Mona

Truly on of my favorite places in Philly! As someone who was born and raised in Europe - this place hits home: delicious quality food, amazing service, fun and joyful atmosphere. Celebrated my birthday here and they made it special. Our table wasn’t ready when we arrived so we waited for it in an awesome speakeasy - what a hidden gem while the main bar was packed and lively, there were many options to lounge- 2 more bars downstairs. Food was amazing and the service couldn’t get better. And the whole birthday shabang they do with a sparkly “candle” and ringing the bell, bumping up music and flashing the lights- made me feel like a star! Highly recommend this establishment!

My friends took me here for my birthday last week. The interior design is aesthetically pleasing, very chic and posh. Our server Peter was attentive and he recommended the best. The food and drinks were amazing. Would highly recommend!

Went to Mona on a Saturday night. The only reservation I can get was 5 PM. First impressions when you walk into the restaurant is that it is beautiful. Well designed an excellent decor. We were seated immediately and waitress was at our table within a minute. We were first asked if we wanted anything to drink. We decided on Almaza a beer from Lebanon and peach of Poseidon. The beer was very good and an interesting flavor but the peach drink was not as good. Was supposed to be sweet but was not. As for appetizer we started with the “little of everything“ this gave you a taste of for different spreads of your choosing. I would recommend. Next we asked if there was a chef menu in which we could taste many different items. There is not. You can either go with a meal for each individual person or you can go with tapas ( small plates) we chose to go with small plates. We chose two different kebabs. One was the colossal shrimp and the other was the fillet both were very good. From the mezze menu I would definitely recommend the dumplings. The service was average to above average. Nothing to write home about had to wait for a while for a second drink. The food does come out quickly. It’s a ready kitchen. Overall I would give Mona four stars mainly for the atmosphere. The food is pretty good not the best I’ve had. Total price with tip for two people $150.

About a month ago, I tried Mona with some friends. None of us had been here before. The inside is gorgeous..definitely a venue made for events of all kinds, especially celebrations. The food is delicious and worth the price! We all enjoyed our entrees. I tried the chicken, another the mona fries, the sausage, the bronzeno, lamb chops and for the table the hummus sampler. The waitress was friendly and I really enjoyed the atmosphere. We got to see a few birthday celebrations and they go all in with the lights and celebration. If your looking for a unique and special venue you got to check out Mona!

I did not get the same treatment as the other guests. I’m going to give the service a 2 star solely from the my birthday experience. I booked a week in advance and mentioned my birthday. I witnessed 2 birthday celebration before mine and 1 after mine. Each birthday celebration turn the lights off for a dedication for the birthday person but mine was rushed and not the same experience. Food amazing but the overall bday experience was not the same across the boards. The positive it the food was great, ambiance was great, atmosphere was great, even the server was nice… it’s just the bday experience was not the same experience.

Great atmosphere! Very upscale with good food and great drinks. Service was top tier (happy hour) and food tasted homemade. Really enjoyed experience, my only issue is the bathrooms are downstairs. I just wish bathrooms were more accesible to customers at the bar. Everything else is great.

Had a wonderful time at Mona this evening! Overall the food was fantastic, the service was phenomenal, and the atmosphere was wonderful. Our server recommended that we order things to share, so we ordered several small and large plates for our table of four. Each dish was a great size for sharing. If your group is larger than 4 it would probably be best to order 2 of whichever small plates you want to try. Our server was also extremely proactive in asking about dietary restrictions and allergies which was above and beyond from normal service expectations. Mona has a free flowing kitchen so food comes out as it's ready, not all at once, this is great for group sharing because it allows time to finish and clear out dishes before the next dish arrives. It also made conversation and enjoying the atmosphere better. The gyro Dumplings stood out as the best small plate. Specifically, their juiciness and texture made for a tasty flavor and enjoyable eating experience. The thinness of the wrapper and it's crunchiness were unexpected in the best way. The lamb chops were the tables favorite entree. Seared beautifully and amazingly tender, the chef really let the flavor of the meat shine. The brulee cheesecake with fig and honey compote shouldn't be skipped. The cheesecake itself was smooth, light, and extra creamy. The aftertaste of the brulee and compote keeps you wanting to take more and more bites. The atmosphere is beautifully decorated and meticulously clean. We were just having a night out, but Mona is the perfect back drop for an anniversary or birthday celebration!

