Refectory is a beautiful restaurant located right on the Villanova campus and makes for a great spot for dinner or a special occasion. Parking was also easy, with a garage directly across the street that the restaurant will validate for you--a nice bonus considering parking around a college campus can sometimes feel like its own competitive sport. The restaurant itself is spacious and also has private rooms available if you're planning a private celebration or event. We were seated at one of the tables surrounding the large bar area, which had a nice atmosphere. Our waiter was attentive throughout the meal and did a good job taking care of us. We started with the Cheesesteak Egg Rolls, which were really good and definitely a great way to kick off the meal. For my entrée, I ordered the Nova Cravers, which are essentially three sliders served with fries. The sliders were decent, although I do wish the fries had been a little crispier. My wife enjoyed her Fried Chicken Cobb Salad, while our son was happy with his Chicken Parmesan and side of pasta. The highlight of the meal, though, may have been dessert. We finished with the Banana Beignets, which were absolutely delicious, especially with the yummy dipping sauce. All in all, we had a great experience. Between the beautiful setting, convenient parking, attentive service, and solid food, Refectory is definitely a place we would come back to. read more

See all

Had dinner here with a large group. We shared some bread baskets, Brussels sprouts, and the watermelon salad. I ordered the chicken parm and the banana crème beignets. The portions are generous - I have leftovers. The service was excellent, especially for such a large group. The food was delicious. If I lived locally, I'd be a regular here! read more

The Refectory - Chicken Parmesan - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

Very nice. I there for brunch. I'm expensive aside for drinks. Just beware food was decent. Service was good.

Delicious meal, fun ambiance, nice place for a gathering, an intimate dinner or a drink at the bar. Service was great, our wait person Kevin was attentive, struck the right balance of being available but not hovering or intrusive. I went with my husband and his son, daughter-in-law and two teenage grandchildren. Everyone had a good time and enjoyed their meals and I had the roasted cod with curry sauce and rice and for starters we shared Brussels sprouts - one order with bacon and one without - and the fabulous Nova fries, which included some brisket, cheese and pure magic! Everything was delicious and pleasant - good experience, will look forward to returning! read more

The Refectory - Roasted Cod With Curry Sauce And Rice - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

My husband made reservations here for Valentine's Day and it was so nice. We arrived a little early but still got seated right away. Our server was so nice and attentive. The food was amazing! Everything we ordered was great. It's a really great spot and the vibe was on point. read more

See all

I've been to The Refectory quite a few times but today was my first time for brunch. My husband and I split the breakfast flatbread, which was great. I had the Avocado Croast and he has another entree. The food was delicious. Our server even went out of his way to make me a vanilla latte which was delightful! We love the vibes inside and decor. We will definitely be back again for brunch. read more

The Refectory - Breakfast flatbread - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

We sat at the bar to have a drink and dinner. Bartender very attentive. The drinks were made correctly, but the food was definitely off. I tried the Barada with asparagus and grilled fruit. They used grilled grapes but left the stems on and the Barada was awful.It sat around way too long. I've had Barada many times and this was by far the worst. We also tried the Kravers more commonly known as sliders. They were also a miss. I don't think we will return. read more

An odd experience for Valentine's Day, perhaps I should've sat at the bar or done some research. My martini was served in a julep glass, the lobster on my risotto was rubbery and there was barely any fruit in my tart. Everything felt a little off. But my server asked, "Isn't it wonderful?" Or "how are enjoying that delicious treat?" She was clearly a fan of the mediocre food. Other staff were quick to fill my water glass or bring me coffee. I'll give them another try as friends have enjoyed their meal there. Is it a training restaurant for students? That was what it felt like. read more

The Refectory - That is NOT a martini - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

See all

The service and the drinks were excellent as always. The food was not quite as refined as usual. The Bronzino was dry and over cooked and the plate was a bit sloppy with too much bean and pea ragout. The Pineapple Upside Down cake had amazing pineapple ice cream, but the cake itself was dry and unremarkable. Usually this restaurant is a five star, but it was only a four star meal this time. read more

