Rex at the Royal

I recently had the pleasure of visiting this restaurant for a date night. There is not a lot of parking in downtown Philadelphia so we decided to Uber over. The restaurant was lively and had lots of patron in the bar when you first walked in. I love the colors and style of this restaurant. The bright blue and orange that greet you in the door is very inviting.We ordered drinks and small plates to start with. Our server Kayla was very nice and gave recommendations on menu items. We ordered smoked chicken, wings, and mac & cheese topped with crab meat. Both were really good. For entrées, we ordered catfish and waffles and frog more stew. The catfish and waffles came with a meat piece of catfish that was well seasoned. A twist to the waffles was that it included trout row on the waffle. the frog more stew was filled with delicious seafood. It had a wonderful flavor and the seafood inside the stew was cooked perfectly. We had a seasonal peach cobbler topped with ice cream. It was really good as well.I can't wait to return to sit in their main dining room after it is renovated. I'd love to try other items from their menu, especially if it changes seasonally.

We enjoyed happy hour a Rex Royale. Our burgers were just the right size (not sliders but not huge) and very flavorful. The wings were supper yummy and the coating was quite unique.We did not care for the fried tomatoes and I wish they had some nice veggies or salads to help balance the greasy southern food on the menu. We liked our cocktails by they were crazy small (maybe the smallest I have seen in Philly?) and still $16 which was not great. Service was solid and the ambiance was nice. We will return next time we are craving wings and burgers!

Great happy hour spot in center city!We came here for happy hour and they have a few cocktails, wine, and beer at reasonable prices along with some apps. There was no wait to get two seats at the bar. Ambiance was cute with light music in the background and tasteful decor. Servers were attentive and service was great! We ordered their groundbreaking cocktail which was strong and well mixed with nicely balanced flavors ($8 for happy hour). We also got truffle fries which were crunchy and flavorful and came with both aioli and ketchup. Overall a great happy hour experience!

My colleague and I met up here while on a work trip. I was excited to learn that it was a historical landmark --black owned theater! I was also excited to try the food. Food: 8/10 - Don't get me wrong, the food was pretty good! The wings, oysters and cornbread was a hit! The Mac and cheese wasn't bad, however not the best I've had. The oxtails were ok. They could've used a bit more flavor. My colleague said hers were on the fatty side and mine were in between but more meatier for me. Service- 8/10 - no complaints about the service. Our server was nice and welcoming. She explained the historical aspect of the venue and assisted with any questions about the menu. Ambiance- 9/10 - The ambiance is definitely a vibe. It gives a nice Philly vibe and would definitely come back for a live band. Overall it was great experience. Next time, I'll be sure to try more of the menu and their specialty cocktails. The cocktails seemed to look really good!

This was a really cool spot! They are aiming to be southern inspired / coastally driven...and I think they hit that out of the park. I had the short rib hash for brunch, and it reminded me of being in Charleston, SC. Most of their menu reflected that sort of vibe to me, or New Orleans (grits, biscuits, oysters) - and that feels like a niche in the Philly food market, so big props to them for pulling it off. Aside from the food, they have the aesthetic that enhances the vibe. They kept much of the integrity from the original theater, and transformed it into a new gathering space for the community. Bright colors and comfy booth seating, it's really inviting and fun to stick around. I hear on Tuesday's, they have live music; I would love to go back here for a cocktail night and listen to some jams. Their bar looked stunning and while I didn't have any drinks in my visit, you could easily tell that is a draw for many. The food itself was good, no complaints what-so-ever...but did it leave me feeling like: "what have I been missing out on?" No - not really, but if I am down and around south street for brunch again, I wouldn't mind trying some more things on the menu. I have also heard their burger is a big hit, in case you wanted to try something that is typically recommended.

Love this place for a romantic date night!The dimly lit old theater vibe, great specialty drinks, and delicious New Orleans Cajun food style menu makes for the perfect dining experience! The servers are on the ball & will help you with choices. I recommend the baked oysters & the ribs!

I visited Rex at the Royal recently with a few friends for dinner and it was a beautiful time. I want to first say that customer service was excellent, seriously the hospitality didn't go unnoticed. A++Overall everyone liked their entrees but the appetizers were either under seasoned or over cooked. The crab fondue needed more seasoning, the cornbread was so dry we sent it back, and the truffle fries were burnt. We ordered a few more appetizers and everything was just not seasoned enough. I feel like in the rush to get apps out quickly the quality did not hold up. Take your time please. My party loved their food and I was just not here for mine. I ordered the Memphis Jerk Ribs and they tasted more like liquid smoke than jerk. I actually took most of it home and added my own jerk sauce and cooked them more. This dish definitely needs some work. I give the food a C. It's most certainly not the reason I would come back. Now what sold me on Rex at the Royal was the ambiance and drinks. The cocktails were very delish so I will be coming back for happy hour or just when I want to be in a beautiful setting. This is one of the most beautiful restaurants in the city. Kudos to the design team. Very dreamy and sexy. Perfect for a date and drinks. I'll be back to try out some more of the menu and hopefully update my review. I need to know if the food was just a one off because I'd like to add Rex at the Royal to my favs rotation.

Full of flavor!I was in town on business travel during restaurant week so I decided to meet a friend for dinner at Rex at the Royal for dinner. We both went with the restaurant week menu but got different things. I went with the tempura vegetables, chicken with kale & street corn fish, and the key lime pie. My friend got the Caesar salad, shrimp & grits, and bread pudding. We both loved our food and also loved each other's meals. If I visit Philly again, I'd definitely visit Rex on the Royal again!

This place was an absolute gem! I came here for my birthday, and felt so well looked after. They made me feel really important. The food was absolutely amazing. I came with a big group, and we ordered different things so we could try everything, and there was nothing that we ate that I didn't adore. Can't wait to come back.

Overall disappointing. Food was lukewarm to cold, including the coffee. Service was inconsistent. Cornbread tasted great; the skillet was just out of the oven, but the cornbread was not hot. Crab fondue was the only piping hot dish. It was great and lived up to its reputation. Shrimp and grits were good, but again, the grits were barely warm. Dessert was fantastic as well.