everything was very underwhelming. the sea bass was way too salty, the cheesesteak meat was drenched in sauce and the bread was dry, and the ribs didn't taste like much. honestly wouldn't go twice, only went once because it was attached to nova's campus. read more

The Refectory - New American Near Me - Villanova, Pennsylvania

A welcome and long needed addition to the Villanova campus. Comfortable and upscale, but a little loud inside. Booths are very comfortable. Service was good, not great. No offer of refills for water. Menu not large, but adequate. We tried the turkey club (very good), the French onion soup (good) and the prme rib sandwich (meh). Prices about what you'd expect on the mainline. read more

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Very unimpressed with the whole experience. Waited a bit for bartender to take our drink orders sat down at table and had a bit of wait, once again, for our waiter. The four of us ordered 1 dozen oysters and the Brie to share for apps. The oysters arrived as 6, not 12. The Brie was decent, but a lot more bread than Brie in the puffs. For entrees the four of us just ordered sandwiches. I ordered the burger, medium rare. It arrived well done and the waiter never came by to check on us, so I never said anything. Just not a fan. $18.00 for a bit so good burger and $19.00 for a prime rib sandwich is ridiculous. Additionally, Bill was well over $200 for four of us with just ordering sandwiches for entrees. Way overpriced. Will come back just for beers, but nothing else. read more

Arrived at The Refectory only to realize we made our reservation for seven people on the wrong day. Despite being packed the manager accommodated us right away. The meal was fabulous- tomato salad and French onion soups were amazing, the tuna poke bowl never disappoints, the cheeseburgers were great, my bucatini casio e pepe was spot on. The chocolate butter cake was devine as was the blueberry crumble. Service was perfect. Fantastic experience all around. read more

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Don't be fooled by the refectory being on villanovas campus, it is one of, if not the best, restaurants on the main line. I have been coming since they opened and you can really see a change once new ownership/ management took over. Gina is always there to say hello, check in and ask how we're doing. The food is always phenomenal and they change their menu based on the season. Everything is always fresh and tasty. On top of the food being top notch it is my favorite place to get drinks. Like the food they are constantly rotating new things in. Be sure to ask for Proteus or Jo. Make sure to get there early if you're going for a Villanova basketball game or happy hour. The place gets packed. read more

visited the refectory again with my husband recently... two major points: 1. oysters were, again, amazing!!! raspberry points from PEI are my favorite and they were being offered that night so I couldn't resist. 2. the sushi was downright awful. do not get the sushi. this, as I noted in my previous review, is still the one thing I think must go. otherwise, we had a great dinner again. I had the casarecce with mushrooms and it was divine. Service was good. We were sat in one of their cozy two-person booths which I love. will be back. read more

Good service, but overly enthusiastic. Pretty nice inside and outside. Food was ok at best, subpar at worst. Overall, could be better, could be worse. read more

Nice atmosphere. Food is good - not great, and service is spotty, but if they can up their game, this will be a great local place. read more

After enjoying an amazing dinner at the Refectory last night I hopped on Yelp and was shocked to not see 5 stars across the board. We arrived and we're promptly seated at a table adjacent to the kitchen. First I thought it was too loud and active of a location, but once we realized we got a great view of the action and of every item on the menu, we were grateful for the table location Lori was our server and somehow was even more of a highlight than the food and drinks. Lori was happy to share her real opinions on the menu (only when we asked), never allowed us to be in need of anything, and had the best energy that my wife and I found infectious. So much so that mid meal we sent a text to a couple of more people to come join us for post dinner drinks at our table. Everything on the menu was really great. From the ingredients to the plating, everything was so well thought out. Items also arrived at the table fresh from the kitchen because their food running system ensures that someone is always keeping an eye out for food as the kitchen was done prepping it. The cocktails were as good as the food. The glassware was different for each cocktail, the flavors were great, and just like with the kitchen, there seemed to be a system to make sure drinks got to your table the moment they were ready no matter if it was your server or one of the managers that brought them out. Really a great experience and highly recommended. read more

Got the 'Master Class' Burger and Nova Fries. Also got the deviled eggs. I was expecting very good things. Nope. Everything was Very salty and overly creamy. Less is more Vanillova. read more