Our party of nine had an absolutely wonderful experience! From start to finish, everything exceeded expectations. The food was delicious !!!the shrimp kebab was perfectly seasoned and grilled to perfection, the colossal shrimp were actual colossal(over delivered on this dish), the Greek fries were crispy and flavorful, and the lobster pappardelle was rich, creamy, and indulgent!!! a true standout dish! But what really made our evening special was our waitress, Nadia. She was amazing!!!! incredibly attentive, patient, and professional. Managing a large group is never easy, but she handled every detail effortlessly with a warm smile and genuine care. Her service took the entire dining experience to another level. If you’re looking for great food, excellent service, and a memorable atmosphere, this place is a must-visit. We’ll definitely be coming back and we’ll be asking for Nadia again!

I visited Mona two times and really enjoyed it. Mona is different from other Philly restaurants, it gives me Miami vibes with the lighting, trees and flowers. I believe after 9 PM on weekends the dancers and live musicians come out. Both times I ordered the appetizer "a little of everything" - you get to pick 4 dips out of 6 options. I tried the hummus, babba ganoush, taziki, tirokafteri, and melitzano. All were pretty good but the babba ganoush was definitely my favorite. Other appetizers we got was the grilled octopus , Greek fries and shrimp saganaki. For main course we got the chicken kabab, shrimp kabab, branzino and roasted lemon herb chicken. I usually love octopus but this one wasn't my favorite- was a little burnt and didn't blow me away. The branzino was definitely my favorite and was very tender and flavorful. Definitely recommend the branzino! Both times the service was fast and efficient. Overall I have had a great experience at Mona!

I had a lovely night at Mona, the newest restaurant in Philly, with my girlfriends. From the moment you step inside, the ambiance is a 10/10--it instantly transports you to the Middle East with its decor and atmosphere. We ordered a little bit of everything, starting with the spreads, which were all good, but my favorite was the roasted eggplant with garlic dip--creamy, smoky, and packed with flavor. The grilled octopus was a miss for me; it came out cold and burnt. The shrimp kebab had an interesting sweetness, but it wasn't my favorite, and again, it was served too cold for my liking. The highlight of the meal was the whole Bronzino--beautifully cooked and delicious. The only downside? Too many bones, which made it a bit tricky to eat. However, the greens that came with it were fantastic--tangy, flavorful, and even better with a squeeze of lemon. Aside from the food, the staff was super friendly, and we learned that there's a live jazz performance at the bar downstairs starting at 10 PM--something I'd love to check out next time. We didn't stay long, but I definitely want to return. Overall, Mona is a stunning addition to Philly's dining scene. While some dishes could be improved, the atmosphere and experience make it worth a visit!

I do want to preface that the company I was with was fantastic and I had a wonderful evening with them! Mona is a newer concept in Philly and gives off Miami/club vibes. The space is huge and the bar itself is beautifully carved. The live music from the saxophone artist was a really nice treat! They did a great job with bringing out sparklers for a birthday! A Little of Everything - the baba ghanoush was excellent Grilled Octopus - I really enjoyed this and thought it was charred perfectly Pasta Primavera - felt like the sauce wasn't fresh Shrimp Cocktail - it seemed like the shrimp was sitting out all day I don't know if its because its so loud and dark but we were missing cutlery and glasses for the table. It took quite some time to track our server down to ask for these, especially when we had to replace our cutlery as meals/dessert came out.

