Ralph's Italian Restaurant
(215) 627-6011
760 S 9th St
Philadelphia,
PA
19147
39.9404
-75.1578
Neighborhoods: South Philadelphia, Bella Vista/ Southwark
What People Are Saying About Ralph's Italian Restaurant
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
In Short
Ralph's reputation keeps the famished and the famous returning to its two historic floors. There's not much you won't recognize on the menu. Pasta and red sauce--also known as gravy in these parts--are staples, so stick to them. Basic veal dishes are the house specialty--choose from a tender cutlet dressed in egg yolk, or one topped with prosciutto, sauce and Parmesan.
User Reviews
nunnayerbizness
May 26, 2009
I feel like the victim of a sick joke. I was told by a co-worker how great Ralph's is. So, I went there this past Saturday with a lady friend, and hands down it was one of the worst dining experiences of my life. Let's start with the food. We ordered the antipasto as an appetizer. There was very little meat and cheese on the plate. The olives and beets were from a can. And the lettuce was friggin' iceburg lettuce! I had the lasagna, and it was awful. My date got the chicken cattiatore, which she wasn't all that pleased with. Her entree came with a side of spaghetti and marinara sauce. She took one bite of it and it was overcooked. We also got a side order of broccoli rabe. This was the most offensive part of the meal--they actually BOILED the broccoli rabe, not sauteed it! I had to send it back it was inedible! Last, the bread they served was like Wonder bread...and no olive oil on the table?!?! Gimme a break! The service was reprehensible. Our waiter had a nervous tick thing going on, and it was disturbing to place our order and watch him violently move his head back and forth. The bottle of wine we ordered costed $40; afterward, we went to a liquor store and saw it on the shelf for $16.99! I have no idea how Ralph's got a good reputation, but it's my opinion that anyone who eats there and likes it has never had a good Italian meal in their life! One thing I will say is that Ralph's lives up to its name--IF YOU EAT THERE, YOU WILL *RALPH* UP YOUR MEAL AFTERWARDS! AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE!
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fredrickcb
April 19, 2009
ThisThis may be the oldest family owned Italian restaurant in the U.S. However, the younger generation seems to have missed their lessons in Italian cooking and presentation. Iceberg lettuce? No olives? Very un-Italian gravy! Bread with seeds served with butter? Lasagna served piled in a bowl. For someone who has lived in Italy I found nothing Italian about this restaurant other than the photos on the walls. The capochino was like American luke warm coffee mixed with milk and the expensive desert with the fancy name - something like "over the moon something or other" was nothing but a small slice of chocolate cake, nothing special at all. Service was so, so. Nothing to complain about but nothing to recommend it either. This was my first and last visit to Ralph’s.
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nicole_dido
April 04, 2009
I had dinner here tonight with my husband. This has been the worst meal I had in a long time. We ordered the salad special (which has tons of salt on it), the buschetta (which had absolutely no flavor), the soup (which tasted like it was straight out of a can), the lasagna (no flavor and horrible). They have the nerve to charge per soda. The bill with no alchol drinks was $65.00 and CASH ONLY. Good way to for your restaurant to "doctor" their tax returns at the end of the year. No transactions to show with cash.
read full reviewThe Details on Ralph's Italian Restaurant
What To Drink:
You could peruse the big book of Italian wines, but make it easy (and cheap), and order up a whole or half carafe of Chianti or Lambrusco.
Know Before You Go:
No plastic is accepted here but an ATM is on the premises.
Category:
Payment Methods:
Restaurant Special Features:
Family-Friendly Dining, Family Style Dining
Cuisine:
Notable Chef:
Jimmy Rubino
Smoking Permitted:
Yes
