Red Owl Tavern

Nice place. No happy hour in the summer. They charged me $ 7 for water without telling me ??? Water is supposed to be free

Our group of 14 booked the mezzanine for a semi-​private dinner. Sam, the catering manager, took care of pre-​ordering their appetizers and having them on the table upon the group’s arrival.
The atmosphere was energetic and the view of Independence Hall was amazing!
I received rave reviews from everyone at the business dinner. They were very impressed with their high quality of service and the food was fabulous.

Beautiful atmosphere, great service. Food was seriously overpriced and the absolute blandest cheesesteak under the sun. Fries were good, but served with BBQ sauce, yuk. 1 small iced tea, 2 cheesesteaks 42.67 before tip, really? And again no flavor.

Service was amazing. Never had an empty glass. All of our dishes were amazing and the dessert looked phenomenal.

The service was excellent, our waitress Jess was attentive and very nice. Unfortunately the rest of the meal didn’t follow. First, and I think most important $$ is a huge understatement. The least expensive dinner was a $ 20 burger. I ordered it medium after being assured that it would be pink and it was incredibly well done. The «seasoned fries» that came with it were underwhelming to say the least. Drinks were over priced and overly complicated. The outdoor view is beautiful for a wonderful day and the indoor seating was lovely as well.

I can safely say that Red Owl Tavern is one of my favorite bars in the city. My parents stay at Hotel Monaco whenever they come to Philly and luckily for them, Red Owl is a five second walk from the lobby. They became huge fans of the bar and I decided to stop in with them one night during their stay. The food, beer and cocktails are all fantastic. Dan, Kyle and John are some of the friendliest bartenders that you’ll meet in city. They also happen to be wizards behind the bar and will serve you a delicious cocktail.
If you find yourself at Hotel Monaco, Old City or in Philadelphia in general, I recommend that you stop by Red Owl Tavern.

Was in town for the weekend and after a red eye flight I took a stroll to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. I stumbled upon this place and decided to check it out. It was a Friday lunch visit and they were moderately busy but I had no problems getting service, and water. It is a nice atmosphere. The views from this place was great as you can see the «city» action from within. I was a walk-​in. I did not have reservations.

Return? Definitely
Atmosphere (4) — Great location, kitty corner to Independence Hall, across from park. Great, long bar, high ceilings, plenty of space, not loud/​easy to carry on a conversation
Food (4) —, bloody mary (5), BLTB w/​avacado (5)
Service (4) Sat at bar, friendly, not rushed
Cost = Total tab before tax/​tip was $ 40 w/​two drinksbe

Loved this spot! We came here for a late bite after a 76ers game and sat at the bar. The brussel sprouts were bomb and my boyfriend loved his burger. Great service — they kept my champagne glass filled the whole night!

I have visited Red Owl Tavern a handful of times, and it has never failed to impress. This spot manages to remain on the casual side while retaining the high-​quality striven for by many Philadelphia restaurants and bars. Sadly, this seems to be an uncommon combination. Red Owl is a great spot to enjoy food and drinks — I have been here for dinner, appetizers, and just for cocktails. The bartenders and wait staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable. On my last visit Dan was truly a treat to spend our afternoon with; very helpful when we had questions, attentive, friendly, and professional. He also whipped up some incredible cocktails.
In short, Red Owl Tavern is a great spot to visit if you find yourself in Old City, and I know I will be back in the future!

Graduation weekend for my daughter starting things off with lunch and everything and everyone was excellent! The drinks are well mixed and the food seasoned perfectly. I went «Traditional» with the cheesesteak and couldn’t be happier. We will be back!

Red Owl happened to be in my hotel and I stopped in for some breakfast. I was immediately greeted with a warm welcome and feeling of hospitality. The Bartenders especially Christian were extremely knowledgeable and accommodated custom drinks such as the «Smoke & Mirrors», (order one!) I will be back next time I’m in Philly for sure!

