tavern for a long time but hadn't made the trip there. I finally pulled the trigger and stopped in for dinner and a beer. First off, this place is definitely an older bar that hasn't seen a lot of renovations, but that is the charm of it. The beer list is solid with a host of crafts on tap. The menu is a pub food with a modern twist. I had the Vegan Sloppy Joe sandwich, which was good - not great, but good. I was actually fairly disappointed in the sandwich. Mostly, when i hear about Royal Tavern I hear how good the food is, but I was not that impressed. The service was good and the prices were fair. I will probably come back and try some other food options since I have always heard such good things.
(3)K K.
One word for this place, Burger! If there is one thing on the menu that you have to try, it's the burger. The flavors are amazing. The fries are the best I have ever had, mainly due to their dipping sauce. You will have to wait most evenings, on Friday and Saturday after 7, expect an hour wait. I recommend going early in the week or before 7. The food takes forever to come out, but when it does, it's to die for. If youre looking for a long date, this is your place. If you're looking for a quick in and out, not your place. I have waited over 30 minutes for my food multiple times, even when there was no one else in the place. The servers are pleasant, but often forget the small things, probably because there are only two for the whole place, even on a packed night. The decor is nice, but sometimes a little too dark for me. This place also carries Vegan Treats for the desserts. Vegan Treats will trick even the most anti-vegan food person out there. If you see vegan on the board next to the desserts, don't let that deter you, they are fantastic! PS - I hate vegan food!
(3)L B.
Sorry, but I just can't get into this place. I'm not sure if it's the noise level or the lack of personality, but I never have a very good time here. There are so many other great places out there. Go to one of them instead!
(3)Ally G.
This place made me smile :) First off, the vibe and decor of this place is really chill. Diggin' the christmas lights ;) Jukebox is a + too. It was a small place, nice bar (good beer selection). Service was speedy and very friendly! The menu was really, really cool. Very creative. A LOT of vegan and vegetarian options. But also some really tasty sounding meat-eater options too :D When you first walk into the place, a sign says "Best burger in Philly!" So naturally my boyfriend and I had to try their burger out. It was GOOOOD. The peppers on top were too spicey for me, so I took them off. But other than that... the burger was perfect. The fixings, patty, and bun all rocked. It was a party in my mouth :) Very savory and flavorful. It comes with fries and pickle... can't go wrong there. But what really won my heart... I was able to substitute the fries for tater tots! We shared the mac & cheese. I take my mac & cheese very seriously, my favorite comfort food... I was so upset! It was pretty cold and extremely bland. It didn't taste horrible, the texture was nice. But it was nothing to really brag about... So that made me sad... For dessert, we split the "Death by Chocolate". As a chocoholic, I approve. It was so rich we couldn't even finish it! That was a first ;) I'll definitely go back. Especially to bring my vegetation friends. Those vegetarian/vegan options looked good...
(4)Ryan E.
Food is awesome. Service is slower than grandma. I've finally figured out why this place is so packed... They don't serve anyone for at least 20 mins and then take another 20+ mins to bring out your food. Therefore they are creating demand by limiting supply. Brilliant! You walk in and think to yourself, wow, this must be good because it's Tuesday at 9pm and 77 people are waiting ahead of me. That's because everyone sitting down has been there since 5pm. Anyway, besides slow service this place rocks. The food is great and there are always good brews on tap. Let me just tell you... the Chicken Frankie is amazing. By far, one of my favorite weekday hangout spots when I am not looking for quick and convenient.
(4)Steph G.
After spending the morning at the Reading Terminal Market, and the afternoon at the Philadelphia Art Museum, my husband and I wanted a hip dinner option, with good draft beer selections, and vegetarian/vegan menu options. A friend who grew up in Philly recommended the Royal Tavern, and it was exactly what we were looking for. The parking is on-street, so can be a bit challenging, if you're not used to parallel parking. We have a very compact vehicle, so had no issues. We arrived around 4:45 PM on a Saturday, and there were only two tables available (good sign!). The atmosphere is hip/alternative/edgy, yet unpretentious, and even family friendly. Service was excellent. Decent draft beer options. I had a delicious Dogfish Head chicory stout. Husband had an Ithaca Saison. Food was delicious and healthy. We got the vegan sloppy joe and sweet potato banh mi, both of which were wonderful. The fries were some of the best we've had. We also had a vegan chocolate peanut butter cake, and it was one of the few desserts that I've ordered in my life that was worth the money paid. All in all, this place met and exceeded our expectations. We will definitely be back!
(5)Robin C.
So good! I went here for brunch on a random Sunday. I had the hash brown scramble and it was amazing. I'm not a huge fan of eggs and this sold me. Add the special blackberry mimosas and this meal made me a happy woman. And it's affordable especially when you go home happy and full.
(5)Frank R.
The service I had recently was inexcusable. It was about 130 on a Saturday for some burgers. The server took our order and came back with our beers. We didn't see her again for the rest of the day. She was in the place, but just ignored us. I raised my hand to get her attention like I was in high school but just never came back. It wasn't very crowded. There was about 4 tables in the back section and maybe 20 total people in the place. There is no excuse for service to be this blatantly ignorant. When I she finally came over to drop off our check, she didn't even smile or thank us for coming in. Its very unfortunate that this happened because I love the food and beer menu at this place.
(2)Jill A.
I like the Royal. I've been here a handful of times for brunch and it's always been dang tasty. The bacon is always cooked just how I like it without even having to ask. The servers I've had have always been pretty attentive yet laid back. (Liz, an old favorite from Good Dog works here. Always good to see the familiar faces of competent and fun servers!) The place is dark enough to make you happy if you're nursing a hangover. The prices are reasonable. The beer choices are ace. Plus, it's part of the Cantina(s)/Khyber family--reason enough in my book for hanging out. I've yet to try their burger (rumored to be one of the best in the city, right?) so I guess I'm going to have to get myself down to the dirty south more often, huh?
(4)MeMe M.
I think I have eaten just about everything on the menu here! Love this place! Hands down the best burger in Philly! Great caesar salad and awesome nachos too! Prices are very resaonable and they accept cash and cards. The servers are all great, super friendly and attentive, which goes a long way! There's a jukebox if you want to play some music, full bar and tv's for you sports lovers! Parking isn't too bad for this place, there is actually an open school parking lot around the corner where we always park, but usually you can find parking on the street
(5)Melissa D.
Went here with a few friends the other night. Heard they had great burgers, but there's only one on the menu. But that is okay, it was certainly one of the best I've had. Great beers on tap and good atmosphere.
(5)Anne H.
The Royal Tavern has awesome food. My boyfriend is crazy about the tempeh club, which he orders every time we go there. Their nachos are also really, really good, but to be shared; they're enormous! The hummus platter, meatloaf sandwich, and Caesar salad are excellent as well. As for beer, the menu isn't as extensive as Monk's or the Devil's Den, so I would go to those places if you're looking for a great beer selection. Also, the jukebox combined with the crowds on the weekend can make it really loud and difficult for conversations. The menu is very friendly for vegetarians and vegans. It's very dark inside. Overall: food gets 4 stars, beer gets 2 stars and ambiance gets 2 stars.
(3)Brandon M.
This is quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the whole city. It's basically a better Local 44, albeit with fewer draft beers and more (and more diverse -- we're talking Fin du Monde, Schneider, and Tripel Karmeliet) bottled beers. Royal Tavern is cramped and narrow, but this actually works to improve the atmosphere here. The bar is done up all in dark wood, and the walls are a light pastel red. Lighting is appropriately dim, and Christmas lights line the entire space no matter the time of year. As you stay here from 7pm later on, the crowd changes from 30- and 40-something couples here for food and wine by the glass to mid-to-late 20s hipsters here for the quality beer and cool, unpretentious vibe. Food is excellent, with the burgers being the best in the city (it's between here and Village Whiskey, in my mind) -- big, juicy, and perfectly garnished, especially their very hot chipotle pepper mayo. Chicken wings are also some of the best I've tried, as they are very meaty and their sauces -- BBQ, buffalo and garlic -- are all as good examples of each as I've tried. Service is hit or miss, but never so bad that it's unbearable...usually just a case of waiting a few minutes too long to get the cheque paid or to get my first order taken.
(5)Casey B.
We showed up as a group of 4 at 7pm on a Saturday over the summer. The place was full enough that we had to wait 25 minutes for a table but there was room at the bar so we were comfortable and had some drinks. After we were finally seated the service was reasonably snappy and we placed our orders in a reasonable amount of time. The food came quickly, the portions were huge, and our waiter checked in multiple times to see how things were going.
(4)Kara L.
I eat at Royal Tavern on average about once a week. "Royal" as it's locally known, has a great vibe, much like the neighborhood, lots of locals, great people, and good music. Where they really shine is their Specials Menu - local and seasonal, always delicious and inventive. There are of course trusty favorites I get on a regular basis. The Cubano Spring Rolls are a must try, and the Nachos are gigantic & delicious (oh word to the wise - that Longhot on the Burger is INTENSLY HOT just sayin' otherwise, the burger is a good bet as well). The portions are generous, and the tatertots always crispy. There are also a lot of Vegan items, including dessert! Brunch is no exception for the rule of deliciousness (there's also a Cubano Omlette which is one of my favs) and again, check the specials board before you make any decisions. If you're looking for a quick fix to take home & enjoy on your couch, while they don't take orders over the phone, I've gotten takeout while standing at the bar in my pajama bottoms plenty of times. Oh bonus - the kitchen is open until 1am, for semi-late night eating. It's a great place to grab a pint & a bite to eat in the neighborhood.
(4)Melissa R.
I had been wanting to try Royal Tavern for weeks. Heard and read great things about their burger and grilled cheese. I went here on a Saturday night with my parents and boyfriend. It ha a small bar and dining room, but is cozy and not as "divey" as I thought. At around 7pm on a Saturday night, we had a bit of a wait, but it wasn't too bad. My boyfriend loves popcorn, so we started with the truffle butter and Parmesan popcorn, which was addicting. I had a bite of the burger, which lived up to it's reputation. It was juicy and had a great flavor combination with bacon, caramelized onions, gouda, and chile mayonnaise. The Grilled Chicken Sandwich was both sweet and savory with proscuitto, sliced pear, arugula, blue cheese and a lavender-honey mustard. And the french fries were killer. They came with a malt vinegar mayo, reminding me of my childhood in Maryland, where the combo of fries, vinegar, and old bay are a staple. The menu had a myriad of mouth-watering options, I have a feeling we'll be back soon for Round 2.
(4)Betty B.
I found this place to be pretty unique for a South Philly bar. The tap list was great, the vibe inside really good but what made it stand out was the food.While a little pricier then I'd of liked, the food was phenomenal. Healthier choices then on average and great quality. Good atmosphere, will definitely come back. But! You must get here kind of early otherwise it gets packed and it will be impossible to be seated without a long wait.
(4)James W.
Went for the first time today. Heard good reviews from friends. Good beer selection on tap and for bottles. Service was friendly and attentive. As far as the food goes I got the steak fries which were very good and the meatloaf sandwich. I thought the sandwich was very good and quite tasty. Wish there was just a little more meat to the sandwich but overall I can't complain. I've heard the burger is very good here as well and will definitely be coming back to try it out. Overall good experience.
(4)Marilyn T.
Royal Tavern is on my list of Top 10 Philly Eats. The Brunch is solid. I've never been let down by it. Recently, I went out of my way to try the Angus burger that everybody raves about. I was afraid with that much hype, I'd be let down. Quite contrary. The burger lived up to its rep. It was made perfectly medium-rare (which is how I ordered it) and was insanely juicy. Burgers need to be juicy, ya hear? They also honored my request to replace the Gouda with goat cheese, since I'm cow's milk intolerant. Combining a perfectly cooked burger with bacon, caramelized onions, pickled long hots, and chile mayoannaise on on seeded brioche bun? Pure heaven! Favorite beef burger so far by far. I'll definitely be back!
(5)Becca C.
Over the past five years this place has become one of my standard spots for celebrating life's small victories. Granted, it has become increasingly difficult over the years to snag a table without waiting if you come past 6pm almost any night of the week. But I guess that's to be expected when I think the about the many nice things about the place. It's comfortable but still a little bit of a scene. The prices are reasonable for how yummy the food is. And I really like the inside of the place. It's narrow and dark. It has an impressive, beautiful wood bar and a split level dining area. It may sound silly but to me it has always had the feel of being in the belly of some old ship. I love the tempeh club. It was a little too salty the last time I had it but salt goes good with beer. And usually it's on point. It can get a little warm in there if you plan on going on one of these 90 degree days we've been having, but I must say: cold good beer conquers all.
(4)Lena S.
I came here once when I was a student, before living in Philadelphia and before eschewing dairy. I remember eating sharing the mac and cheese in the dark with a friend under the glow of Christmas lights. It was one of the best lunches I'd ever had. When I ended up living in South Phillly, I'd stop in frequently with other friends in the neighborhood, enjoying a huge meal (and even non-dairy dessert! I still fondly remember a massive slice of mint-chocolate cake with real bits of mint flavoring the icing!) and many drinks. I don't know what happened, though--sometime between stumbling home warm and happy many nights in the winter of 2007-8 and the spring of '08, this place just, like, got lame to me. My main drinking buddy and I had a couple of visits where we had really meh food and meh beer, and since those were no longer draws, we could only focus on how stupid-crowded it was when we went--like once I was here with two other people and one of the people in our party bailed because he was so annoyed by the amount of college-aged hipsters' elbows in his back and yelling in his ears and uncomfortable shuffling as we waited for a seat, other person in our party got angry at him as a result, I stood there feeling uncomfortable, etc., etc. Aforementioned best drinking buddy and I recently were in the neighborhood after dinner out, though, and we stopped in. Not teeming with posturing people with personal space encroachment issues this time. We sat and, usually beer drinkers, uncharacteristically went for the Arnold Palmers on the mixed drink menu. Deliciousness ensued: tea-flavored vodka and lemonade = we drank somewhere between 4-6 each and still wanted more (although isn't an alcoholic Arnold Palmer a John Daly?). Like old times, we said we would return. And we did just the other night, downing somewhere between 6-8 Palmers each and sharing some quality company. Tea vodka + lemonade = we remembered why the Royal Tavern was a good time.
(3)Jessica W.
I really like Royal Tavern, but it can be VERY difficult to get a table here. Another one of those "go early or be willing to wait" places. Both of which are very hard if you're very hungry. The food is definitely worth waiting for, though.
(4)Larry I.
Where do I start? Dirty. Skirt steak tacos -- limp, unattractive, taste? None. Hericort vert almandine -- looked like a FEW limp, shriveled green beans. My friend had the taco also and refried beans which ran like sauce! My guess is that they keep it that dark so you can't see what you're eating and sitting on. Yuck!
(1)Natalie H.
I am going to have to agree with everyone and say this place is definitely a go. Beer selection is great, service is friendly, and the food is AWESOME! They make the best grilled cheese I have ever had, they use a combination of cheeses, one of which is smoked gouda-and they make it on GARLIC BREAD-you need to try one, today.
(4)George R.
Oh my, I'm the only three star as of 8/1/2007. I've been to the Royal Tavern four times now and every time I get sick half way between walking from the restaurant to 15th and Broad. The last time was a disaster... I want to believe isn't the food, but I can't help believe that it's not the food. And on the subject of food, the main menu is filled with items that, if broken down into contents, are about 45% bread, 20% fries, 10% toppings/cole slaw/pickle, and the rest is left to whatever entree you order. For the prices that they ask, there is not enough food here nor is it good enough. (It just occured to me, this is all that is left to eat if you're a vegetarian.) They should take the hint from their other restaurant (El cantina) that good portions and quality are in order for the prices you charge. But, El Cantina is also heavy on the bread and fried things. No veggies or real meat substance to their dishes. The specials are the only thing that seem to be of interest at this place because that is where the culinary surprises come in. Sadly, the desserts are the worst part. The other day when I was there, I asked the server whether the desserts were made on the premises. "No," he said. Well, then, are they made by a local Philly baker? "No," he said. OK then, where do they come from. Get this... THEY SHIP THEM IN FROM NEW YORK! "What," exclaims my table of people. Hearing this we instantly made the choice to ask for the check and seek dessert elsewhere. Only problem was, I was too ill to go out after leaving the restaurant...
(3)Tim O.
A dark wooden abyss. And that's a good thing. get there early cuz it gets packed. went about 730 on a friday and got one of the last remaining tables without a wait. the wings are amazing. i'm thinking of them now. plus we got a bonus order for free because we were brought someone else's order first by mistake. one's gain is another's tragedy. good selection of beer on tap. a jukebox. bar stools are limited. this place is small. lots of menu choices. i'm going back soon. Prices aren't really that bad. A bargain nearly.
(5)Chris M.
Great wings and Mac and cheese. Pretty quiet and low key during the day, but gets loud and packed at night. Very fun though. Plus cute pretty waitresses always helps.
(3)Allison K.
I like Royal Tavern, I do, I promise. Good decor, football on the TV, nice bartenders, different and delicious things like truffle oil parmesan popcorn, and a quality jukebox. HOWEVER. I think I'm allergic to this otherwise fine establishment. I walked in tonight - immediate sniffles. Walked out - slight sneezing. And since I've graduated to puffy, watery eyes that can barely see to write this review. I'm willing to give Royal a second chance, but next time I'll be packing some Zyrtex.
(3)Jessica S.
I was hooked on the Royal Tavern after my very first visit. I went with friends for a few more drinks after a house party in Bella Vista, and we were in no way disappointed. We originally toyed with the idea of going to The Dive, but after setting foot inside, any bit of moisture was quickly sucked from my contacts by all the cigarette smoke lingering in the air. I couldn't bear to stay there. (Aside: You must realize I moved here from New York which has been entirely smoke-free for sometime now. I don't think I've been in a smoky bar since going to shows my freshman year of college. I can't handle it anymore.) After that short visit we walked a few doors down to The Royal Tavern, and were immediately happier. The atmosphere was fantastic, and the bar was still quite packed considering it was just about 1:30. We took a table in the back, and each ordered a beer, of which they have a great selection. I ordered a Brooklyn Lager, which I'd never had, but enjoyed. The beer is a nice amber shade, with a slightly bitter taste and after taste, that doesn't overpower or linger too long. Being in The Royal Tavern reminded me of being upstairs at Johnny Brenda's a bit. I can't say exactly why, but I think it had something to do with the decor, atmosphere, and lighting. I'm not saying saying it's a dead ringer for the place or anything, but definitely a similar feel. Considering I love JB's so much, this is by all means a compliment. Like I said, my friends and I showed up quite late in the night, and we ended up closing the bar. The staff didn't mind at all that we were hanging around after 2:00. The waitress just asked that we pay up our tab so she could cash out. The bartender and bar back just went about their business cleaning the place up, not trying to throw us out the door or anything. It sounds pretty stupid, but I really appreciate that. I'm still far to close to the days of being ushered out the doors of college bars right at close like cattle by some over-huge, over-'roided, over-confident bouncer. Bars for cattle: No like. The Royal Tavern: Love. EDIT: The food at the Royal is totally to die for. It's a perfectly sized menu, so decisions aren't too hard to make and you shouldn't worry, because they do EVERYTHING well. I'm a non-vegan addicted to the Vegan Sloppy Joe. The nachos are huge and awesome. The grilled cheese is wonderfully rich. Seriously, everything is perfect. Oh and, last time I was there they even put the Giants' Monday Night game on for me. Sweet!
(5)Yolanda Y.
The atmosphere in this place is good, the lighting is good, and the service is ok. If it weren't for the food, I'd give another star, but my food was just plain. I guess I should have ordered something more ordinary for a bar, or something fried, but anyway, the octopus salad sounded good at the time. It turned out to be bland, and for that price I expected more. This place is worth checking out though, and if I get something here that I really like, I'll edit this review.
(3)Kate S.
best vegan sloppy joe around! Awesome jukebox, pretty good service. I never appreciate the wait (since there's no area to wait in), but that's why I avoid it on a weekend early evening and aim for weekend late nights, weekdays for lunch or early dinner.
(4)Rand M.
Best spot for good beer selection and food.
(5)Jenna C.
I brought my mom here for dinner, the other night. As we were leaving, my mom turned to me and said, "You know, it's really nice that you would bring your mom to a place with a whole bunch of couples on dates and not be embarrassed" I said, "Mom, don't be silly. You're my friend." (Because I'm a great daughter) Then I added, "Besides, the food is really good." I really enjoy the Royal Tavern. They have a decent selection of beers on tap which sometimes rotate. And the drinks are reasonably priced. But it's the food that makes it worthwhile. I suggest that no matter what you get, you order a side of mac and cheese (for only $4, you might as well. You can always take it home). They do get busy... but even at their busiest, I've never had a terribly hard time getting a table. However, regardless of whether or not they are busy, the food can take a while to come out of the kitchen. One more suggestion- don't bother ordering a mojito here unless you want a toothache and diabetic shock from all of the sugar syrup in the drink. UPDATE- They got new locks on their toilettes! Green means go!
(5)Brent S.
Heard the Bloddy Marys at Royal were really good so Mel and I took the walk to see for ourselves. I must say it was in the top three I've had in the city. We split one of the much talked about burgers. It was cooked as ordered and was quite tasty. The service was spotty. It wasn't very busy and took far too long for drinks and food. Nice enough gal, just not in a real "service" mood that day I suppose. I'd go any time!
(4)Karla N.
this is a small bar, so don't come here with more than 3 people unless you want to wait forever. the staff weren't completely helpful when we walked in, but once seated we had a nice server. as a vegan i was happy to see there were several selections, clearly marked. Vegan sloppy joes, Tempeh Club, an interesting sounding salad option and a couple of the soups (a delicious sounding Plaintain Coconut and Avocado Gazpacho) and vegan desserts too! I chose the Tempeh Club. It came with fries, but i got tots instead, and a pickle spear. the club was large and came with grilled tempeh slabs AND tempeh bacon with lettuce, tomato and vegan mayo. it was really good. i could've done without the middle slice a bread and one less of the 2 slabs of tempeh (i took one off). the cost was $8, which was a good deal for all that food. someone with me ordered the octopus salad and said it was delicious. my other friend ordered a burger and said they were "good." she loves the fries.
(4)bryan m.
While still decent, Royal is nowhere near as good as it once was. The food, the service, and the atmosphere have all taken a turn for the worse. The food is still pretty good but something is certainly missing, on the past few visits the fries weren't as crispy, and the sandwiches were missing ingredients. The service is not nearly as friendly or attentive anymore and worst of all is the vibe. It used to always be packed, and had a good vibe. The last few times it was pretty dead, nothing on the juke box and quite occupied by douches. Conclusion: Pretty good bar food (but you can get better in the city), Pretty mediocre service, and pretty boring/dreary place to eat and drink. Find the next hot gastro pub, Royal's time has passed.
(2)Kevin W.
I've been to the Royal a few times, but my recent Fourth of July breakfast over there finally encouraged me to come and yelp about this remarkable discovery. I am a vegetarian and was thus excited to see a plethora of options on their breakfast menu. I ordered a bagel with fried egg and veggie sausage on it. I was expecting a glorified egg mcmuffin, but out came this massive bagel oozing with fresh cheese and well-prepared eggs. It was simply awesome. If you're a vegetarian, there's no better place for breakfast. Oh, and the best part is that you can even wash it down with some alcohol. I had a mimosa and it really hit the sport. The only negative I could find is that the service is a tad slow. But, the staff are super nice and when the food is this good, it's worth the wait. Besides, good music is usually being played. (Especially if you're into the whole indie rock thing) **EDIT/UPDATE** Royal Tavern, I love you, but please don't ever serve your "tomato and lager soup" ever again. It seemed like an awesome idea because I like imaginative dishes. But, a peanut butter and vinegar sandwich is also imaginative, but I'm sure it would taste just as awful as the tomato and lager soup. -- A public service announcement to my fellow yelpsters who enjoy the tavern.
(5)lana p.
I haven't been here in a while, but cute atmosphere and the grill cheese is to die for. I've never been able to eat the whole thing in one sitting but I think that's because I'm eating fries with it! But that's ok because the second half always feels like a reward!
(4)Lori H.
Maybe I'm just ordering the worst dishes on their menu but every time I go to the Royal I am underwhelmed. The most recent time there I had the Mango Habanero wings. While they were reasonably spicy the meat itself had the limpness suggesting that it was previously frozen - sort of like the wings that one would buy at the grocery - preseasoned and found in the frozen aisle. My friends and I also had sangria's that were just okay.
(3)Megan K.
well, i really wanted to love it. but i didnt. i am always hungry for a burger. i have heard too many times that royal tavern has a great one. it comes with bacon (i do not dine on swine) and onions. (not a fan) so i had those things removed. the bread was stale and broke apart as soon as i touched it. the whole burger fell apart in my hands. it was a mess. the meat was dry and tasteless. i couldnt taste any cheese. but the service was perfect. and the atmosphere great. i will go back. maybe to cocktail or try something else. the 2 of us both had burgers. 1 beer and 2 glasses of wine. it came to $44 bucks. i guess its not outrageous, but i hate wasting money on bad food.
(3)Steve A.
I went here for dinner for my birthday with some friends based on some ratings of their burger i read on the site. Let me tell you, this place did not dissapoint. We got there around 7, and the place was pretty crowded, especially for a group of 6. The staff though was extremely helpful in finding us seating, and we sat down after a few minutes. The beer list is pretty good, but what we really came for was the burger, and it was worth it. 5 of us ordered the angus burger, and 5 of us devoured it and wanted more. From the surprisingly tasty buns to the variety of toppings, this burger hit the spot. Definitely will be heading back.
(4)Dan G.
I can see this place from my living room and as a neighbor and brunch junkie I have to add my 2 cents. Let's start with brunch: You can usually find 1-3 items on the specials list every weekend that you'd like to eat. The quiche is usually pretty good, my lady likes to sub the greens salad for home fries. Tropical fruit pancakes are def a hit as well. Also, depending on what time you get in on a weekend morning/afternoon, the music selection is usually pretty good - either dub reggae, or indie rock...I swear I've even heard some Maiden at 11am. I would recommend it for drinks/dinner...the nachos are def one of my favorite non-breakfast items...ideal for sharing and you can get them with meat, or vegan "meatless" meat...either option is delicious. good beer selection, and if you don't like the tunes, the juke box is always hungry fo yo money
(4)Boogey K.
I miss some of the old staff. Food has been taking longer even when the place is empty. HOWEVER, I love the royal and will stick by it until it rights the ship. This place has fed me so many times that I feel like we are related. The fries are the best and there is always something on the menu I can enjoy. After further review some of the staff has grown on me. Love the waitress with the glasses, love the brunette bartender and the runners are super nice.
(4)Ben G.
I always find it amusing that as I am walking to the Royal Tavern, I can always pick out the other people on the street that are also going to the Royal Tavern. This place definitely attracts a certain type of person, and that type of person is a hipster. I don't mind all the hipsters, but it is good to know what you are getting into. The one downside to this type of crowd, however, is that there is way too much indie rock going on, and it is way too loud. Regardless of the hipness of the scene, this place may have the best bar food in the city. Even things that don't sound like anything special, like the meatloaf sandwich, are outstanding. And the specials, which of course do sound like something special, are usually outstanding as well. They are vegetarian and vegan friendly, too, so it is the perfect place to take your hipster buddy from Brooklyn to make Philly look cool.
(4)Dave C.
Oh, vegan friendly bars....is there no love for you in Philadelphia? Apparently not, because, so far the Royal Tavern is the only one I've seen. If you like good vegan friendly food and microbrews on tap, this is your place... Furthermore... This place is step one of the three part Passyunk Ave- Axis of Evil-Barcrawl, where in, you start at the Royal Tavern and drink good beer and eat vegan sloppy joes, then move 5 steps down the street to the Dive, drink pabst and watch blacksplotation movies on a huge flat screen tv, and after your 10th shot of MadDogg 20/20, if your feeling dangerous and have got the moxie, you make the walk 2 blocks down to Rays Happy Birthday where you participate in a duet singing the entirety of Meatloaf's Bat of out Hell with an obese leather-clad construction worker from south philly while slapping back Schlitz cans and smoking ungodly amounts of cigarettes.... So, yea.... Royal Tavern, good bar.
(4)Lianna W.
I've only been a few times, but it's nice to have vegan options that are more than afterthoughts! The service is so-so and it's usually pretty loud, but that's to be expected. Overall, not a bad place to meet up with people, and the table waits haven't been too bad.
(3)Matthew C.
We first tried this place after Little Fish sent us here because they felt bad that we had to wait for our table. Loved it the first time and we have loved it again and again. Great selection of beers. They have PBR in bottles! Plus a variety of Belgium beers. The mango habanero wings rocked!! Sweet and spicy. Also try the old bay fries. I'm dying to try more things on the menu. I'll be back!
(4)Geronimo G.
Awfully expensive for a dive bar.
(2)Jon K.
This place is the real deal, if you don't like it you're probably dead. The Meatloaf Sandwich (with bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini mushroom ketchup on ciabatta) is probably the single greatest thing I've ever eaten in my life. The burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun) was listed as the best in Food Network magazine, for whatever that may be worth. Not EVERYTHING there has bacon, and they've got a ton of veggie/vegan options (recommend the Vegan Sloppy Joe and Tempeh Club). Sick beers everywhere, and a great brunch as well. Can get a little loud in there, but well worth enduring.
(5)Maxwell S.
I like it here. More low key not as crowded as the other places I always go to. I like it because it's a little more mellow. The food has been good every time and the girls are really nice every time I go in. Check it out if you've never been. They always have good salads. Oh and I like the music too.
(5)Johnny B.
enjoyed half of a bacon-vodka bloody mary- with tater tots, eggs and caramelized onions scrambled together for brunch. ahhh! brunch, lunch and dinner is always good at the royal t. please have the burger. I've had it so many times. one of the best in Philadelphia.
(4)Kori M.
The best and I went on a "nice weather shopping/stroll aimlessly around Philly" adventure yesterday and decided to go to Royal Tavern. He has been before but I have not. Being a vegetarian/trying to be a vegan they have great options! The sweet potato ban mi was awesome! I love grilled sweet potatoes! They have great fries too and well my Maker's and diet could have been a bit stronger, the price was not bad. I got an angus burger to-go for the boyfriend and he thought it was the best burger he has ever had! I will for sure be back! I need to try the vegan sloppy joe next!
(4)Lauryn Z.
Royal Tavern has been on my list of places to try for a while now, so when we were searching for a place to grab a beer and quick bite too eat on a sunday evening, I was eager to check it out. The menu provided a solid selection of vegetarian and vegan options. I was starving and ordered the tempeh club, my boyfriend and friend both ordered the grilled cheese and soup. The beer selection was varied and we ordered MaredSous 8 (always good to see one of the less popular belgians on draft) and Arrogant Bastard. The soups (Potato and Butternut Squash) arrived first and were rather watery- I understand they were vegan, so that explains the lack of cream used...) My tempeh club was good, except for the fact that the sandwich was stacked so high, that I had to pull it apart to eat or else it would have created a mess on my plate...My boyfriend and friend however, were rather disappointed with the grilled cheese. The sandwich was listed on the menu as containing 'smoked gouda, provolone, and goat cheese' - which it most definitely did not . gouda and goat cheese both have distinctively strong flavors and the cheese in this sandwich was bland. The 'rustic french bread' was also a bit soggy and greasy. Fries were decent. I felt the descriptions of the food on the menu exaggerated what was nothing more than average bar food. Food aside, I really liked the atmosphere of this place- dark and cozy. Good place to go meet for a beer with friends when its not too busy. Service was also friendly. I'll be back here again because of the decent beer selection- perhaps it was just an off night...
(2)Karen G.
The food was delicious however service was incredibly slow. Our server was overwhelmed, it took thirty minutes to get a cup of coffee n when we received it we had no cream, sugar or spoons.
(2)Apathy K.
Very excited for this place. The vegan options looked hopeful and the reviews were positive. The waitress forgot to write my order down on the receipt. So the rest of my family received their food and I didn't have anything. I'm patient so I waited and the waitress gave me a drink on the house. My father's medium burger was dry and black but everyone else's food was okay. My food came out when they ordered dessert and the tempeh club was ok. Basil aoili was excellent and the fries well done. The blueberry bread pudding was incredibly dry and the brownie was as well. My uncle thought it was angel food cake and didn't like it. After the waitress missing a few more drink orders from us, we just gave up and asked for the check. Very nice atmosphere so I would go back for a beer, but the service was lower than par. Not worth a $92 lunch. And apparently the waitress was wearing her shirt inside out so if she was drunk, I fully understand. It is St. Patrick's day weekend after all.
