The Victor CafeAlways a PleasureWhen you want something that offers great food and service, with a side helping of opera - The Victor is the place!
Always an excellent experience, but the place is small and popular, so expect to be packed in a bit tightly - the serving staff makes it all work well, though, as they spice up your meal with an aria or two. Enjoy!6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMA Fun Night!With its opera singing wait staff and a lively environment the Victor Cafe is a must-do every once in a while. The food is very acceptable Italian fare but if you're going purely for the food and not the wonderful ambience then think elsewhere.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMVictors is one of a kind!Everything about The Victor Cafe is so unique! The food is amazing and I don't know any other place that does what they do! It's truly a great experience every time I attend. The food and service is excellent!! Taste great and sounds beautiful!6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMMy Victor Cafe ExperienceGreat restaurant that gives you true excellent Italian food. This location is great for the cross and appreciation of classical opera and food. Nostalgic in every way very mesmerizing once you enter. Great for date, family and friends.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrific!!Went there 16 years ago and again this weekend for my wife's 40th. Great food, quality service and very unique.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGo! Enjoy!You may think you aren't an opera lover but this place will make you rethink that. Food was very good and the waitstaff was very talented.
They sing short arias (songs) or duets (two people singing together) and they tell you about them before they sing. You have about twenty minutes between numbers to talk to others at your table and eat.
Fun!6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat fun, good foodI was there with a crowd and we had a wonderful time. We thought that one of use should lie about it being our birthday so that we could have the wait staff sing to our table. Lill, our waitress, has a wonderful voice! I like the whole fish - very tasty.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMServiceOur server Joe was amazing, not only with his beatuful singing voice but also
Prompt curteous service. Very friendly and professional.
One of the best waiters we have experienced in a long time.
Thank you for having him as part of your staff.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMMy husband and I had dinnerMy husband and I had dinner at Victor Cafe to celebrate his birthday. We had been there several years ago and had a so-so meal, so I was hesitant to go back. However, the meal we had recently was very good--much improved over the last visit--as was the service. My husband requested a specific song when making the reservations, which was sung superbly by our waitress. When dessert arrived the servers sang to him, and I remarked that he'll never have 'Happy Birthday' sung as beautifully ever again. We had a most enjoyable meal and evening and look forward to returning in the future.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMDifferentWe have been meaning to try Victor Cafe for years and remember only after we are dinning somewhere else. This time we made a special trip to Philadelphia just to go to The Victor Cafe. What charming atmosphere this place has. Our reservation was for 6:30 and we were seated immediately. The uniqueness of the Victor is that the wait staff are Opera students. At regular intervals, seemed like every 20-30 minutes, a bell would ring and one of the staff would address the room and give a brief synopsis of the aria they were about to preform. The level of professionalism is outstanding. It begs you to say..."Quit your day job! If only the food matched the performances of the staff. Not bad at all just a bit so-so. Overall we would return.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Food! The Opera is a bonus!This is a reliable and long-standing restaurant in the heart of South Philly. Great menu that is executed by a knowledgeable kitchen staff and served by the friendliest wait staff, who also sing great opera, right from the floor, about every 15-20 minutes! A small but very adequate wine list, by the glass or bottle. And Valet Parking, which makes a trip to The Victor Cafe easy and pleasant.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMOh what a nightHadn't been to Victor Cafe for a few years. Brought my girlfriend there for her 50th birthday on an early Sat night (6pm seating).
