Ballroom At the Ben

As a wedding photographer, walking into that grand ballroom with its soaring ceilings and Gatsby-era glamour never gets old. We photographed Catherine and Kevin’s celebration here and it felt like stepping into a timeless film. The space carries so much energy — it’s dramatic in the best way, and when it’s filled with music, light, and laughter, it’s pure magic.

Perfection. Glorious. Majestic. Presidential. This place truly made us feel good. We were there for a wedding, and it was absolutely beautiful. Sound: Normally in an old structure like this, sound bounces everywhere. But here, it was flawless. I actually looked behind the curtains and found foam sound barriers placed all along the walls. The result was great audio with zero echo. Service: OTT, location manager, an Italian Philly guy, had it completely under control. You talk to him and he already knows what you’re about to ask. And Josh, working under was phenomenal, the level of on the ground help and problem solving assistance was on point. Excellent job. Thank you for everything you do.

Ballroom at the Ben is right in the heart of Philly and like I always say, you will never go wrong with a Finley Catering venue. Ballroom at the Ben is their more "middle" sized venue so you can fit 175-200 comfortably. Its a great layout with the cocktail balcony overlooking the ballroom floor. Everything all in one location and its an amazing view from every angle of this place. Ott is a machine. He will keep the party moving along without you even knowing about it. You can bank on a successful wedding with Finley Catering at the Ballroom at the Ben.

We got married here in September and it was beautiful! The people working there Daria, Ott, Josh, and Irish Mike are the best in the business, they made the day run seamlessly. Feedback from our guests: The room was gorgeous, they loved the two bars making it easy to get drinks, Cocktail hour is the best they ever had, the staff was attentive, spacious, and one of the best wedding they have ever been too! I cant recommend this place enough for your wedding. We were so lucky to have gotten married here. Love, The New Mr & Mrs Ip

I had the joy of photographing Christina and Clinton’s gorgeous fall wedding at this incredible venue, and I can’t recommend it enough! The ballroom is spacious and perfect for accommodating a large guest list, making it ideal for a grand celebration. If you’re getting married here, be sure to take advantage of the variety of photo locations—it’s a photographer’s dream! My personal favorite spot is the elegant staircase, which makes for stunning shots. Rain or shine, this venue is truly perfect for a wedding day. ig @konradbrattke

We got married at Ballroom at the Ben this past February, and it was truly the best day of our lives! From the moment we first walked in, we fell in love with the stunning venue and the incredible staff. We had the pleasure of working with Daria, who was absolutely amazing — so kind, supportive, and attentive every step of the way. She made the entire planning process feel effortless, and even without a wedding planner, I felt completely organized and at ease thanks to her guidance. On the day of, everything exceeded our expectations. Ott, the maître d’, was phenomenal — he orchestrated the entire evening flawlessly, and not a single detail was overlooked. To this day, our guests still tell us it was one of the best weddings they’ve ever attended. They said the venue was beautiful, the food was out of this world and the way the wedding flowed was amazing. I toured all the Finley and Cescaphe venues before making a decision, and I would choose Ballroom at the Ben a hundred times over. The team is simply the best — so professional, talented, and passionate about what they do. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect experience! I seriously hope to go back one day as a wedding guest to relive it all over again!!!

Worked With Ott for a clients Wedding. Love the Space and how they utilize it. We had the ceremony in the same hall as the reception. Hors D'oeuvre were great and served hot. Bartender was great and respectful. Staff was also kind. It philly so as a vendor i cant really complain about street load in and the distance but be ready for a workout lol I was the dj (obviously) and the stage space was bug enough to handle my sound equipment. Im sure i could have added more if it was needed.

We love working with our photo booths at The Ballroom at the Ben. Load all the equipment is easy, the staff is very friendly and helpful and we love to see the transformation of that venue with those blue lights. We usually set-up our vintage booth next to the bar at the back which is a great location, because everyone can see us.

I was here for a work holiday party. It was a well staffed event and one of my favorite venues that I've been to for our company holiday party. The food was all very good and the bars moved people through quickly. I do think the music was a little too loud and all over the place in terms of genre but not sure if the same music vendor is typically supplied by the venue or not. The placement of speakers made it so I could barely talk to the person next to me but we were closer to the dancefloor.

Beautiful venue for a wedding, convenient parking across the street and easy to get to. The drinks were awesome but the food was just ok, not the best so depending on your priorities when booking it's something to think about.

Terrific place for a wedding. Service above par. Appetizers to die for. Go and have fun.

Really pretty venue with a lot of different levels so you can spread out and have a cocktail hour on one floor while the main event space is below. They staff for in house catering company are all very attentive and their ninja skills are on point doing a great job of clearing out abandoned glasses and plates with out being obtrusive.