(2)Meredith B.
Whenever I come to visit my sister in Philly, I ask her to take me to the Royal Tavern. The atmosphere is great, the juke box rules, and the drinks are good. It's my favorite place to go for drinks at night and it's also my favorite place to have brunch. Their heuvos rancheros can not be beat! If there was a Royal Tavern in Brooklyn I'd be a regular but since there's not, I look forward to visiting every few months.
(5)Erik s.
I always thought the best bar food was in northern libs but royal tavern puts bella vista on the map, though northern libs still rules the roost says I. Their burger is one of my favorites in philly and their mac and cheese is very good too. nachos and wings are good too but North 3rd wings are better. the wait staff is super nice and they actually know bout beer which the Royal has a pretty good selection in. its a pretty diverse mix of people which I like and it is crowded but not the unbearable u want to donkeypunch the person elbowing u in the small of your back crowded. Good food+good service+good beer = good fat and drunken times in my book.
(4)Kate S.
I am a fan of any bar where I can get standard pub fare made in a veggie way and I'm not limited to a makeshift salad that's composed of burger toppings. Royal Tavern has an awesome tempeh club with fries and malt vinegar mayo. It was delicious and they even had Rogue Chocolate Stout on draft!! The staff was also really nice and told me the trick to the tempeh club is to order it without the middle bread because it makes it easier to eat. My favorite part was the cd jukebox which had anything from The Jam to David Bowie to Panda Bear to Vivian Girls to Jay Z to etc. The one bummer, to which I exhaled a disgruntled "harumph" was that the illusive duck-wich is no more. I was excited about this from another review and apparently should have read all reviews and spared myself the disappointment. (Full disclosure: not totally a vegetarian, more like an ugletarian in that I've sworn off all cute animals.)
(4)Ryan Z.
First just let me state if you want a pure beer bar, this isn't the place. That isn't to say there aren't good beer selections, but this is the gastro-pub you should frequent. They have two staple sandwiches, the meatloaf and the chicken breast sandwich (i wish they still had the duck club), everyone should have at least once when you go. These two sandwiches alone will keep you coming back, and that is not to say that is all there is on the menu, and the specials are always tasty. I've neglected this bar the past couple of years because the pope opened up, but I always enjoy a dinner at the Royal.
(4)Jen P.
Great beer selection, lots of yummy vegetarian and vegan menu options, a fun jukebox...what more could you want? The staff is usually very friendly, too. May I suggest brunch on Saturday or Sunday? The daily specials are always interesting and delicious. Seriously, you should go.
(4)Phil P.
Great and friendly service, great beer selection, and the best burger I've ever had. I've only been here once so the sample size is too small to give it 5 stars, but maybe I'll write another review once I start going more often.
(4)Jimmy A.
always good. always consistent. Great specials and brunch.
(5)Susanne J.
Some friends and I wandered into the Royal Tavern to continue my birthday celebration after leaving the South Philly Taproom. The place is tiny, but wasn't crowded when we arrived and we were able to grab seats at the bar. The bar tender was attentive and friendly and we didn't have to fight with other patrons to get drinks. We ordered a plate of Nachos which were some of the best I've had - lots of fresh tomatoes and cheese, generous helpings of guacamole and sour cream, and the chips were perfectly crisp instead of soggy or stale. The single strand of holiday lights above the wood bar lend a perfect ambience to the dimly lit tavern. The kitchen is open until 1am which is great for night owls. I was impressed by the beers that they had both in bottles and on draught - enough choices to suit a variety of tastes. I look forward to going back to try more of their culinary offerings, especially their brunch.
(4)Christa M.
The best gastro pub in Philadelphia. This is a great "go to" place for great drinks and great food. They have an excellent selection of vegan and vegetarian options while also offering great selections for the carnivores in your life. I've been for brunch, lunch and dinner so many times it is hard to count. Each time I leave satisfied and happy!
(5)Derrick C.
The Royal Tavern never struck me as a place that I wanted to go to, until I went there. The vibe is cool and the staff is pleasant and nice. I have since been there many times with my wife and it seems that I can't get enough of their burger. For years, I thought that it was impossible to find a burger that was better than Monk's burger, that is until Royal Tavern. There is nothing crazy about the burger, but it is cooked to perfection every time, with the right mix of Gouda cheese, roasted long hot pepper, bacon and spicy mayo. I even get mine with an egg on top to add to its decadence. It would also be dumb of me to forget their great selection of beers, both on tap and in the bottle. They certainly have more choices on the menu and they always have a interesting mix of vegetarian and carnivore specials, but I can't seem to get past the burger. Great place to go if you want a cool place to hang out with good food and drink. Did I mention that the burger comes with fresh cut fries and a malt vinegar mayo?
(5)Lizzie P.
Yay! Such a fun place! If I lived here I'd come here all the time. Fun hip vibe, great bar and local beers. Good selection of vegan/vegetarian food! We had to wait about ten minutes for a table on a week night, as it was a little packed. The great thing was there is a jukebox with a wonderful indie music selection that kept us occupied. I had the vegan sloppy joe and I have to admit I was a little hesitant. I'm a new vegetarian and sloppy joes is a favorite. I was hoping it would hold up. Oooh, it did. It was soo tasty and huge, I ate the entire thing. It also came with a side order of cole slaw which was great. We shared the mac and cheese, which wasn't too bad, a litte chalky but full of flavor. The fries were very yummy too. We tried their local beers. The local dark beer is very smooth, good but I'm not a big dark beer fan. I ordered the Sweaty Betty beer (honestly just so I could repeat the fun title to the waitress), its a lighter beer with a hint of fruit but with a Miller kick at the end which I could have done without. Overall an awesome place to go, little pricey but totally worth it.
(5)Amy M.
it's all about the burgers. and the beer, of course. this place is too damn crowded when i go, however!
(5)Chris Y.
Amazing food! Not sure if there is much more room for elaboration but I will of course make my point. Great beer selection and terrific soft shell crab salad (thanks Nathan). I had eaten his salad by accident. Grilled octopus was out of this world. I got the wing sample and it was delicious. Not Memphis Tap Room good but nonetheless it can hold its own. Next time I'm there I'll have to try the pork chop, which was the largest cut of pork I've seen to date or the burger.
(4)Colleen C.
Royal Tavern straight sucks. In all of my years living in Philly and trying all sorts of spots, I have never been treated by staff so poorly, and so insulted. I went with my boyfriend and another couple, our best friends, after a surprise party, because none of us felt like partying hard with drinking or doing the center city bar scene, but wanted a chill drink and some midnight snacks. A friend parked right around the corner, since she lives a block away, and we first tried the ever-friendly and divey 'Dive bar', but turns out they don't serve any food, so we turned around to try the Tavern. My girl friend and I walked in first and as we were lookign around for a spot, we turned behind us to see her boyfriend being cornered into the wall by one of the bouncers. Before we knew it, andother bartender was in our faces telling us to get out. They had apparently been 'watching us from the window and saw (us) get thrown out of the Dive'. That was pretty funny, as we parked right in front of the Dive, walked in, asked about the food sitch, and then turned right around. When I asked the bartender for please explaining why they wouldn't serve us, he retorted 'Uh cause I said so, how about that!' Since it was midnight of April Fools day, we thought for SURE they were messing with us. Never in my life could I imagine that type of treatment or 'flagging' without even speaking to us. If they had spoken to us first, they would have seen they were seriously mistaken and silly for treating potential customers in such an agressive manner. We were humiliated in front of their patrons. We ended up getting beers at the Dive and talked shit on RT with the Dive bartenders for the rest of the night, as their local patrons joined in passionately. Oh, also for its location, it is completely overpriced and pretentious. The Dive 1, Royal Tavern 0.
(1)michelle p.
I've heard good things about the Royal Tavern, some of them were true. I just really need to go back, I wasn't hungry enough to order their tempeh club so I just got the Old Bay fries. They were a pretty big portion, and I ended up not finishing them even while sharing. The person I was with managed to scarf all his food, it must have been good or he was just really hungry. I've had their popcorn before and that was pretty amazing and I don't eat meat I've had recommendations that the burgers and fried chicken were good. All and all it was an ok experience, the service was a little spotty and it was wicked loud. It also didn't help that game 2 of the World Series was on.
(3)Rev. B.
it was going to be "a-ok" until I wrote the review and thought about it for ten minutes. MEZZE PLATE- awesome. very good, smokey baba, hummus was right, cucumber-olive salad with pickled red onions very good...palate cleansing. Good quality feta, perfectly toasted and grilled lavash and pita. Some quality olive oil drizzled around the plate. stuffed grape leaves were on point. traditional. delicate. Excellent dish. CUBAN SPRING ROLLS- eh. very cool idea that just didn't deliver. Nothing really happening on my palate as I ate them. the ancho sauce was weak. the harissa and skordalia that came with the calamari was an entirely better pair of sauces to go with the spring rolls. hint-hint chef. CALAMARI- crispy, good flavor, but I have a feeling they hung in the pass a bit to long waiting for the rest of the apps to join the party. Not hot and fresh fried when they arrived at table. Harissa and skordalia were very, very good sauces. I could put that shit on everything. WINGS- pretty darn good, especially the chipotle bbq. The mango-hab were tasty as well. Cooked right, crispy, flavorful. Sandwiches... MEATLOAF- I call bullshit. gay, weak-ass, poor excuse for a slice of meatloaf, that I'd bet was just a seared or grilled burger patty. And it was about the size of a postage stamp (ok, I'm exaggerating, but you get the point). The bun engulfed the "meatloaf". Quality bread too, but just overshadowed every other flvor on the sandwich. Bacon marmalade? really? where? Cuz it was lost on my sandwich. smoked tomato ketchup? Oh yea? tasted like friggin heinz to me. Gruyere? ninja, please. domestic swiss probably. AND YOU BURNT MY FN BUN. No, I love charcoal with my sandwich; don't worry about it. CHICKEN FRANKIE- actually really good flavor. I'm guessing a house blend of curry spice as it was original and fresh. very good. The wrap fell short only because it was a soggy, muddled mess, leaking out everywhere. Left the lavash wrap with barely any structural integrity. More like a fork and knife affair. FISH AND CHIPS- a friend had this, and I didn't try it, but she said the fish and chips were good, but YOU BURNT THE FN ASPARAGUS. I mean, really guys. So, obviously, grill man sucks. Burnt asparagus and my toasted bun. My other buddy had a meatloaf sandwich and his bun wasn't bad. Which means you're a friggin hack without the discipline to tell yourself you burnt one bun and you should do another. But, no, let's just serve this charcoal...it's cool. Final bullshit; we were ignored after our order was placed. Had to catch peoples attention for more drinks and beer. Also, three out of four plates had fries with them, and guess what? 2 out of 3 were soggy, limp bullshit. One plates portion of fries looked white and translucent, as if they had only taken a quick dip in the fryer. Ridiculous. Apparently, the hardest thing in the world for a pub to do is cook a decent fry. wtf. Congratulations Royal Tavern; you made the boycott list. And folks rave about this place. I don't get it. It's really a shame too, cuz the place is nice, and the apps, for the most part, are so good.
(2)Brett D.
Sorry Royal, but you're probably the most overrated restaurant on Passy Ave. I think you're prone to the same disease that the Cantina has, which is unfortunate. Don't bother eating here if it's busy. Fill up on their wonderful selections of beer instead.
(3)Michael M.
A quick add to my previous review: after previewing a grilled seitan sandwich as a special in the spring, they added it to the menu full time sometime in the summer/fall. It's amazing (with gruyere!), and solidifies the Royal's place as the king of Philly pubs for vegetarians... pun not intended. Also, Lancaster Milk Stout is back on tap. WHOOHOO!
(5)Nicole R.
The Royal Tavern has been through a few culinary changes during the time it's been open. They do have pretty good food, although some of the things I really liked are no longer on the menu. It's great for brunch or a lazy afternoon going into happy hour. They have good happy hour specials, good burgers and a decent beer selection. Their draughts are always changing out, which is good because then you don't get bored of the same options all the time. I don't think the staff or the patrons are particularly rude. They tend to be people who live in the neighborhood and they are what they are (some may be bike messengers, others may be hipsters). I've never felt unwelcome or out of place but it might be my hair (which is admittedly pretty hip).
(4)John P.
Any joint that has Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live in the Juke is certainly alright in my book. The food here is crazy awesome, a good place to grab a bite with your vegetarian and/or vegan friends. There is a great booze selection, and there is a certain ambiance I enjoy about this place. The waitstaff is supercool as well. The only problem I can see is that Im not in here more often
(4)ezekial f.
one of the best bars in the city. and though i love sabrinas brunch, i do not have the patience on a sunday, so off to royal tavern we go! thats not to downplay the quality of brunch there either, they always switch up the specials and the regular menu is high qual too. i know its been said before but this is one of the top five burgers in the city. i can live without smoked gouda but long hots and bacon, wow! the beer selection is great too! the waitresses are always great even when they are really busy. dont go on sunday because i want to!
(5)Nikki D.
i come to this place quite often. mainly after roller derby several nights a week. the staff is always awesome and the food rarely disappoints. only a few times did i have fries that were over salted. i am however pretty sad that they took the seitan sandwich off the menu. the beer selection is diverse, although lately i havent been too impressed. all in all this place is great. from the atmosphere to the staff to the food..... go here.
(4)Christine R.
Simply put: I love this place. I have been here several times and always leave happy. Royal Tavern has a divey atmosphere, dimly lit, but cozy. I especially love coming here in the cooler months to enjoy a beer and one of their soups. The place is a bit on the small side but I have yet to wait a long time to get a seat. They usually have food specials written on the board. And the food.... is delicious! I've had their grilled cheese, and vegan sloppy joe. I've also tried two of their desserts, which was a chocolate mouse cake and a pumpkin cake. Both amazing, which is significant because I feel bars aren't obligated to produce above average desserts. I've also been here for brunch a couple of times and enjoyed my experience. They have good coffee which is an important standard for me when it comes to brunch. I've never had to wait for brunch either which is great because most brunch spots in the south philly area are packed on the weekends, with an average of 40 minute wait. I came here at 11 a.m. on a Sunday and got seated fairly quickly. They have a couple of vegan and vegetarian options too. And as stated in previous reviews, Royal has a solid draft list.
(5)Heather F.
There's something special about the Royal Tavern. It's dimly lit, and they have a single strand of holiday lights that seems to stay up all year long. The bar is gorgeous, too. It must be original to the building. I've been there several times, and the food is very consistent, and very good. I am a fan of the hummus platter, however, it's too big for just one person. They have a fantastic grilled cheese sandwich, too. I'm a grilled cheese sandwich snob, so trust me when I say it's awesome. If you're used to American cheese, however, then you won't like this sandwich. They use different cheeses, such as provolone and gruyere. Delish! If you're looking for comfort food, and grilled cheese isn't your thing, then maybe you'll enjoy the mac and cheese. The beer selection is pretty awesome, as well. They carry different types of brews, ranging from local microbrews, to Belgian delights. If you have a more "refined" palate for beer, you'll be happy at the Royal.
(4)Kevin J.
Not a place one would expect great vegetarian dish but "all" can enjoy a wonderful experience! A must!
(5)Carlos L.
This place is CONSISTENTLY one of my favorite restaurants every time I'm asked for a list. Love it... fantastic VEGAN food (try the tempeh club. it will rock your afternoon), super friendly staff, the best jukebox in philadelphia, good prices, awesome (albeit small) rotating draft list, vegan desserts, nice atmosphere, yadda yadda yadda. The only complaint i have is the line for brunch if you show up too far after 11. But honestly, i can't blame success on a business that deserves it this much. I don't live in the area (haven't for about four years), but i still make sure to get my friends cross-town for a night of food and drinks at the Royal Tavern more than just once in a blue moon.
(5)Sarah B.
I live right down the street and I go here about once a week- great food and prices. Truffle butter ppopcorn is to die for. I love the grilled chicken sandwich. Variety of beers on tap and they always have seasonal cocktails. Great to come for dinner, drinks, etc. Love it here!
(5)Heather R.
Best Burger in Philly, enough said.
(4)Rob R.
The Royal Tavern has a great menu, I've had both the chicken sandwich and the burger. The burger was very good, a bit spicy, I'd say it ranks among the top 5 burgers in the city behind Village Whiskey, Butcher and Singer, and Rouge. My only complaint about this place is that the wait staff seems to be overutilized and when its crowded (which it always is) that creates a problem, also the air conditioning or lack there of makes the restaurant very uncomfortable.
(4)Jen C.
The food is great, the service is pleasant, and I can always get a table. Try the wings, their amazing, and I love the spicy sauce on the angus burger. A little tip for you: Play MGMT on the juke box and you might get a dance from one of the servers (I wont tell you who).
(5)Stacey S.
UPDATE: I've since been back for dinner, and although we had to wait ages for a table, it was TOTALLY WORTH IT! The food was FANTASTIC! Yummmmmm. After gorging myself on the truffle butter parmesan popcorn again, I wasn't quite up for a full meal, so I got the appetizer gnocchi and it was a super generous portion and super delicious!
(4)Sara H.
there's lots to like about the royal: 1. good beer 2. vegan and veggie-friendly food items that are delicious, especially with #1. i recommend the vegan sloppy joe. 3. relatively chill and down-to-earth atmosphere, although it often gets crowded quickly. one of my favorite bars in philadelphia.
(4)JJ N.
Great spot. Everything I've had on the menu including specials has been fantastic. Great beer selection as well.
(4)Anna B.
The Royal Tavern is pretty awesome. It is ridiculously nondescript from the outside but is so quaint and cozy inside. This tavern is tucked inside a converted row home on Passyunk amidst a very residential area (save for The Dive, a few doors down). It is a small space but is super lively every time I've been. The service is good; some waitresses are a bit friendlier than others but the entire staff seems to be knowledgeable and to take their job seriously. The food is awesome as well. A portobello/arugula pizza special they had once was AMAZING. Really awesome bar fare mixed with interesting entrees and sandwiches. There are a ton of bar/restaurants within a few blocks of here but the Royal Tavern is BY FAR the best. *One complaint: My boyfriend gets pick up from here at least once a week. One time he didn't tip, just left the change he was owed, and the bartender threw the change back down on the bar angrily and told him to keep it. Having been a server for years, I know not to EXPECT a tip on take out orders. Also, my boyfriend had tipped this guy plenty of times before this. UNNECESSARY.
(4)Liz R.
I'm not vegan and pride myself on an unapologetic love of meat -- but the vegan sloppy joe may be my favorite item on the menu. The sloppy joe sauce is out-of-this-world good. Paired with a beer and some crab fries with a game on the TV at the bar -- it's transcendant. If you prefer a table experience, there are plenty of seating options away from the TVs at the bar. The place is rightfully a popular neighborhood hang out, so be prepared to wait to get a seat if you go at a peak evening time.
(5)Justin W.
I Sampled the Angus Burger... Extremely tasty. Oh and they had Rouge Chocolate on draft. The atmosphere is more urban contemporary.
(3)Jake V.
I kind of see a trend going on here where the No. Libs and Bella Vista have some sort of alter ego thing going on. While No. Libs has the Abbaye, Bella Vista has the Royal Tavern. Both have delicious beers and really, really delicious food that tend to lean towards the veggie side. I prefer the Abbaye due to it's proximity to my homestead, though. Royal Tavern is basically the same thing for when I'm in South Philly.
(4)keith m.
I approve of the royal tavern. I went friday and got pan fried gnocci with spinach, grape tomatoes and mushrooms. it was tasty and really hit the spot. The atmosphere is nice, the juke box has a lot of great music, and the beer selection is good. The prices are also fair. All around a nice bar.
(4)Joseph W.
This place clearly does a lot of things right. I'm not sure where they lost me. I like the decor and ambiance, and the service was good. The food wasn't too great, nothing looked great to me and I ended up with mussles which I normally love. They put their own spin on it by using a curry sauce. I liked the curry sauce, although it made a messy dish messier. The only thing that I didn't like was that they had many fully cooked cloves of garlic in their. I love garlic as much as the next person but I kept on inadvertantly eating the whole garlic cloves. Again, I like garlic, but I like my friends much more so I imagine it made me more difficult to be around as the night went on.
(3)Anthony S.
Each of the three times I've been here so far has been mainly to eat with a small group of people. I have to say the food is really REALLY good. It's your typical gastropub fair but nothing too over the top or fancy, it's just done the way it should be... ok, maybe even better than it should be! Definitely a great place for a burger. The few encounters I've had with the wait staff and bartenders has always been really wonderful. They breed a happy helpful bunch here and would enjoy hanging out with them after hours anytime! The beer selection is always a treat ranging from local to belgian to west coast brews. It's hard to go wrong here! You should put The Royal on the top of your go to list for sure!
(5)Brian M.
I'd have never found this place on my own - but was sent there by a co-worker who lives around the corner. This place looks like... and in truth is... a cozy neighborhood bar. That said - it has probably one of the most amazing kitchens in the city. But there is a down side to this... it's a small joint so show up early because getting a table is next to impossible at times. One thing I love about this place is the wait staff. Ask about the specials and they will tell you if they are worth skipping the regular menu for. For instance last time out I had an amazing Jambalaya... rivaling anything I've had in the French Quarter in New Orleans... off the bar menu. But every other time was steered by the waiter toward one of the gems on the standard menu. My favorite is the Roasted Chicken Breast. The menu says it's butternut squash, catalan spinach, cinnamon-cardamom crme frache and frangelico - but the result seems far more rich and complex than that. I could sit on teh floor with a two gallon stick pot of the squash and eat like a little kid. Absolutely amazing.
(5)Christina F.
GREAT food and the best service I've had in a bar/restaurant in this city. The angus burger is the stuff of dreams, my friends, and they have the best tater tots with malt vinegar aioli...droooool.
(5)Nicole C.
Great relaxed local spot! Great wings! Three flavors! The burger is very good, but I don't know that it lives up to all the hype. Great veggie and vegan dishes. The staff were really friendly, but a but understaffed, so kinda slow.
(3)Neil S.
Royal has always served me so good. I have probably eaten there approx 3 mill bill times and have eaten the burger probably one mill bill times, and it has always been good. I miss the seitan sandwich that used to be on the menu.
(5)Justin V.
Dear Royal Tavern, Please pull some Eternal Sunshine shit and return me to the carefree days when tater tots or a halfassed salad were good bar food in my mind. Your gourmet delicacies have ruined me. Do you think i can get pecan crusted red-pepper salmon over mashed sweet potatoes, a jukebox full of wonder AND SLOPPY DRUNK simultaneously anywhere else? No, Royal Tavern. I am a fallen woman. I hope you're proud of yourself.
(5)Molly D.
Last night was my third time eating here and, once again, loved every bite! Last night I was really looking forward to the ruby red mojito I had last time I was in, but no dice. Apaprently that had only been a special. They were more than willing to make me a regular mojito though, and who am I to turn that down?! I also got the chicken caesar salad (the chicken was AMAZING!). The decor is great (tin roof and christmas lights) and the staff is super friendly and nice. The only reason I took a star away is because they have a crazy neighbor who has been known to attack people.
(4)Frank N.
LOVE this place. And, since I live 5 doors away, they make many of my meals! I've never had a bad dish here but particularly love the Meatloaf sandwich and their burgers. Probably the nicest wait staff in town, too. Everyone is very nice and down to earth and happy to help. Jukebox is one of the best in the city.
(5)D M.
I love the food here! They always have some interesting and different dishes than your standard place and I have to give it 5 stars because I have never had better tempeh than here. Their drink options are pretty solid too. I did try to go last night and there was a 45 minute wait for a table so we left, but every person I have taken here has love it! Good Vegan/Veggie options, and their burgers are good too.
(5)Charlotte M.
this place is notorious for it's amazing food, and it's not total bullshit. pretty good beer selection and seriously AWESOME grub. i need more royal tavern in my life.
(4)Jen C.
A Must for Philadelphians. I live just down the street from this South Philly gem & only regret that I never had the pleasure of grabbing a meal here until this past fall after living in Philly for 4+ years. The food is fantastic. There's always something new to try with an ever-changing list of dinner specials, many of which end up being home runs. Lots of vegan-friendly options for those of you who choose to torture yourselves (more power to you, I just can't imagine life w/o steak!). If you're a non-vegan, you must try the mac & cheese. It's a party in your mouth (contains 3 different kinds of cheeses & comes in a fun little ellipse-shaped bowl). Make a pact to split it with someone, though, or you'll find yourself slipping into a food coma. As for the atmosphere, the jukebox is great, but I usually find myself wincing from the high volume - and I work at a rock club. Many times I've had to half yell across the table to communicate with friends & find myself squinting because, for some reason, we're all convinced it will help us hear better...or maybe that's just me. If you're planning on going for dinner, go on a weeknight. This place gets packed on the weekends & rightfully so.
(4)Elizabeth B.
Mmmmmm. Plenty of Vegan and vegetarian options. Bloody Marys have a pickle for garnish.
(5)Michael K.
One of my personal favorites. I've been to this place about a billion times with friends, on dates, with family, whatever. It's my go to spot for a beer and guaranteed solid meal. The burger is arguably the best in the city, but the whole menu is full of great stuff. The chicken frankie: a lovash wrap with chicken curry. The chicken sandwich: with pear and prosciutto. The meatloaf sandwich: with bacon marmalade. Great Brunch too and the bloody mary (esp. the bacon bloody mary) are excellent.
(5)Seijen T.
Good, comfortable bar with good food. Went here on New Year's Eve in 2009 and got a pretty solid drink deal, something like $20 for all you can drink for 2 hours? Can't remember the details, as this review is a year late. :) But still recommended.
(4)Corey B.
This place is just great. Real rap.
(5)Jake W.
What a great way to end a lovely day in Philly (okay, so after leaving and trying to get onto I-95 we blew two fracking tires... but I wish the evening had just ended here!). Great beer selection including what is probably my favorite dark beer in the world - Rogue's Chocolate Stout. I don't think I've ever seen it on tap out here on the east coast, but they had it. So freaking good. It is great bottled, but draft is just a whole 'nother world. That's all I had since I was driving, but my buddies all had some great beers too (the Walt Wit and the Brown Eyed Ale win points for excellent names and for being quite tasty) The food was excellent as well. We had the popcorn (superb, I wish movie theater popcorn was that good... and cheap), the bacon wrapped tempura shrimp (best item of the night), the pan fried gnocchi (great... mm, pinenuts), and the hummus platter (good, though the hummus wasn't as creamy as I like it and there was too much hummus, not enough pita). And all of this was cheap. But that's probably just because I like in DC, where everything is freaking expensive. Still, I'd kill to have a bar with this combination of great atmosphere, great food, and a wonderful beer list near me... even if it was at DC prices.
(5)Nick S.
Not a huge lunch menu, but we were only there for the burgers. They were unbelievable. Best I've had in a long time. Nice beer selection. The place had a nice feel. Not too big, not too small. Loved the handcrafted old style bar.
(4)L. G.
I absolutely love it here. The atmosphere is perfect and the weight staff is always very friendly. A bit pricey but well worth it. In my opinion they have one of the best burgers around. However, my favorite item on the menu is the chicken sandwich. Amazing. They also have an excellent drink selection. I haven't been to brunch here yet but I hear great things.
(5)Erin S.
Always a winner.
(5)Gabrielle B.
Awesome beer selection & they constantly have a new fun drink every week (peach sangria anyone?). And if your strapped for cash but are feeling the munchies, check out their truffle popcorn. It hits the spot & you'll definitely save it for later. The service is always nicer than nice and it's the perfect mix of people. its never to crowded & the jukebox is packed with the best music (from Smokey Robinson to Animal Collective).
(5)Snorie B.
my friends and i went out for dinner here a few weeks ago and after a pretty long wait got seated. We each ordered a tempeh club and some beers. long story short, beers never came and waitress checked on us about once. I believe a tip should be an acurate reflection of the service recieved..that being said i tipped fifteen percent on our bill, which came to six dollars (generous for such crap service if you ask me) and after bringing my my reciept the waitress with the short brown hair and the tired looking face had the nerve to look at me and say "six dollars?" in some aggravated voice. this is ridiculous. In hindsight i left her far too much, heres a tip, if you want a better tip-- BE A BETTER SERVER
(1)Erin G.
Damn, I love their Vegan BLT. Enough to order it for brunch instead of my usual spicy eggs. Tons of marinated tempeh, plus tempeh bacon, plus a pesto mayo stacked triple-decker on multigrain bread. BAM! It's delicious. And they make some other wonderful food for vegans and vegetarians, too. Try the truffle popcorn. And the yogurt and granola, and any of the specials. And while you're sitting in this divine dimly-lit room, get yourself a big old bloody mary for just $5!
(4)Kayte T.
My husband and I just moved to Philly from Brooklyn and we were on the look-out for a new local brunch spot. Consider the position filled! Delicious brunch (I am partial to the eggs with tater tots and chipotle crema), not too pricey and we don't have to wait an hour to eat. For dinner the meatloaf sandwich is so so yummy. I haven't tried anything else yet but don't worry; I just moved here!
(4)Ellen O.
Dear Royal Tavern, Thank you for taking up a wonderful space in my neighborhood and serving the most killer brunch this side of South Philadelphia. The service at the Royal is fast and friendly and you have the best burger on the planet. That hot pepper makes that burger complete. However, your beer menu is well...sort of mediocre. Then again, I am a sucker for beer menus that are the size of War and Peace while you stick to the delicious basics. You make up for it by making sure your servers don't kill me when I want to substitute fries for another one of your yummy sides, like the butternut squash or garlic spinach. You also serve a pickle with all of your sandwiches. Keep up the good work, Royal! See you Sunday afternoon-ish.
(4)Bryan A.
My friend and I were on a mission to try the best burger places in Philadelphia. Royal Tavern was the first destination on the list. When we first walked in, it was terribly dark and as our eyes adjusted to the dark lighting, we realized, it was still super dark in the restaurant. But like the myth says, the darker the lighting, the better the restaurant, and boy was this restaurant delicious. My friend and I ordered the Angus burger to split between the two of us since we were planning on stopping at other burger places throughout the night. The burger came out and the waitress was nice enough to ask the chefs to cut it in half since she knew we were going to split it. The first bite I took out of that burger was an experience that I'll never forget. There was a quick taste of beef and cheese, and then a savory salty flavor, and then a heat snuck up on me, and all of a sudden, the savory salty flavor returned and the heat was gone. I mowed through that burger in a matter of seconds and before you knew, it was gone. I wish I had savored the flavor, it was way to good to put down and think about what was going on in my taste buds. The service was average, It wasn't great, but it wasn't like the waitress ignored us. She refilled our water and was there when we needed something, but didn't hang around to make us feel comfortable to be there. Overall, I am definitely coming back for another take at the burger.
(5)Lucy H.
My first visit, and I would definitely go back! My neice who is 22 was in town, and my husband I,along with a good friend decided to check this place out - and I will say all four of us were impressed with the food, and the drinks! What a positive experience for all four of us. I had the salsa and chips, which were very unique in their taste!, My friend had the grilled cheese which looked so good and guey! My husband had the tilapie taco which sounded awful to me but I had a bite of his taco and was soooo impressed. I wished I had ordered that! I suggest you give it a try.
(4)Sean D.
This doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's good a great neighborhood feel on the inside. Tiled ceiling reminds me of the Park Haus in Pittsburgh, and the vibe is similar. However, the RT devotes almost all of its space to dining tables beyond the small bar in the front. We had to wait more than a few minutes for our table for five around 7pm on a Saturday. I would describe it as "hipster filled but kid friendly," since it's more of a restaurant than a bar. Menu has just a couple entrees but the sandwiches go beyond just the regular burgers, fish sandwich, etc. I ordered the lamb burger from the specials board and it was good but nothing out of this world. The wife's traditional burger was not even close to the well-done that she ordered. There were veggie/vegan options everywhere, and you have comfort foods like mac n cheese, meatloaf, tater tots. The eight taps were $5.50 and included Dock St Bubbly Wit, Lagunitas Pils, Yards Brawler, Troegenator, Arrogant Bastard, Rogue Chocolate Stout, Acme IPA. Nice to also see Cigar City available (Maduro Oatmeal Brown). Bottle list started with $2 PBR and went up from there, but most were under $6. Based on how people (including bartenders at other places) had talked about the food, I guess I was expecting to be blown away, which I wasn't. But it's a safe bet if you're in the neighborhood, and I could envision being a regular if I lived within walking distance.