The place was as romantic and cheerful as I remembered. It was her first time there and so she was soaking in all the atmosphere and singing. The food was wonderful and our server was attentive and cheerful and of course, an amazing singer. By all means come and enjoy a wonderful night out!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Best in 50 Years of DiningVictor's Cafe is among the best restaurants that I have dined in from LA to NY in all of my travels. It's attention to detail and friendly atmosphere add to it's ambience. The menu is exquisite and will suite anyone's palate. The kitchen prepares the food as if being served to royalty. The wine list is extremely adequate. Now for the absolute knock out punch; the wait staff are the most talented and intelligent anywhere! Approximately every twenty minutes or so, they rotate to sing an opera Aria for the diners. They are all professionally trained and have voices of gold. We have been returning to Victor's for so many years that I can't totally recall. That is one of the first places we take out of town guests for a memorable experience.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMIf you love opera and foodIf you love opera and food this is the place to be. A great little neighborhood setting with Italian comfort food and arias every twenty minutes. One of our Philadelphia phavorites.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat for singing enthusiasts!Food was good. Prices are moderate compared to center city standards. The portions were substantial. You go there for the singing!!!5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful ExperienceThe food was excellent and the ambiance was great. The waiters and waitresses are so talented. We enjoyed their singing immensely.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMsuper south philly spotIt reminded me of a hole in the wall South Philly old time place
Very good food and staff--entertainment was great5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMPleasantly surprised!Took my wife here for a very special occasion. Given the restaurant's theme, I expected more of a tourist experience than classic South Philly Italian. The entertainment was wonderful and anything but tourist fare. The food was truly excellent (the Chicken Cacciatore, among the specials, was exceptional), well prepared and rivaled the best we've had in South Philly and anywhere else for that matter, including the New York neighborhood restaurants. The only disappointment was our seating, in a high traffic area near the stairwell, and it seemed that larger groups were afforded the better seating arrangements. However, everything else more than made up for it, and we look forward to our next visit (we'll bring some friends along next time)!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently outstandingMy husband & I have gone to Victor Cafe several times now, & the food has been consistently great. Important note: save room for dessert! The tiramisu, cannoli, & creme brulé are fantastic, as are the rigatone bolognese, mushroom raviol, & the pork chop.
The staff are amazing in terms of friendliness & prompt service. And, of course, they are all incredible vocal artists. We were worried that the singing would make the experience/restaurant cheesy or annoying, but it's absolutely fantastic. These are classically trained artists who have delighted all of the guests we have taken there!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMMusic loversOne of the most unusual restaurants I have ever been to. Food is OK, but the ambience is truly extraordinary. The staff and occasional guests take turns to sing opera, and they are surprisingly good! Not to miss experience.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMThis Quick Visit Won't be the LastArrived late because of heavy traffic, so we weren't able to enjoy as complete and leisurely a meal as had been planned. I had the Meat Tortelloni and my companion had the Fettucini - a pasta meal was the best we could do from a timing standpoint, because of the timing of a show. Both were delightful and delicious, composed, prepared, and garnished with perfection. A special treat came when one of the talented staff members broke into an operatic aria, an event for which this place is famous.
I regret that we didn't have the time to fully enjoy the experience of eating at Victor, but will definitely return to sample more of their offerings.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMHave been here twice now andHave been here twice now and has been great both times.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWhy pay the same price atWhy pay the same price at "historic" (which is a code word for "we haven't tried to make any progress in 100+ years) places like Ralph's when you can get better food, better decor, and beautiful arias at Victor Cafe? The answer is: no reason at all.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWith the staff's musical abilityWith the staff's musical ability always show cased, an OUTSTANDING evening of fine dining and entertainment. Best suited to those who appreciate opera and other forms of excellent vocal music.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe atmosphere of this southThe atmosphere of this south philly gem was as great as I remembered. The singing was fantastic. And the food was excellent. Exceeded my expectations. Highly recommended.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMVictor's Cafe was lots ofVictor's Cafe was lots of fun, the food was very good, and it all came together for a memorable evening. The highlight was the staff taking turns singing opera. One of our party was an opera buff so he was particularly taken by the wonderful voices. The timing of the "shows" was perfect. They broke up the evening in a very pleasant way but there was still plenty of time for our party of five to talk and be together. And every meal -- from the whole fish to the pasta dishes -- were very well done. A wonderful experience.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMStill going strong after allStill going strong after all these kyears and the opera arias are a definite plus!