Caribou Cafe — Restaurant in Philadelphia

This is a charming French bistro with great drinks, terrific food, wonderful service, and a comfortable atmosphere. I've been here many times and have never been disappointed.

Drinks: Caribou features a number of tasty cocktails, a nice selection of wines by the glass, and a good selection of wines by the bottle. If you're ever unsure of what will suit your palate or what will go best with your meal, the bartender will be happy to offer expert advice.

Food: The food at Caribou is carefully prepared, attractively plated, and delicious. Traditional bistro entrées have been my go-to choice, but other items are also offered including pizzas. The flame grilled burger looks fantastic though I've never had it; however, I plan to try it soon. The chef has always been very accommodating of my extreme, special dietary needs, even completely reinventing dishes for me.

Service: From my first visit and every visit after, I've always felt welcome. Either a hostess, waiter, or bartender has greeted me warmly and immediately. The wait staff has always been knowledgeable, friendly without being intrusive, and efficient. They have always handled my special dietary needs with grace and helpfulness. I've never had to deal with a bad or impatient attitude. When leaving the restaurant, all staff I encounter on the way to the offer a friendly farewell.

Atmosphere: This is a French bistro which means casual. On the first level, there is a long bar, tables, and comfortable booths. Upstairs, there is a small loft dining room overlooking the first floor. When the weather is nice, outdoor seating is available. Wood floors, chairs, tables, and bar help provide the bistro feel with Deco French advertising posters adding a nice touch.

In summary, this is a wonderful restaurant with excellent service and food. You can make your reservation using OpenTable.

UPDATE (Dec. 9, 2022): The food and service continue to be quite good. The food selection and quality have actually improved. However, items have become pricier though prix fixe options will help hungry...

Absolutely love the look and feel of this restaurant but where do I begin on everything else.

Drinks: beer was warm and the French 75 we ordered was just lemon juice with a dash of sparkling wine. No one at the table could stomach more than a sip.

Food: our appetizers came out later than the entrees every other table around us ordered. The cheese was a few tiny slices of various cheeses with grapes half smothered in Dijon. The bone marrow was cold when we got it and it took an extra 15 minutes to get the bread to eat it with. We ordered two steak frites rare and medium rare and they came out at around the 2.5 hour mark both burnt and cooked well done. Terribly seasoned. The fries were actually very good.

Service: I’ve come once before and only ordered a beer and service was slow but I was there during happy hour and just got a draft and enjoyed the weather. My party of 4 had to watch as multiple tables around us were sat, served, and settled before we even got all of our appetizers. We were sitting for over two and a half hours and when my mom went to ask if our entries were coming she was rudely told they were on their way.

Extremely unpleasant experience and totaled to over $250.

Will never...

We've been to Caribu several times over the past few months. We've enjoyed all our visits! First, the ambiance is great...very French, friendly, and unpretentious. The decor is beautiful and moody in a good way. They have accordion glass doors that open the whole place up to the street with sidewalk tables under an awning. Can't wait to bring our pup here for a bite. Second, the food is on point for casual French. My favorite is the Salad Nicoise and hubby loves the burger and Pan Bagnat sandwich. We've had these more than once and they are consistently great! Third, service is excellent. We always sit at the bar and Aaron is their primary bartender. Not only does he have great suggestions for drinks, wine, or beer...but he is an amazing DJ. He curates the best music for the mood of the room and spans so many genres and timeframes, often choosing deep cuts from popular musicians...it's very impressive. Lastly....they show the games! So if you want to drink delicious belgian beers or a beautiful french wine, while listening to Soft Cell's Tainted Love, and watching the Phillies on TV....this is the perfect bougie "in a fun way" spot for you! We are becoming...