I first went there for a lunch meeting, where I ordered a turkey BLT sandwich. Although it was $20, it was well worth the price, as the sandwich was great and filling. Despite the lunchtime rush, the service was still prompt and attentive, making the overall dining experience enjoyable. It's definitely a great place for work lunches because it doesn't get loud or distracting, allowing for productive conversations. The cozy atmosphere and quality food make it a top choice for future meetings or casual dining experiences. The friendly staff and efficient service contribute significantly to this establishment's overall value of dining. I visited again for dinner, and once again, the service was consistent, and the food was quite good. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking a satisfying dining experience of great value. I enjoyed the steak, crab cakes, deviled eggs, and Nova fries, which were cooked to a tee and tasted great. I even tried a Caprese salad despite not liking tomatoes, and to my surprise, it was actually quite good. The drinks were good as well, they had a kick to them. The atmosphere was pleasant as well. We were seated in a separate room in the back, which was ideal for our large group. It allowed us to socialize without being a nuisance to other diners. The restaurant is also aesthetically pleasing. I will say I had low expectations for this restaurant because it is attached to a school, which led me to assume the food would be mediocre. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the dishes and attentive service. Don't let the location fool you; this restaurant is genuinely good! The menu offers a variety of options, and the presentation of the dishes was great, too. read more

See all

My sister-in-law and I had lunch at The Refectory before attending a play at the Villanova Theatre. On the weekends, they have a brunch menu. There were so many things that I wanted to try. I chose the Brisket and Gits while she had the Nova Cravers. Both were delicious. I loved the way the Brisket and Grits were served with soft boiled eggs. Madison was our server, and she was excellent. She was friendly and attentive. There is a parking garage across the street, and the restaurant will validate the parking slip. I know I'll be back again! read more

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. read more

The Refectory - Mahi Tacos - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

See all

It was ok. No bread or starters. The food was good, although servings were on the small side. Good service.

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! read more

See all

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. read more

See all

Came here for lunch. Service was good. Food was delish. Ordered the brisket loaded fries, shrimp tacos, and the cauliflower. Very clean. read more

The Refectory - Loaded brisket fries, Rock Shrimp Tacos, and Buffalo Cauliflower - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

food was great but i expected a little better but enjoyable. our server's really energetic but the service during our second course is a little slow. we come in for dinner on friday but surprisingly it's not as busy as we thought it would be. the decor are really aesthetic and cozy. we had the summer menu instead of the regular menu. read more

See all

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. read more

See all

Food was great. Crab omelette was 7/10 Home 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 read more

The Refectory - Crab omelette, pancakes , eggs your way - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

See all

Went here with my family visiting Villanova and we had a really nice meal. The ambiance is very comfortable, stylish and cool. Though we sat at a booth, the bar nearby seemed lively and large enough for anyone's needs. Our food was delicious. I had the corn bucatini special that was so yummy, brother-in-law had the chicken Parm which was great, my sister had the salmon which was delicious and my nephew loved his ravioli with a side of meatballs. We had spring rolls, both artichoke and Philly cheesesteak as appetizers and buffalo cauliflower that we all loved. The service was great too. Our server was very attentive and paced our meal perfectly. We'll definitely be back. Hopefully my nephew decides to go to school here! read more

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: A Atmosphere: A- Service: B+ read more

See all

Another one of our retirement luncheons was spectacular! Manager Kelsey and her staff never fail - always attentive, accommodating, and even helpful for our late arrivals. The food was delicious as always and the setting was perfect for conviviality. read more

Food was great, service (Madison) was great & ambiance was nice & comfortable. I had the Mushroom Flatbread & my friend had the Brisket Omelette. Madison suggested the Brussel sprouts as an appetizer & they were very good. read more

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! read more

See all

I spent a day at Villanova last month and got to have dinner with my very nice hosts at The Refectory, an attractive, upscale on-campus restaurant. I'm guessing this is the go-to spot to take university guests and visiting family members (while we were there, my hosts ran into a colleague dining with family from out of town). It must be jam packed whenever there are lots of parents around. We were a large party, and we were seated in a comfortable booth in the spacious dining room. Service was great. I enjoyed a couple cocktails with my dinner. The Permanent Vacation was sweet and pleasantly tropical, with tequila, mezcal, passionfruit, pineapple, lime, and a li hing mui rim. The Boulevardier of Broken Dreams was a balanced, boozy drink with bonded bourbon, strawberry Campari, aperitivo rosso, and salt. The food was also quite good. We ordered a few things to share, and I liked all of them. The truffled deviled eggs were excellent, supple and delicious, finished with black truffle, espelette, and sea salt. The buffalo cauliflower was addictive, flavored like wings, with house hot sauce and buttermilk ranch. The mahi tacos could not be called tacos in the outside world, but they were tasty in their own right, with a plantain crust, cabbage, and chipotle mayo. I ordered the seared Hokkaido scallops for my entree and this was a winning dish. The scallops were cooked firm and creamy, and they came with balsamic bacon jus, English pea, and a bright green pea tendril sauce. I'm not planning to graduate from Villanova anytime soon, but if I were, I'd call months in advance to secure a table at The Refectory. This is quite a restaurant to have right on campus. I'm grateful to the English department for the lovely dinner. read more