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMIt is a treat to dine whileIt is a treat to dine while intermittently listening to talented opera singers.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesome food, cozy decor andAwesome food, cozy decor and opera. I loved their wine and dessert list. Food was delicious. Crowd consisted mainly of middle age to old people. Very warm atmosphere. I will recommend this place.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMA Philadelphia TreasureThe Victor Cafe has been in operation for nearly 100 years, and I've been enjoying it for nearly half that time. My opera loving aunt, who started going there in the 1930s took me there while I was in college in the mid '60s, and my wife and I have been going back ever since. We love to bring guests with us. The food on our recent trip was better than ever, and the ambiance was outstanding as always. Members of the wait staff sing periodically throughout the evening, often enough to provide a unique experience, but not so often that they prevent conversation. We're already planning our next visit.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMFun and different having theFun and different having the wait staff entertain.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was wonderful.Everything was wonderful. From the second I walked in the door, the experience was friendly, comfortable and enjoyable.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMLove this place. Food fabulous,Love this place. Food fabulous, live opera solos by wait staff both thrilling and rare, just a delightful gem4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a wonderful place toWhat a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion!!! It was our first time there and we were celebrating my uncle's 90th birthday. The Victor Cafe is one of his favorite places, so it was the perfect choice. Our table of 9 was attended by Robin, who has a beautiful voice to match her beautiful personality! The food was excellent; everyone in our party enjoyed the meal and the ambiance. The singing by the wait staff was lovely and added so much to our celebration. I can't wait to visit the Victor Cafe again. The whole experience was very memorable.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesome And Romantic GemAs always Victors Cafe is an excellent place to eat great food. The service and attention are above any other place I had visit. The food is unvibable delicious. This is the fourth time me and my husband visit Victor's Cafe and love every second of it. Highly recommend Victor's for great service, excellent service and amazing food.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMAnd Excellent Food too!Dinner at The Victor Cafe is an event. I am happy to put my meal on-hold every 15 minutes are so and listen to young opera students sing. The singers this last visit were all terrific. We used to go to The Victor Cafe for events and always enjoyed the music, but now the food is worth going for too. Our meal (Salads, Salmon, Veal, Tira Misu) was excellent.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMVictor Cafe is still wonderfulVictor Cafe is a Philadelphian institution. Not only is it great fun to have the staff sing opera, but the food is wonderful and the service is great. It is turely a fun and enjoyable evening.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMTook my date there on MarchTook my date there on March 29, 2013 friday night and everything was perfect. The lounge upstairs should be used more, I asked waitstaff about a bartender upstairs and she said to get drinks from downstairs and can use the up stairs. Just a suggestion the ambiance upstairs and the decoration was very nice, placing a bartender up there would be so much better.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMThe chicken liver on a bedThe chicken liver on a bed of linguini is phenominal!!
Loved the spontaneous opera "outbursts".3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding ambiance and great funWe recently dined at the Victor Cafe for the first time, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Frankly, we are horrifed that a few bad reviews on OpenTable almost talked us out of going. The atmosphere is just fabulous, a real slice of old South Philly, and the opera singers are tremendous fun to listen to. The food, while not outstanding, is very good; however the desserts are terrific. We will definitely return.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Bronzino was outstanding.The Bronzino was outstanding. Great voices from all that sang. Our girls night out was worth the trip from Bucks County.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMPleasant surprise!We have been there before and loved the ambience, the staff and the music but found the food disappointing. Still we went again because of the music. This visit, our fourth was perfect. Our meal was yummy, far better than we expected! Our entire dinner experience was amazing.. Victor's is a must for opera lovers!3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMA Great Evening!My husband, son, and I took my Mom here for her 89th birthday and we all loved it! The food was delicious but even better was when a bell would sound and different members of the wait staff would sing solos from various operas. And the best part for us was when the entire wait staff sang Happy Birthday to my Mom. And it seems she was not the only birthday girl in the house that night, along with two groups of folks celebrating milestone anniversaries. Well worth the trip!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGoing to become a regular!Excellent dinner, a true South Philly gem! Food is delicious and the opera singing waiters are amazing! Don't forget to check out the upstairs lounge, it is so cute!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMIt's italian cooking at itsIt's italian cooking at its best and the opera pieces performed by the staff will flat out amaze you! The restaurant has a very cozy, relaxed, family feel to it with a great ambience reflected in the pictures of past opera performers up all over the walls. It's great music + great food = an outstanding dinner and experience!3/9/2013 12:00:00 AM