Vegan and tourist review!
We made reservations in the AM for brunch at 10:45. We walked from downtown to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall around 9:45am, on a Saturday. Timing was great, because we were done around 10:30ish. So, we took our time walking around and taking photos. We were early for our reservation, but they weren’t packed, so we were seated immediately.
The location itself is on the corner, so it is easy to find. Inside, it is very inviting. It has a nice vibe, kind of hipster (which I’m a sucker for) and rustic.
The brunch menu is limited, but I was very satisfied with the Steel Cut Oatmeal, that has no milk and comes with a side of raisins and brown sugar (which I passed on).
I ordered the «Rise & Shine» raw juice and it was perfection! Ingredients are carrots, pineapple and oranges. It wasn’t sour, acidic or chunky… it all just blended really well and went down easy! If I could have just had two… maybe three cups of that, I would have just not ordered the oatmeal. It was that good!
My friend ordered the french toast (not vegan) and had no complaints… aside from not being able to finish it because she was stuffed! She also enjoyed their coffee, and was pleasantly surprised when they offered her a to go cup for her coffee!
Side note, double check the coffee lid. Her’s leaked, so we had to pour some out while walking back to our hotel.
This location is super convenient and so close to a historical landmark, that is just makes sense to stop by, sit and enjoy the beauty you just took in.

I came here with a group of 6 for a boozy brunch on a Saturday morning. We had a reservation, so we were promptly seated. Bottles of champagne ran for $ 19 and came with a complementary juice bar complete with multiple types of juice and an assortment of fresh fruit. Definitely the highlight of the meal. I ordered a fritata, and other orders at my table included the huevos rancheros (with steak), farm fresh eggs over easy, eggs benedict, and french toast. My fritata was just fine, a little on the oily side for something that is baked and too heavy on the cheese. The service was mediocre; the staff wasn’t particularly friendly, and I don’t think our waitress smiled at all the entire time. Overall, I think that there are better and more affordable spots for a boozy brunch.

This place is much more expensive than I thought it would be: $ 10 appetizers, $ 18 burger, and all other entrees above $ 20. That being said, the food quality is pretty good. The burger (my entrée) was excellent and the chicken croquettes (my appetizer) were both very tasty.
It is important to understand ahead of time that this is place is much fancier than you average local tavern. The website describes as «neighborly meets sophisticated.»

As far as brunch goes, this place has some pros and cons. They are great for big groups and have a decent menu, BUT if you’re in a big group trying to do the mimosa bar it can be very difficult. They only allow 2 bottles on the table at a time, which is less than favorable if you’re in a group of 20 people. This restriction needs to be changed to avoid the multiple empty champagne glasses we had to deal with! But as far as the food, I got the huevos rancheros (yum yum yum), would highly suggest!

The ambiance at Red Owl is great. Nicely decorated in a relaxing atmosphere, the rustic and industrial décor fits in well with the surrounding colonial buildings. I’ve been here once before, but only for drinks and appetizers. I recently had dinner here and was looking forward to trying more of the menu. We had their cheese board and charcuterie board as appetizers. Each of them were very good and had plenty of options to sample. While the charcuterie board had plenty of meats, I thought the cheese board could have had more on it. Even though I was left wanting more, I still would recommend both of these to snack on. As far as the rest of the menu, it has a couple options of each of the usual– steak, chicken, seafood. I went with the scallops, which were very good. While eating them, I came to the realization I don’t order scallops enough when out for dinner – this needs to change! Not only were they delicious but the accompanying vegetables that it was served in paired well with it. While the food was great, the service dropped my rating from a 4 star to a 3 star. It wasn’t terrible service, but i felt like the server was working his first shift. Now, that could be, but dining out downtown, at an above average place as far as prices go, I thought it should have been better. We planned on dinner and put in our appetizers; instead of asking if we wanted to order entrees, he waited until we were finished eating them and then asked. The server also didn’t bother to ask if I had wanted to order a drink, even though the others in my party had drinks. Lastly, I felt like he could have been more attentive given it wasn’t that crowded the time we were there.

My sister and I were wandering around Philly Sunday morning, and discovered this place. I was very intrigued by their brunch menu. The food was delicious, id recommend the egg white and quinoa frittata — it was fantastic. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was vey rustic. I was very impressed! Sometimes the restaurants in hotels are a little difference, but this place was awesome!

Excellent service, outstanding food and awesome ambiance. Incredible overall and the steak is amazing!