The food itself was delicious for lunch, albeit a tad pricey. There are several gluten free items (thankfully indicated on the menu) and the risotto was flavorful and of a great ratio of mushrooms and vegetables to rice. My 8 yr old son enjoyed chicken tenders from the kids menu and we helped with most of the fries. Server was busy, perhaps understaffed and a tad forgetful, but very polite. Ambiance is classy, modern and clean. read more

This hidden gem is by far my favorite restaurant by ambiance alone. I love the styling of the place and it's got a real surprise element, almost like a secret bar, since it's an upscale restaurant inside of castle-like Villanova building. The food has that quality of being comforting but unique. The corn and truffle flat bread was unbelievable. Their bacon wrapped dates were the first item I've ever tasted where I enjoyed blue cheese (since they used it as a subtle component of the manchego sauce). Their desert menu is incredible and much larger than I would expect. Their pastry chef is clearly talented. I'd recommend the rice pudding ice cream bar which tastes like horchata. But the crown achievement is their drink menu. If that wasn't good enough, they also are extremely kind and accommodating. They recently had my wife and I for our anniversary. Jill (FoH manager) helped me to surprise my wife with a special drink which Proteus made beautifully. Our waitress was so kind and attentive too. And on a previous visit, the bartended James shared with us insight into what made our drinks so special. At a time when ingredients are hard to source and the pandemic has made patience hard to find as well, it's amazing how excellent the service and food is at The Refectory. Oh and on the times I bring my toddler to brunch, they make her feel welcome too. They do everything: upscale to family friendly all while making us feel special. A++ read more

The Refectory - Corn and truffle flatbread w/ bacon wrapped dates. - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

The Refectory was a great way to celebrate a birthday on a gloomy rainy day outside. Inside the ambience was warm and the servers were super friendly. They even comped our corkage fee since we didn't order dessert. Just a great way to celebrate a birthday. Food was delicious! Yummy food, reasonably priced and great service. Steak, mahi mahi, tuna, branzino pictured. #bergerknowsbest BRANZINO FILET butternut squash, celery root, brown butter, red chimichurri KOBE NY STRIP* onion soubise, royal trumpet, cippolini, bordelaise BONE-IN SHORTRIB* BLACKENED MAHI MAHI papaya salad, jalapeño emulsion, coconut curry GRILLED YELLOWFIN TUNA* brown butter spaetzle, leeks, pepita togarashi read more

See all

I have driven past the restaurant so many times and finally decided to give it a shot! Walked in the restaurant, I was greeted by the relaxed ambience of the cocktail lounge. Steak salad was delicious with fresh ingredients and good plating style. The dressing is slightly too oily for my preference but I enjoyed it nevertheless. I would recommend the place if you are in the area. read more

See all

Go here once month. Food and service great. Drinks are now ridiculous. Had a small watery Manhattan with "house rye whiskey" and they charged me $32.50 ! After the meal and I got the bill, I asked for the manager and complained. She was very nice and volunteered to take the charge off, which I did not accept. Watch out ! Have a beer or a soda or just water. Drinks are now a rip off !! read more

Discovered our new favorite brunch place in an unlikely spot: on campus at Villanova U. Loved everything about this place: varied brunch menu (such as flatbreads , egg dishes, shrimp and grits, and sandwiches), ample servings, reasonable prices (most under $15), cozy booths, and first-class service (shout out to Hannah!). Heads up for disabled guests: Parking is in the garage across the street ($2 for two hours) and there's no easy drop-off option near the restaurant entrance. read more

See all

Decent dinner menu for a night out, lunch menu caters more towards students. Brussels sprouts appetizer is excellent, a must-try. Villanova vibe if you're going for that. Service was awesome. read more

Very nice meal and excellent service. Location was easy. The public parking lot next door was really easy to access and they validate. Took a current Villanova student to dinner while we were visiting to tour campus the next day. All of us got something different. Started with apps and cocktails and cocktails. The Buffalo cauliflower was good and gluten free. MMy tuna entree was good and their pastas were good too. read more

I've been to The Refectory for lunch several times and for a retirement party. The food was so good and the service was fast and friendly every time. The ambience is comfortable with a business-like look to it. Overall, it's a great addition to the Villanova campus that locals and out-of-towners would enjoy. read more