Visited Mona for the first time. They have more of an American Mediterranean food feel. The place is located right across from the old Macys and has a great internal ambiance. The first floor has a bar and the lighting on top of the bar is amazing. They have these amazing colorful trees that really add to the ambience. The bottom floor has the restrooms and small bar. The place seems like it has a good lounge feel to it. Our waitress was very helpful and kind. The Baklava old fashioned was too sweet for me. We started with some appetizers- Tessera, saganaki, mujaddara, grilled octopus. The grilled octopus was pretty tasty. I really liked the lemon I could put on top of the dish (really made it taste better). For the tessera we got the tirokafteri, hummus, babba ganoush, and the lefka fasolia. My favorite one out of all the spreads was the tiroaftereri which was a very spicy feta. The saganaki was presented then it was burnt. I felt like the show was interesting but the feta cheese was too salty! The mujaddara was a dish of lentils and rice. The dish also contained turnip. The grilled pita that came with that dish was pretty amazing. The mujaddara was my favorite vegetarian dish that our table ordered because it was so delicious. For the entrees we got the lobster pappardelle, branzino, and youvetsi. We also ordered a side of horta. The lobster pappardelle is the entree to order. It had a lot of lobster and was very tasty. The branzino had way too many bones that were hard to get out. I did like how it was topped with gremolata. I don't really like when branzino is full fillet with the eyes. The youvetsi was lamb stew with orzo. I really liked how it was such a different taste than I was used to. The horta had amazing tasting wild greens. The desserts included baklava and pistachio gelato. I really liked how tasty the balaclava was. The gelato was so thick and really tasted like pistachio.

This place has great ambiance soon as u walk in the door. U may want to be dressed nice or somewhat presentable here but the vibes are great. I went for drinks on a Friday early evening. Giavanna was my bartender and she was amazing. My favorite drink was the Baklava Old Fashioned

Tried Mona out over the weekend and had a very pleasant experience overall! The managers were very accommodating and attentive!! And our server Catherine amazing!!! She definitely went above and beyond to ensure we had a pleasant experience. She gave her recommendations and never rushed us!! The food overall was pretty decent as well!! I will say my favorite would be the beef kabob ! The chips are salty so leave that behind. The lamb was good. But I would've definitely selected something else. My date loved the lobster pasta! And the expresso martini with tequila was by far exquisite!!! The ambience is instagram worthy! Beautiful!

Beautiful place, but food was very underwhelming. The only dish I would give 5 stars are the lamb lollipops. The sides took me out, especially when I saw what they considered "Mediterranean rice". It resembled more of a school lunch side with peas in it. The apps were ok too, just pricey for the amount that they give. Also, if you are only a party of 2, be prepared that you may bump elbows with the tables next to you as they are placed so close together. Our server, although his first day was super prompt and attentive.

Went on a Saturday night. Very lively, the veggie entree with bechamel sauce was good. Love the decor. I enjoyed myself!

The ambiance and decor was chic and lively. The food was delectable! Loved every bite. Cool staff and management too.

I made a reservation for 2 people. The hostess sat us but then when the waitress greeted us she explained it's a fixed menu for $70 per person. As a last minute reservation on New Year's Eve I didn't want to take the chance and go else where. But upon making the reservation it wasn't clear it was a fixed menu. That's not the problem- We were there less then an hour. Completely rushed. The timing and spacing between courses was so fast. The entrees hit the table while we were still eating the appetizer. Then the waitress was trying to take our entrees before we were done, to drop the desert. Then before we could even sign the check , the bussers were shuffling around us to clear the table before we could even put on our coats. THEY WERE NOT BUSY NOR PACKED . They didn't know how to space out courses with a fixed menu because all the dishes were already made so it's not like they had the kitchen to wait for.