(3)Barbara K.
I have been at Royal Tavern twice in the last month, once after getting rained out at Phillies game. I forgot how much I like it there! Hummus is great, the chicken curry snadwich (Chicken Frankie) is great, and my husband loves the popcorn. We forgot how much we liked it,and we will be back quite soon.
(4)Jennie L.
Great place for a snack and a few drinks! Love, love, love the Old Bay Fries and Mango Habinero Wings!
(4)Margot C.
After living in the city for 4 years, my boyfriend and I met a friend here for dinner. The bar is supercool and the chalkboard paint in the bathroom is a lot of fun. I really like the dark wood and the detailed ceiling. With that being said, my food was just eh. I was so excited to try the Tempeh Club. The portions were huge but it was incredibly salty and I couldn't taste anything but the salt. The sweet potato fries we shared were good. My boyfriend got the burger and loved it and our friend ordered the catfish special which he enjoyed very much. Our waitress was very good. Quick with our drink order and very pleasant. I am going to give the Royal Tavern another try though because of all the really good reviews.
(3)Amanda D.
I totally L the Royal Tavern. I keep getting burgers....so good (for my taste buds, but not my ass.) This is something I really wanted to try tonight- the drink "Pumpkin Pie". It sounded like Heaven....I didn't get it tonight but probably will next time. (I go here all the time). The other food is great too- salads, brunch food. I love the Old Bay fries. The music playing always rocks. yayy for the jukebox there. And yayy for the Royal....I'll be back in a few days.
(5)Dawn F.
Summary: Great food. Excellent veggie options. Must scream to have conversation. Those without tats/piercings/knit cap will feel out of place. Def. Not For Kids. I live around the corner from this place and have been a regular since the no-smoking ban (yay!). And yet - I rarely go anymore except on odd hours and to order take-out. Why? Because I CAN'T F'IN HEAR ANYTHING!! The music is so frigging loud, and people are screaming to be heard on top of it all. A recent date there resulted in a game of "Charades with Hamburger." The truffle popcorn is great. Hamburger good. Chicken nachos a giant plate of cholesterorgasma happiness. Grilled cheese is fab. Be careful of weird spicy salad dressings. Brunch item consisting of eggs, cheese, sausage and tater tot scramble an exercise in amazingness followed by long food nap. So if you can go for a 2 p.m. lunch or a 6 p.m. dinner, great. Otherwise, be ready to have your inner senior citizen come on out and say "what?" "heh?" "I can't hear over that damn noise!"
(3)Tyler B.
Aside from waiting over an hour for a table on New Years Day, Royal Tavern had excellent service and tasty food. I ordered the tempeh club, which turned out to be a great choice on my part. My associates ordered burgers, mac n cheese, wings, burritos... all delicious. Reasonable prices for food and drink, i would like to come back for breakfast.
(4)Brian L.
YES! I got some pancetta,goat cheese scramble on tater tots and the best bloody mary i have ever had! great spot for bar food that is a little more interesting and is done well
(5)Stephanie P.
This place is great! I have only been here a few times even though I live around the corner. Although they only have a few beers on tap they have a large bottle selection. They also have interesting mixed drink specials. The food is great as well. The fish and chips although expensive, are out of this world. Service has also been top notch each time I have been there. And another way you know its great, is it's always crowded.
(5)Stephanie W.
I've been twice and each time I have the hardest time trying to decide what to order because everything sounds so good! They have great beers on draft which seem to be updated regularly. The only thing I'm not a fan of is how crowded it gets. both times I had to sit at the table which gets a whiff of the bathrooms when someone comes through the saloon doors.
(4)Laura E.
Need to go out celebrate a new job, new fixed gear bike or intellectual phenomenon? Well when I had a reason to go out and celebrate I visited the Royal Tavern with close friends and since then I've been back many times. Where to sit? The bar. What to eat? Anything on their specials board - but the Fresh Popped Popcorn with pecorino and truffle butter is amazing AND only $3! What to drink? Any of their local, seasonal and classic beer selections. While service is a little slow, the adult beverages help pass the time!
(4)Yelena G.
Went here today for the first time. We were a group of 8, so waiting for a table sucked, but the waitresses were great and sat us 15 minutes before brunch ended to make sure we could order from that menu. The food is unbelievable. I had the Angus burger and a side of mac and cheese. Easily one of the best burgers I've ever had. It was spicy, and melted in your mouth. It was almost perfect. The longhots (peppers) that come on the burger are cold, which kind of threw me off since the rest of it is nice and warm, but they do add a great flavor. The mac and cheese was alright; seems like it sat under a heat lamp for a while before they served it, but it was still pretty good. Every one else cleared their plates (but we were all starving after an hour+ wait). I want to come back here and try their dinner menu. Food sounded so amazing. Highly recommended place!
(4)Albert S.
Love the Royal Tavern. Went there for my second visit for lunch. Started with the Watermelon gazpacho which was really tasty. Nice and refreshing but could have used a little more Watermelon flavor. For my main course I had the Vegan Cheesesteak. One of the best sandwiches I've eaten. The ratio of seitan to cheese was perfect. On top of good food they have a nice beer and beverage selection as well as a great service staff. They were always there, without being obtrusive, to take your dirty plates, refill your water, or to order another round.
(5)Kathleen D.
Okay, yes. This is one really, really good burger. Top five in Philly for sure. I stopped here after Flavors of the Avenue...which I realize makes no sense at all. I didn't plan to buy any food since I was stuffed beyond comprehension, but my friend and I were chatting about the burger and decided we couldn't resist so we split it. Yep. Good decision. Always choose the burger. Always. I have nothing more to say.
(4)Cait C.
As I pack my things leaving Philly behind, I am mostly heartbroken over leaving Royal. Royal Tavern embodies the best of Philly dining: a dynamite bar that's not too raucous, plenty of seating rarely requiring a wait, and a place to bring the kids, or your parents, or your friends on a Monday night. The drink selection and bartenders expertise are unmatched (don't ever miss their white peach sangria, mimosas, hot cider, or bloody mary's) and you can't ever beat the price. And then the food! The selection is superb, the perfect blend of small and large plates with tasty specials. I have never once been disappointed with a dish (though I often end up with the nachos or stellar chicken sandwich with pear, lavender mustard, and prosciutto). But perhaps the most unique diamond in this foodie's crown is the expansive vegan and vegetarian selection. Subtly scattered throughout the menu, the standard "veggie patty" is not to be found. Instead and outstanding sloppy joe, gnocchi, and a club sandwich even a steak tartare enthusiast enjoys. I cannot say enough about this place. The staff is so friendly, helpful and diligent (I often ask our waiter to choose between the nachos or chicken sandwich for me); they really know their stuff. The drinks are fantastic and food perfectly executed. If you're in Philly and do not make it here you're truly missing out!! Don't forget to go to brunch as well. Quite amazing and entirely affordable.
(5)Chad C.
When you see over 500 reviews and 4 stars, you expect good things. We stopped by Royal Tavern for dinner and drinks yesterday (a Thursday night) and it was a great time. We finished off the wing samplers as an appetizer. Great sauces, 3 different flavors to try and they were all very good. The wings were very hot (temp) as well, all the food was very hot. It nice knowing your food did not sit around for a long time! For dinner we had the Angus beef burger and chicken sandwich based on the review here, neither one disappointed. I favored the chicken sandwich but just a little bit over the burger, you would be very happy with either or. Good beer list, good wine list. The thing that stuck out the most was the service, our waiter (Brian) was awesome! When we first got there it wasn't that busy and he talked to us about the area since we just moved in. By the end of our meal, the place was full but Brian still provided great service. Ambiance & atmosphere were also very nice. There is something about the restaurants with great Vegan menus also having great meat dishes in Philly. Royal Tavern & Sabrinas both have awesome vegan menus, yet they have the best meat dishes we have had so far. We will be back for sure!
(5)Lene P.
I really, really wanted to love this place. I love the darkness, tavern-y feel of the spot. Great music and atmosphere. Didn't love that happy hour was 4-6 but nothing you can do about that. All good. Service was great, no complaints there. Cleared the dishes, kept us hydrated (water and otherwise) and was very attentive. Ordered the much talked about burger and I may have talked it up too much because while it was good, it wasn't the BEST burger ever. It was just.... good. We asked for medium and got well. The BBQ Brisket grilled cheese sandwich was pretty good. I loved the fries with the aioli dip and the mozzarella cheese (when we asked for cheese). The calamari was a disappointment as I expected more quantity wise.
(3)Nando F.
The hype is true, this is the best gdamn burger in all of the city. The Royal Angus burger with that lovely gouda covering it making it almost impossible not to moan over with every bite. Clearly this is a regal burger, and why not call it "Royal". I mean not only do they put a nice slice of gouda there is more they add to this undisputed champion of the burger realm. Wow, I almost felt like big Jim Ross (JR) or Jerry "The King" Lawlor from WWF (I meant WWE) in saying that the "Royal" is the champ. This is where I will lay the smack down onto you why this is the champ. Are you ready, or I should say are your taste buds ready to be amplified with every bite? Ok here we go, this is what you'll be biting into with every bite. A nice thick angus burger prepped to your liking sitting or lying patiently in a brioche bun. Caramelized onions, with bacon and a pickled long hot laying over top this masterpiece. Yes there is gouda underneath of this interacting with all these flavors. Not only on this burger of all burgers, they also add a chili mayo on the inside of the bun just for good measure. This beauty also comes with their own fries on the side making it a dynamic duo of deliciousness. Damn my mouth is watering again just thinking about this amazing burger. It is almost like Royal Tavern is daring you to say there is something better out there. Now that I have your attention, the Royal Tavern also has an impressive menu in which you can peruse from. I know when I do return I will be trying their mouthwatering wings with the different sauces they provide. Another fan favorite is their Chicken Fried Chicken dish which also peaked my interest. What is also sexy about this joint is that bar once you enter Royal Tavern. The craftsmanship of that bar with the wood work down to the details of it is just sexy. That's twice I used the word sexy to describe a bar, but I must admit it is. Impressive bottle selections to a rotating draft is what you'll find at Royal Tavern. The liquor selection is also pretty impressive, which I am sure the libation gods would definitely approve of at Royal Tavern . I have only met one of their bartenders who is named Josie. Josie will make sure that you are fully accommodated, so there is no worry in having a bad experience. She'll give you insight on what are the homeruns are so basically, it's up to you if you want to give it a go. I say stick to what she is saying, women know best. Don't be afraid to check or ask about their "Specials" they have posted up on a board. I rocked out a great Bacon Corn Chowder! In all great bar, an AMAZING burger, to an all out great time to be had at Royal Tavern. Do it, do it NOW!
(4)Matt W.
Best burger in the city hands down!!! Brought numerous people and have never had anyone argue. Better than Village Whiskey at 1/3 of the price. Highly recommended!!!!
(5)Marie P.
Came in for the weekend from Brooklyn looking for a fun dive bar with late night food. Stayed for the Incredible, knowledgeable service at every interaction, and AMAZING duck confit potato skins. Unreal. The burger is great and spicy as hell. The special included a short rib grilled cheese that did not disappoint. Long craft beer list and good prices I'm glad I stopped in and would do so again. Yum.
(5)Kelli B.
Ok, the place was definitely on my list of places to eat. I went vegan about a year ago and was dying to try the vegan cheese steak. Oh my god!!! It was AMAZING. Not only the staff was great (I needed some help getting into the chair. Disabled+high chair =not very easy! But one of the waiters came over and held my chair while I climbed up) the bloody Mary and cheese steak was just what I needed. My date was not vegan and he ate half of my sandwich and said if he didn't know he would swear it was meat. If that doesn't say something...Will definitely be eating here on my next trip to Philadelphia! This is a place not to be missed. Eat at Royal Tavern!!!
(5)Jim H.
I checked my review from a few years ago before returning and was embarrassed at how much of it was devoted to their popcorn. I was coming specifically for that burger this time (but would get the popcorn too). I came hungry and I swear I could smell burger a block away. The place is as cool as ever, with a great beer list. I'm not sure which I ordered but it wasn't my usual stout or porter. It almost looked like an ipa but I really enjoyed it. I'm sad to report that the popcorn is no longer on the menu (at least not on that day) but it's probably for the best because now I could concentrate on the burger. I actually shared some wings with my compadres and they were good but the burger is the show stopper here. Dear lord it is good. We marveled at the long hot on top and had a comical moment where we all bit into the hotspot at the same time. It was like Dumb and Dumber up on there! The burger was better than I remember. I was glad I was sober enough and hungry enough to really enjoy it. Popcorn be dammed! Top 5 burger in Philly!
(4)Laura Jill S.
Royal Tavern is the winner of the Best Vegan Cheesesteak Contest 2015, so obviously, the day after the contest, we had to go check it out. And yes, there is no question, it is the clear winner. I love the way they slice their seitan a little thicker (their seitan is supplied by Blackbird, the 2014 winner, so it was interesting to see how they prepare it differently), but what really won me over was the bread. Perfect soft texture and amazing flavor, the perfect compliment to everything going on inside the sandwich. They were crazy busy last night, but the service was still excellent. Case in point: there were 3 of us & we each wanted our cheesesteaks prepared differently. Ed C ordered his as is (with onions & mushrooms) but changed his side to tater tots (love their tots, by the way). Jay D ordered his with no mushrooms. I ordered mine with no onions. Happily, they got all of our orders perfect! I also loved their fries--both on my sandwich (if you've never done this, you need to) and alone. Highly recommend! Go get yourself the winningest vegan cheesesteak in Philly! I promise, even meat eaters will not be disappointed!
(5)Liana L.
My husband and I really enjoyed this placed. We came here for brunch with the place poppin and no wait. It's dark inside but don't let this draw you away from its creative menu. We shared one of their soups of the day - coconut and jackfruit with basil! It was so savory and all vegan!! Loved the jackfruit in there. For my entree it was so hard to choose as they had delicious sounding vegan options. I laid my eyes on to choose the buckwheat pancakes served with lemon butter! All vegan. Bam! Very delicious. Our server was very laid back chill and noticed that with their other staff too.
(5)Taylor C.
Upon going to Royal Tavern for the second time, I give them a solid five stars. It is a haven for omnivores and non-meat or non-dairy eaters. I had their vegan mushroom burger and was in LOVE. The burger was just so *mushroom-y*! I had a side of the smoked coleslaw which was very spicy (almost a bit too much for me, but I have a rather low spice tolerance) and delicious! My boyfriend had the regular burger and scarfed it down, which is his highest compliment. He also highly commended the fries. But the holy grail of this place is their vegan cheesesteak. I've had plenty of vegan cheesesteaks in Philly, and is it rightful that Royal Tavern won for having the best one in town this year. We took one to go, and were both absolutely enchanted by it. The seitan on it is sliced so thin and it is perfectly flavorful and juicy. A mix of mushrooms and onions make it a perfect texture with a ton of flavor and not too much cheeze! (A classic mis-step in making a good vegan cheesesteak, if you ask me.) Five happy and excited stars. Also, the wait staff here is seriously awesome. There is being a good, nice and helpful waiter, and then there is doing that and also being a kind human being willing to stop and talk to patrons for a minute. Royal Tavern is full of the latter. I'm so excited this place has a rotating menu, and I fully plan to make it one of my regular joints!
(5)Jesse E.
Kick ass breakfast/brunch food, good music, good beer, good people. Kinda hipster, but what isn't these days. Huevos Racheros was tremendous.
(5)Gwendolyn P.
Kind of bizarre that this place advertises itself as the best burger when it features and array of vegetarian and vegan options. I guess it is good that there is something for everyone but I would imagine that if you are a true Vegan, which I am not, that there is not much appeal in watching someone wolf down a burger - - - even if it is the best burger - - or maybe especially because it is purportedly the best burger. So like if a Vegan and a non Vegan come here to eat and the non Vegan is telling the Vegan how good the burger is doesn't that make for an awkward meal?. I get that these are first world problems but I am just saying. .... I opted for the Wakame Soba salad with tofu. This is not an easy dish to execute and I have to say that they nailed this and got it 100% right! The soba and tofu were cooked perfectly and the vegetable and peanuts in the dish just simply delightful! If I come back I will try the burger. Hint - - -half priced draft and well drinks at happy hour!
(4)Ari S.
I've been to Royal Tavern numerous times and it never disappoints. The service is good, the beer menu is great, and the food is consistently solid. The first time I came here was my first day living in Philly. I had the original Meatloaf Sandwich, which had bacon and other delicious goodies on it. It was insanely good. Fast forward 2 years later and they've changed it. Still good, but not as good as the original. They ALWAYS have beer I haven't tried yet, which is important to me when picking a neighborhood bar. They also have great bartenders. (STORY) A year or so ago, I was there with a friend and the lights went out on the whole block, including inside Royal. They literally didn't care at the bar. If you had cash, the party was still going! They brought out candles and we stayed for another hour and a half. Good times to be had at Royal Tavern!
(4)Marius G.
Excellent food, music, and atmosphere. Good local/neighborhood feel, and has good edge. One of the waitresses will tackle you if you mistakenly try to head downstairs assuming the bathroom is there...meth lab? :)
(4)Lia B.
Best service!! They accommodated a table of 13 vegans with just an hour of notice. They rearranged the entire restaurant and gave us the best service. I don't have enough nice things to say about this place.
(5)Samantha F.
Royal tavern is such a cool little spot. Good for a date or just hanging with friends. The service was attentive and super friendly. Our server was really helpful with suggestions. Fully stocked bar, and food for everyone. Veg/vegan and carnivores. I had a vegan sloppy joe, and my husband had the burger and a wing sampler as an appetizer. Everything was delicious. We will definitely be back the next time we're in philly.
(4)Michael S.
I feel a bit guilty writing this review -- all of my friends' reviews of Royal are 4 and 5 stars... but those reviews are also from 2010 and before. The truth is, we don't eat here often anymore and up until this past Wednesday night, it still held a somewhat positive place in my memory. I ordered the chicken fried steak. The chicken was dense and lifeless. The gravy unremarkable. The mashed potatoes had a hot kick but not much else afterward. My friend got the burger special and was underwhelmed -- most notably his tots were overflowing with oil. My other friend's taco special was bland and unremarkable. If the dishes were inexpensive, I would have been more forgiving, but getting the check added insult to injury. We'll likely not come back for food again... but we won't be missed. The place was as packed as ever.
(2)Jaime ..
The cheeseburger is really good, ordered medium and got a perfect medium. It gets pretty full but the service is still there.
(5)Paloma M.
Great burger and drinks! Family friendly bar! One of the best burgers that I had in Philly.
(4)Tom M.
Nice tavern experience that has some vegan items which is much appreciated. I have been there on a weekday evening in summer and winter and they are very different. The place is not very crowded on summer weekdays but mobbed on a weeknight between Christmas and New Year's. The best item: the smoked coleslaw which is vegan. Get it. Every time. I also am a fan of their vegan bahn mis. Always a treat. The onion rings are great and they are vegan but the sauce they come with is not. Be careful. One thing they can work on is how cold it was inside on a freezing winter night. Very worthwhile though. Good place for vegans and non-vegans to congregate together.
(5)Matt G.
The dark interior goes well with the interesting selection of druggy rock music. I found the burger very good but nothing to write home about. And Kristina behind the bar was friendly without being overly intrusive. I definitely intend to go back and try more of the menu.
(4)Stu L.
I came here after a failed date. I was a perfect gentleman and even offered to split the check! Hey, it's 2015 and I am progressive enough to know that the puritanical male dominated society we live in is on its way out.....she didn't see it the same way but I mean a $29.95 tab doesn't split evenly and when I suggested that I didn't want to her to feel like I was trying to be a typical dominate male and she could pay $14.98 and I'd pay $14.96 she soured and told me she had to go home and read for her book club we parted ways.....anyway, I digress..:not all women are ready for such a progressive person. On to Royal: I've been going to the Dive for years and never once have I set foot in Royal Tavern. Holy Hell what have I been doing? First off, I thought about ordering a vegan option but that was only to show the girls sitting near me how sensitive I am. Once they left I said "Barkeep! Fetch me a burger!" This burger was probably the best thing to happen to the world since I was unceremoniously dropped out of my Moms uterus. I've never been so pro cow murder in my life. This place is a nice mix between hipster, average couples and everything in between. I dig that vibe. The women that work there are delightful, I refuse to subjugate women or stereotype them but I dig some tat's on a chick but sometimes I've noticed the more the tat's the stinker the nether region....not the girls that work here! Perfect in every way. The hospitality was a beacon to everything that's right with the restaurant industry. It's hard to find anything wrong with this place. If I could lodge one complaint it's that it is a little dark in there and hard for people to see that I am reading 18th century literature and be impressed with that. Next time I will come in during the day and sit by the window with my book. That's a sure fire conversation starter and will no doubt make me instantly attractive. See you next time Royal. I can't wait to put your meat in my mouth again!
(5)Michael N.
I know I'm in the minority, but overall I'm not a huge fan of Royal Tavern. Don't get me wrong the vibe is cool and the beer list is fantastic, but food wise, mehhh. I haven't had a great meal here. The burger is good, but nothing special in my mind. I tried the flat bread the other day and it was no better than an Elio's Pizza. The brunch is mediocre at best. The one positive thing I can say about the food is that the new wings they are making are fantastic. Some of the best wings I've had in Philly. Worth a try to come up with your own opinion.
(3)Matt H.
I had the grilled chicken sandwich. The bread had a burnt taste. It wasn't burnt but had black burnt shit on it. Either a dirty grill or toaster IMO. Didn't notice till halfway in. The apple and blue cheese was tasty, though not creative. The chicken was paper thin, barely 4oz if it was. The arugula was good to round out the sandwich. I'd say the overall sandwich experience was compromised by the burnt taste and the diminutive chicken portion, as if its hard to toast bread or chicken is in short supply. It could be a great chicken sammy with some ATD. The beer menu was weak for South Philly. Replacing two IPAs with two saisons was a bad choice, IMO, on the draught menu. 90minute and Yards aren't very creative choices if you only have two IPAs on draught.
(3)Steve P.
I did not eat here, but absolutely loved the service. I went to about every area bar you could imagine in the phillie area. This is the only place where I found the bartenders to be friendly and engaging. Good local place.
(5)Jay D.
I heard that Royal Tavern won the best vegan cheesesteak contest in Philadelphia so I had to check it out. I'm very loyal to Blackbird, and I wasn't expecting the $14 Royal Tavern version to be better. WELL IT IS. It's very very authentic. Finally someone took a traditional cheesesteak recipe and swapped out the meat and cheese for seitan and daiya. You can tell they use soybean oil! The roll is fantastic. It's soft, just like it should be! It's worth every penny and waiting in line to be seated. I only asked them to hold the mushrooms. Not my thing on a cheesesteak. This is coming from a lifelong Philadelphian who spent his first 15+ years dining on real philly cheesesteaks and the next 15+ years settling for "just ok" vegan versions. This is the real deal! (I'll still be more of a regular at blackbird than royal tavern because it's closer and i love blackbird's vegan pizza and wings.)
(5)Jane C.
Had the tofu and tempeh hash for brunch which was scrumptious! Perfect blend of veggies and protein and I loved that the red peppers added some zest to the palate. In general I found this to be a great place for vegans as they have half a menu full of vegan options. Unfortunately I was not s big fan of the service as the girl was super curt and seemed annoyed throughout our meal.
(4)Erin M.
Five stars for the food and the prices. I adore the sweet potato bahn mi, although it is a little bread-heavy. The prices here are incredibly reasonable for the awesome food and there are well-labeled vegan options galore. I highly recommend the cole slaw swapped out as your side for any sandwich. Five stars for the service as well. We came into a very crowded Royal Tavern, asked for a six-seater, and the waitress let us know when one opened up a few minutes later. The only reason I dock a star is that on a 20 degree winter night, the restaurant was blasting the AC. I kept my winter coat on and was considering donning my knit cap and scarf as well. Perhaps they wanted to turn over the tables quickly?
(4)Kathryn M.
Best bloody mary in the city, and that I've ever had in my life. Love royal tavern. best tempeh club sandwich too!
(5)Alex T.
MAYBE it was because I came in on Fourth of July. I didn't love this place. The pros: decent vibe, but relatively simple. Lots of choices on the menu, with a little bitta something for everybody. The "Mezze" appetizer is a nice plate of Mediterranean goods to share (with A+ grape leaves). The cons: SO MUCH SALT. SO MUCH GREASE. You'll likely find yourself chugging water and sprinting to the restroom after this one. Not appropriately staffed for a holiday (but the poor girl did her best). I have a feeling I'm tainted by a misguided order (the Chorizo burger) and poor date of entry, so I haven't ruled out coming back. But there are certainly other joints in the ara worth trying first.
(3)David H.
Very busy on a Friday night, but we stopped through on way home from the airport and picked up some very tasty food. We had the Mac-N-Cheese, vegan sloppy joe, and the vegan grape leaves. All were delicious. We had drinks while we waited on our food (which came out quickly despite the restaurant being quite busy). The pomegranate sangria was absolutely fantastic! We'll be back for the drinks as much as we will for the food.
(5)Belen M.
We come here every so often for brunch, when we don't walk to walk down to Bella Vista. The food is always good and the service is prompt and friendly. We've never had to wait too long for a meal. Definitely give it a try if you're in the area:
(3)Kristen M.
Myself, Dining Partner, and another friend arrived at Royal Tavern around 7:30 on a Saturday. We sat at the bar while we waited for 3 other friends to arrive. The place was very crowded, we knew they didn't take reservations but we managed to score a table for 6 in about 20 minutes. Our table was ready and our three friends were still missing for another 5 minutes, but the kind people at Royal Tavern let us sit with a partial party. Woo! Unfortunately due to service and some odd flavors, I'd give Royal Tavern 2.5 stars if I could. Our server Brian was nice, but was clearly in the weeds. We had to ask him if there were any specials before we ordered. Where we were seated we couldn't see that they were posted behind us down the other end of the restaurant and there were no specials on a paper menu. He was kind enough to read them to us. After placing our order we waited quite a while for our food, which came out bit by bit. I ordered a beer as we were ordering food and never received it. After waiting a while for our food and about 15 minutes into eating it Brian returned to see how everything was. I reminded him about the missing beer and he apologized, but I knew I wouldn't be ordering anything else for the night. Three people ordered the angus burger, which they all devoured. Dining Partner had the special of chicken chipotle tacos which were also very good. Another friend had the wing sampler, which went almost untouched. My chipotle barbeque wings were sweet and oddly covered with some green thing. Not really the flavor I was hoping for. I hate when restaurants feel the need to make ordinary food fancy. Was it a nut? Good thing I don't have an allergy because it wasn't listed on the menu. The one thing I would come back for is the Mac and Cheese which is 5 star in itself! I would recommend coming here to try the mac and cheese, but at a less busy time.
(3)Kristen H.
I like you Royal Tavern - but I hate the stupid sports on your TV and I don't understand the reasoning behind it. I think you have miscalculated your audience. :)
(4)Jason V.
Royal Tavern is situated a bit further north from the hustle and bustle of the usual Passyunk Ave spots, but it's totally worth the trip past Washington Ave. Ambience: has all the hallmarks of an old school dive bar; great jukebox selection, dim lighting, cool accent pieces. It's pretty no frills in the decor department. Service: this is the only thing that can be a little lax about this place. Often, there aren't many servers on duty and the wait for service can be a little lengthy. Not recommended if you're in a hurry. It's he only things dropping a star from this place for me. Alcohol/Beer selection: full bar and many awesome beers on tap and in bottles. Great beer selection. Food: this is where Royal Tavern truly shines. They have an interesting take on the usual pub food, they make some of THE best burgers in Philadelphia. Period. The last time we visited they had a fish and chips as a special and it was AMAZING. They also have many vegetarian options, which is great for my wife. The food is exceptional, always. I recommend this place as a sturdy pub with some great beer and eats.
(4)Janet K.
This was an unexpected gem we found! We had plans to have Philly Cheesesteaks at Jim's on South Street. The line was SO long, we ended up at the Royal Tavern. This is definitely a neighborhood gem! My husband had the vegetarian version of the vegan cheese steak...best sandwich! Service was great, fantastic neighborhood tavern!
(5)Tre R.
Royal Tavern, you're the best. I don't know how you have turned out such consistent quality food for as long as you have, but just don't stop. A grilled chicken sandwich is just about the most boring thing anyone can possibly order, but not here. Proscuitto, blue cheese, pear, arugula, and lavender-honey mustard elevate what is otherwise a sad and boring sandwich to perfection.
(5)Daniel D.
My girlfriend and I went here after I heard they had a good burger. Let me tell you, this burger is fantastic. From the bun to the patty to the bacon and the pepper, everything works perfectly together. Probably one of, if not the best burger I've had in philly. Not to mention the beer list was great and the service was even better. That's what gets you 5 stars.
(5)Sheila F.
Royal Tavern has a great energetic vibe and healthy, yet delicious fare. The Mezze plate offers a creamy hummus & smooth baba ganoush, savory stuffed grape leaves that are so tasty and warm inside, marinated olives, toasty pita, mild feta cheese, and lovash chips. The Mezze plate is the perfect pairing with a Bacon Bloody Mary from their extensive bar! The Mixed Greens Salad is another favorite of mine, The salad tantalizes the pallet with bacon & grilled asparagus, tangelo, shaved fennel, & grana padano, with a light & refreshing limoncello vinaigrette. My favorite day at Royal Tavern is Sunday. They always have a variety of brunch specials and there's usually not a long wait. MmMmmmMmmm....stuffed grape leaves!
(5)Rebecca L.
Royal Tavern is a great local spot (have family within walking distance) so we end up here a lot. It can get REALLY crowded later at night and during happy hours - sometimes so much that you cannot even get through the door without slamming in to people. But when you can get in and get a seat - the food is awesome. I love the Tatertots and Popcorn and they always have a really eclectic specials menu for unique items. We've never gotten bad food here. My only complaint - sometimes it's TOO popular and you can't get through the door!
(4)Liz F.
I can't believe it took me almost 2 years to get to Royal Tavern. It looks like a deserted dive on the outside but you walk in to a beautiful dark wood bar/restaurant. Their brunch menu is awesome- food and drinks. Blueberry mimosas? Ultimate ladies drink. Pomegranate sangria? Ladies brunch drinks are officially off the charts. The food was so good. I got eggs benedict and joined the clean plate club for the first time in ages. Even though the restaurant was packed we had great service. Can't wait to go back to RT asap and make this place a regular hangout.
(5)Bill M.
Royal Tavern has quite possibly been one of those places that have been on my radar to hit up ever since I started to Yelping. So when a friend mentioned it as a place to meet up at before we went to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams(Seriously see it if you haven't - imdb.com/title/tt1664894 ) There was something about it that seemed apropos. And in the end it gave me good insight into why Royal is well worth the hype that it has maintained. Arriving around 4pm on the dot gave us access to there impeccable happy hour. And while I'm normally not a fan of Happy Hours starting so early, I welcomed it when I was on the receiving end for a change. especially when it lead 1/2 off drafts. The beers rotate fairly frequently and do manage to offer up a fairly eclectic mix. And even though one of the oddly named beers that I went with ended up tasting like un-carbonated soda, I was satisfied. When it came to food options the Angus Burger was the only thing on my mind since many people that I know have dubbed it the best in Philly. and while it fell short of hitting that mark; the smoked gouda, pickled longshots, and chile mayonnaise all provided some exemplary ingredients that I have never before seen utilized. And it was also true testament as to why there's always room for bacon (Although it is possible to get carried away - youtu.be/FCxFn3sAw68 )! After looking around on a Friday afternoon, I ran into plenty of locals that I knew. Including one half of the Spinning Leaves and Flash Mob Productions on their graduation day. I also got satisfactory service and plenty of good reason as to why I'll be back!
(4)K. B.
Really crowded on a Friday night. Place is really tiny, no place to stand while waiting. Food was above average, would probably try it again.
(3)L. K.
