Percy Street BBQ

Great minds think alike. As I was still digesting my meal from Percy St, Hatchy posted his review. It was nice to go out for dinner, because it's been about a month since my last post. Traveling/holidays will do that for you. I did eat some great food in Costa Rica, but the local food is nothing special.

When I first heard about this spot back in June, I was excited. People from Marigold were in charge. So I met with my good friend Quinn for dinner. and we arrived at 7 pm on a Wednesday. The place was busy, but not full. The atmosphere is great; big wooden tables and benches among other nice decorations. There weren't any two tops open. The hostess walked us through the restaurant and then pushed back two huge barn doors to open an additional seating area. Within ten or twenty minutes the area was packed and pretty hopping.

The menu is deep, but not wide. It's basically meats and sides. There is a lot of choices in those two, with sausage, brisket, chicken, pork belly and spare ribs. Many four to six dollars sides are available: pinto beans, vegan chili, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, German potato salad, collard greens and more.

The drink section of the menu is a little disappointing. There are several mixed drinks featuring sweet tea, and five to six dollar pints with local beers such as Brooklyn Brown Ale, Yard Philly Pale, Slyfox Rauchbier, Stoutd's Pils, and one rotating tap. There's also Yard's rootbeer, which looked interesting. Oddly, sweet tea isn't on the menu, but it's available in large 24 oz bottles for only $4. Considering the price and how well sweet tea and BBQ go together, I think this is easily the best option.

The service here is great. Sure, it's a new spot and they need to do a good job to jump start business, but the servers are enthusiastic, attentive, and quick. One thing that bothers me is people complaining about the authenticity of this joint. Maybe it's because I'm not a BBQ aficionado, or maybe it's because I realize I'm in Philadelphia and want to take this joint for what it is.

The best options for order here are the "all-in" combos. You can chose one or two meats and also two sides per person. If you have a table of four or more, you can really go for it and get all of the meats and sides at $24 per person. We went with the brisket and spare ribs for meat. The brisket is great, moist, well cooked throughout. It comes in small slices to make your own sandwiches topped with onions, pickles, and BBQ sauce. The spare ribs are also great. They're also excellently cooked, dryer than the brisket. The skin is excellent, nicely charred with great flavor.

Sides: Pinto beans were awesome. More like baked beans cooked with chunks of pork. The vegan chili would have been good if I wasn't comparing it to the pinto beans. The mac and cheese was creamy; nicely topped with breadcrumbs. Not nearly as good as baked mac and cheese made by the unbeatable Rashid-Kealey duo. The German potato salad was also impressive. All of the food ranges from good to excellent. I think it would be hard to make a bad choice. You get a lot of food here, I wish I would have had room for dessert. There are some pretty good choices, including a root-beer float with Yard's brew and homemade ice cream. Yum.

Bottom Line: Percy St slow cooks some awesome meats. The highest temp in the oven is 250F. They are serious about serving up some of the best finger food in the city. There's enough options and the quality is high enough to warrant repeat visits. South St is starting to develop a serious food scene. I just wish the beer list was better.

Essentials:

9th and South

(215) 625-8510

Hours: 5-11pm (currently)

Meats: 8-11, Sides: 4-6 Combos:15-24 per person

Cash only: No

Reservations: Recommended for busy nights

NYPD Pizza

On my way home a few nights back, I had a sudden urge for a great slice of pizza. I'm a huge fan of Lorenzo's on South, but it was out of my way and I was feeling some toppings. I stopped by the NYPD pizza shop on the outskirts of the Gayborhood to try their slices.

I walked in an met face to face with a schizophrenic pizza shop. The name should have tipped me off. There was Italian music playing and other "motherland" decorations. So you're trying to be a pizza shop with an Italian identity named after NYC located in Philly? What's the deal? Further, this is just a stop-by joint. Sure, there are a few tables in the back, but no one is hanging out here. It's a grab and go. There's no problem with that, it's just not charming.

Despite the atmosphere, I was impressed with the shop. There were several different types of pizzas half cooked and sliced, just waiting for a hungry patron to say the word have have the slices whisked into the oven for the final minutes of baking.

I opted to go with the veggie slice, which was covered with diced tomatoes, green peppers and garlic. The ratios of the toppings, cheese, crust, and sauce were impeccable. The crust was perfectly thick and crispy. There are so many pizza shops in town that just don't have this kind of skill. Everything tasted great. Honestly, the taste of the pizza was enough to make up for any of the short fallings of NYPD Pizza.

Bottom Line: I generally don't expect to shell out $3.24 per slice. I also don't generally expect stop and go joints to have excellent pizza. Although I may not stop by again anytime soon, this is surely the best bet for Center City area pizza.