Before reading this review you should know that only once given someone else's wedding venue 4 or 5 stars. However, the wedding I attended here last Friday was basically the best wedding I've ever been to. The night started when our Uber dropped us off on the street and my husband and I had no idea where to go. We were walking around trying to read the various names on the building entrances when a representative from Ballroom at the Ben pulled us off the street and told us where to go. Apparently we were dressed too nicely and had a confused look on our faces, which told him that we needed his help! We had arrived a bit early so we headed to the bar for a drink. Yes, we had to pay center city prices for our cocktails, but the class level of this establishment (the piano player in the lobby, the fountains, the marble everywhere) was so high that I didn't mind paying more for my cocktail. After I had my beverage I headed upstairs to the ceremony and discovered that they had set up a coat check (thankfully). I took my seat and waited for the ceremony to start. Everything was beautiful, but this is where we encountered the one negative of this venue, which followed us around all night. YOU CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING!! I couldn't hear any portion of the vows or ceremony, and on top of that the back door to the ceremony room was left wide open, so what I DID hear was tons of chatter from the hallway. It was miserable, and I hated it, especially because I LOVE hearing people's vows! :( This pain was quickly forgotten when we were ushered up another flight of stairs to the cocktail hour. There were multiple bars upstairs so you really didn't have to wait long at all for a drink. There was also the biggest spread of apps that I've ever seen. Here's just SOME of the food I ate (I ate so much that I couldn't possibly remember everything): hummus, pita, cheese, crackers, shrimp cocktail, burger sliders, crab mac and cheese, tortellini, mozzarella sticks, tacos, asparagus, lamb chops, buffalo chicken spring rolls, penne, and brisket. We haven't even made it to dinner yet, folks... After the cocktail hour we were ushered back down to the ceremony space, which was now the reception area. We found our way to our tables, got some drinks, and sat down for the meal. The salad that we had was a little bizarre - basically lettuce with oranges, almonds, and a very plain dressing. It was probably my least favorite food of the night. Shortly after the salad we were served our meal - a chunk of filet with some sea bass, potatoes, and green beans. I was SO FULL by this point that I only had a few bites of my meal. The filet was cooked perfectly, and everything on my plate tasted just fine. Never before have I attended a wedding where I was so full that I couldn't even look at my entree. When it came time for the toasts/speeches, the acoustics of the venue reared their ugly head again. I couldn't hear a damn word that the maid of honor, parents of the bride and groom, best man, or the couple themselves said. It was really, really bumming me out. After some dancing the night wound down and it was time to hit up the "Viennese dessert" area. Boy, oh boy, there was a thick dessert spread. Here's another list of shit I ate: carrot cake, petit fors, mini cannolis, waffles and ice cream, FUNNEL CAKE STICKS (!!!!!), and wedding cake. They also had a dessert liquor station set up where you could get your chosen liquor in a chocolate shot glass. There was also coffee and tea, as you'd imagine. I've never eaten as well at a wedding as I did at this one. I felt sick all day after the wedding because of the amount of food I ate, and I'll be talking about the spread at this joint for years to come. One other thing that set this venue apart is that there were actually staff FILLING OUR WATER GLASSES repeatedly, which is one of my pet peeves at weddings. Normally you end up with a table full of empty glasses and a dehydrated hangover, but the folks at Ballroom at the Ben kept us hydrated all night long. If you're looking for a wedding venue, I highly recommend this. I bet the bride and groom had the time of their lives on Friday night!!

OMG!! This place is the most beautiful venue I have ever seen. You don't need lots of decorations and flowers because the architecture of the ballroom stands on its own. Of course if you have gorgeous flowers that adds to it. The food at the cocktail hour was fabulous. Lamb chops, huge shrimp, mussels in individual little cups with sauce, crab claws, lobster mac and cheese, every cheese imaginable. Lobster tails yummmm. They took care of every detail so professionally. At the end of the evening they even looked under the tables to gather shoes that were left. They packed up everything for us. Honestly all the reviews talk about it being the best place in Philadelphia but if you live somewhere else definitely consider Ballroom at the Ben because it's worth the trip. We were soooo nervous. How and when and who walks down the aisle... where do we go... what do we do...? They walked us calmly through everything. Like they've done it thousands of times before and they have. And the dessert room! A separate room for dessert. They had a set up so that you could make your own s'mores. Little chocolate cups with your choice of filling. Godiva white or dark liquor, cafe patron!!! Oh my I'm making myself hungry again!