Best burger in town. Great friendly service. Great soba noodle salad. Fine beer selection. Will Oldham's instrumental album on the iPod -- "Seafarers" -- what?! So up my alley. Used to love to sit in the window and read and watch the sun change the color of the wall across the street. Isaiah Zagar has since done that wall up with what's maybe his mirrored mosaic masterpiece. But before and surely now the bottles and the beautiful mahogany bar illuminate in such a way in the evening that irradiates the soul (especially if you've had a few). Anyway, my first meal in town -- a forgettable tempeh reuben in July 2006 -- but I've since been here dozens of times, mostly sticking to the burger with collards or the soba salad. One of the reasons I love where I live. So stable. Same decor, one or two of the same waitstaff. Hope they never change.
(5)Ken D.
Great Burgers!!! Went there this past weekend and hear great things on there burgers and wings. The rumors are true. Had the wings and burger and walk out a happy and full man. Great flavors of wings and the burger was really fresh. Can't wait to go back and see what else is on the menu. Plus our server was fast and on top of his game, with the drinks.
(5)Sophie U.
I -love- Royal Tavern. It's dark, it's got a great layout, the food is AMAZING and the service is friendly. They have a nice selection of vegetarian and vegan food, desserts included! Two dinners at Royal Tavern allowed me and Boyfriend to try a variety of items and to say that we were bathing in gastronomical bliss both times is a bit of an understatement. Dinner #1: - Cubano Spring Rolls (roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, ancho mustard): This was an unfortunate introduction to Royal Tavern; I can't think of a word other than "meh" to describe it. This is what the missing star is for. - Meatloaf Sandwich (bacon marmalade, gruyère, fried onions, smoked tomato ketchup) + fries: My boyfriend loves a lot of things and meatloaf happens to be one of them. So a MEATLOAF sandwich with BACON marmalade? Yes, please! This was delicious. - Angus Burger (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise) + fries: Whoa. This burger kicked me in the face. It was big and spicy and BOY was it tasty! and those were very, very good fries. - Tiramisu: I'm a big fan of dessert. Unfortunately I never leave enough room in my stomach for sweet little things; this dinner at Royal Tavern was no exception but I absolutely wanted to try the tiramisu. Yes, it was like a piece of Heaven. And yes, I was miserable for a long time afterwards. Nope, no regrets whatsoever. Dinner #2: - Mezze (hummus, smoked eggplant baba ghanoush, feta, grilled stuffed grape leaves, cucumber-olive salad, lovash chips, grilled pita): This has to be the best hummus plate I've had, or at least one of the best. - Chicken Frankie + fries (curry chicken, Indian coleslaw wrapped in lovash): Boyfriend's choice! He liked it. - Mussels (chorizo sausage, poblano peppers, roasted garlic, corn-saffron broth, rustic French bread): Sophie's choice! I love mussels -- these were really tasty, mussel-y despite the surrounding flavors. You really can't go wrong with chorizo! We also got a side of grilled asparagus (for him) and a side of fries (for me); the malt vinegar mayo makes me want to die (in a good, delicious way). The restrooms have chalkboard paint, or just chalkboards -- I don't really remember. Either way if you're still five-years-old inside, like me, you're bound to spend a lot of time in there.
(4)Danan R.
The chicken frankie wrap in lovash is quite good with a nice, spicy curry kick and a serving of crunchy cole slaw. It's a welcome change for your taste buds. Get it with a side of the truffle-parmesan popcorn. The popcorn is an absolutely delectable steal at $3! It's served hot and fresh and is much better for your arteries than say, the tater tots, although those are pretty good too... Anyhow, definitely try the wrap and popcorn here. They also have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too, which is a nice touch.
(4)Regina F.
Christmas Morning. Present wrapped in Box. Perfectly packaged puppy. Jumps out. Licks Face. Happiness. Hot day in June. Enter dark pub. Served: Crispy. Medium width. Long. Fries. Dipped. In. Malt. Vinegar. Mayonnaise. Medium rare. Perfectly pink inside. Sweet caramelized onions. Crispy bacon. Smoked Gouda not quite melted. Fluffy brioche bun. Another. Perfect Package. Royal. Tavern. Rules.
(5)Jason R.
Very good gastropub! Try the burger and sloppy joe sandwich. Great beer selection. Sometimes can be really busy, loud and tough to get a table.
(4)Kathleen D.
Every few months this happens. It starts as a whisper of a suggestion in the back of my mind, when hunger strikes. "Hey I'm hungry, where should we go?" I might ponder. And then from that part of my memory murmurs, "Reeemember that Royal Tavern burgeeerrrr... Reeeemember thaaat, kathleeeeen?" That's as ghostly and mysterious as it sounds. I try to ignore its call... but eventually I will buckle like a pilgrim's shoe. The hankerin hits me hard, ya see. Royal Tavern is a lovely bar with a good selection of beers and it can get craaazy crowded and you might hafta wait A WHILE and the bar is packed and you might feel like there's nowhere to stand without being in the way and awkward-feelings-levels are on the rise... but then...you finally get seated and you have a delicious burger for yourself, and all is well. That's my story. I really like that burger a lot. When I order it medium, it's medium. Thank you. Smoked gouda, bacon and long hots, I love all you foodstuffs too. All together it's a dope burger indeed. The mezze is a good starter to share. Pita and lovash chips are served up with hummus, smoked eggplant baba ghanoush (LOVE), feta, stuffed grape leaves, and cucumber-olive salad. Definitely good. That truffle-buttery popcorn is great great too, as you're having yourself a beer. I'm down with sharing the hill of nachos with vegan beef as well. But I return for that burger. This is what I'm telling you. And I have to stop thinking about it already! I admit to you that the hushed notion is too soon begining to plague me. Quiet you! Quiet, don't make me resent my own good cooking tonight. Update: And I return for the chicken frankie wrap, annnnd the vegan tempeh club, annnnd bloody marys....and bites of what other people have ordered...
(4)Aruna A.
I could really go here every time I walk by, and be so very satisfied. It's so predictably good, and the beer selection is always amazing. I'm a big, big, big fan of the vegan sloppy joe (just be careful - it's extra hot and spicy), and the tater tots, and mac and cheese. NOT so much of a fan of the sweet potato banh mi (I was sad about that - I love banh mi). But definitely a huge fan of everything else I've had there!
(5)Joshua J.
I went here because I was told the burgers here were the best in the city. I'm a big Sketch fan, so I had to compare them. Overall, the experience here was really good. The waitstaff jammed us in a table, even though it was packed, we still got in and out at a pretty normal amount of time. The food took a bit to come out but no big deal. Burger was great, better than Village Whiskey in my opinion, but not up to snuff with Sketch. I'd come here to drink again anytime.
(4)rachel k.
VEGAN SLOPPY JOES! And sweet potato banh mi. And vegan onion rings. And a delightful peach cocktail and microbrews that make the 'gent happy. My lady beverage/vegan dreams come true.
(5)Kurt I.
Always awesome food. Always good service. Always fantastic beer selection. Always the darkest bar in town. Chef Mark McKinney always has a fantastic meal for you. If you are veg, get the tempeh club and fall in love with a sandwich.
(4)Jemma C.
One of the few bars I regularly return to in Philly. Staff are great (ESP the waitress with the short hair), beer selection is spot on and the sloppy joe is PERFECT!
(4)David A.
Went today for brunch on Memorial Day. Thanks fellow yelpers. Passed this place a zillion times and would have never walked in. A real sleeper! It's an old bar with great food. Nice atmosphere. You walk into a big, old wood bar and it's a narrow place with about 20-25 tables. Servers are friendly and efficient. They were serving the brunch menu that didn't hace a chicken dish I read about. No worries. Everything was really good. Was not in the mood for breakfast so we ordered from lunch side of the menu. They also have lots of vegetarion and vegan choices which we enjoy but didn't take full advantage of on this trip. For starters we had the mezze. Excellent but really big and filling. Pita and flat crackers with hummus, baba ganush, grape leaves, etc. Split the burger and meatloaf sandwich with my daughter Devon. Both were really good (read about the burger and it was great!). Meatloaf well seasoned with great toppings. Burger as well. I preferred the burger but no complaints! Ordered medium rare and served right. Both dishes had fries which were not greasy and addicting. My other daughters had the grilled chicken sandwich which had proscuitto and other good stuff on top. They could have shared one sandwich. Very large. My wife had the buffalo chicken wings. They serve four or five different sauce options. I was stuffed and didn't try them but they were big and she enjoyed them. Had the bloody mary was was spicy and very good. We look forward to trying this place for dinner soon!
(4)tom s.
Amazing daily specials and a beer list the waitress was actually educated about. If they have the BBQ pork grilled cheese get it!
(5)Dan B.
This place is excellent. The food is soooo good and it has a great beer selection. It's one of the best gastro pubs I've been to in awhile
(5)John K.
Went for lunch and had a vegan club made with seitan and vegetarian bacon .It was pretty good.They have an imaginative selection of draft beer and the music isn't too loud- a relief! I sat at the bar and found the bartender pleasant and efficient.It was relaxing and I'd go again .
(4)Ben S.
I love the Royal. It's great place for lunch, a great place for brunch, a great place to hang out on a weekend, a great place if you are just looking for a place to go. The only burger I have ever eaten that is better than the Royal's was at a place called Kuma's Corner, in Chicago. The Royal's is so delicious, as is their grilled cheese sandwich. They always let you substitute tater tots instead of fries, and the vinegar/mayo aioli beats ketchup anytime for dipping. I don't really like Bloody Mary's, but all of my friends rave about the Royal's. The only slight drawback is that it fills up really quickly, especially during the brunch rush, but that really just means you have some extra time to order a drink before you get seated. The staff are all friendly and accommodating. I love this place. If I wasn't feeling sick right now I'd probably head over there right now.
(5)Michael S.
So....I waited a couple of weeks since I don't post negative reviews about businesses, but I felt that their other potential customers needed a heads up. 1. The Food at the Royal Tavern is excellent - no complaint. 2. The staff is great when dining in. 3. The atmosphere is very nice and comfortable. Unfortunately, they had fallen short on updating their website to reflect the increased pricing on the menu...as well as menu items that aren't available anymore. My girlfriend and I wanted some food for take-out. We ordered two appetizers. The chicken wings and the nachos. The food, as always, was delicious. The problem is that the online menu on their site had old pricing. Our order ended up being $5 more than we had planned, which isn't a huge deal. But when you walk in with enough money to pay the tab and leave a tip, but end up only having enough to leave a $1 tip, it makes you feel like a jerk. If the price of the order was mentioned on the call when we ordered, it wouldn't have been an issue. Yet, I found myself apologizing for leaving a bad tip when the source of the problem wasn't me. It left for a bad experience, when I've had nothing but good experiences there in the past. It's a great neighborhood place to grab a meal. Just ensure you know what you're going to pay when you do take out. I gave 3 stars because the food was delicious, but only 3 stars when it would have been 5 stars if I hadn't felt like I'd been mildly hoodwinked. I worked for many years in the restaurant and service industry and when pricing is listed and proof is given, the expected price was honored if it was the establishment's error. I was given a shoulder shrug and a "sorry, yeah we need to change that. it's been a problem." I understand it wasn't the server's responsibility to update the website, yet their normally fine customer service was lacking...and on a not so busy night (only 3 or 4 tables being filled and 4 or 5 people at the bar).
(3)Amy F.
The Royal Tavern is magnificent. The food has never, not once, disappointed me in 7 years of going there. I' ve never had the burger and I just don't care. If something is that hyped, obviously some people are going to feel the item in question has fallen short. But (the few) haters need to recognize this place is for real. The soba noodle and seaweed salad strikes the perfect textural balance with its toothsome noodles, crunchy peanuts, and pillowy soft tofu nuggets. The caesar salad, perfect in its simplicity, gets slightly dressed up with polenta croutons, brilliant! I crave those croutons. And vegan desserts, lots of them. There are items on this menu to accommodate all manner of dietary restriction and they're all good. Herbivores are no longer relegated to picking glumly at some sad array of over balsamic-ed veg on a "grilled vegetable plate", not at the royal tavern. And yes, the tempeh club is as good as everybody says.
(5)Kate W.
This is a great place when you are in the mood for great food in a casual atmosphere! We stumbled upon this place this afternoon for lunch, and we were delightfully surprised with how refined and fresh the menu was for a bar. I had the chicken sandwich. It was delicious.. So delicious that I ate my leftovers before I got home! My husband ordered the burger. He eats burgers all the time and said this was a contender for the best burger he's ever had. Both were served with fries with malt vinegar mayo... Yummy!! The place was packed, so I think my love for this new find is shared by many others.
(5)Ken M.
We were surprised to find a nearby parking lot (owned by the notorious Philadelphia Parking Authority) down the block from the Royal Tavern...... It is a 3-hour limit lot and think it was free. I say 'I think' as I didn't see any kiosks/signage about paying and I didn't get a ticket on my windshield. + Plus one !! ...... As for the Royal Tavern: It's fairly small but not claustrophobic..... was cozy. The fellow patrons didn't seem pretentious, good mix of people. They have good Happy Hour specials. Our server was cool, friendly, had a sense of humor, gave us good beer suggestions, kept our water glasses refreshed, cleared the dishes off the table in a timely fashion. She gave us the right mix of attention and space. The bathroom was clean. - hummus plate: excellent - house Angus burger: excellent (would of liked the smoked gouda cheese to be a little more melted) - Kobe beef burger special: very good. - tater tots: good, would of liked em a little more crispier. - french fries: very good, skin-on, crispy - beer selection: not extensive but decent. Yeah, it's a solid 4 stars and we will be back. Until then......
(4)Louis V.
My reasons for heading out to Royal Tavern was based on overall Yelp reviews. Since I would be dining with a vegan, vegetarian, and two meat eaters I wanted to find a great over all place that everyone could be happy with. The Royal Tavern is small inside. It's layout is typical for a Philadelphia restaurant and there is good utilization of space. The seating arrangements are perfect for couples, however larger groups will suffer on finding a spot. On the night that my party visited the Royal Tavern was filled in pretty good. There were 6 open tables spread out in pairs and 2 open seats at the bar. None of these accommodated my party of 4 and we ended up going first on the wait list. We were told 15-20 minutes for a table. However, after 30 minutes of waiting and no sign of a table opening up anytime soon, we decided it was best to cancel our wait and order take-away. While we waited, we decided to watch how the waitstaff operated. There were four employee's working the floor this particular night. There was one bartender, a waiter and a waitress, and what appeared to be a runner. They all seemed friendly, but very frantic and disorganized. No one really seemed to have a grasp on what was going on. There seemed to be confusion at points on who was suppose to be seated next, or who was waiting on who. The bartender seemed overwhelmed to the point that I noticed the runner making drinks just to help her out. It's a shame, as if they would have had one more person to keep everyone on track the service would have been much better. Our take-away was estimated to be out in 25 minutes. Half of our order came out in about 35 minutes and the remaining half came out in 45 minutes. This was a real disappointment as there is nothing worse than seeing food die on a person's plate (in this case, a take-away container) while they sit there waiting for the rest of their friends food to come out. It's also disturbing that the only reason we got our food in 45 minutes is because we informed the waiter that we had to leave and could no longer wait for the order. As soon as we had this conversation he came back in seconds with our order, bagged and ready to go. The only thing I could think of when I was walking out was, 'how likely is it that my food done with my friends and it ended up sitting there for an additional 10 minutes, dying at the window, with no one noticing?' The saving grace of this visit was the food. After waiting an hour and 15 minutes for some vegan sandwiches with fries - the food was fantastic and the wait was worth it. It's a real shame that the food couldn't have been enjoyed in the right atmosphere and that it came bundled with some aggravation. In a less busy night with good service this would have been a 4, if not 5 star review. I plan to revisit the Royal Tavern with some extra time build into my schedule. When I do, I will update my review to include details of a hopefully better experience. Overall, I believe that this place can live up to it's hype - I think I just caught it in a bad night. Update ----------- I recently had the opportunity to revisit the Royal Diner and as promised here is my update. On the night that I visited the Royal Tavern was at half capacity and the service was much faster then my previous visit. The customer service was still nothing to brag about, average at best. The waiter seemed rushed and didn't check back with us after our food was delivered to make sure everything was alright. Lucky for us it was, but we could have used another round of drinks. The food was just as good as the first time so it's nice to know there is a level of consistency there. Lastly, at no fault to the tavern, finding parking took over 20 minutes and we almost gave up until we found a spot a few blocks away. Overall, 3/5 still seems like a honest review. It's a great place to go with good food, but the service is nothing special.
(3)Francis U.
Another C+, B- pub. There is no shortage of pubs in the city with slightly better than average food and trendy beer lists. Royal Tavern fits right into that groove. I have to admit that the burger was good. It had a bit of kick to it, with the addition of pickled longhots. Decidedly above average, but nothing I couldn't make better at home. The 'Korean Chicken' is a glorified chicken wing dish for $16...one may want to avoid that. Some of the appetizers we sampled had fairly developed flavour, but are also overpriced for what they are. The draft list isn't bad, but I need to ask pub owners a question. Why all the big, heavy beers in the summer? As a foodie, and an a fairly scrupulous critic, I wouldn't be mad at a couple 'fast balls' on the draught list. 1 Lager and 1 Ale is all I'm asking. Be as trendy as you like, but keep 2 staples for the traditionalists among us. They did however have Pilsner Urquell in bottles, which was nice. I went with a party after an event we attended. A few beers, and some light comida wound up at $80/couple. I can't say that I'm in a hurry to do that again. I'd rather cook circles around the chef at home for around $40, or take a major step up restaurant wise if I want to move closer to a three digit meal.
(3)Vinny P.
Now my local bar. It still rocks. Great specials and reasonably priced. The draft list, albeit small always has a few beers that are "very drinkable." When I use that term, I mean, I probably drank a few too many of them. Oh and the popcorn is amazing. That's the best 3 bucks you will ever spend. The popcorn is so good, it inspires fist-pumps.
(5)Bora M.
Good food, good ambiance, good vibe, good music, great service.... Five stars across the board ! p.s. I asked if I can substitute fries on my burger for something else and they offered me grilled asparagus (can't get that anywhere else in the city).
(5)Akshay M.
There are days when I feel like a Kei$ha song brushing my teeth with bottle of jack, and leave for the night not coming back , and the next day morning I feel like Diddy, maybe worse. With a throbbing headache to cure there is only one place in the city my dilapidated senses can think of - Enter Royal Tavern. As there isn't a better cure to a hangover than a juicy burger and a bloody Mary concoction. Though the hike to the tavern frm my crib is a tedious one , each step towards it just builds on the anticipation of another great meal for the books. The service at the bar and the tables is pretty prompt even though this place has a laid back feel to it. The place is abuzz with mostly regular locals from around the area who like me can't resist the charm of the place. We generally grab the seat at the bar and indulge in sipping bloody marys and Mimosas till the food arrives. They probably have the best bloody mary to rule the roost of brunch Concoction in the neighborhood. They generally have a good stock of beautiful beers flowing thru their taps and bottles along with a list of other libations, to keep u quenched. U'd find me nibble on those truffle Parmesan butter flavored popcorn most days while the wait continues. This place ignited the Burger snob in me as far as can think of, I used to be happily content with a decent grill of the meat at most places, but NOT anymore. The 8oz burger was topped with bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled long hot peppers, and chili mayonnaise on a seeded brioche bun. I need to issue a drool alert cos it takes in a while for the beauty of the burger to sink in. The first bite wakes u up with the explosions of the Chili Mayo and Pickled hot peppers making a dent on the palate in a good way. The patty is fluffy made to ur order, and with each bite it keeps getting harder to keep track if the intoxication is because of last night's alcohol or the juicy goodness dripping off the burger. They also have a wicked meatloaf sandwich and a bunch of Vegan options that though I haven't bothered with yet, as I have unrequited love for the burger. So if you are on a quest for "One" of the best burgers in phila, I shall stand like a tall lighthouse and guide ur exploits to Royal Tavern.
(5)C T.
The service I received here tonight for a to-go order was completely unacceptable. And yes, I am posting this already because I am so bothered about the terrible service. I ordered two burgers to go on the phone and was told that it would be ready in 15 minutes. I showed up at Royal about 15 minutes later and was told by a waitress that it wasn't ready yet. Ok, totally fine with that. About a half hour later, I notice a to-go order come out and the SAME waitress who I spoke to when I came in, looked at the ticket and then put it above the bar. Obviously I assume it's not mine since she knows I've been waiting in the bar for well over 30 minutes and sees me standing there. Bartender finally goes over and checks the order about 15 minutes after she brought it out- wouldn't you know, it's my order. Then my fiance and I got to come home and eat cold, soggy burgers. I've worked in the restaurant business and understand that to-go orders are annoying and don't usually result in tips; however that waitress' behavior was completely unacceptable. I don't care how much I like their burgers, I will never return to a place that employs people who don't care about the customers and only care about their tips. The waitress was the one with the really long hair.
(1)Adam L.
The Royal Tavern is one of my favorite destinations for good eats in Philadelphia. The Food Girl and I have been frequenting The Royal (thats what its fans call it) for years now. There are just so many reasons to go, really. Where do I even start? Are you a blood-thirsty, unapologetic carnivore? Well then the Royal is the place for you. Their angus burger is the apex of the recent burger resurgence in Philly. Piled high with long hots, smoked Gouda, bacon and a spicy mayo, this is as good as it gets. It comes served with a generous portion of fries alongside their patented malt vinegar mayo. YUM. Or maybe you are a tree-hugging hand-across-the-world vegetarian type, like my lovely fiance. You're covered too. Their tempeh club is out of this world, and just one of many vegetarian-friendly options. Perhaps- like us- you love brunch. Again, the Royal is a winner. It's as alive at 11am on a Sunday as it is midnite on a Friday. There are always interesting specials, reliable standbys & damn good coffee and bloody marys. Or maybe you are just a stone-cold drunk who cares about nothing more than satisfying the pathetic lush who lives inside all of us. I suggest you go to the Royal as well. Theirs is a fantastic drinking spot, with a reliable and rotating list of beers. As you can the see, the Royal Tavern is many things for many folks. Go there and see for yourself. You wont regret it.
(5)Kevin W.
When I went in here my first thought was,this is a pretty run down lookin place so why is their burger rated so highly on the Internet? Bun--high quality and tastes great Meat--really good Toppings--comes with a delicious fried egg
(4)Colleen M.
After multiple times of trying to get into the Royal Tavern, we were finally successful on Saturday. Usually any time we try to go there, they are so busy that we can't find a place to sit, but with Saturday being on Labor Day weekend, they weren't as busy as usual. I have to say, this place lived up to the hype. I had the meatloaf sandwich, and the meatloaf was delicious. I love a good meatloaf, but it seems like so many places don't do it well, obviously not the case with the Royal Tavern. I had mac and cheese on the side, and it was also delicious. I try mac and cheese at a lot of places, and it's another dish that's hard to get prepared correctly. My husband had tilapia tacos, and he thought they were delicious. Service was also attentive; they replaced my Magner's quickly when I said it didn't taste right. If we can ever get in the door again, we wil definitely be back.
(4)Michael M.
I have never had bad food here ever. Everything I have ever tried from breakfast to burgers to mixed drinks. A great place.
(5)Kristine D.
I am about to go on record and say that Royal Tavern has the best burger in the city. Other notable mention goes to the Chicken Frankie (curry chicken wrap, but the size of a burrito). Never really impressed with their draft beers. And the service is usually pretty surly, so I never feel comfortable asking for a recommendation. But the food is really good and you can usually get a table, so I do like to frequent this place a lot.
(4)Walter K.
The "Royal Burger" is a hot item. If you don't believe me, steer over to the write up about it on Food Network, which calls it the best burger in the state. A more credible write up can be seen at A Hamburger Today. And if you still need more reading material, check Unbreaded. I needed to add myself to this laundry list of bloggers who have written about this famed burger. I've been to the Royal a few times, and it's never struck me as a great place. The tap list is small, the prices aren't great ($9 for the burger is decent however), and the bar doesn't have much character. I went hoping the burger would be a reason to bring me in. Before I finished my visit, I had another reason to avoid the Royal. I had the worst service I've experienced in Philadelphia in quite some time. Our drinks took far too long, as did the check. Empty glasses were left on our table, and I was brought the wrong beer. One or two of these may have been understandable, but the overall result was pretty poor. I was dining with my friend Danny, and he ordered the chicken sandwich. He enjoyed it, but didn't really have too much to say, either. Nothing special. I was hoping that my burger would be something to rave about. On paper, it sounded fantastic: bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled long hot peppers, and chili mayo. The pickled long hot peppers had great taste, but they weren't strong enough to stand out with the rest of the flavors. That may be the problem with the burger; too many good flavors mixed together in a way that they just cover up each other. The bun was thick and dense, and left a lot to be desired. I ordered medium rare, and it came out medium. The result was a dry burger, which wasn't even remedied by the chili mayo. I was underwhelmed by the burger. Bottom Line: Not the best burger in Philadelphia, or even South Philly. Poor service and a limited beer selection leave a lot to be desired. I haven't been for brunch in years, but I remember liking this spot. They have a lot of veggie options. $17 for fish and chips is a complete joke.
(2)E J.
Salad was not as described (where was the advertised cheese? bacon? surprise unmentioned grapefruit segments don't make up for those lacking components, y'all!) and boyfriend's chicken and brie sandwich fair at best. At least the fries/beverages were decent.
(2)Matthew B.
The RT seems like a slightly toned down version of the South Philly Tap room IMHO. Good food, decent prices. Somewhat less adventorous on the menu and a not quite as broad a draft beer selection. Good by the bottle selection. Had the mussels - unusual preparation - seemed like a cream of Tomato base? but tasty and nice portion. Crab fries were good and well portioned - but lacked a bit on the old bay flavor. I'd go back again. Btw - Is it just me, or has "the burger" become a competition in phila? It seems that way to me. Everybody has thier own twist. Not complaining, just saying it seems it has become the ubiqitous menu signiture item for taverns these days.
(3)Brad P.
This is an amazing burger. It has bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on brioche bun. If you do not enjoy this burger, then you are either a vegetarian or you hate great things. Don't hate great things. Their fries, service, and laid back-bar ambiance are very good. Right now, Royal Tavern's Angus burger and Village Whiskey's Village burger are engaged in a brutal struggle for my loyalty. Both burgers know what is at stake here - The official title of "The best burger in Philadelphia according to Brad P." They are fighting hard, each landing well-executed attacks against the other. As I write this review, the battle becomes more heated. The Angus has broken a chair over the Village's spine. Undaunted, the Village Springs up and starts choking the Angus over the ropes. The referee was knocked out by a flying elbow but nobody cares...the fight just keeps getting worse. It is brutal. I can't watch anymore. When the smoke clears, I see both fighters still standing...a draw. Here's the deal- As a raw, solo burger, the Village Burger beats out the Angus burger by a slim margin. However, as a full burger-fries-bar package, the Angus burger wins the match. When you go to Village Whiskey for dinner, you will wait an extraordinary amount of time to be seated. You will have to order your side items a la carte. You will spend more money. You will consume inferior fries. There is also an element of fine tuning at Village Whiskey, as you are responsible for choosing some of your own toppings that don't automatically come with the burger. This may lead two different people to have two different experiences of the burger...but it is a phenomenal burger. By contrast, Royal Tavern is not nearly as crowded, the fries are better, and your order comes with all of the fixings that they feel go best with their beef. The quality is consistent and reliable. They choose the toppings for me. They don't make me panic over whether the bleu cheese will be better than the chevre or if I should get avocado instead of a fried egg. I appreciate them for taking the guesswork out of the best way to top my burger and just serving it how they feel it should be. The longhot is a great touch to add a little spice to the experience. In conclusion, I am very positive about Royal Tavern. I take my burgers very seriously and this place is definitely worth heading to. I have not tried anything else but I don't know if I will ever be able to order anything but the burger because it is so damn tasty.
(5)Nicole V.
I like the atmosphere of this place. The waitress was friendly and attentive. I had the two egg breakfast special and it was good. Nothing amazing but better than a lot of diners. I would like to come back at night and try some of the other food though. I would have if it wasn't 11:30am and I didn't have an egg and cheese craving.
(4)Christian M.
One of my favorite places to eat, period. The vegan sloppy Joe is my favorite. I order this 99% of the time. The sauce that comes with your fries is so good. Friends who eat meat swear by the burger. More than one has said it is the best. They have rotating specials that are always worth eating. Don't get me started on the desserts. Since it is such a great place to eat, it gets very crowded really fast. If you arrive and there's a little bit of a wait, stay put. The food more than makes up for it. As for the service, some people will say negative things while others rave about it. The service is fine. They know what they are serving you. I think the service is great. I no longer live in South Philly. I miss this place the most.
(5)Eliza P.
As a single girl, a lot of my "social engagements" involve me crashing the dates of friends - I'm basically making a career out of being a Third Wheel (the pay sucks, but it's fairly entertaining). Last night, I went out with a couple that...has their moments...so I was a little nervous to take them up on their dinner invitation, but my apprehension immediately turned to overwhelming excitement when I found out we were going to Royal Tavern. I had been to the bar once a few months ago, loved it, swore I would go back..but obviously never did because, well, I have no reason. Anyway, the place is awesome. Great atmosphere, great vibe, great ambiance (I think that's all the same, but go with it). Think Trendy Dive Bar, or something like that. Friendly servers and fellow patrons, if a little on the emo/hipster side for my taste, but it's worth noting that I was there literally wearing sweatpants and a hoodie and felt totally comfortable. It's perfect for anything from a date to a quick bite to a place to go after-work - definitely a "no judgement" zone. So, beer is my first love in life, and Royal does not disappoint in this department. They have about 10 beers on tap that were all legit, and maybe 30 or so in bottles and/or trendy cans - including not only the drink of the Hipster Gods (PBR, duh), but my real faves of Dogfish Head 60 Min and Lagunitas. Solid showing. On the plus side, when one of my fellow diners asked a beer question, the waitress actually knew the answer and didn't have to "um, let me check with the bartender," which is always appreciated. Food was (almost, ha) as good as the beverages. I had a grilled cheese which was about as far away from Wonder Bread and Kraft Singles as you could get. Goat cheese, gouda and something else on toasted bread with great fries and some mysteriously awesome dipping sauce. My friends had fried shrimp soft tacos and gnochhi - I don't play the shellfish game, so I can't speak to that dish, but the gnocchi were really good for a "bar;" a little heavy, but who's complaining. We didn't actually order it, but I've heard the popcorn is also pretty orgasmic. In sum, this place is great, and I wish I didn't live on the opposite side of the city so I could go more often. Oh, they also get bonus fun points for having a blackboard and chalk on the bathroom walls. I hope they didn't erase my phone number!
(5)Ann R.
This is great dive-like joint with cheap drinks and good, affordable food. The service is not really good but I guess you shouldn't really expect too much out of a place like this. It is kind of like Grace Tavern but bigger if you've ever been there in the Graduate Hospital area. But Grace definitely has way better service. One time, we just stood there and waited forever before anyone acknowledged us and came to take our order. Another time, someone tried to squeeze in on the table next to us and dropped our drink and the waitstaff kind of gave us a dirty look and charged us for the drink even though we didn't drop it and it was pretty much full still. You definitely come here for the burger! The burger is amongst the best in Philadelphia. They also have a lot of really good vegetarian options if you are vegetarian. We've had brunch here and they seem to make their eggs with butter instead of oil, I prefer oil but that's just me. As far as drinks, they have awesome Bloody Mary's! All their other drinks including beer are well-priced and pretty good.
(3)Jennifer O.
The menu looks amazing so I'll definitely return, even though I didn't have the best experience here yet. I ordered the Tater Tot Scramble ... when it came out there were literally two tater tots in the entire dish. I asked the waitress if I could get some more and she said I'd have to order a side. So, my $10 breakfast turned into $16, but the additional tater tots made the meal really good (without them, the dish is just mushy eggs and sauce with no texture or crunch). I had a taste of the meatloaf sandwich (wow!!! but very intense) and of the bacon-vodka Bloody Mary (I'd recommend this if you're a horseradish lover). Spying on other people's orders, I decided that when I return I might order the burger (looks huge, has the kind of buns I like with the glossy top) or the huevos rancheros ("with extra chips" she asked, and received). Although it seems to have started as a dive bar (decor, waitstaff), everyone in there was hipsters or yuppies, so The Secret is clearly out.
(4)Robert M.
Solid upscale pub fare. I had the meatloaf sandwich, wherethe meat was thinly sliced, with an egg, mushroom and cheese and it was delicious, served with excellent pomme frites and mayo. A small but varied draft craft brew list was a great plus. I'll be returning for more sampling soon.