Essentials:

140 S 11th St (11th and Walnut)

(215) 733-0651

Avg slice: $3

Cash only: No

Reservations: No

Franklin Mortgage And Investment Company

The Franklin Mortgage and Investment company is so cool. I try not to fall for cool, but this place just oozes it from every corner. If you like cocktails, then this is absolutely the spot from you.

The Franklin is an homage to the prohibition, speakeasy era. The name is the first disguise, and it's only noted by a small sign in front of the door. I scoped out the location from the across the street. The Franklin is a place where once inside, you feel like your in a special club. There are so many people walking by outside, and they don't even know!

Inside, the Franklin looks gorgeous. The keep the lights low in their long, skinny space filled with tables and a small bar. The wait staff here is excellent. They definitely add to to environment in a unique way. Additionally, the drinks are top notch. I'm not big on cocktails, but it seems to be the only thing to order here. The drinks are incredibly well mixed and pack a punch.

I'm not sure how this place gets on a weekend night; probably a bit too packed for my liking. Ideally, this is a spot where you can grab a table and relax with a few friends and share a few laughs over your cocktails.

The daiquiri was all around my favorite, and the least alcoholic tasting. The bartender said he thought it was their best drink, and the standard by which any bar can be judged. "Walk into any bar in the world, and order their daiquiri. If it's good, then you can stay an have a few other drinks without having to worry about the quality." The "Old Fashioned" is a bourbon based drink that comes in a short tumbler with a hulking piece of ice. Approaching only with a fondness toward bourbon. Finally the Seelbach was a bitter champaigne-style cocktail. Good and strong, but not my favorite.

Bottom Line: I'm not going to give you any hints on where the space is. Go find out for yourself. Feel like part of a special club. Close you eyes as you fork over $12 per drink. Enjoy the atmosphere, and take in the aura of a different time where one needed to drink in secrecy.

Essentials:

112 S 18th St

(267) 467-3277

Hours: 5pm-2am

Avg Cocktail: 12

Cash only: No

Reservations: No

Sansom Street Oyster House

The Sansom St Oyster house is gorgeous. Someone really put a lot of though into the decor and layout of this place. It has a nice dining room, but the real treat is sitting at the bar. The Oyster house features an large, open prep area where you can see all of the clams, mussels, shrimp, ect.

This spot serves up top notch seafood. But it comes at a price. The real strength lies in (obviously) the Oysters, but generally in the raw seafood bar. A large blackboard shows the different types of regional oysters offered each day. While I don't know enough to comment on the types offered, the sheer selection in impressive. They served the biggest shrimps I've ever seen in my life. For beer, there is a small but respectable list of beers, with a few locals represented. Dock St and Yards come immediately to mind.

To do this place best, head here for happy hour. M-F, 5-7: $3 drafts and $1 oyster shucks on "oyster of the day" cannot be beaten. Or try a Tuesday for $14 fish and chips. I know that I'll be heading back for these specials very soon.

Essentials:

1516 Sansom St (Next to Noddinghead)

215-567-7683

11:30-11pm

Avg Ent : 11-22

Cash Only: No

Reservations: Recommended for dinner

Las Cazuelas restaurant

Through the end of the week, Las Cazuelas is offering up any item from their menu for $7 between 11am-3pm. That's a pretty sweet deal. Dan and I stopped in here on a lunch break from work. We picked up a few beers from the Foodery and stopped by.

The spot is tiny, but nice. there are about ten tables across the dining area with a small, open kitchen. The walls are brightly painted, and there are several other endearing decorations. I don't usually go crazy over atmosphere, and one shouldn't expect anything from a place on 5th and Girard, but the decor is well done.

I don't want to make a blanket statement about the service but here are two of my observation's: Las Cazuelas and the Abbaye share some staff, to my chagrin. Second, my first choice on the menu wasn't available (the last two were served moments before). I'm not a restaurant manager, but running out of a dish before lunch (let alone dinner) is finished seems to be problematic. One plus are the free chips and salsa verde as soon as you sit down.

The food came out quickly. I ended up with a dish with rice and pan-seared shrimp, along with caramelized mixed veggies. Everything was acceptable, but I can't rave about anything. The portions could have been a bit bigger. Dan went with marinated beef tips, with refried beans and avocado. He said that the meat wasn't the best cut, and it marinade could have been improved upon. Neither of us could remark about anything other that the fact that we were getting a "good deal for the money."