Simply put - we wouldn't have chosen any other venue. We had a wedding of just under 200 guests - we haven't heard 1 negative comment. Everyone was blown away by the food, the service, the atmosphere. Finley Catering and The Ballroom staff are the only way to go. Thank you

Not only is the ballroom at the Ben A terrific beautiful space, with the two-story balcony, pin-spotting, mood lighting, chandeliers, and good food; it has an intelligent staff that give off the impression that they will do anything to make the client happy. The maître d' named Ott seem to really know his stuff and was incredibly helpful, accommodating, and helped us relax so we could enjoy the event. I found all of the staff from start to finish at Finley catering to be very approachable and easy to work with. I have been to a lot of banquet meals before and this one did not disappoint... the Wanamaker salad was really delicious and dressed perfectly followed by short ribs and scallops that were both moist and tasty. I usually hate these kind of meals because of the mass production but somehow I was pleasantly surprised. I suggest you work closely with the chef to get what you want because it worked out great for our event. The day following our event Immediately attempted to book another event in the coming years... Apparently I'm not the only one who has discovered the great price and beautiful ambience along with great staff at the ballroom at the Ben because they were almost all booked.

My son's wedding was at the Ballroom at the Ben on Friday night. It was nothing short of magical for him and his lovely bride. All through the night it kept getting better and better. The place itself is beautiful, clean and elegant. The cocktail hour is beyond amazing, the dinner is 5 star dining at it's best and the dessert room is right out of Willy Wonka for an array of desserts, candy, cake, liqueurs and hot drinks. No one goes hungry. Guests are treated to the best meal, the best entertainment and a night they will always remember. If you want the best wedding for yourself or your child choosing one of Finley Catering venues does not disappoint. Every detail is handled for you so that you just need to show up and enjoy yourself!!!!

I had my wedding here last Valentine's day in 2009. It was truly amazing. My wedding was the second time i was at this place, the first being my senior prom in high school. Both times were truly memorable nights. First the process of booking everything starts with Kathy and she will help guide you on everything from start to finish. She was amazing and truly an asset to the company. We booked our wedding about 8-9 months in advance. Everything was perfect and Kathy did whatever she could to make our day better. The food was suburb and truly perfect. The happy hour up on top of the room was memorable and amazing. All people i spoke to said the food was amazing and the best possible at weddings. The downstairs was great, we had a nice dance floor, and we had a nice group of people in a great room. From top to bottom the day could not have been better and this place only made my life easier. Ott Ricci also was an asset to the company as he did anything we needed and helped our day go off without a hitch. If you are looking for a wedding venue, then PLEASE consider the Ben as you will not find a better option in Philadelphia.

I LOVED everything about this venue. From the ambiance, to the service, to the selection of food, decor, and amenities. For the cocktail hour there were literally so many options, and wait staff that were phenomenal. The ballroom is amazing, with a dance floor, and two bars in either side, and a separate room for desserts. The food came out quickly, and they were very careful about my shellfish allergy. Any concerns brought to the venues attention were addressed immediately. The bathrooms were elegant and very clean. The food tasted amazing, and there was also a wide variety of dessert options. We also were able to get discounted parking at the lot across the street from the venue on the weekend, which is amazing, because parking downtown in that area can be a nightmare.

The most beautiful indoor environment I have ever seen. The staff was amazing and the place is so historic. If Philadelphia gets its act together and get the streets clean and homeless problem solved the environment around the Ben would be great too.

My wife and I were affected by Corona Virus like many couples out there in Philadelphia looking to tie the knot in 2020. Out of all the vendors of our wedding, The Finley's were by far the most unprofessional. When it became clear the quarantine would encompass our Friday, July 17th wedding date, we were told we could take a Wednesday or Thursday in 2020, but Fri/Sat/Sun in 2020, and any day in 2021 would need to be renegotiated to a higher price. We were told we couldn't change venues, and under no circumstances could we reduce size/price, and or switch to an outdoor execution of our special day. We had mutually agreed to postpone our wedding, but when Gov Wolf of PA opened up the State in early Summer, The Finley's tried to force us to have our wedding on its original date/terms and were threatened with legal action if we chose to fully cancel. When Mayor Jim Kenney closed the city down, The Finley's went dark on us and refused to communicate ignoring all emails, calls, and letters. After 3 months we only received one response from Michelle Finley VP "All deposits are non-refundable at this time." Ultimately we have had to go to court to get any service or response from The Finley's. From our perspective, these are fair weather business people who have no commitment to your special day and have little understanding of common practice within the entertainment and hospitality industry on how to handle any serious issue that may arise with your wedding. In our opinion, during the Corona Virus, the result of the Finleys' policies have been to take advantage of those less capable of handling their wedding in the midst of a pandemic. Forcing many to switch to weekday weddings at original contract prices, and giving other clients back little or none of their money, while on the other hand receiving relief from the State and accepting roughly $1,300,00 million dollars in PPP loans from the Federal Gov Philadelphia Inquirer Jul 6, 2020. In summary, we were told we had to pay the same price or higher for something we believed to be far less in value than what we had already paid. To date, we haven't been shown that the Finleys spent any of our money towards any items related to our wedding, and didn't just merely pocket our deposits as profit. Tomas Finley, President - "Your honor, if we gave them their money back, we would have to give everyone's money back." Case Docket SC-20-08-14-3293, Philadelphia Municipal Court Jan 11, 2021