Small menu but the food was terrific. There were enough entrée choices to satisfy our teenage picky eaters as well as we adults. It is obvious care is taken w the food. Portions were on the big side. Wait staff was friendly and knowledgable about menu and drink items. Nice relaxed atmosphere. One of the best meals we had in Philly, highly recommend

Red owl, is a very cool spot, bartenders are very knowledgeable when it comes to drinks and their food. But this place is not the place to come if you’re watching your budget. If you’re into the $ 6 beers and $ 12ish drinks this is the place for you. Put it like this, a $ 20 burger is the cheapest thing of the menu. The fritters are great but really this is not my type of spot, it’s connected to the hotel I was staying in so I went a few times

Service was great but the food is ridiculously overpriced for the quality — I guess that usually is the case when you eat at a hotel restaurant. To preface this, I’ll pay a lot for a well done meal. I assumed when I ordered the chopped salad and it said «egg» that there would actually have hard boiled eggs so that I could get some protein so I wouldn’t be starving for the rest of the day. Instead there was about a teaspoon of some egg shavings. It seems like whoever is running the show is trying to cut corners at all costs. For a $ 14 salad, you would expect a little something to it but it was really just a larger version of a side salad. A couple cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, a teaspoon of bacon, and some onions. If I had wanted any kind of additional protein it would have been a $ 20+ salad. I won’t make this mistake again. Too many other places in the area.

This is a review of the brunch. Keep away. The menu is kind of meh, nothing jumps out at you.
Coffee was burnt.
The waffles seemed like they were right out of a microwave. Rubbery and tasteless (the server gave them high marks)…
The mixed-​berry compote on the french toast was beyond sweet, almost unedible.
Hash was very standard.
Throw in some yogurt and you have yourself a $ 90 meal — pretty ridiculous.
To be fair, this joint is a good spot for grabbing snacks and drinks, especially if you’re staying in the attached hotel. Just find brunch elsewhere.

Visited the Red Owl Tavern on Saturday night and it was a great experience. First, the service was great, our server was personable, friendly and attentive! Had the smoked salmon dip as an appetizer and highly recommend it. For the meal, went with their signature burger and it does not disappoint because it has all the right toppings and I think my favorite part was the onion marmalade spread. It had the right kind of sweetness and savoriness every burger needs.
Definitely will be coming back!

This place saved us…
Arriving for a two night stay reservations were made for two suggested restaurants nearby. Due to inclement weather we canceled and relied on the Red Owl Tavern which was adjacent to our hotel.
Three visits — lunch, dinner and drinks — all resulted in favorable experiences where comfort and friendliness were exceeded only by the quality of the dishes we selected.
For lunch we shared the Cheese Board. A nice selection of cheese (we enjoyed all), almonds, grapes, honey comb, and raisin-​nut slices. Additional bread was requested and promptly received — with a smile. Also ordered — Crispy Calamari (a little too crispy) with a spicy remoulade sauce.
Dinner was the beginning of «restaurant Week» in Philly. One can expect smaller portions to compensate the «smaller prices». Not here — A $ 35 selection included Appetizer /​Main Course /​Dessert. Sizable portions all around. The Crab and Corn Fritters and the Smoked Skuna Bay Salmon Dip with Chips were solid starters.
We both stayed with the Seared Skuna Bay Salmon for our main course. With kale, raisins, roasted pine nuts and orange champagne vinaigrette we couldn’t get enough of a good thing. For Dessert — Both the Chocolate Pudding w/​caramel and the ridiculously large Apple Pie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream worked. We left extremely satisfied.
Nice wine selection although on the pricey side. The Parducci Pinot Noir was the favorite.
Seating upstairs provides comfortable privacy as you view the lower level and televised sporting events. Downstairs works as well. Either way service is friendly, attentive and warm.
Perfect on a cold Philly night…

Made a point to review :) believe it or not found this place on allergy eats, I’ll put up a review there next! I work in restaurant and understand allergies take more time and care, a hot commodity in a busy restaurant. Allergies aside the restaurant atmosphere is superb, greeted and sat with friendliness and humor out of the cold.
Our server Aaron, I can’t say enough good things about– he didn’t flinch at my list of allergies, recommended exquisite food, personally checked to make sure I could eat something safe and delicious with the cooks (thank you Bobby for one of the most exquisite meals I’ve had in years).
To top it off, after I was halfway through my meal and had warmed up with coffee, he examined my tastes in whiskey and recommended his personal favorite. Sold, and I was not disappointed. I’ll definitely be grabbing a bottle of bookers for home :) I love a server with such care, menu knowledge, both food and alcohol, character, warmth, and humor. Ask for Aaron if he’s working! He embodies the character and reputation of Red Owl Tavern and if I lived here he’d have made a regular out of me! Hopefully this review entices future regulars on my behalf :)
When I’m back in philly this will be a must-​visit spot. Thank you for making me and my family warm and well-​fed! Couldn’t have asked for better.