For our drinks, we picked up Rouge's Chili Ale, which had a great pepper taste that didn't overpower. It was a great way to start our meal. We had the Hot Rock lager from Port Brewing to finish, which was a solid, but not outstanding, lager.

Bottom Line: I'd prefer not to bash a place that is offering such a great deal. I like the initiative to get in new customers. But with a plethora of good Mexican spots, one of my favorites only a few blocks a way, I can't see myself ever going back here.

Essentials:

426 W Girard (5th and Girard)

215-351-9144

Hours: 11am-9pm

Avg Ent: 7-11

Cash Only: No

Reservations: No

BYOB: Yes

Rangoon Burmese Restaurant

Rangoon is supposed to be one of the best Burmese restaurants around, and can supposedly compete with NYC (although no one's overflowing with Burmese joints). I had been looking forward to this visit a lot.

This was just a quick lunch stop, and Rangoon is a perfect place for such a trip. They provide good, amazingly fast service. We were in and out in under 45 minutes. The atmosphere is similar to many Chinatown restaurants. I went with a traditional Burmese dish. Overall, Burmese food is more chewy and messy than the rest of south east asia. It's more like the cuisine of northern Thailand, which makes sense when you look at it geographically.

The food is spicy, in a slow steady way that sticks with you. I loved it. My dish had large floppy noodles with shrimp, chicken and bean sprouts. It was all served with a light glaze over everything, which made the dish. I would recommend one of the noodle or rice dishes, although there are many other (chinese, ect) "regular" offerings. On another trip, I would like to try some of the traditional appetizers.

Bottom Line: Rangoon is definitely a good stop in Chinatown, especially for their lunch special. But I think I prefer other restaurants and Asian foods (especially dim sum!). Nonetheless, this spot is definitely worth checking out. It's good food, and a great way to get some variety on your plate.

Essentials:

112 N 9th St (9th and Arch)

215-829-8939

Hours: 11:30am - 9pm

Avg Ent: 6-10

Cash Only: No

Reservations: Not needed

The Kite and Key

I have not heard much about this spot. That, and the fact combined with it's an inconvenient (for me) location are the two main factors I've never made the trip. But I'm here to try and convince you not to make the same mistake.

It's always nice to see a good beer bar, and especially one that is close to me and open for lunch. The Kite and Key impresses on two beer fronts: reasonable prices and excellent selection. Dan stayed with the $5 16oz Hennepin pours, while I had my first Nugget Nectar of the season (on cask) and Bell's Double Cream Stoudt ($6 apiece, I believe). Their website isn't updated as often as the taps, but it gives a good idea of the type of variety offered. It's almost exclusively American craft beer, which is right up my alley.

The food menu offers standard dishes. The menu opens up during dinner, with the menu almost doubling in size. We split an order of wings to start. We were served large, breaded hot wings. I wasn't impressed with the wing, sauce, or price ($8.5 for seven wings). Must miss.

My entree was an order of three fish tacos. The presentation and portions were good, but the flavors were lacking. It was good, nothing else. I understand that this dish is something that should only be ordered within walking distance of the beach, but it could have still been better. Dan ordered one of his favorite entrees: fish and chips. A plate full of shoestring fries was topped with several large pieces of breaded grouper. I like the choice to use grouper because it's a more flavorful fish than cod or haddock, which are commonly used by other restaurants.

The atmosphere here is great. There are several TVs with different sports on, including hockey and club soccer. The bartender provided great service. Granted, we were two of five in the whole place. I'm sure the environment changes quite a bit on a weekend night.

Bottom Line: I was impressed with my first stop at the Kite and Key. They might not have the food to make me keep coming back, but they certainly have the beers. I'm glad to have discovered another respectable stop in the seemingly barren Logan Square/Fairmount area (but there are a few great ones, to be sure).

Essentials:

1836 Callowhill St

215-568-1818

Hours: 11am-2am daily, happy hour 5-7 M-F

Avg Ent: 10-18

Cash Only: No

Reservations: No

The famous Rouge burger

I'd like to find my favorite burger in Philly. It's a fun quest. I've heard a great deal about Rouge; in fact, a "I'm Feeling Lucky" google search for best burger in Philadelphia will bring up Rouge as #1. In 2005, it was voted one of the best in the country. Considering the data, I went into Rouge with high expectations.

Rouge is a small eatery right off Rittenhouse Square with tables and a small bar area. Dan and I rolled in for lunch on a Thursday and sat at the bar. Beers available included a variety: Stoudt's Pils, Yeungling, Duvel, Amstel Light, ect. They were $5 to $9, and everything was about twice as much as it should be. These were all 12oz bottles, no drafts available. The bar is in line with the rest of Rouge: priced to make you (or maybe just me) not want to partake. Needless to say, I had only water. And of course they only serve Fiji. Everything is fancy here.