See all

Although situated on a college campus , it is not a college cafeteria at all what some people might think . The interior is done nicely with the wood paneling and the over all feel is of traditional classic restaurant . We have been here a couple of times and always have had good experience. We went with a couple of kids and a friend and ordered Cajun Calamari and side of fries for appetizer. The calamari is extremely flavorful and has that bite to it that people who like spices would love . In addition we ordered the permanent vacation cocktail which was nicely done . The kids ordered flat bread which was what it is supposed to be , a plain cheese flatbread . For the main course we ordered Ramp Pesto Pasta which had a refreshing taste with a good mix of crunchy veggies . I personally am a fan of pesto sauce on everything so I am sort of biased . The other dish was Rock Shrimp Puttanesca which had olives and shrimps which gave it a deep flavor which last with the taste bud even after you are done with it . People who like olives will love it. . The third entre was the dry aged craver ( sliders) which was nicely done and I was told is a crowd favorite . The service was excellent and they were very helpful with the allergies that one of the kids had in our party . Will definitely come again . Over all a good experience as always . read more

See all

Food was amazing and love the inside and the workers were fast and nice and I loved the lights

My friend and her boyfriend invited us here for drinks on a Friday night. My husband said he wished they had asked us while school was still on winter break so it wouldn't be as crowded. The place is new and just opened. It was crowded as we expected but it was an older crowd there really no college kids at all so I guess it didn't matter that we went when school was in session. I thought we were just getting drinks so we ate dinner before we came here. We ordered a couple of drinks and got a standing table by the bar. I got a drink with bourbon and banana in it. The bartender warned me that it was very sweet but I said it was ok. It wasn't really too sweet for me but I don't know if I liked the flavor combinations. My stomach kinda felt a little weird after drinking it too. Our friends come and decide they want a table and they were getting food so we said ok. Just wanted to get away from the crowd so that worked. We said we could get like an appetizer or dessert or something small since we already ate dinner. Somehow they talked us into all sharing a bunch of small plates which I wasn't sure if we were hungry enough for but ok. I would have skipped dinner if I had known this. But everything was very good. They recommended getting the baked Brie bites, they were delicious! It was toasted baguette bread with Brie cheese and a truffle honey sauce. The crab cake was also very good too. Big chunks of crab with good flavor and little filler, that's how I like them. We also got some mozzarella prosciutto which was also tasty. Our friends ordered a flatbread also but we didn't try any we were a stuffed. They said it was good but some pieces looked a little too burnt. Definitely wanted to try the butter cake. We were disappointed they were out of the Nutella ice cream that was supposed to go with it, but we got it with vanilla. It was kind of like a lava cake but without the lava center. They only give you a little amount of ice cream with it my friend asked for more especially cause the cake was a little dry. They brought out more but only one small portion for his cake, not enough for both of us. We split it and tried to make it work though. I had a glass of wine as my second drink. Ended up getting sick later I don't know if it was something I ate or a bad combination of the bourbon and wine or what. Not blaming the restaurant as it could have been something i ate earlier in the day too but I did feel weird after that bourbon drink. If we go back I'll have to be cautious of what I order. read more

The Refectory - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

See all

Did not have a good experience here. When we got to the restaurant, they told us they couldn't accommodate our reservation of 13 people that was made ahead of time, so they separated our group into separate tables. There were other tables outside and in the building that had similar party size to us and they refused to accommodate us. When our food came out, it was cold. The portions of the pasta entrees we got were the same size as a side of pasta that other people at the table got. One person in our party got chicken parm and the chicken was burnt. The food was decent but the overall experience ruined it for us. read more

I rarely have given a bad review on Yelp. I have been to the Refectory three times in the last year. The first time (Jan 2023) for brunch the food was good except my poached eggs were very undercooked white runny egg whites. The second time for dinner (August 2023) the food was terrible - burger was over cooked and had some sauce on it, fries also came with a bizarre sauce that was not explained on the menu. The third time (September 2023) for brunch - my toast was burned, my scrambled eggs tasted like institutional eggs made from a mix, and my husband's over easy eggs were raw and we sent them back only to have his plate reappear without the toast (also burnt) originally on it, and a hash brown ordered for the table once again came with a bizarre sauce covering them that is not mentioned on the menu and was not on the hash brown when I had it in January (we sent it back). The waitstaff is kind and it is a beautiful room, but the quality of the food is just terrible - some of this might be improved if the menu wasn't so unclear. If something is smothered in some type of sauce, explain that on the menu. Eggs should never have clear whites and be undercooked - I don't even understand how this could leave the kitchen, or how burnt toast could leave the kitchen. Everything seems to be undercooked or overcooked. Too many not well explained sauces - they should be optional or on the side always. We have given The Refectory a few tries but I think sadly that we won't be back. read more

Went here for apps and drinks on Friday night. Never felt so ripped off! The special menu had a ravioli dish which was priced at 25.00 . We received Three (yes 3 total) ravioli. There is no way to justify this! Two drinks and 3 appetizers (crab cakes, mussels and three ravioli) was 100.00!!! Wow!!! Be ready to be ripped off for mediocre food!!! Shame on you!! read more