Be warned: for a new establishment, they don't much care for potential customers. The write up says they're open until 10 on weeknights, as does their own website. We arrived at 9:15, and were told without apology that the kitchen had closed at 9:00. Went home hungry. read more

I keep a running list in my mind of the 3-4 dishes that I would consider life-altering (dramatic, I know), and now Refectory's branzino is at the top of that list. Everything about this dish is perfectly balanced- the crisp of the skin vs the butternut paste, the flakiness of the fish vs the al dente bite of the celery root, the spicy chimichurri vs the vinegary tang/sweetness of the sauce. I would make a trip here just for the branzino, honestly. The cocktails have been delicious and strong as well. My husband and I have been to Refectory twice now and have tried these other dishes as well: - Brussels- very good - Sliders- excellent - Mahi Tacos- mediocre - Caesar Salad- good read more

Came here for dinner twice. Once with a friend and tonight with my husband and children. Food is good, but portions are small for the price. I know the targeted clientele is likely Villanova students and families but would be nice to have an option for a kids menu. read more

very disappointed with this establishment. Visiting old college friends who wanted to try it. Boy what a disaster waiting to happen. The fries were cold dry and stale, chicken sandwich was dry and tasteless like a frozen chicken patty. As a former student I have this to say " What happened to Nova" and why is this over priced whatever on campus.? read more

Do not order fish as an entree , the sizes are minuscule as if it was on a salad and have voiced my dissatisfaction numerous times but to no avail They don't care !!!! read more

We had a fantastic dinner at the Refectory!! Yum!! The salad was outstanding, brussel sprouts terrific, and my pasta was outstanding. I was so full and still ate every last drop. My friends loved the Harvest Salad and their salmon dinner. Chocolate dessert was just outstanding. Our waitress, Lori, was personable and so attentive. Great job! We will certainly be back. Great job!!! read more

I hosted an engagement party at The Refectory in February. The lead up to the party was very meticulous and detailed, but the staff and manager at Refectory were in lock step with me the whole way ensuring that all needs, emails, and phone calls were answered. We met in person with the manager weeks in advance to scope out the Friar Room, talk strategy as well as food/drinks. Before the actual party, the manager also special ordered a specific beer for me which was very important. The day of the party, everything went off perfectly. Family arrived before myself and my fiancée. They were graciously greeted and worked with my family to set up a table with pictures and gifts, the Bluetooth for music as well as getting us hooked up to the WIFI to display a slideshow on their large TV. Everything went great throughout the cocktail hour and dinner/desserts. The spicy vodka rigatoni was spectacular along with the filet and salmon. My family is still talking about the Nutella doughnuts for dessert. Our bartender Darcy was also amazing, she served every drink with a smile and put up with our antics towards the end of the night. We were scheduled to have the Friar Room from 4-9pm and the staff was very accommodating. 10/10 for a group event on Villanova's campus, everything was excellent and I can't wait to go back! read more

vibes/interior 9/10, food 8/10, location 9/10. it's right in the middle of villanova campus so finding parking should be fairly easy. staff was super nice. read more

Really solid restaurant. If we lived in the area, this would become a weekly stop. Very reasonable prices and good quality food. The bar area is comfortable and accessible. We ate dinner during family weekend at Villanova and it was the first week open. They were still working out some kinks with the service. Super attentive. Fried Chicken sandwich, burger and Brussel Sprouts. The baked Brie bread was a good starter. We will go back when we visit our Nova student. read more

As a Villanova student, I have to say this is a tremendous addition to our campus. The staff is always cordial and engaging, and the food is great. I'd recommend the chopped salad, salmon and the turkey club. If you're a coffee fanatic like me, don't pass it up here- all of the refectory's coffee is French pressed- simply put, it's only second to La Colombe coffee. The only reason I gave this restaurant 4 stars as opposed to five is because the dessert menu is somewhat lacking- could definitely use some improvement. But def a new favorite of mine- I'd say it's a step above the white dog. Will definitely be back soon! read more

Wonderful atmosphere and service, menu is also unique. Perfect place for anything from lunch to afternoon meet with friend to dinner.