We came here on a whim on Opening Night while in Philly. They did not take reservations on this day and were only doing first come first serviced per their social media. We called to get a feel of wait time and they noted it would only be a ~30 min wait if we came. We arrived around 8pm and were told the same and were advice to grab a drink in any one of the 3 floors while we waited, which was a nice touch. Ambiance/decor was very chic. Reminded me of a night in Tulum or Ibiza just based on the music. Actually the music was very loud and got louder as the night progressed so don't come here expecting a quiet intimate dinner because it will Be far from it. Luckily the music was deep house so I didn't mind....as much. Drinks were relatively pricey but solid. We ordered espresso martinis and another specialty tequila cocktail they had on the menu. 1 hour had passed and we were were skeptical if we would actually be seated but when we went to ask the hostess, she was able to seat us within 5 mins. For food we ordered the Tessera which was an assortment of spreads with pita bread (if you order get the Tirokafteri! It was amazing). We also ordered the grilled octopus, gyro dumplings and the Bifteki Kabob which were meh. Octopus was over cooked and chewy, kabob was burnt and dry and the dumplings lacked filling. These were all small plates and apps so maybe the entrees were better ? The my also must have forgot to put in the kabob order in because we waited an extra 40 mins for it to come out but they were nice enough to take it off the bill. Biggest quarrel with this place is that they have an identity crisis. They aren't sure if they want to be an Ibiza type night club or upscale restaurant but they were def trying to accomplish both. By 9:30, I could not hear my date at all because it was sooo loud. They even had a saxophonist which was a stretch but I suppose... All in all it was OK if you want to be ins a dance club eating dinner. It was opening night so will give them some grace but they have some kinks to work out.

If you're considering Mona, might I suggest literally any other option? That halal truck down the street isn't just better - it's James Beard-award winning by comparison. Sure, you'll be eating standing up in the middle of January, possibly getting frostbite, but at least you'll have actual food. Plus, the traffic noise is more pleasant than Mona's impromptu disco inferno, and the truck's flickering "OPEN" sign provides all the ambiance you need without triggering a medical emergency. We left Mona hungry, confused, and wondering if we'd accidentally participated in some sort of performance art piece. Save yourself the trouble. Go to the halal truck. Go to literally any other restaurant. Go forage in your neighbor's garden at midnight. Just don't go to Mona, unless you want to experience what it's like to pay fine dining prices for a children's portion of mediocre Mediterranean while being flashbanged like you're in a SWAT raid. Let's dive deeper: Mona doesn't know if it wants to be a restaurant or a club. The decor is interesting at first...until you realize that the lights change color every minute in the entire restaurant. And then three times during our meal, STROBE LIGHTS SUDDENLY BLASTED ON as the staff, like a club, brought a birthday cake or bottle of bubbly to someone. What in the world is going on?! The drinks were awful. The "sweetest drink" on the menu was tart. The Manhattan and the Old Fashioned were overly sweet...like dessert cocktails. The portions of food, as mentioned here over and over again, were small and meager. We ordered the "little bit of everything" platter of dips and got eight tiny pieces of pita bread. The kebabs were small and not worth the high prices. And the side dishes were "individual sized" according to our server...which we thought would be sufficient to share. Who doesn't want to share a bowl of rice? Well, the side dishes came and they were TINY MINI BOWLS. Imagine going to a Chinese restaurant and they cut a bowl of rice in half. For $8! We paid for a full meal and left hungry...and went and got pizza afterwards instead. I really hope Mona doesn't last. It's a waste of a great space and location. This was one of the worst dining experiences I have had in 15 years in Philadelphia.

We made a reservation, but the restaurant did not honor it and we waited for almost an hour. Immediately before leaving, they were unable to provide an estimate for when we could be seated and we ended up leaving. Do not recommend if you expect to be seated within an hour of the reservation.

Reservation at 8:15 waited over 45 min and still no table or any ETA from the staff. Just sitting around waiting and finally left to find something else. Very disappointing for a birthday celebration.