(4)Gandhus M.
I had to check the place out and have their burger. I want to say the choice of smoked gouda is overambitious, but it's not. I want to say the long hot was too hot, but it wasn't. This burger's components are different but they work in an unexpected & glorious way. I'll leave the labeling to others. It suffices to say Royal's burger was very, very good. Hipster-casual with decent beer, a decent kitchen & dark as hell. It was my first time here and it reminded me briefly of the Standard Tap except with a longer bar, darker wood, in an unassuming building & neighborhood. I'll wager many north of Fairmount wish they could call the Royal Tavern their own. I'll also wager many along Passyunk proudly do. I want to come back here for some serious drinking and/or the nachos. Someone next to me got them and they looked and smelled amazing. Thumbs up for the Royal, I'll be back.
(4)Tom S.
Just as I'd hoped/planned/expected, the wonderful Royal Tavern has quickly become my go-to neighborhood watering hole. Their tap list is short but well selected, and I'm undertaking the glorious task of trying each of the names on their rather extensive list of bottles, which has thus far yielded some pleasant surprises. I tried their burger - freakin amazing. We popped in for brunch, too - not as amazing as the burger but an excellent meal nonetheless. All of our servers have been great, and I've never had a problem with the crowd, or even with finding a seat. Love this place. If I'm not at home or at work, check here next.
(5)Mari D.
This place is a really great option if you have a lot of differing tastes in your group. The menus has a huge variety with vegetarian choices, ethnic dishes - it's easy to find something everyone will like. The atmosphere is a true dive bar, but it can get really packed for brunch and dinner. They don't take reservations, though, so try coming at an off time to assure you get seated quickly.
(4)B P.
I've never failed to have great food or great beer here. Seems like a lot of spots that I go in will have total crap for beer selection while they're trying to be different, but there's usually something interesting and tasty here. The food is also great, I love their grilled cheese and appreciate the cool veg options, and it never feels uptight. Great jukebox too.
(5)Milk W.
Wow! Great place! Beer selection rocks, food is diverse and more importantly quite good. Vegetarian and Vegan selections clearly marked. What a relieft! Unlike many other Gastropubs in the city, they are all too happy here to let you sample a beer or two until you find one that you like. That is much better than being stuck with a $6 beer that you do not like. Food is quite good. We had multiple tasty dishes. Sweet potato banh mi and Tempeh Club are great choices. Fries and tots are all good. Spinach has more garlic than is legal in many localities in Pennsylvania. All in all, I would recommend going out of your way to enjoy a fine brew, some good food, and a hip atmosphere in Philly.
(5)Craig L.
Went for Sunday brunch and it was awesome as always. The Bloody Mary is spicy and delicious, and they have great burgers.
(5)Brian H.
The burger is good. All the food is good. It's good. (Royal Tavern) 4 Stars
(4)Jonathan M.
I recently moved to queens village and needed a place to grab a bite to eat late with friends visiting, mind you i did little due diligence before moving to a new area, well we walked. we ended up at royal and order various apps and beers. I had a dogfish head aprihop and split the chix nachos and mac chz. Everything was great other than the push over bartender that greated us. Could have been more warming but the female waitress pulled through and made a solid evening. Ill be back.
(3)Paul M.
Best burger I've ever had. Ask for BBQ instead of the normal sauce (I forget what it is) that comes on the burger, it's homemade and incredible. My only small complaint is that they will usually leave up the dinner specials at lunchtime which makes you think they are available to order. They are not.
(5)Rachel S.
Great food! It was an early Sat night around eight and the husband and I went out for a bite and some brews. Started off with Ballast Point IPA and moved to a black IPA (per the bartender's suggestion). We shared the Cubano Spring Rolls which were awesome - roast pork, ham, swiss and pickles jammed into 3 nice sized rolls. Husband got the Meatloaf Sandwich (sans fried onions) with Old Bay Fries and I got a pizza on special - Prosciutto, eggplant and mozzarella. It was so so good. The crust had so much flavor in it - I usually toss the crusts away b/c I'd rather save my calories, but this was a must eat. We really enjoyed the visit and will definitely be back.
(5)Luca B.
I am not a hipster & I think vegans are silly. Yes, I ride a vintage bike but no, my pants aren't as tight as my girlfriends are. I also love Royal Tavern. I also accidentally ate vegan sloppy joe, and liked it... I've been here 3 times now, each time making the trek for their (i think famous now) burger. The first time I came here my friend Rob, who's a vegetarian ordered the vegan sloppy joe (or vegan something or other, either way it had tempeh or tofu or something) which I tried, and kept eating not knowing it was... vegan! If they can make vegan food taste good, they can do anything right? Anyway, back to the burger. It's awesome. There's really not much else you can say about a burger really, its beef, its bread, its got a hot pepper (you might wanna open up the burger and spread it out a bit lest you want to eat the whole thing at once...), its got cheese, its got bacon, its awesome and you should eat one. In fact you should eat it and wave it in your vegan friend's face to distract them so you can steal pieces of their vegan sloppy joe. Oh right, this place gets pretty crowded and its pretty small so get there early. The service has always, always been great.
(4)Christine B.
Have been hearing about Royal for months from various yelpers. I finally made it there for brunch. I went with the Breakfast Burrito, which is possibly my favorite breakfast food, but hard to find in Philly. It really hit the spot, a huge burrito filled with eggs, cheese, and poblano peppers, with guac and pico on the side. I only ate half so had a bonus dinner out of it. I also tried the melon mimosa which was very refreshing. I definitely have to get back to Royal for dinner.
(5)Jen K.
I came here the other night straight from work (read: not in the best mood/needing alcohol). I was by myself, so I sat at the bar. I found the service to be very attentive; the bartender was nice and helpful. Since I can't drink beer, I stuck with Woodchuck, which was average priced compared to other bars in the city ($4.50). For my meal I ordered the Caesar salad and added grilled chicken. It was their own take on Caesar salad, which included lettuce, polenta croutons, roasted red peppers, and some extremely cheesy-lime?-based dressing. It was tasty, although it didn't taste quite like Caeser salad and the dressing was a bit dry or sticky. I put some hot sauce on it, NBD. Serving size was generous, which it better have been for $11. All in all I had an enjoyable experience; it defintely beat the post-work blues and it only helps that it's a block from my house!
(4)Kelly M.
The place is a little divey but the food is awesome. Gourmet ingredients at fair prices.
(5)Mary S.
Royal Tavern has got to be one of the most unassuming looking bars in the city. It's lovely inside, old timey, hard wood, but the food is like a gastro-pub explosion that you may not be ready for. I've never had a meal here that was anything less than totally awesome. The beer menu is ever changing, with solid standards as well as epic additions. The staff is generally super friendly, and even when I had a less than pleasant server, I still had prompt and efficient service- so the server was probably just having a bad day. Overall, this is a gem of a place, and I feel more than lucky to have it within walking distance of my apt.
(4)John F.
I revel in raving about rowdy regals This was a destination I've heard much about in my time on Yelp, something in the vein of "Holy Sh*t, you haven't been to Royal Tavern - WTF is wrong with you?" So, I traipsed in here one chilly evening and low and behold, my senses were jolted. Looking around in a seduced gaze, I soaked in the ambiance and was immediately in love. Hauntingly dark, like a Saw movie or a nightmare that has yet to turn vicious. I enjoy being in this sort of escaping darkness. We sat at a table, the place was packed. Some sports game was on the TV behind me but I was disappointed it wasn't a horror flick or perhaps UFC if they had to show sports - it would have been more mood setting. A winter ale was delivered to me, my date had a solid whiskey drink. They were a perfect start to our feast... We split a burger fit for this prefect of West Wash Square, bloody and seared with sealed screams. Sweet potato fries were everything I wanted them to be, infused in the tears of salty oppression. Intending to leave full and happy, we also had the tots - each were brought to the chopping block - there were no survivors. Personally, I feel the place should be called The Oubliette, or perhaps Dreary Hollows. Regardless, I shall return.
(5)Caroline C.
I think I'm in love!!! I wish I lived in Philly so I could come here all the time. What a fantastic place! The atmosphere and energy of this place is amazing. One step in the door and you can feel it. Decent menu with great food - try the tempeh club...OMG it's incredible! Great selection of beer too. Waiters are super friendly as well which makes this place one of my new must-go-back-to-immediatly places in Philly. Even tho you might have to wait a few minutes for a table...this place is completely worth it.
(5)maj s.
Good beer, great food. But goddamn is this place dark and crowded.
(5)Jim M.
After reading all of the reviews of the burger here I had to try it. I got the burger an order of mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was a small order that wasn't very cheesy. and the cheese sauce wasn't that great. The shells were also the small elbow macaroni variety. Unfortunately the burger wasn't much better. While I did like the long hots on it, the gouda that came on the burger was subpar. It tasted and looked like it was from a pre slicked and packed container. And it tasted like it sadly. The burger was also not cooked to medium rare, but was in fact medium. Not my cup of tea.
(2)Adrienne C.
I have mixed feelings about this place. The food is really great, awesome chill atmosphere, good beer selection...but the wait was soooo long. We went for an early Sat dinner, and ended up being there for nearly 2.5 hours just to eat two sandwiches and apps. I do have to say that the grilled chicken sandwich is really good - lavender honey mustard ftw - and the meatloaf sandwich was similarly very good. The duck confit potato skins are just ok, while the mussels are spicy in a good way (thicker sauce that expected, but good). But 2.5 hrs for pub-like food was excessive.
(3)Jeff G.
Fantastic burgers and tacos. Decent beer selection. Very cool neighborhood bar. Caitlin the bartender was great.
(4)Brett M.
I don't know if I can explain my undying adoration for this place. I love the dimly lit bar. I love the great beer selection (quality over quantity). I love the chalkboard in the bathroom. But most of all, I love the food. I love love love the food. I'm going to make a very bold statement: The burger here is the best burger in Philadelphia. Nay, the world. Smoked gouda, pickled long hots, chili mayonnaise, brioche bun! I salivate at the thought... That's not to say the rest of the menu isn't darn near perfect either. Some of the highlights include... spicy greens, truffle butter popcorn (at $3, a must while you wait), the meatloaf sandwich, mussels with chorizo, and those delicious fries. The only thing I would avoid is the Sweet Potato Bánh Mi (which I found to be relatively bland and very dry), especially when I've heard such great things about another vegan option on the menu: the Tempeh Club. Annnnnd, I think I know where I'm going for dinner again tonight...
(5)Vsssh P.
First of all: One of their best sellers the chicken Frankie is only sold during dinner so after 5 which I just found out which infuriates me cuz I always get that but today that's not the case. They have a huge beer selection and great food especially great vegan and vegetarian choice. Place has good vibe to it kinda low key, nice, warm and comfortable place to grab some food. They also have fresh popcorn which again is only after 5 which I don't really get. Bad things: the wait the wait and the wait... We've been waiting for ever and that happens all the time. Plus they dont take reservations so imagine waiting 20 mins for a table followed by about an hour for food people start getting antsy unless they are there for drinking primarily and not for food. So why am I giving it a 4 star? Well the food, booze and atmosphere is great
(4)Heather W.
I'm pretty sure I had a foodgasm when I bit into that savory burger. Best I have ever tasted. I loved it so much, even though I was full and beginning to be in pain, I kept on eating it. MMMmmmm. They have a great selection of beer and the service was spot on and friendly. I can't wait to go back and sink my teeth into that burger again....my mouth is watering just thinking about it...
(5)Peter D.
Great spot. I like the ambiance much better than The Dive, which at times feels stuffy. The crowd here is definitely older and a lot of people definitely have money that go here. I would like to try their brunch sometime and they look like they have an extensive bar food menu that looked tempting. The drink selection is pretty good despite not carrying the best selection of wines. I had a Basil Hayden and was pleased. I'll be back!
(4)Andrea L.
I was with my vegitarian friend so we split some veggie apps and ordered a salad. Everything was really good. Wish i would have ordered a burger though, because they looked SO good. Don't waste your time on the bacon bloody. Their regular bloody, is bigger, stronger, and one of the best i've ever had.
(4)Michelle E.
Yikes. One star is rough but appropriate. I had been here a few times and stomached the boring veg options and lackluster beer menu since friends wanted to come here. The crowd has always been ehh, and usually included some of the d-bags who work at Modern Eye, etc. One day on my walk home from work, I was drawn in by some of the specials on the board outside. Okay, I'll give it one more chance. The menu denotes which items are vegan and which are vegetarian. My husband asked a question about the fries and our server, who I'd never seen before this visit, answered that they are vegan although the menu says vegetarian. We suggested that maybe it should be updated so others who had that concern could enjoy them, and she shrugged her shoulders and said nothing. We made it clear that we were vegan (at the time). I ordered a special off the board which was some sort of asparagus salad with lots of fresh veggies that sounded light and just what I was in the mood for. It had all the ingredients listed on the board. She brought our food out and my husband had his sandwich, as ordered, and the plate that was slammed down on the table in front of me was clearly some kind of steaming meat dish. Before I could protest, she stalked away into the kitchen for several minutes. The bartender was occupied. I pushed the duck dish with asparagus away from me, nauseated by the plate. When she came back, she offered no apology, but stated that she wrote the wrong thing, and off she went with the plate. So...I don't really understand how a duck dish that had a side of asparagus could have been written any way that would have confused the chef. What seemed like ages later, she brought out this salad that was completely covered in blue cheese, with a few asparagus spears, and was missing some of the other ingredients listed. I told her it doesn't say anywhere on that board that it has blue cheese. She scolded me by saying, "YOU DIDN'T SAY YOU WERE VEGAN!" although it was clear we were, and regardless, that is not the type of attitude a server should give an easy-going and patient but now agitated and disgusted diner. I asked her to just bring us the check, please, which she slammed on the table while smirking, and stormed away. Unacceptable all around.
(1)Bill D.
"The best burger in town." That's a pretty heavy statement. Yet there it is, just inside the front door, written on the dry erase-board in the cajoling spirit of a 19th Century huckster. It's just the kind of outrageous claim you'd expect from a cigar-chomping, bowler-wearing fellow with his thumbs stuck cavalierly beneath his suspenders. But unlike snake oil liniments, laudanum tinctures and most things from the Age of Quackery, this is real. It's not even up for debate. Royal has the best burger. The end. Believe me, I know insert-name-of-your-local-douchebag-gastropub-or-Âhip-diner has bread with locally harvested sesame seeds, beef from a vegan cow and cheese made by ecomentalists on the other side of the world. But all of that sucks. They also have a Bloody Mary that you can use to take oil stains off your driveway. It is the spiciest, pepperiest, horseradishiest thing known to man. I drank one and went the rest of the day wondering when something was going to go terribly wrong with my internal organs. I definitely recommend it.
(4)Dan F.
"Great When It's Good. Gross When It's Bad." Royal Tavern, I'm mad at you. When your food is good, it's oooooh so good. But when it's bad, like tonight, you absolutely, positively suck. Tonight's Porchetta Sandwich, a hunk-slobber of roast pork and broccoli rabe on a roll, was a minor-key oleaginous gunkstorm of bad. So greasy, well beyond what any Richter scale could measure, I couldn't eat it. I went home a stroppy child, feeling like I'd been sent to bed without supper. Yet I'd had supper. Another evening's Veggie Burger was standout terrible. It was a loose pile of refried beans scooped into a free-flowing cake, then set upon a bun, which said no thanks and pushed the highly spiced miasma over the bun's ledge and onto the plate below. There's the matter of the BBQ chicken. This dish was a winner -- except, why did the chicken have to be so unbelievably dried out, like Matthew Shepard against the Wyoming wind? The accompanying baked beans were phenomenal: soft but not too soft, tangy but not too tangy. Just right. And as for the matter of your soups. Please stop serving them barely above room temperature. It's dispiriting. Then's there's your cakes. I was highly relieved to hear you don't make these, because my vegan grodometer (measures levels of grody-ness. (c) G. B.) kicks into overdrive here. Apparently all your cakes are vegan -- perhaps this accounts for: (a) the Crisco frosting, (b) cardboard butterlessness, and (c) blanched egglessness served with an afterhowl of (d) throatcatching bitter. At least do this: plainly state on the menu that ALL CAKES ARE MADE VEGAN! And spare the rest of us this shande. But then there's your show-stopping grilled cheese. The incomparable meatloaf sandwich. Your commendable burger. Not to mention your great bartenders, excellent beer selection, famous bloody mary, de-scrumptious breakfast burrito, and wonderfully sunshine-y wait staff. All of which garner you the highest recommendation. I just wish your food were more even. Because when you let me down, it's a giant frown.
(3)Ted C.
I live right next to this place but I hardly ever come here. I suppose my main reason is because the place is always so packed. In addition, I've been told the food here is amazing but yet the first two times I came I was rather disappointed. That however is all subject to change. Based on a few comments on Yelp I went with the recommendation of the Angus Burger. Seriously the burger was out of this world. The pepper they put on top was simply magnificent! I have also tried the Grilled Cheese once before and I liked that as well. Unfortunately I would love to give this place more stars but personal based on my experiences and taste buds it has been hit or miss. I do really like this place and the customer service is great. I would definitely suggest giving it a shot. They do have the beers I like so I will probably be back. :)
(3)Vince C.
Always have great food and interesting specials. Staff is friendly and knowledgable.
(5)Maricel B.
Ate here with 6 other friends and was pretty happy overall with the food, drinks, and atmosphere. Tried the Angus burger on recommendation of my friend who frequents the place since she moved nearby recently. Have to say it was quite delicious as well as the fries that accompanied it. The Angus burger came with bacon, smoked gouda, carmelized oniions, pickled longhots, and chile mayo. I asked for my longhot on the side but I did cut pieces of it to put on my burger just so I knew how the whole ensemble was supposed to taste like and I have to say that it was awesome. The burger was cooked well and was nice and juicy and the gouda was sooo gooda. I also tried the Strawberry Bread Pudding which I thought was pretty good way to end my meal. Malbec was my drink of choice and paired well with my burger. I would have liked to have given it 5 stars but we went on a Saturday night and got there when every table was pretty much taken up. Well we didn't wait long and it looked like a party of 5 were getting up to leave. When we started toward the table for fear of losing it to someone else, one of the waiters yelled at us that they had to clean the table. I don't think there was any need for that, so that is why 4 stars. My next visit I hope to upgrade this to 5 because I really thought the food was delicious.
(4)Gen Y.
This place is lovely. It is a great place for my neighborhood, as well as for being a vegetarian! Great food and decent prices. Nice happy hour specials and the blood mary's on sundays are only $5! GET THE POPCORN!
(5)Evan C.
So my friend, who shall remain nameless... Neil. Swears by these burgers, so I had to try them. Went here on a Friday night, it was pretty crowded, but they were still able to seat my g/f and I pretty quickly which was good. The waiter was good even though it was busy, he got my beer pretty quickly and that's all I really needed to give him an A. We ordered the burgers, and the timing was good. We both got the Angus Burger. I must say - They are pretty good. I wouldn't say they're my favorite, however it's a different burger which is nice to have instead of the same old thing everywhere you go. It had bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on a seeded brioche bun. I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the bun, I like soft buns (hun). And the mayo was really good, again a different taste which is refreshing. I'm a huge gouda fan as well, and it all worked together. The only thing was the longhots, next time (there will be a next time soon) I'll have those guys on the side. I apparently couldn't read when I saw the ingredients and wasn't expecting them, so when I took a bite I got the whole thing, that's when I needed another beer.
(4)Elisabeth Y.
To me, this is a restaurant, not a drinking establishment: I think I've only been to the Royal Tavern once for the specific purpose of having a few beers. To be honest, the drinks seem overpriced to me, and it gets crowded fast. But for meals? YES! Don't bother messing around with any vegetarian entree other than THE TEMPEH CLUB. It is so good.
(4)Thomas M.
I have to say that I always considered myself a "Loyal Follower" of Royal Tavern but after my last visit I have to say I was definitely disappointed. We were there for brunch and I choose the Italian Sausage Gravy over Biscuits that WAS NOT described as spicy and I have never seen a spicy version in my life BUT I have been to Royal Tavern many times and I know they often make dishes spicy without putting it in the description, which by the way I will never understand but whatever. So I asked the waitress just to be sure and her exact words were "na, it's not really spicy, not at all". Now let me explain, I am not someone that is scared of spicy food but currently I have some acid reflux issues due to medicine I am taking so sadly I have to stay away from spicy food, temporarily thank God! The dish came out and not only was it spicy, EVERYTHING WAS SPICY. The Sausage - Spicy, Gravy (which is normally a white gravy) was so spicy it was a pink, Biscuits - Spicy (and not that good I might add). Even the hash browns on the side were dusted in Cyan Pepper. I took one bite to give it the "Old College Try" but I just couldn't do it. So I then waited 5/10 minutes for the waitress to finish doing her shoots with the Bartender and other waitress before I could send it back. I have nothing against waitresses and bartenders doing to occasional shot but Saturday morning Brunch, really??? The waitress offered to make me something else but my wife was already half way though her meal so I declined. Then it took a turn from crappy experience to I clearly do not care about my customer right now because the bill comes and the waitress charged me for the Biscuits and Gravy!!! After she clearly did not know the menu and I took one bite and sent it back she still charged me!!! Everything considered I would have given a 3 star for this meal since I love Royal Tavern but is this a sign that things are changing there? I can not mark my experience as "A-OK" if I had to pay for a meal I could not eat because the waitress doesn't know the menu. It won't be my last trip to Royal Tavern because above of all else they still have the BEST BURGER IN PHILLY. But I guess only time will tell if they are starting to slip on the food and service that gave them there "Loyal Following".
(2)Aubrey E.
If reviewing the Royal Tavern by food only, I definitely would have given it 5 stars. However, we were extremely disappointed with the service. Our waiter was quite cold and it took forever for our food to come out. With that said, we would still definitely go back. The Tavern has some great beers on draft. The food was excellent! For our entrees, we split the burger and the wing sampler, with a side of baked beans. All three were very tasty. The sauces for the wings couldn't have been better and the burger was one of the best we've had. Even the baked beans were exceptional. We went a little early (around 6pm) on a Saturday and did not have to wait for a table, but by the time we left, it appeared to be very crowded. All in all, we will be back for sure (with the hopes that we get a different server).
(4)Peter H.
A Hipster spot, with Hipster bartenders and Hipster servers, serving a Hipster beer list, and Hipster food, including Hipster asian influences such as banh mi, and Hipster vegan options. Love it. Made me feel cooler by association. Everything I've had here has been good, including the burger, curry lovash, cuban omelette, sloppy joe. But the cuban omelette was the biggest surprise. I'm big on brunch, and this one took the cake.
(4)Meg A.
Have you ever gone to brunch knowing you really shouldn't as you know you cannot inhale all the carbs (French toast, pancakes, etc) without feeling and wearing it on your bum? Yeah. So have I. When that happens, I usually settle on a breakfast burrito. Settle. Meh. So, feeling a little doughy, I met my friend for brunch at Royal Tavern, deciding to settle on something. I read the description of the breakfast burrito and figured - meh, why not? I could not have been more wrong! This was, hands down, the best breakfast burrito I have ever had anywhere in my life! I can't even tell you why except that it was beautifully seasoned, and had varying textures and was a good size. You really felt like you were eating something. It was accompanied by vegan (!) refried beans and fresh housemade guacamole and pico de gallo. I tried to eat a little bit of each topping with each bite as it all harmonized so nicely on my pallet. A pineapple mimosa was unique and refreshing. The coffee was rich and full-bodied. I will definitely go back for brunch. __________________________________________________Â_______ My boyfriend and I went to Royal Tavern the day after for their burger. I had heard good things and am currently on the hunt for my favorite burger in Philly (If anyone has a recommendation of a place I should try, message me). Royal Tavern has a good burger. It is NOT my favorite but it was well cooked (I ordered it medium rare) Angus beef, and the gouda cheese was a nice touch. I would probably leave the long hots off next time. The roll was a little over-sweet for my liking, but held up well under the weight of the sandwich. I would order this burger again. It is solid. It is just not my current favorite.
(4)Merribeth P.
WHY DIDN'T I EVER COME HERE BEFORE I've walked by Royal Tavern for years without ever entering its door. We came here for a late Saturday lunch. I had the grilled freakin cheese with three types of cheese- smoked gouda, sharp provolone, and goat cheese on a delicious buttery hearty bread. I asked to add tomato slice, and mayo to mine, cuz that is the way I like 'em. My dining partner had the vegan sloppy joe. They said it had a kick, but wasn't overpowering; however if you are really sensitive to spice, don't order it. As a side they had tater tots and I had fresh cut french fries (so much better than Devils Den, POPE) with malt vinegar mayo. OMG MALT VINEGAR! LOVE LOVE LOVE! We didn't drink, but their iced tea was good. The fountain cola was carbonated, but not sweet, almost like they needed to change the mix. All in all, it was decent priced, delicious food. The cola taste, eh, it can happen...we didn't say anything about it because it was still drinkable. The jukebox was totes awesome. Great selecton of music. The interior was older, but nicely done. The tall tops are in the front, short top table in back. While we didn't drink, they had a solid beer list, with some of my favs such as Sixpoint Sweet Action. Yum.
(5)Greg M.
Philly is my favorite city and this is absolutely my new favorite haunt. We arrived at Chifa late one night and had a drink. One of the chefs was about and overheard that we were hungry. He recommended Royal Tavern for its late night kitchen and interesting pub fare. They have comforting classics with a twist. Fish and chips with a jalapeno mayo, vegan chili dog, and on and on. Supposedly the best burger in town, but I'm primarily a pescatarian. On top of that, friendly (but not too friendly to be interrupting your good time so much) and they have a fantastic jukebox. I absolutely LOVE this place!!!
(5)Felicia D.
Royal Tavern is to East Passyunk as the Standard Tap is to Northern Liberties, but with better service. Architecturally, the dark-red room is a slacker but still somehow manages to be all things to all people. Herds of hipsters drown their hangovers in Royal's ur-Bloody on the weekends, while midweek days are quiet enough for deliciously productive lunch meetings. Of course, debauchery beckons with half-priced draft beers during the dangerously early happy hour (M-F, 4-6). You might have to wait for a table during prime dinner hours, when the neighborhood descends for a super-hearty meatloaf sandwich, seitan sloppy joe or always-intriguing blackboard special of the day. Vegan and vegetarian grub receive heavy play, from soups to desserts. No matter the hour, the kitchen still bangs out one of the bangin-est burgers in the city. Bacon, smoked gouda, sauteed onions, chili mayo and a super spicy long hot pepper make a messy heap on top of the beef bomb; the former squishy brioche roll has recently been supplanted by a heartier gluten. It remains sinfully enjoyable, even contrasted to this year's crop of cow contenders.
(5)Bill P.
This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Philly. The burgers are amazing. The best I've ever had. I love their fries with the mayo vinegar dipping sauce and a delicious La chouffe to wash it all down. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Its small so you can expect a wait during typical busy times but tables turn over fast.
(5)Jessica B.
I would give it 5 stars if only it had a little bit more diversity on the menu. The food there is GREAT, the drink selection is GREAT! Nice atmosphere, although expect it to be somewhat small and a little bit loud for conversation (at least in the evenings). Still, not bad even for a date night.
(4)Alex Z.
I liked this place. It has a warm, homey atmosphere, dark, and with lots of wood. Not too loud. I was here on a weeknight around dinner time and there were a lot of young parents with their kids with them; I like that sort of atmosphere. It feels like more of a wholesome, neighborhood bar than a trendy place or a place to get really drunk. They had a decent selection of very good beers on tap, which was a plus. The food was outstanding. Very high-quality, fresh, and fairly creative, especially for bar food.
(4)Nikki R.
I am so disappointed with my experience here tonight. I was really looking forward to kicking back and enjoying some good beer with my friend after getting off of work, but boy was I wrong. We walked in at about 9:30 and thought the place was full, it was by no means packed. We grabbed 2 of the 4 remaining seats at the bar and proceeded to sit there for over 5 minutes without even being glanced at by the 3 people who were working. Mind you, they all had the opportunity to pour themselves waters, followed by shots, then take the shots together and quickly disperse, trying to make themselves look busy. One girl was tending to a couple of tables, but the other was on her phone and the guy working just looked around pretending not to see us. I dont know if you have to have a beard or hipster glasses to get service here, but I work in the industry and was completely turned off. My friend and I left. I dont care how great your food or beer selection is, the service was awful and I will not be back.
(1)Jess R.
Holy cow, what a surprise! My brother the local invited me over, and I grudgingly followed him into what I was expecting to be mozzerrella sticks and beer. Much to my surprise, the place was the opposite of all of my expectations. The atmosphere was nice; pretty wide open, good lighting, and a "sit where you want" policy. The menu was incredible!!!!! Being a vegetarian, I was floored by how many options I had on it... I ended up going with a grilled cheese and black bean soup, my brother with the pan-fried gnocci, and my mom with the fish. Every single plate was nothing but mouth watering. Mom's fish came with grilled corn on the cob which was coated with some kind of cheese which made me want to pay her for it. The staff was incredibly nice and checked up on us at all the right times. This place is DEFINITELY one I'm going to return to time and time again when I come back to visit the family on the east coast! If I ever move to Philly like my little heart desires, this might become my hangout place. Love the Royal Tavern!!!
(5)Stephen H.
In the world of Philly bar food lore, the Royal Tavern is a legend. My appetite for pub grub is also legendary, yet somehow the two have never crossed. If you asked me about "the royal" I would be able to say a few quick quips 'best burger in south Philly" and so on, but truth be told I have never been there. I remedied the situation. Having barely recovered from a nightmare south of Washington, I got back on the horse. I really enjoyed the experience. Pretty well reviewed, I will just offer a few simple musings. The bar was full, subsequently loud with conversation but outside you could not hear a peep. Combined with the fact that the bar blends in with the surrounding houses, a perfect blueprint for how a business can blend in to a neighborhood without disturbing the neighborhood vibe. Hear me SWCC? The place was pretty dark inside. When our food arrived, They turned the lights down lower. I really like to see what I'm eating, but apparently I am the minority on this point. The beer list was on par with the other micro brew taverns in Philly. My meatloaf sand which with bacon marmalade was delicious. The fish and chips are gigantic and my friends enjoyed them. Gnocchi appetizer is a must. The Royal tavern stands shoulder to shoulder with many of my favorite bars. I will be back to try the burger.
(4)Jessica E.
Royal Tavern was a good option for Sunday brunch. It was crowded, but most people seemed to be seated within 15-20 minutes. (We lucked out and walked in just before the rush.) I ordered the tempeh club, which was delicious and accompanied by very tasty fries. They had an intriguing looking menu and a great bloody mary for only $5. I would definitely like to return and try to vegan sloppy Joe and the bacon bloody mary. (Obviously I am no vegan, but intrigued by sloppy joe nonetheless...) Service was pretty slow, hence the 3 stars. I must have caught them on an off day though since many of the other reviews rave about the service. There are a lot of positive things going on here though, so I would definitely like to return.
(3)Lauren F.
One of my absolute favorite places to eat/drink in the city. The staff is almost always very warm and friendly. Burgers rule. Beer selection rules, and they always keep the menu exciting with new specials. Brunch is just as good as dinner, and if you go on random days it will be less crowded than say a Sunday. They always manage to seat you pretty fast considering how packed it gets.
(5)Emily K.
I thought that I loved Royal Tavern. But our relationship has been steadily declining. On the first go, I was taken by the interior - dark and warm a la an old ship at night. The mussels and Tempeh BLT made my night complete (although the BLT was so salty I think I went into a coma). Our server was awesome. Beer list, pretty darn okay. I was determined to make it back ASAP. Second time around, service was pretty good. Wings, lip-smacking excellent. Vegan Sloppy Joe (don't hate me now) was not that good. Not that good at all. I do not recommend it. Third time around, tried for SPTR, but kitchen was closed. So trekked up to Royal. Service - I'll stick with the adjective "awesome." The root vegetable soup - I'll go with "freaking delicious." BUT. But. We got two entrees on special that made me really sad. The Chorizo Burger was dry, overcooked, and tasted like a mediocre hamburger. Like the Royal Burger, the bun to burger ratio was way off - the patty looked a little like the last cheerio floating in a bowl of milk. The Waldorf Salad was under-portioned and lacking in accoutrement. The "gorgonzola" was flavorless, and the walnut halves were more walnut sixteenths. Also, I understand that endive is a luxury lettuce, but I would appreciate if it were bulked up by some other green because when I order a $9 salad, I'm probably actually hungry. Anyway. I'm not sure what or how to feel anymore. We'll see if I end up back there. But it's going to take a while for the memory of being absolutely starving and handed a tiny lump of endive and grape halves to fade.