Style 4 stars food 3 stars and the prices are laughable. $14 cubano app should have been labeled as a flatbread because it was so thin all bread not much meat. $46 for a 6oz filet lol. If I wasn't there for an event I wouldn't have gone. If over priced food in a bougie atmosphere is what you want then look not further. read more

This was a little tricky to find. Waze drops you at the 'door' on route 30. But once you park in the garage follow the signs. The atmosphere is excellent. My friend made a reservation for 1:30 for lunch to celebrate my birthday. Our waitress was not friendly from the get go. It was if we walked in five seconds to closing and she still had to wait on us. No matter what she just seemed bothered by us. The food was excellent. We both got French Onion Soup and split the Prime Rib Sandwich. When the waitress asked if we wanted dessert my friend insisted I get something but I said no thanks but I knew she wanted a coffee refill. The waitress seemed elated then ticked off again we wanted one more thing. I did get a diet coke refill without asking. I will give it another shot. I mean everyone has a bad day. read more

We have been trying to try this for a couple of months but never got a chance. On our last visit, we didn't get a sitting for walk-in, so we decided to reserve a table this time. We were greeted and seated warmly, and our waiter served us water and we ordered one pen/acilin (non-alcoholic) beverage. We had flatbread - brisket and Maine Mussels for shareable. Mussels were amazing and served with focaccia and flatbread was good. Be mindful, the serving size for the above dishes might fill up your appetite since both had bread. The manager asked us if the service and food were fine, and welcomed any questions we had. For the main, we ordered the Bucatini and maitake mushroom. Bucatini was really awesome, the pasta and the soft egg along with the sauce and shaved black truffle will keep you charmed till the last bite. Maitake mushroom with the herbed butter was tasty as well but could have worked better with more citrus. We were almost filled up at this moment, so decided to have the hot teas (African nectar and mint melange, accompanied with honey) instead of desserts. Let the tea steep for a while before you pour. We definitely will visit again, to try out the other offerings. The service was great and the ambiance is pleasing to the eyes. read more

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I went to The Refectory on Saturday evening. The restaurant was very crowded, especially around the bar. The noise level was extreme, the waitstaff was inexperienced and the food, though good, was even over-priced for the Main Line!! The main courses were presented in isolation on the plate...a vegetable or potato side was an additional price. The desserts were only mediocre to say the most. A cocktail, a glass of wine, shrimp cocktail with 4 medium sized shrimp, a pork chop, a sweet potato and butter cake for dessert came to over $100 with the tip!!! read more

Convenient location-on campus Villanova. Atmosphere nice but with low ceilings - very loud. We tried the following items: vodka rigatoni added chicken, spaghetti and meatballs, pepperoni flatbread pizza, and coq au vin risotto. Best items were rigatoni and flatbread pizza - most disappointing item was spaghetti and meatballs which 3 people had - they all indicated it lacked flavor. read more

From the service to the food, you can not go wrong! Loving the Postgrad Burger, and all the pasta dishes! We have been here 3 times since the reopening and each time it has been amazing! read more

I have been here before and never had the horrible service I had this evening. There were 2 men and 1 women behind the bar very involved with talking to each other and not minding the customers. You had to flag them down to order food and drinks. I ordered food, which came out promtply only to have to flag down someone to give me utensils. My friend ordered a wine, and when it did not come after 10 minutes I asked the female if she heard him. She said yes but said that she told him she would get it as soon as she was done with her table. She was getting a coke, and then went to wait on a table outside the bar. She then proceeded to take the rest of their orders. How long exactly was someone supposed to wait to get a drink at the bar? Also, the two men were there, she could have asked them to get it, but I guess they were too busy talking to each other. I did file this complaint with the manager who did say something to them, but when she left there was less attention from them than before. They clearly do not fear losing their jobs, and they clearly have no experience of service. There was no attention given, they had to be summoned for everything, and they were not friendly or pleasant. If I had not had pleasant experiences before I would never return. I will give it one more try and if those slackers are still behind the bar, it will be my last visit. Also, for them to resume their laziness after the manager spoke with them tells me they have no respect for her whatsoever. They should be transferred to dishwashing where they don't deal with the public. read more