First time we went to Monas to try out this Mediterranean Greek restaurant on a Sunday and very few people there. We ordered drinks, appetizers and the 6 of us also ordered our individual meals. I am not sure if this place was a bar or trying to be a restaurant. With a lot of competition in the city and opening a new restaurant you have to be at the top of your game and Monas was not. I asked if the Greek owner was there and he was not. Red flag number 1. If you want a new place to succeed you must there all the time! The service was not up to par with the type of establishment it is trying to be-upscale. The people delivering our food and pronounced the names wrong and couldn't even explain what it was. They need training to say Loukaniko or kolokithakia! Bronzino is the same as Lavraki which is a Mediterranean Sea Bass. Your waiters must know how to pronounce the items in the menu and what it is. We ordered the Bronzino and it came whole which is typical however we asked if they could filet it and clean it and they couldn't. Even Estias restaurant if you asked would filet it for you. I was surprised they had Vergina beer because it is the only beer in Greece that is owned by Greeks that is not a microbrewery. I know because I am good friends with the owner Michael and Dimitri Politopoulos who own Vergina Beer in Greece. The saganaki was good and tasty. The kolokithakia or fried zucchini was very oily, too thin and overcooked! Not good. The Horta or greens were very salty as well as the lobster pappardelle. The chef should try the food before they leave the kitchen. The pork kebab was good and tasty. The lemon sorbet was good but the baklava was very dry and baklava should have more syrup in it. We were also surprised they only had espresso and no other types of coffees. We ordered two Dako salads and you can see from the picture they are layers of tomato and cheese stacked high. This is not a dakos salad. Dakos is a hard crust bread that is added to a tomato and feta cheese salad in Greece and it originated from the island of Crete. This is not what we ordered and they took those salads off our bill. We instead ordered the Greek salad which they ran out of at 7pm! They only have 3 salads on the menu the Dakos salad is falsely advertised and they ran out of a Greek salad. How does one restaurant run out of Greek salad? They had feta cheese and tomatoes and olives all you need is to add cucumbers ? I am sure they could have run to a grocery store this morning and get the ingredients on hand so they don't run out. This to me is unacceptable. I don't see this restaurant succeeding unless they change drastically how they run the service and their foods! Sorry but you must be ready to serve, know what you are doing, and as an owner be there always. Mona's was a big disappointment, I will not be going back unless they have an epiphany and get serious about running a Greek Mediterranean restaurant in Philadelphia. I was also not very happy they tacked on another Philadelphia operating fee on top of their high prices and taxes. An operating fee on a restaurant bill is a fixed amount or percentage that restaurants add to the bill to help cover their operating costs.

We only went here for drinks (which were good!) and the bartenders were great/attentive. but the atmosphere is terrible. I will go back and rate the food but, it's trying to be a dinner club with crazy lights and fake flowers everywhere. Would have been great a few years ago but, out of date now.

Mona's has been opened for two weeks. The 2nd floor has not been completed just yet, but the main dining area and the lounge downstairs look amazing. This is a Mediterranean restaurant with traditional dishes. It opens at 4pm, and that is what time I arrived. Just so you know, it began to get very busy by 6pm. The decor is elegant and the vibe is very chill. It's definitely a date spot for sure. When ordering your food if you are with a group of people, it may not all come out at the same time. With that said, I started with an appetizer. I ordered the Hummus served with grilled pita bread. It was very good. The bread was fresh and charred just right. Next came the lamb chops. They were seared with the right amount of char and crispiness. They were tender and flavorful. The lamb chops do not come with any sides, so I ordered the lemon potatoes. Those were AMAZING. They were the best potatoes I have ever had at any restaurant. Bursting with flavor, soft, melt in your mouth goodness. I highly recommend, no matter what you order, you have to try the lemon potatoes. My final dish was the Shrimp Orecchiette. It's a pasta dish in ouzo sauce and feta cheese. The feta added a different dimension to the taste. It was very good. It was not overpowering and blended nicely. My only complaint is that the tables were too small, and there was not enough room to really have too many dishes on the table at once. I definitely recommend you try it for yourself. Hopefully you enjoy it and get Brooke as your server. She was great. Til we eat again...

Ambiance is very romantic and ideal for a date night. Montana the waitress was very attentive and well informed. Her suggestions were spot on. The Tessera spread was very flavorful, except the Tzatziki which needed a little more of something. We had the braised short rib for an entree and it was delectable. I was told it was a February special. Had Baklava and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. The old fashion cocktail was made very well, and very strong. Only thing bad is the parking in Center city.

