I love a restaurant with great decor. I googled romantic restaurants near me when I was in Philly and I was happy with my pick. super high ceilings, huge bar, green walls & plush seating. The only thing that took the romance out of it was a huge tv playing sports in the middle of the bar, but I ended up getting into the Phillies game. There was a cafe/ wine store in the same space, but it didn't necessarily take away from the space. I came around 4 which I learned is too late for brunch & too early for dinner so we could only order off of the happy hour menu. Options were extremely limited, but everything was delicious. Fish strips was a tiny portion, the burger bun was toasted dark (almost burnt!), fries were good, Mac & cheese creamy (initially looked watery but firmed up) & I thought I was being healthy ordering the fried tomatoes/peppers dish (but I realize now that I didn't put emphasis on the "fried" part ). But everything tasted good- not too salty or oily. The drinks I didn't really like, but Idk if it was the bartender or just the options. we were the only ones at the bar on a Saturday and the bartender cleaned up our dishes pretty quickly, coming to check on us a few times if we were done when we still had food in our plate. This made us feel a little rushed & I was originally considering ordering another drink/dessert. Overall, bring a date here and feel free to sit at the bar.

Our visit to Rex was an audible for my partner's milestone birthday, when a would-be trip to New Orleans suffered weather cancellation due to recent hurricane weather after a full 8-hours spent on the tarmac at the airport; and thus recovering from enormous disappointment by filling the feeling-of-lost-foods within our home of Philadelphia. The environment is very special, beautiful architecture, and the staple menu we chose was both comforting and delightful. It is a truly place for an intimate dinner to talk... though I could gladly dine alone and stare at the aqua stone bar top for hours. For my dining experience, this place is quite special, and has all the qualities you'd like in an establishment, it's lovely!

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!

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.

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!

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.