PERFECT WEDDING DAY!!! We had my daughter's wedding at Ballroom at the Ben on 1-6-19. The manager, Ott, was extremely attentive and well organized. The venue was elegant, and the food was excellent. All night our friends kept telling us that this was the nicest wedding that they had ever been to. The entire day was like a fairy tale come true!!

We recently had our wedding at the Ballroom at the Ben. Not only were the staff professional, the whole experience was more than we can ask for. We worked with Emily, our wedding coordinator and I can't thank her enough. She made the whole process so much easier. She was always there to answer any questions we had, she stayed to make sure the transition from ceremony to reception was perfect, she eased our stress and went above and beyond. Emily, you were so easy to talk to and such a pleasure to work with. I had some concerns about the food but heard nothing but good things from our guests. The staff was fun, professional, and attentive. Ott, our maitre'd ran the show! He made sure we were on schedule and really paid attention to the little details. Thank you Ben for the wedding of my dreams.

Amazing venue in which the wedding events seem and feel extremely extravagant. Ballroom is set up perfectly and the staff is very friendly. All weddings in Philadelphia should go through here

I recently attended the 2nd family wedding at the ballroom at the Ben. This was a carbon copy of excellence compared to the first. Parking, cocktail hour, dinner, bar, dessert room, and a extended after party was over the moon.

Our wedding at the Ballroom at the Ben was absolutely amazing. It was the best day of our lives and exceeded our expectations from start to finish. The entire planning process leading up to the big day was incredibly smooth and easy. Despite working with three separate coordinators (Trish Finley, Margot Rose, and Michelle Finley), we never had any disruption in communication. The wedding reception was everything we had hoped for and more. The Ballroom was immaculate, the food was delicious, and the service was excellent. I believe our guests were genuinely blown away! We highly recommend Finley Catering and the Ballroom at the Ben!

Ballroom at the Ben gave me the Wedding of my dreams. Everything down from the location, appearance, food staff - even just the ambiance - is out of this world. It's been two weeks since my Wedding and guests are still coming up to me raving about how it was the best Wedding they have ever been to. Cocktail Hour alone is enough food to keep everyone satisfied. You receive multiple food stations (3 that include chefs: fajita station, pasta station & meat carving) and buttered butler hors d'oeuvres on top of that. Other stations included a wine & cheese station, seafood station and even sushi... and this is all included in the price per head. The meal itself was delicious. Your guests get 3 choices. We picked Filet with crabmeat, Chicken Provencal & Grilled Salomon- but you literally can pick from a ton of choices. As the Bride & Groom, we were able to taste a little bit of everything for our main course and it was all very good. Cut pass the entrées... and cue the dessert ROOM (yes... Room). Which includes all desserts & pastries from Termini's Bakery (which also includes your Wedding Cake). We had a chocolate fountain, ice cream sundae bar... chocolate shot glasses with dessert liquor. I could really go on and on. The staff I dealt with from start to finish could not have done more for me. I first dealt with Nicole throughout the entire process. Anything we wanted she pretty much made happen. The week of the event we dealt with Ott who was also our maître de. He was also very accommodating. He's been in the business and at this ballroom a very long time and he knows his stuff. He knows how to make a Wedding fun smoothly & stress-free. Our head waiter who dealt with just our head table was also phenomenal. He made sure our drinks were always filled without us even asking and made sure we were taken care off. Everyone else- waiters and bartenders- did a great job. Like I said... my guests had a fantastic time. We were also offered any type of drinks we wanted- all top shelf liquor and 5 bottled beers of our choice- domestic or imported at no extra cost for all guests- not just the bridal party. The venue itself is gorgeous. Cocktail Hour is on the upper level and overlooks the main level where the tables and dance floor are set up. There is up-lighting all around the room and spot lights that high-light every center piece on every table. For the Bridal Party/ Bride & Groom announcement you walk down a stair case that leads from the upper level. The location is right in the heart of Center City. Beautiful parks and locations for pictures and the building itself is very pretty for pictures. Parking can be terrible in the city, but they offer you a parking lot option that is literally right across the street from the building. You do have to pay extra for it, but it's worth it in my opinion for your guests. You get the entire parking lot and plenty of spaces and your guests can park there one hour before, throughout the reception and up to one hour after. I could not imagine my Wedding being anywhere else. Everything about it was perfect. Everyone we worked with were so nice and accommodating and they really made you feel like you were first priority- even our parents' table received extra treatment. I would definitely recommend Ballroom at the Ben to any Bride looking for a beautiful venue, first-rate staff & delicious food.... and happy, full & stuffed guests!