(2)Lilli C.
Oh, how I love the Royal Tavern and wish this were my neighborhood bar. The crowd is non-douchy/annoying, the waitsfaff is friendly, they have great beers on tap, and the food is delicious. Some standouts: the mango habenero wings...to die for...the burger with bacon and smoked gouda is amazing (the only downfall: it's a bit heavy and there's no lettuce/tomato, but they will graciously give it to you if you ask for it). There is also a great vegetarian selection as well: vegan sloppy joe, tempeh club, nachos w/ fake meat, and the hummus platter are all amazing.
(5)Gul A.
Never disappoints! This place is our neighborhood bar/restaurant and when we're in the mood for a low-key dinner and drinks theme night, this is the place to go. You might have to wait a bit for a table at rush-hour but it's worth it, the staff is always great, the food is amazing and it's a low-key bar scene with great people and a nice atmosphere. The food is really good and they have a full bar. Their menu has vegetarian and vegan options which is unique for a bar-style restaurant and everything is always really good! Highly recommend the sweet potato sandwich, the burger and the wings... they have daily specials worth checking out to. The
(4)Catherine C.
I love Royal Tavern. I seriously have dreams about their fries and malt vinegar mayo. I've never eaten anything there that wasn't delicious. My favorite dishes are the burger and the grilled cheese, or for brunch, the tater tot scramble. Glorious. The ambiance is great with dark wood, strings of multi-colored lights, and a truly superb jukebox. Most of the time the staff are really friendly, but the service is often quite slow. I've had a couple isolated incidents of being treated rudely, but these were exceptions to the rule. It gets crowded and loud, so get your table early. Actually, just don't go, because then there will be a table for me.
(4)Jorge G.
I remember coming in here on or about the time when it first opened and when people had their doubts about what it was trying to do. It seemed very experimental at the time when you considered the exotic beers and creative menu it offered; all set in what appeared to be just another down-at-heels, dusty, dive-bar type of space (which it played up). But it did NOT fail; it did not succumb to schizophrenia. If it was not the first gastro-pub in town then it certainly became one of the most emulated and notorious. Dark, splintery wood; red bordello paint scheme; and old-school 'flip-disc' classic-rock jukebox; scruffy, stringy-muscled patrons and staff all with tattoos and piercings and five-o'clock shadow; (the guys too). But as I say, the place has succeeded wildly and is on just about everyone' s radar nowadays. Me: I frequently used to stumble in here for brunch after a hard night of South Philly drinking. Service was angelic, even at that early-morning hour. Fabulous brunch offerings (eggs benedict usually my pick; with a LARGE bloody mary). Other years I missed brunch entirely but became obsessed with the quality of one of their sandwiches which for years shone like a beacon to me from their menu: their BLT sandwich. This is my favorite 'sammich' in the world, and even now I have found it prepared best right here at the Royal and nowhere else. Hear that? Nowhere else in western civilization, is this sandwich done any better. I used to travel 100 miles just to get here on a friday night after work and sample this sublime, supreme assemblage of flavors [applewood -smoked bacon, triple-decked with fresh Jersey tomatoes, garlic mayo, and a stack of crisp green lettuce]. Whoever the chef was, he just KNEW how to make this thing perfectly. It used to send me into a daze. Bite after bite, my eyes would be rolling back into my head and eyelids fluttering like receiving a BJ. It was that good. I begged them to keep it on their menu but for some reason, it vanished. And then still later--as Royal became a mature fixture of the neighborhood--I discovered that some autumns they will have chestnut soup available. Do you know how rare this soup is to find? I'd throw an old lady under a bus for this soup. Its my #1 favorite soup ever. At the Royal, it arrives at your table faintly tawny/taupe in color, shimmering and luminous in appearance; and very smooth and velvety, thick; rich to the palate. Its prepared with nutmeg and a touch of cinnamon; highly pureed; and with a large dollop of sour cream atop. The flavor is indescribable. Penetrating. Woodsy. Alternately sweet and salty. It changes flavor as it passes over your tongue. No one mouthful is quite the same as any other. Unforgettable. So think of it: just this one restaurant had both my fave soup and my fave sandwich. In just one place. That's the kind of surprises you get here. Whatever you come in here for, you leave satisfied and content and belly purring with sudsy dark porter swirling around within you as you exit. David Bowie's 'Heroes' tingling in your eardrums. You may even leave with some phone numbers. Just a great, great, bar! .
(5)Joey P.
Definitely a fan of the Royal. I live down the street and always appreciate going there with a friend to show where this neighborhood is headed and some of the good things my generation is doing in the city. I missed the Abbey Ale! They need to bring it back, it was so delicious and paired well with the chicken sandwich on the menu. I went there with a vegan friend who got some kind of vegan dish. I don't really pay attention but he seemed to like it. My only beef is not having Abbey Ale and being way too busy. I've stopped by 10 times and have only been able to stay 4...just too busy! It makes sense, though. Keep on keepin' on, Royal.
(4)Pat A.
AMAZING burger. I'd hold the long hot though, it's very spicy. Good fries. Good beer selection. The meatloaf sandwich - very good w/ a fried egg Ambiance is nice, although you might see a good number of hipsters HIGHLY recommended
(5)Anna Q.
My favorite neighborhood spot with great drafts, awesome brunch, and tasty vegan and vegetarian options for brunch and dinner.
(5)Beck G.
This place is hands down the place I love to take out of towners when they are visiting. The food and beer are reliably and consistently amazing! I love the burger and meatloaf sandwich and the vegan sloppy joe. Their special are always phenomenal but I wish they'd list the sides on the board (we just ask our server). I love the homemade mayo on the fries. Although it can get crowded, It's totally worth it and seriously awesome. We tend to go on less busy nights when possible (Mon-Thurs right around 5 or 6 seems to be a sweet spot in their level of busyness). I love this place.
(5)damien t.
This place needs to Timberlake and bring that Octopus Salad back, goddammit. The taps have been a little whack lately too. Last time I found some Fegley's Elf stuff although it was buried in a weird place on the chalkboard. Still one of my favorite spots to pub in Philly
(4)Rob F.
I've been here a few times and I have to say every experience has improved. I started with the much hyped royal burger and couldn't handle the pickled jalapeno which in my opinion took away from all of the other ingredients (bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda,pickled longhots and chile mayonnaise on seeded brioche bun) between the bun. Then I tried the meatloaf sandwich which didn't quite satisfy my tastebuds for the night (bacon, provolone, fried onions and porcini mushroom ketchup on ciabatta). It wasn't until last night that I found exactly what will make me go back a 4th, 5th, and 6th time. Simple items, nachos and grilled cheese. Done to perfection. The nachos (corn chips, mozzarella and jack cheeses, pico de gallo,lettuce, jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole) started us off split three ways. I'm pretty sure I was trying to eat faster then my friends in order to get more then my fair share of guac. I probably could have ended there but alas I muscled through when the waiter brought out my meal. The grilled cheese (smoked gouda, sharp provolone and goat cheese on rustic french bread) was delicious and I will certainly mozy my way over to order this during happy hour one day after work when I come home to an empty fridge. Royal Tavern, it may have taken a few times but we're going to be good friends from here on out.
(3)Wedge W.
I actually don't know anyone who has eaten here and does not like the Royal Tavern. The food is delicious and the portions are generous. I like to try the specials because I know that whatever I get will be amazing and different, and there are usually at least 5 each day to choose from. The staff is friendly and really seem to enjoy working there. Cozy restaurant with a very intimate feel. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
(5)Mindy K.
finally finally FINALLY! i got to check out royal tavern. we had ventured here because of the awesome beer selection, but were just as amazed at the food - especially because the menu offers such a variety of options - whether your vegetarian, carnivore, picky-eater, large-portion desiring glutton, there is something for everyone here. we ended up dining for BRUNCH, but enjoyed it so much that we went back for dinner. THAT EVENING. You may think we're sad, but I'd say we're geniuses. WHAT WE DRANK *bloody mary & mimosa hell yes, we brunched it up properly. EXCELLENT! They use siracha in their bloody marys instead of tabasco, and it results in a thicker tomato-y, spicy beverage. The mimosas were also heavenly, with just a splash of orange juice with a healthy pour of champagne. It looks super cool with pulp-y OJ just floating around in the carbonated bubbles. *Angus Burger: bacon + caramelized onions + smoked gouda + pickled longhots + chile mayonnaise + seeded brioche bun this burger is always a frontrunner when the question of who makes the best burger in Philly is debated. I was a bit worried that it wouldn't live up to the hype (because hell yeah there is a lot of it), but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it totally does! The burger meat was perfectly seasoned! I really dislike when places don't use enough salt, or use too MUCH salt, for that matter (I'm looking at YOU, PYT), but this burger was fantastic. Even more exciting, is the bacon was ever so present (that's because my burger pet peeves are as follows: bland meat, minimal bacon presence, mushy bread), which is something I'm always happy to find. The pickled longshots provided a nice kick without being overwhelming and the large, thick slice of smoked gouda really held up within the mix of those flavors. YUM. I don't know that either of us loved the bun, but we didn't hate it. So I mention our ambivalence for that component - you know... just to be fair and pretend we're objective or something. *cuban omelet Cuban sandwich, omelet-style! This dish came out of nowhere and we foudn it to be AWESOME. We folded in pieces of the omelet into the tortillas and stuffed with the veggies and potatoes to make little wraps. Added a bit of siracha and BAM, deliciousness. *Beef Sloppy Joe The vegan sloppy joe was the sandwich I had really wanted to try, but this past weekend, the beef sloppy joe was one of the specials. At the behest of our adorable bartender, I went with the beef version. It was definitely excellent - tart, tangy, spicy and tender. I think the bun they used was the same as the burger, so again, I was ambivalent about that part, but the meat was great. Brought me back to the olden days of high school cafeteria dining - but properly gourmet'ed up, of course. * ah, nostalgia * OH yeah, and there was cheese! C'mon. CHEESE! I do need to note that the hand-cut fries at Royal Tavern are freaking unbelievable. Crispy, flavorful and addicting. It took everything in me to not gobble up this entire plate of them. *Chicken Frankie: indian curry chicken + indian slaw + warm lovash + hand-cut fries Our very interesting bartender told us that they make a huuuuuuuuuuge pan of curry chicken and just let it simmer (simma simma) for super long periods of time. He also said, if you pay attention, you can taste the TLC in each bite. Yes, we tasted it... YUM. Frankly, this frankie (HAHA, sorry, had to), is delicious, but if I had to choose where to eat a curry meat in a wrap, I think I'd prefer the japanese style beef curry burrito at Maru Global, but at least we have OPTIONS!
(4)Chris O.
I'm not an early riser. We went for brunch. I guess to start, the best compliment I can give is that Royal Tavern is worth waking up for. First, the Bloody Mary. I only sampled a friend's and absolutely regret not getting one for myself. great tomato flavor and a hell of a kick to it. Absolutely delicious. Now for the food. Orders at the table were the Strawberry Crumb Pancakes, An omelet with potatoes and toast, a Merguez Sausage plate, and my tater tot scramble. The omelet looked like an omelet. A nicely made omelet, but nothing special in and of itself. The pancakes looked great, a good amount of strawberries, and plenty of the crumb topping. the bite I had was quite delicious. The star was the Merguez sausage plate. I totally had order envy for a food I don't particularly care for. it may have been the best looking plate of food I've seen in some time. The sausage came over a tomato type sauce, with 2 beautiful eggs sunny side up, and a hash that had some peppers,probably poblano, in it. In hindsight I feel as if I'm a failure for not taking several food porn pics of it. judging from my friends reaction it was as delicious as it looked. Now for mine, the Tater Tot Scramble. Compared to the sausage plate, this looked...bland. It was exactly what it said it was, scrambled eggs with tater tots, a pinkish sauce on top, and some toast. It was fine, but compared to the other plates, it was not nearly as drool inducing. Some parsley or a tomato or something would have made the plate far more appealing. Then I took a bite. Perfect eggs and the tater tot crunch. It didn't matter what it looked like, this was delicious. A few bites in, I hit the center which is where the jack cheese and onions were hiding and reached another level of taste bud satisfaction. The chipotle crema added a creaminess, but I didn't taste too much of the chipotle. I wound up adding some Sriracha that they were kind enough to leave on the table because I like heat and really, why wouldn't you? Our server, who's name I forget sadly, was awesome. She clearly knew the menu well and helped two of my friends down the path to meals they enjoyed greatly. She was quite attentive, but not annoying, throughout the meal. She was clutch in having our drinks refilled before we knew we needed it. Will definitely be back next time I'm in town.
(5)Lauren T.
One of my absolute favorite bars. I've never had a less than amazing experience at the Royal. Beer list- perfect, always dark ales & stouts on tap. Burgers- the standard menu burger is juicy and wonderful, with bacon and long hots. A lot of times they offer special burgers (goat, kobe, etc.) which are great too. Truffle popcorn?! yes! The vinegar mayo dipping sauce for the fries is off the chain. I could drink it. The jukebox is great and the service is always sweet as pie! I really cannot gush enough about the Royal Tavern.
(5)Alex M.
GREAT burger, good selection of beers knowledgeable staff, and a wide diversity of clientele (hipsters, college kids, old folk). Went their specifically for the burger and left satisfied, great fries too. Bit crowded on a Sunday at 6pm but still got a seat at the bar which was dark, but not too dark. Would definitely go back to try the rest of the menu.
(4)jenny v.
For your french fries and nachos, Queen Buttermilk Pancakes and King Sloppy Joe, I crown thee, Royal Tavern, a five-star rating. Your food is delicious, your drinks are a-plenty, and all are unhindered by the constraints of time; I want all of it, morning, noon, and knight. Vegetarian-lovely and crawling with cute and friendly wait staff! It's been really cold in the throne, but I'd change my guards at home before missing the royal visit.
(5)Rebecca P.
I love this place and I eat here often. When I first started eating here I would dream about their fries and mayo and drag all of my friends here so I could consume them. Luckily my girlfriend was into the nachos (and now they have a 1/2 order! Yay!), so it has worked out for me. I also love the Wakame salad. It's healthy, fresh, and includes seaweed salad! Their grilled cheese is awesome, add a tomato, but per square inch it's probably one of the most caloric things you can consume. Also the wings are delicious and of course the burger is awesome! I do think their dinner food is better than their breakfast though. But if you get breakfast get the huevos rancheros. The tater tot scramble was actually kind of small and included too few tater tots! One thing I haven't liked was the grape leaves. Small, soggy, icky. I usually stick to the regular menu but I have ordered the fish tacos were kind of tasteless and I would not recommend them. Otherwise you can't go wrong with the RT! In terms of beverages, I am almost always into their draft selection, even though the list is smaller than many. I can almost always find something I'm excited to order. Oh and their bloody mary is reasonably priced and delicious.
(5)erika t.
Freddie and i totally dig this place. If we go local-it's royal tavern. I highly suggest the grilled cheese sandwich! The bartender was great and had me sample a few beers that were close to the type of beers i like. We'd rather sit at the bar here than be seated at a table. Good stuff!
(4)Kass H.
I love this place. Great food, good beer, not too hipster. Everyone is cool and relaxed. And the service is great. THANKS, Brian!
(4)Kathleen T.
basically, the royal is a good time. they've definitely had their ups & downs as far as cooking staff goes, but--when they're good?? they're freaking awesome. too bad that when they're bad, they're bellyache inducing. the prices are higher than i wanna pay for brunch food of the royal ilk nowadays, but that's my issue, so i can't fault them.
(3)Vicki H.
I really love the Royal Tavern, and so has everyone I've ever brought here-- out of towners, my dad, you name em, they've loved it. I really like the revolving beer list; it keeps things nice and fresh and seasonal (i wish the same could be said for their menu-- it could use a revamp every once in a while, not saying that the stuff isn't good, but a few new dishes to shake things up would be nice). For dinner, the burger is really amazing, but my favorite is the chicken sandwish with pear and gorgonzola-- it is the most amazing thing in the universe. On the lighter side, the mezze plate leaves nothing to be desired. Less favorite items: the sweet potato banh mi was a little too dry and the chicken frankie was super greasy and messy. Brunch here is also divine-- some of the best bloody maries in town (tried the bacon one, but it kind of freaked me out), I love that they put a ton of horseradish in there. Sometimes it's a little awkward getting a table...you walk in and stand there and kind of feel like you're in the way until someone notices you. So, I feel like I've written a lot of pros AND cons, but the bottom line is-- the place is close to me, the food is, on the whole, AMAZING, good beer list, good seasonal cocktails, won't break the bank-- yup, I dig the Royal.
(4)s l.
Me and Royal Tavern are going to be BFFs 4EvR! Having more than one vegetarian thing on the menu really tests my decision making skills and everything looked so good. I got the tempeh club (like a BLT for vegans, akin to Mugshot's awesome vegan BLT). Anyway it was so good I almost didn't want to eat it. You know when you're reading a really great book and you keep saving the last few pages b/c you don't want it to end? It was like that. Also got the grilled stuffed grape leaves - wow, I never ate them warm before and now I wonder why. The gentleman had the burger and he did say it was one of his all time favorites. Hi, La Chouffe, I love you! Duvel? Yes. Too many great beers to remember or name. And everyone in there is nice. Oh Royal, Ima eat every veggie thing on your menu some day.
(5)Benjamin B.
Enjoy the sandwiches and soups, the brunch is also pretty awesome, the tofu scramble is great as are the tator tots. Atmosphere is tolerable so long as a bunch of boners aren't playing their shitty favorites on the jukebox.
(5)Jay O.
I love the Royal. I always will. Things have gone downhill though. Two years ago, I'd give it five stars without hesitation, but today I'm struggling to hit 4. Their beer list has gone to shit. A while ago, it was constantly turning and usually offered a few really nice beers. These days, it stays the same for too long and always features a "Philadelphia Brewing Company" beer. I love my city, but I wish PBC could make a beer like Yard's, Victory, or Sly Fox. Anyway, the selection is still okay, and of the 7 or 8, I usually like at least three. The spirits are pretty overpriced, but the Bloody Mary is freakin' amazing, even if Casey is no longer there to make it. The food has stayed the same: excellent. The burger is unrivaled, perhaps the best in Philly, and the malt vinegar mayo is crazy good. The meatloaf sandwich is also a favorite, and the Banh Mi is great. The specials are usually amazing, which is too bad because they can take a while to come back. The service is generally very good, and excellent, if you get Brian (ask for him, he's a good man).
(4)Daniel B.
Ye Old Stomping Grounds...congrats on the #1 burger in PA from FoodTV, you've earned it. Still crave the duck-club every day.
(4)Brayne W.
I really love the brunch here - we take out-of-town guests. Honestly, I never got the fascination with some of the other brunch places around, because this place has much better atmosphere and the food is awesome. Duck sandwich was really good, great beers + burgers, and the owner is a stickler for spelling! Waitstaff are friendly and helpful. The place just gives off a really good vibe.
(5)Bill G.
My girlfriend used to live across the street and I spent plenty of nights and mornings here. The atmosphere is dark,night or day, but really comfortable. Their breakfast can be amazing-- we used to set our alarms so that we could get in for eggs before they stopped serving it. The beer selection is great and the bartenders were always attentive and interesting. My only warning is that this place can get super crowded and loud on weekend nights..but if you can get a stool at the table, big suggestion.
(4)laura k.
Good meals at all hours. I'm especially fond of Royal Brunch. I've not had to wait more than half an hour for a table yet, even when it is super packed for brunch, later in the evening can be a bit insane however. I've tried a number of different things off the menu, but I fell in love with the grilled sweet potato bahn mi with a fruit salad side, which completely rocks my world, repeatedly. I know their fries are deadly good, which is why I was forced to switch to fruit, which is always super fresh and a great mix (they win me with good berries!). The coffee is very good and kept full. They always have tempting new additions to the changing menu, yummy cocktails and a fantastic vegetarian/vegan selection. Service is usually pretty good, not outstanding. Good juke box but it does get overwhelmingly loud at night, but they generally keep the music in check pre-dinner hours. They do the grastropub thing right and at a very decent price. They will keep me coming back so long as they keep it up!
(4)M R.
The food's decent, if uneven, and the beer selection is pretty good. I usually get the burger. The room is way, way too noisy. But I keep coming back: the staff is cool, I enjoy watching the hipsters, and since I live in the neighborhood I often run into friends. I've enjoyed a couple very pleasant New Year's Day brunches. For a neighborhood pub, it's very good.
(4)Garrett W.
Like just about everyone else who posted, I agree that the burger here is top notch. And the rest of the food I've tried here is great too. The only thing I would change is to expand the beer selection. Otherwise, I'm thrilled to live a couple of blocks away from the Royal.
(5)Tom A.
This was my first favorite bar when I moved to this neighborhood from port richmond 5 years ago. When the Dive was Low and there was no POPE. It was all I could ask for in a bar. Good Beer and Good Food. Way back when the duck club had a good amount of duck on it and was only 9 bucks. Ah 2003. Beer was always nice, always had my faves. Now its the same. Good beers and good food. Last nights meatlof sandwich was deeeeelicious. As a matter of fact, Royal, you and everyone else has been doing the flavored mayo with fries routine for at least 5 years. Give me that Smoked Ketchup with my fries!!! that was some delicious ketchup. Switch over now. Actually next time I go I will just ask for it. It's better and no one is doing ketchup. Get the upper hand. This place is packed early and nearly empty by 12, it's mainly a dinner vibe, which is fine the food is great, but then you practically get the place to yourself for a lil bit. Prices are the highest of my local joints, but sometimes, and it's rare, that I don't wanna POPE it up, this is choice two. Only sad not... earlier this fall my coat was stolen from the back table by the bathrooms. never got it back. anyone know where it is?
(4)lisa t.
Oh how it pains me to give my once fav neighborhood bar 3 stars. I am still mourning their legendary duck club and may not ever forgive them. The beer selection is solid and their fries are always delicious. I have since moved on to their burger but seriously, how many times can you eat their delicious burger without suffering from a heart attack? Their mussels are consistently yummy. The jukebox always has a great selection.
(3)Andrea F.
I've been looking forward to the Royal Tavern burger for like 6 years now, anticipating that it would taste eons better than my favorites in the city (Good Dog, Rembrandt's, etc.). Much to my dismay, it didn't live up to the hype everyone gave it. But it was still a GOOD burger and the bar itself was nice, so I'd definitely come back and try something else off their extensive and creative menu. For me, it was so messy (which is fine), but the bun was kinda blah and flimsy (which isn't fine) and couldn't hold up to the juicy burger and its toppings. A friend ordered some chicken thing which looked okay and then my other friend ordered the fish and chips, which looked like it could serve like 5 people when it came out it was so gigantic. Needless to say, I tried it and it was also underwhelming- the batter had no flavor (St. Stephen's Green is far superior). The nachos were surprisingly tasty with a smoky flavor in the cheese. The drink list was good. The place was too dark, even for a "dive" bar (I put dive in quotes cause when you're serving up gourmet food at those prices in that area, it's not really dive anymore). Overall, I would still go back and try other stuff on the menu.
(3)Larissa G.
I am amazed that this place flew under my radar for so long, but I'm not in south Philly that often. I stopped by today for a late lunch (errr it was 4pm and my roommates and I were all starving because we hadn't eaten all day and didn't want the fake food at Ikea) today. The place was much more crowded than I thought it would be for that hour and the interior is dark with a beautiful, huge, dark wood bar. We didn't get drinks because we have been on spring break this week and none of us thought we could handle any more alcohol at the moment... I liked the place instantly because I wanted to be friends with most the people working there. Our server reminded me a lot of a friend who had moved away and the other servers seemed really cool too (ahem- we all liked the "cats in outer space" leggings). I split the vegan beef nachos and the tempeh club with my boyfriend, per Kathleen V's suggestion. I really wanted the chipotle seitan taco special, but they were out :( Both dishes were good. Not awesome, but good. The nachos were piled high with plenty of toppings, but I should have ordered the small. My only complaint was that the vegan beef honestly added no flavor at all. The texture was good, but maybe not worth the extra $4? Next time, I will get a sans-meat nacho plate. The grilled tempeh club was very visually appealing and the bread was good. The basil aioli is by far the best part of the sandwich. The vegan bacon got a little lost in the mix and the tempeh tasted like it was made and packaged elsewhere. Overall, for all the components involved, this sandwich lacked flavor. The service was great and I liked the atmosphere. This is another Philly gastropub that's definitely worth frequenting, and this one actually gives you a physical menu instead of having to read it off the chalkboard on the wall! The food itself was 3-stars, but I'm giving it 4 because this place has the best vegetarian/vegan options of anywhere I have been in awhile. I'll be back... probably pretty soon.
(4)Lindsay V.
A-OK describes this place pretty well. M and I came here for dinner on a Friday night and were seated promptly. The beer list was decent, but none of the food really grabbed me too much. I ordered an entree size of the gnocchi (with tomatoes, pine nuts, spinach, and some strange brown gravy deal). It was pretty tasty, but it got boring after a little while. M got the burger and said it was good. He also got the wings sampler and I got to taste the buffalo wings and BBQ wings -- both were pretty solid. The guy that waited on us clearly didn't care about waiting on us, but I didn't really expect too much.
(3)Michelle C.
I have always liked Royal, but found it generally unremarkable. And then I had the burger. I like burgers, but I don't love them, and I generally am loathe to pay more than $10 for one (or any sandwich) but nothing else on the menu last night was catching my eye, and apparently it was "National Cheeseburger Day," so I acquiesced. What have I been missing? The most glorious mix of ingredients partied upon my tastebuds as I stuffed my face. The patty? Perfectly sized and cooked...and all those delectable ingredients stayed ensconced between the two buns! Sorcery! And that perfectly crispy bacon. I regret nothing. As a bonus, Royal, like all its sister bar/restaurants has lots of vegetarian options to keep my lover happy. He enjoyed the tempeh club. Subtract 1 star for a tap list I wish was longer and lighting so dim I nearly need a flashlight to read the menu. I think I can die happy now.
(4)Jamie R.
Home of the 2015 Best Vegan Cheesesteak (which my non-veg friends couldn't tell from the real thing) and other plant-based dishes. It's great to be able to walk into a pub with your friends and know there is something lovingly cooked for you, that you won't have to watch everyone else eat. Super-friendly staff and a fantastic chef.
(5)Kendel S.
This is THE best dive bar in Philly. The food is always on point and the people are friendly. Don't bother going on a Friday/Saturday night though because you'll be waiting forever.
(4)Patricia B.
I wish I could give Royal 10 stars!! It's a fav spot of mine. I don't get down to the neighborhood enough, but when I do, I make sure to visit Royal Tavern. Their vegan entree options are so refreshing...not to mention delicious! I highly recommend the Tempeh Club and the Vegan Sloppy Joe--they're equally out of this world. The portions are sizable, so share with a buddy, if you're not starving. I visited Royal for my birthday about a month ago. They were able to accommodate a group of 12 for dinner within about an hour at 7 pm on a Saturday night--and did so graciously! Our server, whose name I think was Stephen, was THE BEST. He was just the right amount of attentive and super helpful with anything our big group needed. He didn't make us feel like we were a burden, as I think sometimes is the case with big groups. Thank you, Royal Tavern, for being you. See you soon!
(5)Beef M.
Wow, great brunch! I got croque madame eggs bennedict, hot damn it was good. Good potatoes too, very well seasoned. I do think the meal was heavy, and I would not eat here everyday for that reason, but as a special treat, which it was, this place takes the cake. My friend got the burger and loved it, I think everyone I was with loved what they got. Great service and a great vibe to the place. It's dark and spooky, but also kind of basic in decor (unlike the wacky decor of north 3rd, which I love). Would be good for a date (though not quiet), taking out the parents, or just getting some beer with a glutenous meal (also GREAT beer selection). I'm sure some of the food there might be healthy, maybe, but if I really want to eat healthy, I'll probably be eating at home.
(5)Steve B.
The hype is warranted; this place was highly recommended by my friends and it didn't disappoint. Stopped in for a late lunch over the weekend and enjoyed one of the best burgers I've ever had. The smoked gouda, pickled longhots, and chile mayo all came together to complement, but not overpower, the perfectly-cooked, medium-rare glory of the angus beef. I also enjoyed a side of old bay fries which were highly addicting, and tried my friend's stuffed grape leaf, also very tasty. Great craft beers on tap; a really friendly (but not overbearing) wait staff; decent prices; just an all-around awesome experience. As others have mentioned they have vegan/vegetarian options that are just as amazing. If I was in Philly more often, this would be a routine stop. Whenever I do get back down there, I'll be sure to pay a visit. Other bars take heed, this is how it should be done.
(5)Larry M.
I have been here a handful of times mostly for brunch usually with lager group of friends. The service has always been good. Although a friend of mine had a very bad experience once. I wasn't there for it but the manager took care of the situation and all was well in the end. They have an ample beer selection and the food is good. My favorite is their burgers.
(4)Matt B.
They told us we would wait 30 minutes until we could sit down to eat but they really made us wait 60 minutes!!! The food was good though.
(3)Edwardius W.
I absolutely love the Angus burger w/ bacon, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, pickled longed hots and chile mayo! Paired with a side of tater tots because that's how I roll here. I wash it down with a icy cold draft of Miller Lite draft because I'm not classy.
(5)Laur A.
This is our "go to" spot in my neighborhood. Food is great, the staff is cool, the music is pretty good, And the Bacon Bloody Mary is the best Bloody Mary I've ever had...and I've tried lots. Hands down the best.
(4)Sonia C.
Came here on a busy Sunday night with my sister-in-law's entire family (including the 2 children). When I first walked in, I was sure they were going to kick us out because of the kids (the tavern, as the namesake implies, is mostly a bar), but it turns out that there are a few tables at the back of the place for minor diners. It is a place not conducive to conversation and I found myself needing to use my outdoor voice just to be heard! My brother-in-law started us off with some appetizers. The truffle butter popcorn was pretty good, hot with no burnt parts, but I could feel the butter bursting from the kernels under my teeth. Maybe they could be a little less aggressive with the butter and a bit more heavy-handed with the Parmesan (good on popcorn). The fried calamari was average, nothing to rave or complain about. We were still full from dim sum earlier in the day, so my husband and I opted to split a burger with steak fries. I loved how they allowed diners to substitute any side for another (except the mac and cheese). The burger was pretty great, a plump juicy medium rare with smoky bacon and grilled onions, served atop a soft brioche bun. The steak fries were good, but if it were up to me, I would have chosen tater tots as my side (mostly because I lurve tots). My nieces got them and I spent the whole dinner surreptitiously mooching off their shared plate. Service was pleasant - despite being busy, our server managed to always keep our soda glasses full and brought us anything we asked with a smile. I'd come here again.
(4)Cameron P.
This place is great. The food lives up to the hype. Burger, meatloaf sandwich, fish and chips, Indian chicken sandwich are all amazing. The have great specials for brunch and dinner. I seriously doubt you could get a bad dish here bar is small and tables are hard to come by. Well worth the wait.
(5)A X.
Based on my first and only time eating here I think it's 5 stars, but I feel uncertain and not experienced enough, so I will have to re-confirm the 5 star status that I hope remains. I will have to go back a couple more times before I can really say for sure. Had the Mezze. It was great. Good for couples to share. Definitely worth occasional visits and trying every vegan option. The atmosphere is really good and makes it all worth it. It has very dim lighting, which is perfect with the dark wooden interior. Good selection of vegan and vegetarian options. Nice service. I definitely recommend this place to anyone vegan or vegetarian.
(5)Alyssa N.
I've lived in Philly for years and never knew about this place! What a great find. My friend and I got the grilled sweet potato banh mi and the meatloaf sandwich. The banh mi was on the perfect crusty bread and had a generous amount of shredded daikon radish, carrot and cilantro on top. I neeeever eat meatloaf but their version may have converted me with the addition of gruyere, bacon marmalade and smoked ketchup. The draft list didn't disappoint either. Next time I'm in town, we'll definitely be going back!
(4)Leo I.
Nothing to complain about other than I wish I got a chance to try their korean fried chicken wings! It was a special on the board and I wasn't aware of it until after I placed my order for their delicious burger.