Ate here lie first night in Philly as this restaurant was attached to our hotel. Great décor. Awesome menu. Very well prepared and fresh. Fast customer service. It was busy so we had to sit at the bar, the bar stools are highly uncomfortable– be advised. The bartender was personable and provided us with fast service. Was convenient for us to grab a bite before turning into our room. Would definitely recommend. Overall pleasant

Great bar with some fun specialty drinks. The staff was kind enough to take pictures of us with our ridiculous souvenirs.

Totally not what I expected!
Went here for brunch last week and absolutely loved it! I thought it was going to be more like a sports bar BUT it is a rustic place of deliciousness!
Their drinks are a bit pricey and we were looking for a boozy brunch so we asked of they had any specials. For $ 18 you get their Bellini bar: a bottle of champagne and a super yummy and fresh selection of juices and fruit. Great deal!
For food, I got the huevos rancheros and loved it! It comes deconstructed, basically on giant tortilla chips, and is super flavorful. My husband got the burger, which looked awesome, and came with a great onion jam that I actually ate with my dish– definitely ask for some on the side!
There’s only 1 TV here so don’t come looking to watch Sunday football, bit I will definitely be back with my girls for another Bellini bar!

Stopped in here yesterday morning for breakfast after having spent the weekend in the Monaco Hotel next door. We were seated promptly and our server was very friendly but not overly friendly considering it was just around 9am. Sometimes an overload of friendliness can go sour early in the morning, lol. Anyway, we had a party of six and we ordered a variety of dishes ranging from just a bagel w/​cream cheese to scrambled eggs with bacon and the smoked salmon platter.
I ordered the french toast with berries which had a nice hint of citrus in the topping. There was a side of mascarpone cheese to add to each bite which was awesome. I also ordered a side of bacon that was cooked so perfectly, I could have snacked on it all day long.
Very nice establishment and if you are in the Independence Hall/​Mall area and need a bite, stop on in. The bar also looked decent and was fully stocked. Pretty sure the bartender with the fancy mustache is a former Black Horse Tavern employee and from what I remember of him, he is a good chap.

I am just ending a 60 day food tour by myself, where I drove through about 9 states/​13 cities, consuming great food (and average), while experiencing the same with service. sadly, this place falls into the category of ‘waste of time’. two reasons:
1). My service from Nick. I only know his name because it was on the bill. When I sat down, I knew the service was going to suck. Probably cause I was wearing a NY Giants cap. Whatever, I was not greeted in a friendly manner. Was finally poured a cup of coffee, but not asked if I needed cream or sugar. I needed to ask for cream as Nick walked around outside the bar area, filling up other customers cups. I also was not asked if I wanted orange juice etc, when I first sat down. The customer who sat down next to me was in fact greeted warmly, asked what they needed etc. So, I call Nick out on this. Thanks for not giving a shit.
2) that eggs Benedict. Watery eggs, a hollandaise sauce that would make any professional chef cringe, and a stale rosemary biscuit. All for $ 16. Plus OJ and coffee, putting you into the $ 30 range.
I get it. Restaurant within beautiful hotel can and will charge these prices, that is not an issue. for me though, you need to serve a solid breakfast, which this place didn’t. As well, try being friendly and accommodating to the customer. A very disappointing experience. Definitely wouldn’t return.

A little touristy but don’t let that scare you off this place has a great bar and some nice food. When I was their we ordered onion rings and the chef came out and apologized because they are not coming out to his standard so he chose not to serve them but offered several suggestions instead. It was nice to see someone actually care about the food that is being sent out. The bar is nice and always seem full. I personally love either sitting outside of on the second floor.
I would suggest coming here if you are in the area since you can;t be any closer to independence hall and have some good grub.

