Michael Schulson is the founder and CEO of Schulson Collective, a prominent hospitality group known for creating diverse and critically acclaimed restaurant concepts primarily in Philadelphia and South Florida. His...
Alpen Rose is an exclusive, intimate steakhouse by Michael Schulson, known for its luxurious, speakeasy-like ambiance. There is no exterior signage; guests must ring a bell and have a reservation to enter. The interior features rich woodwork, chandeliers, cozy plush leather seating, and a prominent wood-burning grill, creating a romantic and timeless atmosphere ideal for special occasions.
Customer Perception
Customers consistently praise Alpen Rose for its unparalleled, romantic ambiance, top-notch service, and unique, intimate setting. Signature dishes like the Bone Marrow Toast and dry-aged steaks receive high acclaim, often described as a 'VIP experience' and 'worth the hype.' While some reviews mention high prices for certain dishes or minor critiques on specific steak cuts or cutlery, the overall perception is overwhelmingly positive, highlighting it as a perfect destination for special occasions.
Alpen Rose is part of the Schulson Collective, a restaurant group led by Chef Michael Schulson. Its exclusive entrance, requiring guests to ring a bell, adds to its unique and intimate dining experience, reminiscent of a hidden gem.
Reservations are highly sought after and difficult to secure, often requiring booking months in advance. It is recommended to use a waiting list service like RESY for cancellations. Reservationists are available to answer calls starting at 2 PM daily.
Worth the hype. The excitement of entering through a secret, slotted door entrance already impressed my picky parents. That paired with the intimate yet homey interior and warm service made for a memorable night!
Everything was amazing, from the service to presentation and the taste. They even had great non-steak options for my mom who only eats fish!
At the end of the day, it is still a steakhouse and the awe comes from the incredible cuts they have available. I got the wagyu for ~$200 and although it was buttery, fatty melt in your mouth feeling, I still could not get much different enjoyment than the ribeye cut for
Wow. Honestly can not say enough great things. We had been wanting to try this out for so long but honestly soo worth the wait!
Pictures speak for themselves, food was phenomenal, honestly still drooling over the bone marrow, tomahawk and potato pave are to die for.
Service could have been a tad better but we had such a great company and a good time that we did not pay much mind to it. Will for sure be back!
It is a small hidden restaurant. I walked passed it and had to take a few steps back. Besides it you will see a half door and a door bell with a rose symbol beside it. Ring to get in. You are then greeted by the hostess and asked if you have reservations.
Once everything is confirmed you are allowed entry and seated at your table. As soon as I was serviced I ordered a cup of hot coffee and it was delicious. Got the rolls. Literally, order two orders of these. It is piping hot, soft, fluffy and served with a side of whipped butter. Oyster Rockefeller were one of our appetizer. It came with a unique in house hot sauce. Cute bottle. This was pretty good. My friend got the steak it was served with roasted garlic and I believe roasted onions. I did have a bite of the steak. Well seasoned. I had the chicken and it was delicious. Juicy, tender and well flavored. It came with a bed of I think cabbage and some gravy. Complimented everything very well. A side of onion rings and pave potatoes. The potatoes were perfectly layered into a rectangular cut, baked until tender and crispy on the edge served with sour cream. Perfect combo. The onion ring was my least favorite but it was served on a donut ring with a creamy sauce. I also got the coffee espresso with coconut foam. Surprised that it was really good. Lastly the chocolate cake to share. It was very rich and decadent. Perfect way to end our meal.
Ambience is an old personal library with dim lights, secluded bar towards your right and a open/enclosed kitchen. The staff was attentive and personal. They made this place exceptional and must come back to try other items on the menu.
Absolutely incredible experience at Alpen Rose this past weekend. We dined as a group of 4 and had an amazing evening. Our waiter Dan did a fantastic job and was very attentive and knowledgeable, the food was outstanding. The beef wellington was out of this world, but really nothing was short of fantastic. The restaurant is on the pricier side, but the quality of the food absolutely justifies it. The ambiance is something that really needs to be experienced. Overall 10/10 dinner.
A magical location for a special occasion date, I had a wonderful evening even if I would probably make different food choices on a return trip. The atmosphere is unmatched in any restaurant I've been to in Philly but not every dish measures up to its high price tag in my opinion.
Alpen Rose's hype factor will always mention the stunning interior and intimate luxurious setting, but somehow the high level of hype really doesn't even do it justice! No matter how beautiful the pictures you see are, they can't fully convey the mood and especially the SMELL. The gentle wood fire permeates the restaurant in an amazing way I haven't experienced before.
Service was good throughout the night. While the experience is certainly "fancy" for Philadelphia, it's still very approachable without being stuffy - the server uniforms have button up tops with vests, but also denim jeans to keep things from becoming pretentious. The whole "knock on the door" gimmick out front is kind of silly, but cute enough.
For food we started with a pretty standard chopped salad and their famous bone marrow toast. The toast was very good, and when you get the perfect bite it is outstanding and worth the hype. However, most of the bites were hard to put together as the marrow struggled to come cleanly off the bone. My wife ordered the beef wellington (a first for both of us) and it was dramatic and impressive! The meet was perfectly cooked and flavorful. However, we both noted that it really wasn't more than the sum of its parts- some good steak wrapped in puff pastry with some mushroom and prosciutto. Some of the pastry was also a bit raw. It was a tasty dish certainly, but I wouldn't get it again certainly not at the $90+ it costs.
My dry-aged ribeye was good as well, and I especially appreciated the small touches on the plate that elevated it. The pickled onion and roasted garlic were great palate cleansers and brought intrigue to the dish which is of course a giant piece of meat. The in-house steak sauces were also very good. The ribeye itself was good but not remarkable. In fact, a significant portion of it was quite gristly and difficult to chew. Some of that comes down to the cut itself, that's just how ribeye is, but it still wasn't a top-end steak. Also, both my cutlery and my wife's cutlery were so dull that I actually could not cut through the steak without significant effort. I probably should have asked for a replacement so maybe that's on me, but my point is that it was a challenge.
The sides (potato puree) and dessert (chocolate cake) were good and solid, and rounded out a pleasant evening. While we enjoyed our time, I think it's clear that if we were to return we'd order some of the more modest items off the menu. The non-steak options we saw on other tables did look delicious and were priced much more in line with standard restaurant prices, which would be great given how pleasant the atmosphere is.