The food and service was good. The wine selection is awful. We asked why and they said supply chain. Total nonsense. They could easily buy wine at the state store. The manager said they were going to be adding new names but they never did. We will not be back unless they make the change. read more

Nice atmosphere, and the food is amazing. We sat at the bar and had Kelsey as a server. She was incredible and made us feel right at home! She was honest about her recommendations for food and drinks and it made the experience that much better for us. Will definitely be coming back to The Refectory! read more

Very happy this place has reopened. I wasn't the biggest fan before it closed during Covid, but the reopening has definitely taken it up a notch. I've been here three times over the past month or so and have been very happy with both the food and service. The interior is beautiful and definitely a different experience having dinner on the Villanova campus over a regular neighborhood restaurant. read more

we were there for brunch on Sunday Dec 4, myself and 3 old coworkers. we arrived at 1130am. The waitress came and took our drink orders and we waited and waited. perhaps she was taking care of too many tables. We ordered mimosas and when she did get them, she poured them from a pitcher that was right across the table from us. we then ordered our entrees. and we waited. The waitress never came back to see if we wanted another drink or to let us know when our entrees were come out. very poor customer service. The food was very good. we then ordered dessert. I ordered Jewish Apple Cake. The kind of Jewish Apple cake I eat looks like a Bundt cake with big wedges of apple and cinnamon in it. The Refectory's apple cake looked like a thick flat pancake. All I could taste was cinnamon, no apples. The small scoop of cinnamon ice cream was weird. It was hard as a rock and did not melt on top of the warm cake. We sent it back as it had no flavor. Refectory please make real Jewish Apple cake with real ice cream please. Would we come back? Probably not. Poor service by the waitress, food that was good, not great, and you have to pay for parking no validation from restaurant. read more

Lovely and a wonderful compliment to VU campus! Quality, thoughtful menu and service. Dishes are delicious. We had crab cakes, salmon, steak and chicken. All very good. Buttercake is scrumptious! Signature cocktails are fabulous. Love the casual but elegant atmosphere with great music. Such a welcomed addition to the Main Line! read more

It was closed for some time due to covid. But upon reopening it was bustling with energy and flavors! Between our staff, Taylor and Rommel, and the exquisite entree's the experience was legendary. The drinks were lively and fresh. And the desserts were something we won't soon forget the essence of. Do not miss this spot!!! read more

We were super excited to try the new Refectory and it seriously did not disappoint. Walking in, the atmosphere was warm but swanky and it wasn't too loud like some say. The two of us were seated in a huge comfy booth near the bar and were very happy. Chris, our bartender and server, was absolutely amazing. He had great suggestions, gave us things to try and was really fun to be around. I had his Old Fashioned, which was different in a great way, more citrusy in flavor. My boyfriend had the Maine Beer Company pale ale, which he was happy to see on the draft list. Now... the food! We started with Oysters which were fresh and delicious. For dinner, we had the bucatini, which was wonderful and rich, and the salmon, which was perfectly cooked and so flavorful. (My only suggestion was that the pasta could have been a little hotter.) Lastly, the star of the show was the brussel sprouts which we decided to share with dinner. They were AMAZING, do not leave without trying them! We cannot wait to go back! read more

My perspective is nutrition so please take that into account. My husband and I had lunch here today, beautiful place, vibe, people. Gluten free flatbread was well, flat. Maybe try cauliflower crust for this dish? The flatbread was really not edible, tasteless thick crust with very little toppings, they took the charge off, thank you. The Asian salad was also bland and I attribute this to the fact that the veggies were not fresh, could not eat it once I realized that these veggies had been prepped long before this salad was made. Upscale to me means the food will have some nutritional value, salad needs to be made from very fresh ingredients that you prep that day. We will try this place again bc the people are great. Please fresh veg? read more

Wait staff was very friendly and kind. Food was over salted, but good other than that. The price of food was a little overpriced for the atmosphere in my opinion but that is to be expected in this area. Very nice experience from the staff though, and the location being right on campus is convenient. read more