(4)Sara N.
Dining at the Royal Tavern is slightly above munching on bar food but far from impressing a dinner date (e.g., dark cluttered bar, overwhelming ceiling fans, History Channel on the television?). The menu boasts some rich comfort foods, such as tater tots dressed up as nachos, but don't expect a gastronomic experience. The bland grilled sweet potato "banh mi" is a Westernized bastardization of the Vietnamese original. The service was pleasant and very accommodating, but it was still a disappointing meal (e.g., overcooked burgers, greasy sandwiches, cardboard salads). Overall, there are much more misses than hits at this gastropub.
(2)Joe W.
My experience with Royal fully embodies the text prompt for two stars - "Meh. I've experienced better." I know this place is über popular, as the majority of reviews here will show, but I have never had anything close to a mind-blowing experience at Royal, and do not intend to go back by design based on my most recent encounter. First, the good. What everyone has to say about the food is spot-on. The wings are unreal good, and the burger definitely lives up to reputation. And that's where it all stops. Part of me wonders if it is, indeed, that very reputation getting to the head of the establishment and its staff that contributed to my sub-par experience... The service we received was nothing short of pathetic. A friend arrived a bit ahead of our group to grab seats by the bar so we could watch game 7 of the World Series. She ordered a drink but definitely felt like she was given a bit of an attitude for "holding" the table. I am always turned off by places that feel they're too good to let someone stake real estate (especially in a case like this, where we were only going out to watch the game, and Royal only has one t.v.). Strike 1. When I arrived, I sat for 15 minutes before the server came over to take a drink order. It was another 15 minutes before he came back to take our food order, and it was another 30 minutes before we saw him again after that. A runner brought out our wings and just left us there with the plate - no place settings, no small plates, nothing. We ended up having to be "that annoying table" and ask for a bunch of stuff that is pretty standard to have brought to your table without request. Strike 2 (3? 4?) As the game was winding down, our server came over twice and kind of awkwardly asked us if we wanted any more drinks (it's worth noting that all of our interactions were a bit awkward). After we all indicated that we weren't sure/might have another drink in a bit/etc., he stated in an annoyed tone that he was leaving and would have to give us our check. Now, I've been in this situation many, many times before - a server's shift is over, wants to close out, and will hand you off to the bartender or whoever's around - but will typically do so in an inviting and courteous manner. Not the case this night at Royal. Strike 3. A word of advice: If you're going to be cranky about holding a table, don't disappear and miss opportunities to add drinks to the bill, and definitely don't make like you're trying to skip town at the end of the night, when you again are passing on opportunities for sales. Again, the food was on par, but the service was terrible (something I've heard from folks who have frequented Royal more than myself), and the draft list was far from impressive; now that there are more options for decent bars in the area, there are definitely better draft selections elsewhere. I know this is only one experience, and would certainly invite folks to see what Royal has in store, but I don't expect to end up within their doors any time soon...
(2)Pig E.
It's a Tavern, not a gourmet restaurant. Exceptional Beer list, knowledgeable bartenders and a good tasting burger as advertised. Everything at a good value and not overpriced
(5)Anthony C.
I eat here often and I've never had a bad meal. Great food, beer and reasonable prices. Service was excellent . The crowd was a pleasant mix which included hipsters.
(4)Dae S.
I still remember when this place opened in 2002, I was shy two years of being 21 when they open their doors, so I waited till I was 21 before I went there to eat and drink. Not once in the twelve years I have been going here have I been disappointed. Everything from the Nachos, Burgers (yes it is the best burger in that city), and vegan entree's are top notch. No matter if I was going here by myself or taking friends from out of the city here, I always felt comfortable. This place was where me and my girl first went on the first couple of dates we had back in 2007. I have since moved out of Phila last year after living there my whole life. I now live in Maine, people ask me if I miss the food (typical phila foods, cheese steaks, hard rolls, etc) The only foods I miss at this point are those served from The Royal. I make it a point when I visit to at least eat here once during that visit.
(5)Helen V.
I'm so fortunate to have my favorite restaurant in my neighborhood. I'm probably here every other week. I would think the servers would recognize me by now. The reason why I keep going back is for the burger and the specials. I always recommend the burger for my first-time friends. Never disappoints. The specials change often and I've never had a bad meal. Everything is full of flavor, but nothing overpowering. Royal Tavern puts a great gourmet twist to all of your favorite foods. The vegetarian and vegan options are pretty darn good too for us loyal carnivores. Any time there's a vegetarian chili special I am all over it. (And I loveeeeee meat!) I'm not too fond of the vegan desserts though. It can get busy on the weekends at night, but during the day and on weeknights there's always a seat. Sit. Eat. Enjoy.
(5)Brian D.
Going to stay for dinner but had a wait. Asked bartender in Jeff cap to please turn on College Football Playoffs instead of some meaningless show on CW. Told us he was too busy. He wasn't busy. So we decided to take our business elsewhere. And he forgot to bring our drinks.
(1)Kathleen V.
I WANT TO EAT HERE EVERYDAY! Vegan Beef Nachos v. Tempeh Club! zesty chips, vegan beef, pico, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and jalapenos! The vegan beef is perfect on this, like it's scary how perfect it is. v. bangin' bread, grilled tempeh, vegan bacon, lettuce, tomato, basil aioli! I'm pretty sold on the basil aioli. This also comes with fries that are served with malt mayo, I'm a tad hesitant to dip fries in mayo but not here. (This is a good setting for a first date)
(5)Nary K.
By far, the best burger I've tasted in Philly!!!! You have to get the burger with long hots and Gouda Cheese - it's delish and affordable (burger with fries, $11). Can't wait to go back. Thier chicken wings are awesome too!
(5)Sarah P.
The Royal Tavern name is fitting, because I am unofficially crowning this place the king/queen of South Philly dive bars/gastropubs (apologies to its holiness, the P.O.P.E). Don't be fooled by the understated exterior and dark interior, this place is a shining gem in the neighborhood. It's the perfect spot to grab some beers with old friends or to take someone on a casual date, especially if you are vegan or vegetarian like me. With its well-executed variety of vegan entrees and its constantly-changing, inventive specials, Royal Tavern never disappoints. Royal Tavern's instagram feed regularly features tantalizing photos of new, limited-time specials. Even though I haven't had the luck of trying each and every vegan special, I'm always impressed with the creativity of their new veg offerings and their ability to create complex and satisfying meatless entrees that escape the boring veggie burger and pasta trap. My regular favorites are the surprisingly refreshing vegan sweet potato bahn mi and the comically large tempeh club. The sweet potato bahn mi is full of bright flavors and satisfying crunch and the tempeh club is divine. The vegan bacon provides a deep, smoky flavor while the tempeh is grilled and seasoned to compliment its delicious, slightly nutty flavor. The basil aoli is just as good as everyone says it is. The fries accompanying all of the sandwiches are crispy and perfectly seasoned, with a vegan mayo that keeps you coming back for fry after fry even when you KNOW you're full. Easily one of my top 5 bars in the city and my favorite in the neighborhood.
(5)Judy C.
Nice drink selection... Although the kona beer I tried seemed a little watered down? Really had only 1 thing we liked from everything we ordered- the pulled pork tater tot nachos! Absolutely delicious! Roommie and I shared it and killed it. It was soo good. Definitely order this! If we ever came back, it would be for this dish. Everything else we ordered was disappointing... The grilled cheese was good... But it's not something you want to order out and pay $8(?) for. I heard the burgers were supposed to be really good... Instead of ordering the one on the regular menu, I opted for the special- Kobe beef patty stuffed with goat cheese with bacon, mushroom, a little bit of BBQ sauce, and a fried egg. Sounds good right? ...I was disappointed. I asked for medium rare- the burger was closer to medium well. What a waste of Kobe beef. I just couldn't eat it. I tried... But the party itself was tasteless and tough... Medium well!! Maybe I should've returned it and asked them to make it medium rare again and maybe the review would be different. Anyway, disappointed by the burger- can't anticipate the regular menu burger being better... Other roommie was disappointed by her banh mi. So she's Vietnamese... I understand "Americanizing" some cultural foods to make it "fusion" style, but it was so bland she had to ask for extra sauce! We prob won't be back... But if we do come back, I'd definitely get the pulled pork tater tot nachos again... Check out the specials and beer selection...
(3)Ginger K.
One of our oldies but goodies! Always a great place to land for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cool atmosphere, very creative chef, specials are always different. Food is great! Thanks for always being consistently good!
(5)Allie E.
Really great dive bar with amazing food! Love their popcorn. Great drink selection and fun atmosphere. Close quarters, so plan to stand around the bar if you go on a Saturday night. Highly recommended!
(5)Jessica E.
Had an excellent time here. Went for weekday lunch, so it wasn't crowded at all. I got an omelet that was on special with proscuitto, asparagus, and fresh mozzerella and it was delicious. Service was quick and very friendly. Prices are very reasonable. Will definitely be going back for dinner and drinks. Update 10/24/11: Had high hopes for the nachos but they were unfortunately very bad. Not much cheese and very very large pool of cold tomato/lettuce water floating at the bottom of the plate. Service very unfriendly and weird. But the burger was still very delicious. I would go back but probably stick to brunch.
(3)Elizabeth B.
Arriving early is the way to go. Erin F. and I walked in at 10:03am on a Saturday and truly received the royal treatment. Coffee was delicious as always and we had a delightful time. BEST HUEVOS RANCHEROS EVER. That is all.
(5)chris c.
Not enough room to add all the details of this awful trip, but highlights:. 4top seated in the upper back area, 5mins later, waitress brings us 3 waters and ask if wed like drinks to start. great. she writes down 3 drinks, walks away and begins chatting with another table. she never puts our drink order in but seats a new table and takes their drink orders. after about 10mins, the new table's drinks come out, but still no sign of ours. we arent in a rush and the bar is busy so we dont say anything yet. finally at the 15 min mark (still havent been offered the chance to order our food) we have to wave her down as she returns to chitchat again with another table of people she clearly knows as friends. as i start to say "hey, sorry, were still waiting on our-" she abruptly cuts me off and barks "YEAH YEAH I KNOW you want to order drinks i was just about to come over here and see if you want drinks.", her tone inexplicably annoyed AT US, and, as was to be the case the entire visit, was devoid of the simple (i feel instinctual even?) notion of being like "oh geez, im sorry...". it was baffling considering the fact that i felt we were already being sort of laid back about it all...i know many people who would walk out if no one came back to take an order after 20mins of being seated AND forgotten drinks. we werent huffing and puffing despite having a legit gripe and she was annoyed at us? huh? it added to the bad vibe that she seemed to be friends with 2 other tables of people and was sort of putting on a louder voice and attitude almost as though it was a show for them. baffled, we re-ordered our drinks politely and stated we were ready to order our food too. she seemed annoyed that we wanted to order now, as though she only wanted to do drinks now, even though that was her error. as she finishes taking our orders, we have long since finished our waters, so i ask can she also bring more water when she gets a chance. she visibly rolls her eyes like i am being demanding. 5mins go by before she brings a pitcher, fills the glasses of her friends table first, then comes to us with a now-almost empty pitcher, proceeds to fill one and a half glasses of water. she says "ill get more, hold on one sec", walks away and takes another tables orders. she runs their orders, gets busy, never finishes refilling our water. she comes by again and i ask if i can still get the water (2nd request) and she barks "its coming!" even though she has taken an entire other tables order and stopped to chitchat with her friends again. she goes away again and comes back to the area to bring drinks to a table, still no water, so i have to ask a 3rd time(!)....this time she stamps away like an annoyed child and like "angrily pours" me my water, if you can envision that. my entire table is just like "what is this chick's deal?!" we are seated in front of the weird doorway to their upstairs/supply area. there's folding glass doors that swing out here and at one point becomes unlocked and swings open and is against our table and another table. no big deal really, and the servers are busy, so i stand up to close the doors myself. as im doing this, nasty waitress storms over (she couldnt be bothered to come fix it when it was swaying into our table...but now that i am dealing with it she runs over) she basically budges me out of her way and says "sir, i GOT it, its tricky, i GOT it.". and makes it seem like im doing something i shouldnt be doing. the other half of the door was affecting her 2top table of friends too and, after she closes both halves, she looks at me with disgust, then leans into the 2top customer's ear and covers her mouth with her hand and WHISPERS something while looking at me, laughing, and then that customer's eyes follow her words and looks at me...pretty universal indication that she was talking shit. to his credit the customer looked embarrassed and gave me a look like "awkwaaaard" as she left. i mean, WTF?? last straw: we get food, my sis notices her sweet potato bahn mi has only a small sliver of potato in one half of the sandwich. the other half just had a piece of lettuce, it was missing the "contents" of the sandwich. we show the waitress, she exhales annoyed- "ill tell the kitchen" -no apology - and stomps away. 15mins later she emerges with a heaping plate of uncooked sweet potato (you can see grill marks where they were seared, but they werent actually cooked) and she literally drops the plate on the table with a clatter and says in a pissy tone and loud enough for all the other tables to hear "if this isnt enough sweet potato to fill you up, i dont know what ta tell ya" and walks off to her credit she did take her drinks off our bill but id much rather have paid for our drinks and been treated with respect. still tipped her 40% though because even miserable people need to pay rent. but she cost royal a few customers for life.
(1)Nick G.
This place is literally a diamond in the rough. From the outside it looks like a place the average person might not venture into, but the food is soo good and the staff is always nice and helpful. My favorite time to go is on the weekend when they have brunch. They usually have different brunch specials for the weekend. I highly recommend the breakfast burrito or the pancakes. I haven't had a bad experience yet and I've been going there for years.
(5)Jenna S.
Best grilled chicken sandwich in the city. I find myself craving it. It's a little loud for a conversation between a couple, and the food takes a little while to get to you, but the taste makes up for it. I agree that it's not as divey as you think it will be, but that's obviously not a bad thing. The staff is all right, nothing to rave about, but they obviously get their jobs done. I think it's worth going there for a good meal.
(4)Taimur A.
Hands down the best burger in Philadelphia, probably all of PA. Blows Shake Shack, Village Whiskey, and all these novelty burger shops that are popping up out of the water. It's a little off the beaten path, but totally worth it.
(4)Ethan M.
Most recent experience here on a Friday night was disappointingly substandard. Mediocre food, poor service behind the bar. May not be back. Will probably make the trek to Kennett in Queen Village henceforth (far greater care taken in the food and service).
(2)Angela e.
The front is very unassuming and you can easy walk right pass it. As you read the menu you realize that you walked into a new world. My friend and I happened upon it at brunch time. We shared a dogfish head theobroma, BACON bloody mary, an augus burger and french toast with dulce de leche. The burger had bacon, caramelized onions, smoked gouda, pickled longhots, chile mayonnaise. Every bite you tasted something a bit different. It wasn't about a hook it was just great beef and amazing toppings that will easily make us drive 3 hours to get more. Everything was amazing!
(5)Brendan O.
The food is really good, specifically their awesome grilled cheese sandwiches, but two poor beer-related experiences force me to limit them to 3 stars. While the tap selection/rotation is an admirable one, I've twice had to switch to bottled selections because the beer on tap just tasted "wrong" all around. On the warm side, on the flat side, and with a bit of a funkiness in the taste that probably points to tap lines in need of a good flushing. The two occasions where this happened to me were weeks apart and involved completely different beers, not only the ones I ordered but the ones ordered by my companion. Possibly coincidence/bad luck I guess, but bordering on systemic and inexcusable for a Philly "craft beer" bar regardless. Additionally, when I pointed this out to the bartenders I was given "the eye" rather than the benefit of the doubt.
(3)Suzanne S.
Always a great spot for a good bite and a good beer. Brunch is always pretty delicious, too (can you say mimosa?). They offer take-out service if you don't feel like eating in, but offer ample room for floor or bar seating. I like divey and this place is right up my alley. My faves are the grilled cheese, herb popcorn, and mac n cheese. Their vegan sloppy joe is actually pretty tasty as well.
(5)Benjamin R.
I kinda love the Royal Tavern. They are doing the bar menu RIGHT. It's one of the best bar food menus in town in my opinion and it's cheap. Bonus point for offering good vegan/veg options that go way beyond the ubiquitous and boring portabello. Try the excellent vegan Sloppy Joes or the enormous Tempeh Club. They also have numerous delicious sides. I always supplement my meal with some garlic spinach. The Royal also offers up a solid, seasonal draught list. Also, this place is generally not overrun with hipsters. I'm hesitant to spread the word because it's usually not crowded, but they do offer an excellent brunch. In spite of some other reviews on here, I personally havent' had a bad experience with the service. It can be a little slow when it's really busy (especially if you're trying to settle up) because the servers have to write up all the checks by hand. But seriously, have a beer and relax.
(5)Kate C.
Get the burger, you will not be disappointed. Don't eat meat? Go for the tempeh club sandwich, it's equally awesome.
(5)Mathew M.
I have the occasion to travel through Philly periodically. When I'm not Philly, I dream of the Royal Tavern burger. No joke. It's that good. I can't really vouch for anything else... but the burger is perfection.
(5)Rachel A.
Love the Royal Tavern. Go there all the time. The food (lots of heavier comfort food) is awesome and they usually have great specials. The beer list is always great. The Bloody Marys are good. Sometimes it's really crowded and you have to wait a while for a table, but if you're there early for brunch or most weeknights, it's fine. My favorite dishes are the meatloaf sandwich and the truffle butter popcorn (which is only available at dinner time!).
(5)Annie D.
I had dinner here with some friends a few weeks back. They suggested the Royal Tavern and were kinda mortified when I had no clue what they were talking about... Anywho, we went and I was really happy with what I found there! They Have a good albeit straight forward beer selection; nothing you'd be shocked to find but you're not relegated to drinking a dreaded InBev product. It's the food that makes it worth the journey for a non-South Philadelphian such as myself. I had an amazing chicken sandwich, my friend had a Caesar salad with these awesome polenta croutons and the specials all looked amazing. They also have a great selection of veggie and/or vegan options so everybody will be happy if you're dining with a mixed eating crowd.
(4)Chris G.
Truly good Friday night dinner w/female relative. Food is very well prepared - GREAT BEERS ON TAP-Servers & beer keeper are awesome Only negative is tables are way too close, I don't want somebody's fight w/ his frigging girlfriend in my ear, while trying to relax after work.
(4)Maren M.
I've only eaten here once, but my burger was by far one of the best burgers i've ever had. ever. I still remember the smoked gouda and carmelized onion. And my fries were really tasty. My companion for the evening enjoyed his wings, but was def. feeling my burger, and gladly finished it for me. i was so high off that shit that i happily paid for the whole meal, even though i'm broke. it was new years day. whatever. Treat Yourself.
(5)Sara C.
Holy crap. The sweet potato banh mi sandwich (that's a Vietnamese hoagie for those not in the know) is wonderful. Filled with all the fixings that make it so great - cilantro, jalepenos, pickled carrots, daikon radish, jicama - with some Royal additions - sweet potato, bibb lettuce, and cilantro aioli. SO GOOD. Based on the dishes I've had here - you'd think I'm vegetarian. If I had the money to eat at the Royal every night - I could probably pull it off.
(5)sabrina j.
the best bar! the burger. the chicken sandwich. the vegan sloppy joe. so amazing. go there immediately if you enjoy living your life!
(5)Lisa R.
Yes, there are great burgers here but there is so much more going on that you must check out the menu (note: slight variations once you arrive) to do this place, and yourself, justice. We enjoyed a phenomenal dinner, excellent service from waitress (who really knew their extensive beer offerings well), and the buss staff (who were attentive and helpful in packing up leftovers). We went for a Monday early dinner at 6 and the place was virtually packed to the brim but we got seated right away, by the time we left there was a line out the door and we thought, it's worth the wait. Kitc.hen serves 'til 1am.
(4)Julia N.
There's just something I really like about this bar. Actually, there are a lot of somethings: a well-thought out beer list, tons of good vegetarian food options, including that awesome tempeh club, great brunch that never feels like an afterthought, the cozy interior, friendly staff, a fantastic jukebox and the fact that there always seems to be at least one other Morrissey fan there to play his songs too. The only problem I can find here is that Royal Tavern is not close enough to my apartment. Of course, no restaurant can deliver a flawless dining experience 100% of the time, but every time I come to Royal Tavern, I leave happy.
(5)Sarah B.
YUM! Everything, just yum.
(4)Phil T.
When I saw Frankie's Chicken Sandwich on the menu served with Indian coleslaw I couldn't help but think, "but will it be like my mother's traditional Indian coleslaw?" *rollseyes* I bit into the sandwich and it tasted as if one had cooked a traditional curry and used it in a sandwich. Most restaurants add "curry" to dishes at an attempt at a gimmicky fusion dish, but the Royal Tavern has done an admirable job of combining it with a sandwich.
(3)Caitlin D.
This is a great go to place for gastropub fare. Dare I say, may favorite in the south Philly type area. The grilled cheese at this place is the best damn grilled cheese on the planet and I will fight anyone who disagrees. They always have specials that sound amazing (although I pretty much always order the grilled cheese). I don't know a single person that doesn't like this place. The bottle list isn't the greatest and slightly overpriced compared to other bar/restaurants...but that's never deterred me from going there. The jukebox is also really decent, and fun to look through if you ever have to wait for a table. Additionally, their brunch is awesome. My favorite is the burrito. I prefer going here in the cooler months, simply because its pretty dark inside....and I hate the idea of people in dark places when it's sunny and nice outside. Did I mention that the grilled cheese is seriously fucking good? OK, that is all.
(4)Alexa R.
Shhh....did you know Royal Tavern has an awesome brunch? I am not sure I want to tell all of the patrons waiting outside Morning Glory and Sabrina's, because I love the fact that I can walk right into Royal and get a table of 4. Took my brother in law and sister here on Saturday morning - had a great waitress and busser (who I even forgave for spilling freezing cold water on me!) -- and great food. Myriad palates were pleased and husband raved about the bacon bloody mary's!
(4)Stefanie A.
Not fancy, but doesn't need to be, This unassuming local tavern serves up some of the tastiest bar fare around. Not to mention the best burger in town IMHO. Service is friendly despite the continual crowds waiting for one of a handful of tables, and my friends say the veggie options are great, though I've never tried any as aside from the burger, the Korean fried chicken is also a favorite. Their house pomengranate sangris is great, as is the beer selection, and the stellar jukebox. Great place for a drink and eats with friends, thouggh going with a group larger than 4 can be challenging for finding table seating.
(5)Samantha H.
Three cheers for the Royal Tavern! Open late, tasty food, good service, and great tunes. My favorites are the barbecue wings and bacon wrapped tater tots, which might have been a one time thing, not sure. Still, if you see 'em, get 'em! Almost everything that can be dipped comes with a tasty homemade dipping sauce as well. The menu is a little small but my friends and I ordered different things and we were all very satisfied with what we got. Dessert was a little disappointing though. Decent, but not worth the price. As for the non-food things, they were also quite good. Service was a little slow but still friendly and understanding. Luckily, they have a jukebox to keep you entertained while waiting filled with everything from Rick Ross to the Clash to Justice and beyond. Commendable hours too! More often than I'd like I'm stuck trying to think of a place that serves dinner and is open past 9 or 10 but now I know the Royal Tavern is there and serving tasty foods.
(4)Amanda M.
My favorite place to grab a burger, hands down. A great beer selection, a variety of different types of food-their menu is always changing.The only food I have to complain about is the nachos. Nachos consisted too much toppings over nachos (which sounds silly, but when splitting with two people, its easy to run out) Overall, the royal gets an A.
(5)Coco D.
Children, I have figured it out. The riddle of the Sphinx? No, the riddle of why people like the Royal Tavern! And having solved this caper, I think I may be able to figure out why folks like other places that appear to be located in Sucktown, USA. Anyway, back to her Royal Taverness. It's not a bar! It's a restaurant! If you (I) go there expecting it to be a bar, you (I) will most likely attempt some violent shit out of frustration. But once you realize it's just a restaurant, the whole game changes. Allow me to explain: Crowd? Expecting bar: Wow, everyone here is kind of sad and lame and should probably go shopping to replace their feeble excuse for a wardrobe. Expecting restaurant: Hey look, it's packed, and everyone seems kind of happy! Decor? Bar: Um, this is weird. It looks a little too fancy to not have a cocktail menu. Restaurant: Dark wood, low lights! Cool! Service? Bar: I'm too bored to care. Can we go to McGlinchey's now? Restaurant: Nice enough. Of course this whole expectation thing would be a moot point if the food were not up to par (yeah, I'm looking at you, Sidecar). Granted, I've only had the burger, but man. That was a good burger! I'm not usually into bacon on burgers, but I felt like all of the toppings (spicy mayo, long hots) had been thought out, and it worked! I would feel safe putting my palate at the mercy of the rest of their menu. And the jukebox...well, it doesn't fucking kill, but hearing more than one T. Rex song over the course of a burger is going to win you more than a few points with me....
(4)G F.
This bar has my favorite beer, Ommegang's Three Philosophers. I like that. I also like the retro beer advertisements in the bathrooms (funny) and the super hand drying machines (the best kind of hand dryers). The dark colored wood which comprises the bar is classy. I also really enjoy the Pan Fried Gnocchi -- quite delicious (though overpriced). Throw all the pine nuts and arugula you want on it. It's still just gnocchi for $15. But that's kind of the overall theme here -- nice selection, but you're going to pay for it. Average to higher than average. Service can be hit or miss. Servers are quick to start... but taper off from there. I really want to love this place. I mean, I like it fine enough. I've been here many times with various groups of people. But it has never developed into the love category. I'm usually the guy who says, hey-- let's go to The Dive. And they say, hey-- let's go to the Royal Tavern instead. Seating is also limited. What can you do? The Royal Tavern is a fine bar. Just not one of the finest in the city, in this humble yelper's opinion. Meh.
(3)Mortimer S.
Great food, great beer selection. Comparisions to Standard Tap are apt. The menu is fairly extensive and everything is a familiar item, almost always with an interesting twist. A salad with a limoncello vinaigrette, calamari with harissa, and so forth. I sampled a couple of IPAs which were both good, then had the wings, ordering a combination of the traditional buffalo as well as mango habanero. The latter weren't nearly as spicy as I expected, nor did I really taste mango very strongly, but they were good, and coated with crumbled wasabi peas to boot. Wings also come with carrot and pickled daikon in addition to the gorgonzola dressing. The waitress was attentive. The atmosphere is comparable to other establishments of this type and it seems to be a pretty laid back place. I look forward to trying more of their fare.
(5)Hymae W.
Went here for breakfast Easter morning. I had a bagel sandwich that was excellent. 3 other in my group got a breakfast burrito which they all enjoyed. They also serve mimosas and bloody mary's but i opted out that day.
(4)Emily C.
LOVE this place. Always a busy & fun atmosphere. The "Tempeh Club Sandwich" is one of the best. Great customer service! There is usually a wait (on popular nights of the weekend), but the staff is ALWAYS trying to accommodate you as much as possible, so that you are comfortable and seated as soon as possible. It's a nice change from places that seem to disregard your patience!
(5)Cynthia D.
I love this swanky place for their unexpected touches to the classic american bar menu. The jukebox is sweet, as well. It's a beautiful bar with a lovely old interior nicely restored. Very Classy. Only complaint, as a short girl, the tall chairs are a bit rough. Ow.
(5)Michael K.
What a great, relaxed pub tavern we have here. As I walk in the door, I just know there's gonna be a few great beers waiting for me to try. Sitting at the bar is great if I can grab a seat, though you do have a lot of foot traffic walking behind you all night. If I were the sort to start drinking around 1 pm on a weekday and drool on my bar stool, this place would be near the top of my list. The food here is very good without being pretentious - great mac n cheese. Or expensive - think just about ever sandwhich was under $9. However, just about every time I've come in and grabbed a table the service has been lacking (hence I prefer the bar seats). I've waited a looooong time just to put in a drink order. So have your order ready or you may wait a while to see your server again. And it was mentioned recently, but the jukebox here rules. Old punk, origins of rock, smarmy indie. Only problem is everyone KNOWS there's a good jukebox here...you may have to wait a while to hear your selections...
(4)Bernard G.
Two words: Chicken Sandwich. I crave it. I live an hour away, but will make the drive for this piece of heaven. And, I don't even drink beer. I just want the sandwich. Thanks.
(4)Megan M.
Great place. Surprisingly good food. Reasonable prices. Good vibes. Royal Tavern is one of my go-to places. It's the perfect blend of relaxed bar and great restaurant. I have never had anything there that I didn't like. Highlights include the Angus burger, popcorn, and cubano rolls. Their brunch is also fantastic! Breakfast burrito, baby! The only bummer is that it can get crowded. The slightly "relaxed" service doesn't always help that, but in this case, I don't hold it against them.
(5)Big E.
Solid burger and solid beer list. Beautiful bar. I wonder if the ceiling is really tin? Definitely on my short list for best burger in Philadelphia. I am not sure if it is the best but in the top 3 for sure. Go eat, drink and enjoy yourself.
(4)JACKIE G.
Ah, Royal Tavern. The perfect place to nurse a hangover with a bloody mary. Personally, I find them to be the best in the city, so usually, one does not suffice. I often frequent this place for brunch. If I don't feel like trying someplace new, the Royal is a go-to spot. Some of their classics are the grilled cheese- three cheeses and fries priced right at $7- and mac and cheese. Yesterday I tried for the first time the Jersey tomato salad and it was delectable. I ordered fries because I was afraid the salad world leave me a little hungry. I was wrong. The salad was adorned with two tomato slices bigger than my palms (and I have big hands). The bibb lettuce was perfect in this salad, it was soft as compared to a crunchier lettuce, it was perfect with the savory flavor of the tomato and salt. Generally speaking, the Royal is usually crowded with good reason. The happy hour is good too, half priced drinks. Yay!
(5)Erica M.
This place was really good...I would probably give it 3.5 stars if possible, but it was good enough that I would round up rather than down. The server was really nice and we got our drinks and appetizer quickly. The mezze platter was DELISH! Hummus and baba ganouj were obviously homemade and oh-so-tasty. The grape leaves were warm and the fresh pita was grilled to perfection. We waited a little while for our entrees...we had a party of 5 and got the gnocchi, sweet potato banh mi, asiago/mushroom/arugula flatbread pizza, and 2 tempeh clubs. Overall, the food was really good except the person who got the sweet potato banh mi wasn't a fan. I enjoyed my tempeh club but thought it was a bit flavorless (I didn't even taste the vegan bacon). The basil aioli and their lavender honey mustard (we got both on the side for the tempeh club) were both AMAZING. The gnocchi-orderer enjoyed her dish, but said they were super heavy and could only eat a few bites of the appetizer portion. Portions are quite large! I will definitely go back...the burger looked delish, so I look forward to trying that upon my next visit. Overall a good experience!
(4)Colleen D.
The Royal Tavern. One of my favorite bars in the city. Not only do they have a great beer selection, but they also have my favorite burger in the city - caramelized onions, smoked Gouda, bacon and condiments on top of a delicious roll. So why not give it 5 stars? Because, as many will state in their reviews, the service needs improvement. Last time i came here with a friend, our server forgot to put our order in, and it took an hour and a half to get our burgers. 90 minutes for two burgers! And she tried to blame it on the kitchen being busy. We ended up getting our food for free, but that is inexcusable, and she wasn't very apologetic. If I had done that in my years of serving I would no longer have had a job! But things are different in Philly.
(4)Terri M.
Rule #1 - Get here before 6pm on any given night, or a table will not come easily. Brunch is super crazy, so either get there at opening or wait until mid-noon (brunch is served until about 4). But no matter what time you get there or how long you wait, the food is worth it. The atmosphere is relaxed, good music 100% of the time and the staff is efficient (There was a period several years ago when the service SUCKED ASS and we avoided this place at all cost, but they they've had a great crew for about the past 2 years). They always have a beer on tap that will suit anyone's preference. The food is fantastic. I LOVE the Tempeh Club - I will order this 95% of the time I eat here. For brunch, I am a sucker for the Tater Tot Scramble. Another great sandwich is the Vegan Sloppy Joe. Desserts are to die for, except for the Apple Crisp. Get the Grasshopper Cake or Coconut Cream Cake if they are available.
(4)Michelle W.
