The Refectory

I've been here a number of times over the last year for lunch meetings and was there again this past Thursday. The decor of the restaurant definitely gives you a feel of being in an upscale, refined yet casual and relaxed place. Also, it is a pretty spacious restaurant that can accommodate table parties of 2 or 10 seemingly very easily. The staff are always very professional, courteous and friendly. The food is always on point. Great portion sizes, filling, tasty and made at the right temperature. This time I tried the Mahi Tacos with the Strawberry Fields cocktail, but I've had a few other dishes before like the Green Salad with salmon and the Salmon BLT&A with no bacon. I don't think there's a menu item anyone could go wrong with.If you are on/near Villanova's campus, highly recommend them. I definitely will keep coming back.

Food was great. Crab omelette was 7/10Home fries potatoes were delicious very unique taste. Buttermilk pancake was delicious Focaccia is served instead of your regular toast with the eggs your way plate .Service was okay nothing special. Bar tender had to service our table due to the waitress being who knows where. Slow/ dead Saturday at noon. Ambiance was great

The Refectory is a great place to enjoy an upscale lunch/dinner (or brunch on weekends!) while visiting the Villanova campus. The menu boasts several types of cuisine, from seafood to pasta dishes. I originally booked my 7/13 reservation on OpenTable for 3 people, but it was easy to change it to 4 once we arrived at the restaurant. We sat in a booth near the back of the dining room, surrounded by charming accents that really elevated the restaurant's aesthetic. The only thing I didn't love about the restaurant was the dim lighting--I understand it was for ambiance, but it made it hard to read the menu and was really more annoying than quirky. The Refectory is known for their signature cocktails, and after asking the waiter which was the best one, I tried the strawberry spritzer. It tasted like a strawberry candy, and it was even better when I added lemon juice. I totally recommend this drink to anyone who enjoys sweet, fruity cocktails. The 4 of us split the bread basket for an appetizer, which came with homemade focaccia, pretzel buns, and something that looked like Texas Toast. I really liked the focaccia, especially with the homemade garlic butter. I did not enjoy the pretzel bread, however, probably because I didn't like the sesame seeds on top. For dinner, I had the Nova Cravers, which were 3 hamburger sliders and a side of fries. I ordered them medium rare but they were a tad overcooked. My sister ordered the buffalo chicken nachos off the Summer Spritzers menu, and the plate was so large it definitely could have been shared amongst our whole table of 4. My mom wanted the Master Class Burger with no mustard, but when it was delivered to our table, it had mustard on it. Luckily, our waiter brought it back and had it fixed in no time. Her burger came with a side of Nova Fries, which were topped with smoked brisket and cheese. My aunt loved her rigatoni with vodka sauce, but she did say it was spicier than normal vodka sauce. We ended the night with an order of ricotta donuts, and they were a lot better than I expected. The crispy outside perfectly complimented the fluffy inside, and the chocolate and blueberry dipping sauces added another level of flavor. My mom was also treated to free ice cream because it was her birthday. Overall, I really enjoyed the Refectory, and I would recommend it to anyone craving quality food while visiting the Villanova campus.

Tucked into Villanova's campus, right off 476, Refectory is your place for a beautiful brunch, lunch or dinner. The ambiance is IT and very well put together. They have booths, tables, and a HUGE bar that I hear have a dope HH. What we snagged:-Mussels with Coconut Curry. (One of the best mussels dishes I've had. Mussels were huge and the sauce was flavorful)-Bronzino (Good, with the orzo. Little over cooked, but fine since the Mrs. is pregnant)-Scallops with Spoetzl (Amazing flavor, wish I had 1-2 more scallops)Overall, we'll be back. This joint is perfect for a quick brunch or even a beautiful anniversary dinner. Our waitress was stellar. She was bartending and serving at the same time!

Fantastic meal with fine dining appeal in a more casual, but elegant setting. Surface was excellent, knowledgeable and attentive. Location right on Villanova campus can't be beat if you're visiting the college. it's a fantastic idea to have such a good restaurant right on campus Certainly will be back when I'm in the area.

Villanova students are certainly lucky to have a restaurant of this quality right on their campus! The Refectory toes the line between a modern and cozy atmosphere with comfy booths surrounded by books but a high energy vibe. Their brunch menu, while a little overwhelming with all of the choices, has something for everyone. The salmon flatbread was perfect for sharing (comes with four pieces), and the chicken & waffles was delicious (the chicken was still juicy but also crispy, and I would definitely recommend adding a poached egg on top). The brunch cocktails are also great, whether you go individual (as I did, last picture) or for bottomless mimosas (definitely try the hibiscus lemonade flavor). I definitely would like to come back to try their happy hour/dinner menu at some point!Food: A-Drinks: AAtmosphere: A-Service: B+

Unique Campus location. Delicious homemade food. Started with the bread basket. Came with a ramekin of butter and an additional one with garlic/oil. Shared Brussels that had thick bacon chunks. My main was pasta puttanesca which had mini shrimp and a few steamed clams. The sauce was slightly spicy yet incredibly delicious. Pasta home made, al dente. No room for dessert. I'll recommend and be back!

I've been here a few times for lunch and dinner. Pros: big portions, good service, clean dining..bathroom ok.Cons: pricey but so is everything else that's comparable in qualityI will keep returning but not as often due to prices.

Service was awesome, Madison was great. I've driven by this place a million times and never knew it was there. Great ambiance. Easy parking in the garage once you figure it out.

Last week was my first time trying the Refectory and it was quite disappointing. First up, the portion/price ratio is whack. Whoever does inventory must be budgeting the kitchen. Spent 21 dollars for rigatoni alla vodka hoping to at least get a full bowl instead we got exactly 20 noodles (a portion of the bowl wasn't even covered in food). That's charging close to a dollar per noodle. Next we spent 17 dollars on the spicy pepperoni flatbread... basically half of a personal pizza covered in grease. In fact so much grease that the cheese dissolved halfway through dinner. The appetizers were ok but could've been the saltiest we've ever had, the tater tots were like eating rock salt. I would've left my feedback but our waiter was also the bartender so we didn't get the best service here either.