Truly underwhelming to the point of sadness 1. Needs to pick a lane when it comes to food because they clearly cannot execute on all the types they are trying (Greek, Italian, Lebanese/Palestinian) 2. Why does it sound like a club when it's CLEARLY trying to look like something upscale and refined? 3. The drinks were fine. I had a vermentino it was great

We ordered drinks & they arrived about 30 minutes later. Our waitress Olivia P. had 0 knowledge about the menu. There was no drink menu at the table so we asked her for a drink with brown liquor & she recommended the peach of Poseidon which had Tito's. One of the steak kebabs came out practically raw & Olivia our waitress claimed it just comes that way & had an attitude. She took our orders and returned to let us know 2 items we ordered were sold out and we ordered substitutes. Then proceeded to give us the items that were sold out & our substitutes. We refused the substitutes and they put them on the bill still. When the bill came it had 6 mistakes. The waitress also took about 30 minutes to give us the bill after we asked twice. When she came back with the receipts she quickly disappeared and did not leave a pen for us to sign + tip. The ambiance is okay. Everyone is just standing mingling. The speaker system doesn't sound powerful enough for the space. I wouldn't come back. The manager was fortunately able to fix Olivia's many mistakes on the bill.

My friend grabbed a hard-to-get reservation on a Sunday night. I had a very good (dark olive based) filthy martini at the bar and enjoyed the garish ambience/good date lighting while I waited. Although the main floor was only a third full, they sat us close to the front in an already chilly restaurant. While service was slow, every underwhelming warm food item cooled down immediately. Some other reviews mentioned the oversaturated and overpriced Mediterranean food scene in Philly-- Mona falls right in line. The chicken kebabs didn't come with a sauce, the rice was overcooked, and only the spanakopita was exceptionally tasty. Okay, the pita was very good and fluffy. I would return to sit at the bar for drinks and snacks only.

Hip crowd but place had gaudy design / odd colored lighting, mid food. Agree with previous reviewer this may have been a hit in early 2000s but vibe outdated.

Would I go back? Absolutely not. The meal was mediocre at best and way too overpriced for what we got. Pros: 1. The place is beautiful. 2. The drinks were good. Cons: 1. The food was tasteless, low-quality, and served in small portions. 2. They forgot my meal, then tried to pretend they brought it out. They even questioned me multiple times, asking, "Are you sure you didn't get it?" 3. The waitstaff, while training new employees, were incredibly rude to them in front of guests. 4. Management clearly needs some training in handling mistakes. By the way, questioning paying customers multiple times is not the way to deal with a situation like this. This place is good for drinks, not for dinner. We went on a Wednesday night when the place was practically empty, so there's no excuse for the poor service and overall experience. Check out my full review on YouTube for more details, photos, and videos of our time there @followthefischs

Ambiance was ambiancing, love the vibe & decor! Mitch was our server, he was super attentive, great service & an awesome personality. Will be back!

Absolutely loved this spot! Was invited to the media night prior to their opening and their food, atmosphere and drinks were all amazing. It's a huge place with great entertainment and DJ set.

Really cool new restaurant. Bar area is great. They're new so still working out minor kinks but service from Mitchell was great. He offered great recommendations.

The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and the food was decent. The service was really not good. Food came out all at once and when we left the table no one had cleared our dirty plates. The staff needs training. I'm sure we would have ordered more drinks but no one asked us.

Love Mona the food and drinks were awesome! I loved the chops and the all in one light bites but very filling second fav Philly spot

Great atmosphere, service, attention paid to the customers. Will definitely be back. Management stops at your table to see if you have any questions or concerns. Food, drinks are very good.

I had such an amazing time celebrating my birthday at the new Mona Mediterranean restaurant! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, with authentic Greek designs that made it feel like a little escape to the Mediterranean. The hostesses and owners were so kind and welcoming, which added a lovely personal touch to the evening. And the food, oh my!! Incredible dishes with perfect balance and flavor. I need their recipes with a list of herbs and spices and how did they get every meat dish to be so soft and tender. The drinks were great, too. I especially enjoyed the Naxos drink. I recommend checking out this restaurant for a truly memorable dining experience! P.S. They took special note of my birthday.

Awesome ambiance and vibes and Mitchell was an amazing waiter! Super knowledgeable about the food/drinks and really made the experience great! The Olympian drink is amazing and the interior decor is beautiful.

Amazing atmosphere and beautiful interior decorating! Mitchell was a wonder waiter and made our dining experience so enjoyable!