It's a place I always go back to. The beer list is always great, but the food is what keeps me coming back. The meatloaf sandwich is awesome, hands down the best bar food I've had. The service is consistently great, and the bartenders are knowledgeable and nice. The environment is awesome, a hodgepoge of older folks, hipsters, and the neighborhood crowd. A plus is the jukebox and the chalk board in the bathroom!
(5)Lauren D.
Sometimes I wonder why I haven't reviewed this place yet considering I'm there at least 2 or 3 times a month, but then I realize that this place has over 100 god damn reviews and, let's face it, no one will probably read this. ANYWAY. I really love Royal Tavern. Sometimes I get kind of apathetic towards it because every now and then the staff rubs me the wrong way (too much "I'm a Hipster and I don't care about anything" attitude), but it's never BAD service. In fact, they are usually really attentive, and this one day bartender with short blondish hair is just so nice and pleasant that I want to be his best friend always. The food here is also really freakin' delicious. Hands-down the best grilled cheese sandwich in the city. It has goat cheese, gouda, and something else that I can't remember, inside 2 slices of buttery, crispy, bread. To be perfectly honest, I don't think I've ever eaten anything else from this place. Maybe a soup, which you can add on to the grilled cheese sandwich for 3 dollars more. It's heavenly, and now I'm craving one of them at 8:40am because of writing this review. The space itself is kind of weird and not really good for larger parties (long and narrow), but it's kind of cozy. I also really dig the bathrooms, especially now that they added the chalk board walls, because who doesn't like drunkenly writing messages while breaking the seal? OH the only kind of lame thing about this place is that they don't take reservations, which makes going there on a weekend night sometimes not an option since it gets REALLY busy REALLY quickly. So yes. Go to the Royal Tavern. It's swell.
(5)Jordan L.
Everyone gets all hyped up about the burger at Royal Tavern. but the unsung hero is the chicken sandwich. Grilled chicken, arugula, blue cheese, prosciutto, pears, honey mustard? Could this be the best chicken sandwich ever? For this Yelper it is! Pretty much everything on the menu is outstanding, you really can't go wrong. All they need is to bring back the hot apple cider with whisky for the fall and winter months.
(4)David G.
Dear Royal, Sure, your food is unrivaled (the burger is as good as they say, as are about a half a dozen items on the menu), your servers and bartenders are fantastic, your atmosphere welcoming and without pretension, your beer selection utterly solid (with a nice kicker of whiskeys), your lighting dark as a bar should be, your jukebox balanced with awesomenss, your brunch kickass... Sure, you're a block from my house. Sure, sometimes when out-of-town guests are in-town for a weekend, we find ourselves coming to you twice at nights and once for brunch. Sure, all that. But you know, Royal, sometimes you're a little loud: so you only get five stars.
(5)Beth R.
RT has a vibe that reminds me of Grace's Tavern or South Philly Taproom... with it's dark walls, wooden bar, and dim lighting inside. The beer list is good, and so is he menu. I had a wonderfully unhealthy dinner of tater tots and mac n cheese here last night (although they do have salads, sandwiches, mussels, etc on the menu as well). The downside is that the bar is pretty narrow and if you're standing, you will be jostled around by everyone going and going. Also, I know it's hot outside, but it was really steamy in there last night. I don't think they have central AC.
(3)Kathy D.
Great beer selection and quality food! In my last Food Network magazine, the Royal Tavern won the award for the best burger in PA. The menu changes frequently and although there's some vegan and different items, you can always order the burger when in doubt. It's VERY dark and can get pretty loud in there depending when you go. GREAT beer and drink selection and service is top notch. Hipster vibe with lots of tattoos, but you won't feel out of place in here...probably because it's so dark :)
(4)Ben P.
Always a good choice. One of my favorite spots to watch a Phils game. Great beer list, solid service, awesome...awesome food.
(4)Amy K.
I love this bar. They have a decent beer selection, but the food is what keeps me going back. I've loved everything I've eaten there, especially the chicken sandwich. But other great things I've eaten there are the burger, the caesar salad, and the meatloaf sandwich. I also love that they offer tater tots. I try to get something I can dip the vinegar mayo in, because yyuuuuuummm I love that stuff. Brunch has also been great there.
(5)Kristina K.
This is definitely in my top 5 brunch spots! I've never had a bad experience here. They boast about having the city's best bloody marys and its pretty damn close to the best I've ever had. They're spicy, but not on fire and I love the pickle n olive garnish it has. Usually I have to hide it from my bf because he loves it too. Their food is fab! I love their tater tot scramble with chipotle crema and pretty much any special I've gotten (ex chorizo and egg breakfast tacos) were amazing! Its a spot I will gladly come back to again and again.
(5)Christina W.
If a well done burger means red and bloody, then Royal makes then best burger I've ever ordered. I don't know where the break down of communication started, but when my burger arrived, it bled all over my plate. Thankfully the plate came with a large serving of fries and delicious chile mayonnaise. Also, I'm a fat girl and I'll eat pretty much whatever the waitress brings out. On a Wednesday night at 7pm I really didn't think we'd have trouble finding a seat but unfortunately, we had to wait for about 20 minutes. Guess people love bloody burgers.
(3)Robin S.
I'm sorry to give Royal Tavern 3 stars. Had this been a year or two ago it would have been 4 or 5. What happened dudes??? This used to be my favorite brunch spot in Philly. Awesome food, great drink specials (extra spicy bloody mary with bacon crumbled on top? Brilliant!) and friendly (if a bit harried) waitstaff. Then something changed. I went a while back to wait for a friend, sat at the bar and the bartender seemed really annoyed that I was there and that, god forbid, I only wanted a PBR bottle. Went back again with some friends for brunch and my one friend's order was screwed up several times (how hard is it to just leave mayo off the order?) and the waitress acted pissy when he politely asked her to fix it. On top of that the glorious bloody marys that I had raved about to my friends now come in half sized glasses and are pretty boring. Although they did serve it with a pickle which I loved. Maybe it's just the brunch crowd though. I went back again at about 7pm on a Sunday and our waiter was really nice and fast. My hope is that it's just a temporary downswing and things will get better soon. I miss my staple brunch place.
(3)Alex K.
Went here with my buddy for his birthday, he had been wanting to go back and I'd never been, so I was excited to try some of this great food he was talking about. It's bar food at the end of the day, but it's not just bar food, it's the kind of foodie fuel Yelpers probably love, made with choice ingredients and served up in a pleasantly subtle, divey down-home atmosphere. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: This place is more well hidden than Waldo playing hide-n-seek at the Super Bowl...ok that's an exaggeration, but keep your eyes open for this place or you'll miss it. The place feels really warm, dimly, intimately lit (ie. xmas lights). THE FOOD/DRINKS: We drank lagers, so there's not much to say about the drinks, other than that they are reasonably priced, and the bar looked to be full of fun possibilities. I opted for their grilled cheese, which came with fries and a cup of their soup of the day (black bean), and a side of garlic spinach. The grilled cheese was thick sliced texas toast, buttery and crispy, with three cheeses, I forget which they were but damn was it good. Blackbean soup was a perfect dipping companion, with a few of what looked like handmade tortilla chips. The spinach was garlicky, just like I like it, although I think it was a little thicker than I'd have preferred, if that makes sense. THE SERVICE: Down to earth, responsive (for the most part), and friendly. Their laid-back demeanor matches the ambiance, without coming off as lazy or indignant. THE PRICING: Surprisingly reasonable. I was expecting a bigger bill, paying for both of us since it was my friend's bday, that made things extra sweet. I can definitely say that it factors into any future visit I'll be making there because I know I can explore the menu and enjoy something I know will be deliciously dope for less than other nearby spots. THE BOTTOM LINE: Check it out for sure, great for a laid back dinner, it's just pretty small and inconspicuous, so be ready for a comfortable, humble experience that won't hurt your wallet and reward your tastebuds generously.
(5)Blake F.
spoiled by the royal. yup, that's what i am. see, i've tasted the liquid magic that is the royal bloody, and all bloody marys i've had since have in turn been the recipients of such remarks as "it's good, but not royal good." bloodys are a relatively new thing for me, and i don't claim to be an expert on what they should or shouldn't taste like, tho i will say i enjoy the super spiciness (including the spicy pickle garnish) and overall consistency (thick & chunky, in a good way). not sure what vodka they use, but they're definitely not skimping on that key ingredient! along with my bloodys, i often (but not always...) order brunch. the breakfast burrito is a personal fave (also, HUGE) and i recently enjoyed the tater tot scramble as well. eggs + tots + cheese + caramelized onions + chipotle cream sauce = awesomeness. and, as the queen, i would know. the royal is also one of the few places in philly that offers vegetarian sausage (and fakon) which, at 3 bucks for 3 patties, i can't pass up. so far i've only made it to the royal once for dinner (shame on me), but it's only a matter of time before i'm back for more of their veggie offerings - as they offer so many! the vegan sloppy joe rocked my flavor world and while i'd be tempted to order it again, i wanna try the tempeh club, the grilled cheese, the hummus platter, and so much more. oh wait - i did also get to taste the royal's take on the vietnamese hoagie at our last elite event where they provided their sweet potato banh mi. me want more!!
(4)christina j.
G & I checked this spot out after a few beers at the POPE. We split the popcorn, potato skins and the burger. Yum! Enough food for 2 and the burger was delicious.
(3)Kimberly S.
This place is my favorite neighborhood bar in Philly. The beer list is decent and reasonably priced and the food is awesome! You must try the burgers here. The last time I was here I had my dream burger....carmelized onions, smoked gouda, bacon, long hot pepper and a fried egg on top. I must say it was quite possibly the best burger of my life. Another favorite menu item is the grilled chicken breast sandwich, except I sub smoked gouda for the bleu cheese (I don't care for bleu cheese) and I think it makes the sandwich even better because the smoked gouda and the thinly sliced pear compliment each other so well. I love - love - love this sandwich. One time I was here with a friend that ordered the meatloaf. If you had a mom like mine who cooked meatloaf like hers and went to a school with a lunch menu like mine, then you probably HATE meatloaf as I do. But this meatloaf at Royal Tavern was actually delicious! In spite of the Martha Stewarts, Top Chefs, Steven Starrs, Rachel Rays and Gordon Ramseys of the industry, I think the ultimate accomplishment for a chef should be when they succeed in making someone like a food that they have always hated. Well done Royal Tavern. I do have one complaint though. The last time I came here the service was TERRIBLE. The waitress either completely forgot about us or completely ignored us. I have been a restaurant worker for 10 years now and am a die-hard advocate of good tipping, but this service was so bad, so nonexistent, that I did not even care if she got a tip. Aside from that, the food is just so great that I will definitely be back in the future.
(4)Joanne P.
Definitely a Hidden Gem, the burger was deeelish and the mac n cheese was wonderful. Loved the low key atmosphere and music was on but not so loud that i had to scream at my bf to talk to him. When it got a little darker out, they dimmed the light and brought out candles, didnt think it could get romantic in a bar haha. Will be recommending this place to many many more friends.
(5)Xtine H.
I popped in here after a friend had told me about the mulled cider they carried in the winter months, which ended up being a nice break from a cold trip to the city. The menu is great, be sure to check the specials board. We ended up sitting at the bar and on a Saturday afternoon, it was hard to find a table! The servers were all conversational, and I even felt like a local by being included in their conversations
(3)Tom D.
I elected to bring my friend here because of the number of reviews that highlighted the vegan food. I suppose when you have over 100 reviews and feature vegan food on your menu, you're bound to have a number of vegans eat at your restaurant. Well, the reviews are quite accurate. The vegan fare was excellent! I was also pleased with my selection. I ordered the grilled cheese and soup combo. The sandwich was super tasty with the gooey-factor reaching into the upper echelons of awesome! The soup was a chipotle tomato: a perfect foil to the sandwich. Cool vibe, good jukebox, decent service. It was crowded for dinner on Friday, I would advise reservations, though we were seated after only 15 minutes.
(4)Rachel W.
This place was really great. I have been to the dive a bunch of times, and somehow I had completely missed it. Good beer selection that's moderately priced, (Franziskaner is 6 here, while you walk 50 feet away and it's 4 dollars at the dive.) and their draught selection is pretty good too, Happy Hour seems like a good place to be since all of the beers on tap are half off. I didn't try any beers because I had forgotten my ID, but I did have their Tempeh Club sandwich, and it was absolutely fantastic. The veggie bacon and tempeh almost seemed like they made it themselves... I have no idea whether it's store bought or made there, but it was great anyway. They also put this basil aoeli on the club which was a nice touch. My boyfriend had the bbq seitan sandwich, and although this was good too, the tempeh club was better. It was more spicy than sweet, and I'm partial to the more sweet bbq taste. The seitan had a really good texture though. Oh! They also have vegan cakes and desserts. I tried the carrot cake and it was super super moist, and the icing was way better quality than most vegan cakes / cupcakes. I will definitely visit this place again.
(4)Justin B.
One of the best Burgers in Philly. Also the Chicken Sandwich is delicious. The atmosphere is really nice and beers are in the plenty. Get there early if you want a table because this place is pretty popular and for a very good reason. I love you RoyalTavern!
(5)Dillon R.
Went there and had brunch for the first time. Get there early because it fills up quick! Packed by 10:30am today (Sunday). By far the best eggs Benedict I've ever had. Good selection of breakfast foods to satisfy anyone. Lots of vegetarian/ vegan options too Can't complain about a place that gives you 6 slices of bacon when you order a side of bacon. Plenty of free street parking at that time of day too.
(4)Andrew C.
Found this bar through yelp looking for brunch while wandering around south Philly. Wasn't sure whether what looked like a standard bar was even open as we walked in the door.... But the food was incredible! I ordered the breakfast burrito and have never had a better one! Smooth guacamole, spicy peppers, and sausage ignited my tastebuds and cured my hangover. The coffee was also much better than average. I've been back a few times and have yet to be disappointed. It may not look like much at first, but this place is truly a gem.
(5)Aly M.
The Royal is awesome. I'd only been here a few times before recently, but I've had the privilege of living literally around the corner for the past few months and have consequently been there at least weekly if not more. Their food is generally over the top good. The cubano spring rolls are excellent, and the burger is very deserving of the "best of" title. The only reason they don't get 5 stars is because last time I was there, my dad and I opted for a cup of soup each and to split a grilled cheese. The black bean soup really left something to be desired, it was pretty bland and we had to ask the bartender like 5 times to get some jalapenos on the side. Black bean soup is usually served with sides to drop in such as cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, raw onion. This was not accompanied by anything, thus the blandness. It also had to be sent back to be warmed because it came out cold. I got the pork, white bean, and broccoli rabe soup which was a special of the day. It was very tasty but my bowl was less than half full, which was made even more apparent by the fact that we both ordered soup and his bowl was filled to an appropriate level. Overall that one experience was not a deal breaker (obviously, cause it's still gettin 4 stars) just a small stain on my otherwise glistening review of the Royal. Oh- the meatloaf sandwich!! TASTY! I only wish they had non-vegan sloppy joes as well. YUM.
(4)Leah G.
While everyone is such a fan of the burger at Royal Tavern, I really think the grilled cheese should have a similar following. I am constantly in search of great grilled cheese and mac and cheese in philly, and the Royal Tavern has definitely made my grilled cheese map. They do it very well - the cheese is melted well (yes this seems to actually be a recurring problem with grilled cheese at several philadelphia establishments), the corners are not dried out (yes another problem). The different cheeses are paired well, and help to create a solid, quality grilled cheese. PS if you have a favorite grilled cheese locale, please let me know!
(4)Dustyn C.
I'm a big fan of the Royal Tavern. It has been within a few blocks of my house for almost half of the 9 years I've lived in this city, and during that time I've seen it go through many changes. Years ago, it was the best place for some kind of stuffed french toast on a sunday morning. These days, I don't bother with brunch there anymore because it became too popular for it's own good, and the poor servers constantly look overextended and the wait times can be awful. There's a good reason for the popularity, but I'd rather avoid it. I tend to grab dinner here frequently. Partially this has to do with the fact that unlike some local bars who say their kitchens are open late but close them down early if they aren't busy enough, I can always count on the kitchen here to be open until 1am. I work an odd schedule, and so this has saved me from going hungry or going Wawa many, many evenings. The menu always has vegetarian / vegan options, once in awhile the specials menu will as well, and the soups are consistently great. This is good to keep in mind, because they pair well with the grilled cheese and a beer. (an aside about beer: i tend to like darker beers. the fact that the Royal always has bottles of Yuengling porter in the fridge makes me very, very happy. a lot of bars don't carry it, and it's one of my favorites, so kudos to them. now if i could convince them to keep a keg of the Yards Brawler on tap at all times, I'd be content forever.) All that being said, my two true loves at the royal tavern are the popcorn and the tempeh club. the popcorn is so good that sometimes when we're sitting around the house getting ready to throw in a movie, i'll run down the street and grab a few orders of popcorn to bring home and eat with the movie. seriously. and it's a perfect inexpensive bar snack. enough other people have gushed about the tempeh club so i'm not going to, but i will say that even if i wasn't a vegetarian, I'd still be ordering the tempeh club. it's a mess to eat, but 100% delicious. the jukebox can be hit or miss depending on your tastes, but i'm pretty sure there's something in there for everyone. watch out though because sometimes it gets LOUD for no apparent reason when you start picking selections and it's mildly embarrassing because everyone in the bar turns to glare at you as if you turned the volume up to deafening on purpose. and finally, i have to say that the staff is pretty great. I've watched the servers sit and take written tests on the menu and the beer selection, so they definitely know their stuff. they are always very friendly, and i've spent many nights sitting at the bar drinking and being entertained by the bartenders goofing around. good vibes abound. my favorite bar in the city.
(5)Jenn M.
Royal is one of the best places to go after a long work week and relax with some drinks and great food. My husband and I have been coming here since we started dating, and it continues to be one of our favorite little date spots. I have been a vegetarian for about 9 years now, and he is a devoted carnivore so its great we can both find things we love on the menu. The drinks are good and strong and the beer list is always awesome as well. The jukebox always has a fun selection and the crowd is usually packed in but having a great time.
(5)Dave W.
This is what a bar should be. No frills inside. Just a nice long bar, some high tops, and some tables towards the back. A friendly face behind the bar who is well informed about their various offerings. A TV in the corner usually playing old movies on AMC or sports (depending on when you're there and whose bartending). The crowds a little hipstery but if you dont feel comfortable in this place it probably says more about you then the crowd. The beer selection is diverse and very good. The food is excellent- I get the same thing almost every time. The grilled chicken sandwich, arugula, blue cheese, pear, lavendar honey dressing. They will happily sub a salad for fries at no charge if you're trying to keep it on the somewhat healthy tip. It is one damn good sandwich. I finally ordered the much talked about burger yesterday and it is also really, really good. Not for a traditionalist and not for someone with a heart problem, as it comes with bacon, smoked gouda, long hots, and chili mayo on it, but it is very, very tasty. This is currently my favorite bar in philadelphia, though I enjoy it more during off peak hours. The 4-6 happy hour is a good deal too, as you can drink some really good beers on draft at half price.
(5)patrick k.
The Royal is the best bar in the city. I used to diss this place even though I always admitted that their food and the beer list and the ambiance and the juke box and the location were all perfect. mostly I guess hated how condescending I thought the service was. But that was years ago and nowadays I find all the bartenders and waiters there to be completely attentive and very pleasant if not downright friendly. I often cite their food and service and ambiance as paragons of pub fare. In fact, when I visited the Dogfish Head (my favorite brewery) brew pub in Rehoboth Beach and was disappointed in the food, i wrote to them and told them to check out the Royal for some pointers. The calamari and the meatloaf sandwich and the popcorn and the bloody mary's and mimosas are all just as good as they can be. The Royal is just like a good Simpsons joke, you can't imagine how it could be any better. I brought my love here on an early date and I think somehow I owe a little bit of our relationship to them. And also props for the real tin ceiling and the gorgeous hand-crafted bar.
(5)Mike H.
Completely laid back place. Amazing menu with tons of vegetarian and vegan options. I definitely plan on visiting this place more often.
(5)Ray D.
My favorite gastro-pub in Philadelphia. I think that at one point last year I was in serious danger of being charged rent at this place. The burger is one of the tastiest things I've ever had the pleasure of eating. The chipotle bbq wings are a sleeper which I highly recommend. The whole feel of this place has got me smiling as I write the review. Don't judge a book by it's cover though. You may not feel like you fit in with the crowd that flocks here. I'm the furthest thing from being considered hipster or alternative. I have no tattoos, no facial hair, and my ear lobes are not stretched to unusual proportions. You'll be comfortable here regardless of what you're into. If you like good food, good drink, good music, and good times, grab a table and get hooked like the rest of us.
(4)Dera S.
The Royal has seriously great vegan beef nachos. The stack of deliciousness is so high it seems like an architectural feat and can easily be shared by two (or three) people. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike will dig them. Their beer selection is good too, though sometimes on the pricey side (I wish they would get on board with a Kensinger special or some such thing). My husband and friends love their burger.
(4)Kristin M.
Royal Tavern is the kind of place where you really don't care that the waitress politely, even cautiously, just asked if you would leave so she can sit a waiting party of eight. This was after paying, of course. And staying more than two hours. So when she asked, we immediately put on our coats and headed for the door. Despite loving Sabrina's for brunch just like everyone else, Royal Tavern has them beat with its bar--and insanely good bloody marys. I've taken my Jersey-living parents here, chain-restaurant loyalists that they are, and I could even see that they thought this place was a find. So what to get: The burger is a winner, as is the chicken sandwich with proscuitto, apples, gorgonzola and lavendar honey mustard on a toasted bread of some sort. The wings are decadent, slathered with sauce and pack some heat. The wine list is surprisingly filled out but most of the food here stands up better with a beer. Order several but, please, smile and grab your stuff when the waitress asks you for the table back.
(4)kara p.
i've been here at least once a week recently. i don't drink but i've been slowly trying every veg option on the menu. last thing i had was the hummus plate and my god it was incredible. great presentation and taste. and it was huge! i took home the leftover hummus and it lasted me another few days. their fries are great, a doi. the butter snap peas are soooooo good, but i little heavy on the butter for my taste so next time i'll ask for it to be lighter. the stuffed grape leaves have a great kick to them but are a little mushy. the tater tots are nice and crispy. next time i'm going for the sloppy joe! yummmm
(5)Katy D.
I went on a Monday night, which was surprisingly busy - always a good sign! The beer selection was nice although they didn't have much in the way of lager. It was all Pils, Pale Ale, and IPA - lots of hops and wit beers. I ended up with a Saison Dupont, one of my favorite beers ever. The only reason this place didn't get 5 stars is the service... the waitress wanted to take our order right away. Like the moment we were seated. Then, she disappeared for a bit and after we did order, the food did take quite a while. However, the gnocci and burger were worth the wait. Both delicious! I didn't really care for the mixed green salad I got. It was way too acidic - very vinegary greens, feta, and orange slices, all acidic... It could have used a different cheese or something to balance it out more. Another note on the service... it took two requests to get me parmesean cheese for the gnocci. Strangely, though, they were always right there when our drinks were low, asking if we wanted another. With a bit faster and friendlier service, this place could easily be 5 stars in my book.
(4)Heather M.
This was my and my husband's first visit to the Royal. We are big fans of Chef Mark McKinney (thinking of making a fridge magnet that says WWMMD), and will happily eat anything that he has a hand in creating. We practically live at Cantina Dos Segundos. For a week prior to our visit, I'd been reading on various local food blogs that the Royal was doing an all vegetarian specials menu to celebrate their anniversary (we may also have gotten the word from the Chef himself, but I'm not saying...). Since the spouse and I eat not of the flesh, we decided to give it a shot. My first impression upon entering the Royal: this is a bar. It smells like a bar. This is not necessarily a bad thing, if you like that stale beer and old cigarettes smell. It's not really our cup of tea, though. I drink, the spouse doesn't, and we don't really hang out in bars. It's also crowded. Being in South Philly, real estate is scarce, and tables are tightly packed. We arrived early enough that we didn't have to fight a crowd to sit in the back area, where the tables are more evenly separated, but upon leaving, I was wishing for a Moses like power to part the mass of people crowded around the bar. Upon receiving the menu, I was overwhelmed with all of the vegetarian options available to me! Even the regular menu is chock full. We went with an order of the vegetarian chicken wings off of the specials menu. I also got the vegetarian sloppy joe. The spouse got the grilled seitan sandwich off of the specials menu. The food was awesome. My only food related complaint: the order of wings was sparse. I wanted a big pile, we got 4 to share. I also needed a bigger serving of the bleu cheese dressing for dipping because I'm a dipaholic. My sloppy joe sandwich was incredible. It was served on a toasted brioche bun, and had a cole slaw which included jalapeno peppers. It came with fries. Oh, the fries! Crispy, skin on, perfection. There was mysterious vinegar flavored white condiment provided along with the fries...some sort of vinegar mayo? I finished both my and my husband's dip (because he hates condiments) using the fries. I may have been making little grunty noises, too, it was that good. My husband said his seitan sandwich was good, but he didn't share, so I have no idea what it tasted like. We finished with a slice of tasty pumpkin cake. The service was eh. When we entered, no one really noticed us, and we didn't know the routine (seat yourself? wait to be seated?), so I approached the bar and was directed to sit anywhere. Ok. We ordered drinks, and they came out quickly. I drink sparsely during a meal, but my husband has some need to guzzle iced teas at every restaurant. He really is a server's nightmare in this regard. Sadly, he judges the quality of service based on how often he has to wait or ask for a refill. I could tell from his face that the service at the Royal was failing. On top of that, the iced tea was actually gross...it had that flavor like the container hasn't been cleaned out in a while, like moldy washcloths. He had to switch to diet soda. When asking for a refill of his soda, he was actually told "it would be a little while" because our server was so busy. Ok. Again, this is not really my issue, but when my husband gets cranky at a restaurant because he's thirsty, it kind of ruins my ability to enjoy my meal properly. Will we go back? Maybe. The food was certainly worth it. The ambiance, though, eh. It would probably be a good place to hit with a group of people and hang out late at night. We tend to eat during "old people hours," though, so I doubt we'll be back on our own anytime soon.
(3)Lindsay H.
vegan sloppy joe could have used more sauce buttttt...... $2.25 beers during happy hour makes for a happy lass! cant find great deals like that in ny!
(4)Sally f.
i have always had good experiences here, despite it being small dark, noisy and crowded. i always get seated eventually - even when there are no tables open when i wak in and i have a group of ppl! and the food is great!
(4)Dani S.
I love this place! Great staff, cool atmoshphere and most importantly... the best bloody mary, hands down
(5)Heavenly O.
I went there for brunch, and the food was great. Simple and homemade-like, in a good way. Also, my friend's Bloody Mary was on the house. Nice.
(4)Jon B.
I joined some friends at this fantastic little hide-away. When I arrived they were polishing off some hot wings and sweet potato fries. I was able to sample a wing and it was bold and flavorful! I almost took a star away because their sweet potato fries came out soggy, no joke. However, the real reason they deserve credit is for the burger which is what you've all been waiting for. The burger is out of this world!!! It comes on a plate with delicious crispy fries (maybe sweet fries were a one-off) and a dipping sauce which I can't really remember for some reason. Ok, ok, the burger: This bad boy is probably like 6-7 oz of pure angus heaven. I should preface that I always order a quality burger temp RARE. It came out and it was just the right balance of reddish pink color (not to be confused w med.rare.) As if this weren't enough, there is just the right proportions of crispy bacon, perfectly caramelized onions (I hate when they say caramelized but they're not fried long enough and lack the natural sweetness which comes out... not here) and these delicious hot peppers which I wasn't familiar with called longhots which were pickled and oh so satisfying to the tongue. It is hard to chose the ideal cheese to compliment a sandwich of this caliber but they wisely chose smoked gouda. I don't know if there was some kind of synergistic effect on the palate between the bacon and the gouda or what but it complemented this juicy patty from Above just right. The bun was lightly toasted with a light butter glaze and stayed true throughout until completion. They also spread a slight bit of this chile mayo on it for added punch. Wimps need not apply; so far this is my BBEP (best burger experience in Philly) to date on my quest for Philly's ultimate hamburger. Sorry Good Dog, you've just been served. (Good Dog was my previous top two along with the special aged prime burger at Pub and Kitchen.) I'm a Philly native but have lived all around the world sampling all kinds of delicious cuisine. My current focus is on my burger search, but stay tuned for other great recs and lousy places to avoid.
(5)Sheri C.
I LOVE this place! Out of the way but definitely worth seeking out. Vegetarian food was outstanding. HUGE portions!
(5)Caitlin A.
You can't go wrong with the Royal Tavern. It's probably my favorite casual place in the city. They have great options for vegetarian and vegans, and will also make the biggest meat-lovers happy. I have never had an entree I didn't love, and the same goes for everyone I've dined there with. The service is great even when they're super busy. The specials are always to die for. Brunch is also great. I would eat here every night if I could!
(5)Crystal S.
I had the grilled cheese and tomato basil soup, he had the meatloaf sandwich. We both couldn't have been happier. The beer selection is also delicious, and the bar back is this gorgeous old wood/mirror wall that I found myself admiring. We'll be going back for sure.
(5)heather j.
love to get there on sunday mornings drink a bloody mary (very spicy) and eat there great food. portions are on the small side, but I dont like to eat more than I can handle. quiche is excellent (changes every week) and comes w/ a small mixed green salad and great fresh fruit. love this place, cause you can tell that everything is fresh.
(4)John M.
Great Great Burgers. Cool bar/restaurant with a good selection of beer. Gets busy but always worth it. If it's too busy, just put your name in and go to the dive bar (next door) until they're ready to seat you.
(4)Jules P.
This place is great. The food is awesome and they have a nice selection of beer. My only real concern is that since it's so good, there tends to be a wait to eat there at any time on the weekend.
(5)Mike H.
This has become a weekend standard for my girlfriend and I. They have vegan and vegetarian on their standard menu and some nice specials. Their brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays is pretty good. Also their portions are pretty big for the price.
(4)Emma B.
just go here for brunch or for a casual date with someone that does or doesn't eat meat or dairy. everyone wins.
(4)Jessica K.
Great food- I'm not a vegetarian and the Vegan Sloppy Joe there is one of my favorites. They also always have my favorite Woodchuck Dark & Dry Cider. The smoke used to be excessive, but no longer a problem. Sometimes the service can be a little spotty- depends on who you get. Some of the waitstaff has been there for a while, but the newbies are often not on the ball.
(4)Alex B.
what can i say that hasn't been said before about this place. great food, great beer selection, and very reasonable (may seem slightly pricey at first, but the quality of the food more than makes up for the extra dollar or two more you'd spend here than for a burger elsewhere). the crowd/vibe is definitely that of the hipster/artsy persuasion, but if you don't mind, they certainly don't. everyone is super nice and helpful. the downsides is it can get very crowded around dinner time, and you may have to wait (and there really isn't a spot inside you can wait without being in the way of someone). also it's not very good for large groups, because of the close quarters inside.
(4)Ted B.
Easily on my top five list of places to eat in Philly. Excellent (cheap) food, especially appetizers (the hummus plate is a must-have, and don't be skeptical of the popcorn, it's amazing), excellent beer list at a reasonable price, and fun setting. They're always blasting (usually quite good) music, so if you come to socialize, plan to yell. Well worth the walk from South St. after a concert. Hell, it's well worth the trip just for the food!
(4)Celeste P.
Love, love, love the grilled cheese here. It's amazing. I'm prob the only person reviewing their grilled cheese, but I'm telling you it's very worth ordering. Besides the grilled cheese this place has a nice vibe and ambiance, local crowd, and lots of vegetarian/vegan food options. Wait staff has never been anything to brag about. Go and order their grilled cheese. Thank me.
(4)Una M.
I love this place for Sunday brunch. I bring both children and staff, though always busy, are attentive and fun. The food is always great and what a selection! In my next life I want to go here at night like a grown up!
(5)J Q.
Great spot for whatever you are looking for, food beer and atomsphere! Jukebox is killer. Walking in has that calming effect one seeks regularly and can quite capture - except here. Menu specials are always changing but it remains consistent in delivering. In fact while writing this it seems a good idea to go, burger.
(4)Julie B.
Quite simply the best pub food in town. I recently moved back to Philly from DC and there is not a single place in DC that comes close to the Royal. This place is a gem. The service is great and everything I have tried on the menu is excellent and reasonably priced. The tempeh club is my favorite and I am not normally a tempeh fan. Brunch is awesome. The jukebox is great, too.
(5)