I went here for Center city restaurant week. The atmosphere is casual and laid back. A great place to chill with coworkers, meet up with old friends, or get to know a new acquaintance. The seating area upstairs and downstairs provided ample space.
The food was good. The ribs were good. The ribs were tender and succulent. The menu had a good variety of appetizers and entrees. There was something for every one to enjoy. The restaurant also appeared to be family friendly as there were numerous families with their children. The noise level was not bad and the staff was friendly.
This place is definitely a place to put on your list to try :).

Pretty solid place for HH it’s clearly a tourist trap as all the signature cocktails, wines and beers were grossly over priced.
7.00 for all signature drinks during HH. Wine and beer specials. I didn’t have anything to eat but they did offer a few snack options. Based on the hH menu alone id come back my gin cocktail was pretty amazing.

TLDR; Closer to 3 stars than 2. Burger was OK, but was the wrong temp. Mac and cheese was pretty good. Issues with seasoning and service mixups.
Located next to Independence Hall and in the lovely Hotel Monaco, the Red Owl Tavern opened up a few years back, seeking to provide updated American fare to the local (read: tourist) masses. So in an effort to check it out, the GF and I decided to have dinner here with some out of town friends, before enjoying some drinks at the rooftop Stratus Lounge.
Hibiscus Fizz [$ 11]
Absolut hibiscus vodka, lemon juice, basil syrup, sparkling wine
The GF went with the hibiscus fizz, which featured tart effervescence with a nice lime finish.
Spaniard [$ 10]
Buffalo Trace bourbon, Amontillado sherry and chocolate bitters
The chocolate bitters were a nice complement to the Buffalo Trace, with the sherry providing some smooth flavors to round things out.
Fried Calamari [$ 12]
We started off with some fried calamari, which had avocado crema dressed over the crisply fried squid. Unfortunately, the dish was over-​salted so after a few, no mas.
Potato Skins [$ 8]
The potato skins came as a trio, and while the spicy chorizo was nice, the skins could have been crisper. The innards were creamy though, with sour cream dressed on top.
Vegetable Casserole «Cassoulet» [$ 18]
The GF went with the veggie casserole (at least according to what was printed on the menu), which was a mélange of veggies mixed in with gnocchi and topped with cheese. This was well-​seasoned and hearty, but the flavors seemed to blend together a bit too much to distinguish any individual element.
Big Red Owl Burger [$ 16]
I went with the standard burger, ordered medium-​rare. This came out medium-​well and was clearly mixed up with my friend’s who got the medium-​rare. Still, the saving grace was that the burger had a nice salty crust and was juicy within. The cheddar was perfectly melted and the crisp bacon provided some salty heft. The garlicky parmesan fries could have been crisper, but were delicious nonetheless.
Mac n Cheese [$ 8]
I couldn’t help but get some mac and cheese and Red Owl Tavern’s iteration on this comfort staple featured sharp cheddar and nicely al dente pasta. No quibbles here!
This post was long overdue and to be fair, it’s from a late 2013 trip. And for this particular trip, I wasn’t overly impressed by the dishes I tried here, especially considering there are plenty of offerings are available in Old City and nearby Midtown Village. The small tables were annoying as well, especially considering the abundance of space.

I was wandering center city looking for a new place to try on my lunch break and came across this. I was glad I did.
Its a got classic tavern feel with wooden walls and floors but the décor gives a slight modern accent as well. The crowd is mostly over 30 (if not older) and fairly well dressed. During the weekdays its mostly local business people.
I’ve only been there once (with plans to go again) and I had the Tavern Burger. It was very good. The sauce and glazed bun made it stand aside from your usual burger. Throw in the herb seasoned fries and you have a pleasant twist on typical pub fare. It is a bit pricey ($ 16 for a burger) but I guess its standard for the Liberty Bell area.
They seemed to have a solid draft list, but I could not partake as I was working.
The staff was super friendly. The bartender was talkative and attentive. An employee brought me a new napkin before I even realized I dropped mine on the floor.
Check these guys out!

Durante meu primeiro dia na Philadelphia, caminhando pela cidade, resolvi entrar na Red Owl Tavern.
O local é bem interessante e clima legal! Pedi o famoso Cheesesteak e não me arrependi. Bem servido temperado!
A cerveja estava gelada, mas as batatas não tão quentes
Recomendo para um Brunch!