service is horrible, honestly. i was a vendor there last night and they treated us very badly. left food on the vendors table during dinner. half way through our meal, a server from about 50ft away yelled, NO NO NO NO NO!!!! EVERYONE looked at us, felt so embarrassed. THEY served US VENDORS the wrong meal. how were we supposed to know that we ate the wrong food? if there was a problem, come up to us and tell us, he didnt have to yell across the ballroom. cocktail hour food was great. entrees were not.

Best Wedding Ever! Attended my Cousin's son wedding 12/13/14 at the Ben, and it was beautiful. Cocktail hour had so much food to choose you did not what to taste. Anything you wanted was there. Premium Liquor, and a beautiful venue. After tasting all the food, I did not think I was going to have room for Dinner. I ordered the Fillet Minion and I must say it was like butter. The best fillet I ever had. Kudos to the Executive Chef. The food, cocktail hour and desserts and entire venue was above and beyond any couples dream for their special day!

One of your only choices for huge weddings in Philadelphia. They do a wonderful job at providing a nice environment for a huge crowd.

This venue is receiving only 1 star because of the ambiance. The tables looked absolutely beautiful with a variety of flowers and candles. However, guests come to eat and leave talking about the food and rate a wedding venue based on food. Not for nothing, if your livelihood is preparing quality meals for parties of 100-300 then you need to be on point. This executive chef should have been fired last week after serving 200 guests dried over cooked food. All three entrees were inedible... prime rib, chicken, and salmon. Chef... how do you even allow that many meals out of your kitchen all dried out. Cooking 101 teaches prepare food fresh not cook the night before and heat up as guests arrive!!! This poor man spent thousands upon thousands for his daughters wedding and the food was absolutely horrible. Shame on you Ballroom at the Ben!!! You just lost 200 referrals. You should make this right with your client.

I cannot compliment Finley catering and the staff at the Ballroom at the Ben enough! Working with Michelle throughout the planning process was a pleasure and she was always prompt to respond to any of my emails. Ott was amazing and it is clear from the minute that you meet him that you are in good hands. My now husband and I never needed to go to the bar at our wedding as the staff always made sure that are drinks were full and catered to anything that we needed. All of our guests raved about the food, especially the quality and quantity that you receive with the cocktail hour. Our wedding would not have been as perfect if it were not for the team at the Ballroom at the Ben!

I've been there for two weddings, and both times I couldn't have imagined anything more perfect! Cocktail hour is on the upper level, and you look down to the beautiful decorated ballroom. There was a huge variety of seafood options, cheeses, salads, along with various chef stations. Entrees were delicious and the servers was top notch.

I got married at The crystal tea room and finley catering is hands down is the only way to go if you want a top notch wedding in Philly. My co worker for married at Ballroom at the Ben and again I was blown away by everything from the bartenders to the wait staff to the food! Hats off to the finley staff and people are still raving about our wedding!

I was recently at a wedding at the Ballroom at the Ben and the atmosphere and food were fabulous! My evening bag was stolen off the table at the end of the night ,so beware!

The Ballroom at the Ben/Finley Catering did an OUTSTANDING job at my wedding on 9/2/16! People are still raving about how amazing and beautiful the venue was, along with the delicious and numerous amount of food. What also made a big deal in how wonderful it was, was how great the staff was. My guests all commented on how nice the serving staff was, they were very happy to be there and enjoyed doing there job. Everything turned out so amazing from start to finish. I worked closely with Michelle, you did an excellent job responding to my emails and set up everything that I wanted and did not miss a detail. Ott who worked with us the day of the event, also did an outstanding job. He made sure everything was set up how we wanted it, and really paid attention to small details of the events. He even had everything packed up for us to go at the end of the night. I cant say enough great things about this place, other than it is worth every penny. It was a perfect night and wedding and like I said my guests cant stop talking about how it was the best and classiest wedding they have ever been to from the staff, the venue, to the food etc. Hands down best :)