The atmosphere is posh. Rouge has weird curtains along all of the walls and tables scattered around a small, circular bar in the middle of the room. When the weather is nice, there is a good sized outdoor seating area. The service is good, but nothing special. Dan and I split a mediocre calamari to start. It came with a great sauce, the the squid and the breading were bland. After a short wait, my much anticipated burger arrived.

The burger is just enormous. With my first bite, I was impressed with a few aspects. The meat is perfectly cooked, despite the size. Further, the burger was very juicy and excellently seasoned. And it was served on a great buttery roll that added to the whole experience. But overall, I wasn't blown away. The burger serves up a huge portion of meat, with a delicious side of fries, but failed to leave a lasting impression. The toppings, especially onions and gruyere cheese are nice.

Bottom Line: It's not that Rouge's burger is bad, but it doesn't live up. There are quite a few more in the city that I'd perfer (and can afford). In all honest, I wouldn't recommend this spot to anyone, and I don't see myself ever going back. Rouge might boast that they offer a "truly unique dining experience," but it's not one that I want.

Essentials:

205 S 18th St (Just south of Walnut)

215-732-6622

Avg Ent: 16-25

Reservations: Recommended for dinner

Bob and Barbara's

Foobooz recently did there own rendition of the top 50 bars in the city. While these list are incredibly arbitrary, seemingly random, and incite rage and debate between myself and friends, I think it's a fun idea nonetheless. This little spot made a solid appearance at #15.

I had never been to Bob and Barbara's before last week, but I had heard that it's the epitome of cheap, cool bar. I walked in on a Friday evening around 10pm. The bar was full and there was a decent crowd standing around as well. The atmoshpere here is crazy. Neighborhood locals pull up seats right next to trendy hipsters, and everybody seems to get along. I mean, it's pretty easy to make friends when you're sucking down a $3 City wide special: a can of PBR and a small shot of Jim Beam.

This bar loves PBR. The previous statement should show that nor Bob or Barbara are serious about beer. I don't even think they have any draft beers. But expect to find bottles of Yuengling, Miller, Bud, ect right next to the PBR cans, which are always $2.

The bar itself is covered wall to wall, floor to ceiling with PBR memorabilia. Some of the stuff is pretty cool: posters and advertisements that date back decades upon decades. Maybe you'll like the historical display. Maybe you just love PBR as much as Bob and Barbara's.

There was also free live music, which is featured every Friday and Saturday. Three old dudes jame out with a mix of blues and jazz, and it definitely makes the spot that much more enjoyable.

Bottom Line:

Bob and Barbara's is cheap and fun. That's it. Period. There's nothing else. If you hate fun, PBR, or spending small amounts of money, go somewhere else. Don't forget to tip your bartenders.

Essentials:

1509 South St (15th and South)

(215) 545-4511

Beer: 2-4

Cash only: Yes

Repost: 15 reasons you should be cheering for the Phillies

This is great article, and it's from ESPN. Seriously, it's like Yankees fans vs the rest of the country. Go Phils.

Prohibition Taproom revisited

Yesterday I took a late lunch with Dan as we headed over to Prohibition Taproom. We work in an void in the city; it's nearly impossible to find a place with good beer and food that is A)Close and B)Open before 4pm. Fortunately, this spot started serving lunch in the recent months. Check out my last visit here.

The lunch menu is tiny, but sufficient. It includes a soup, grilled cheese and quiche of the day; two salads, burgers, and pulled pork. It also offers a few appetizers, including their famous and delicious deep fried green beans. I almost forgot how good they are, and they're honestly almost reason enough to visit.

I didn't love the burger my first time around, but I had a more pleasant experience this time. The special was still on the board from last night, and I asked them if they would make it, even though it wasn't on the lunch menu. They gladly did, and it arrived after a short wait. It was a well prepared medium rare burger topped with jack cheese, bacon, and jalapenos. There was a lot of heat to this burger. It was meaty and juicy, but not overdone on either account, and served on a nice focaccia role. It came with a pickle and a side of fries, definitely enough food to fill me up and only $10.

I still like the atmosphere here a lot, especially when it's not overcrowded. They have two HD TVs, and could be a nice place to watch some sports. The service is good, and it was nearly empty while we ate lunch, which is why you should check it out. (In addition to the reasons above).

For beer, this bar keeps a good list rotating somewhat regularly. They offer pints and half pints (nice if you want to try a few different things) and will soon fill growlers. I had the Corinado Hoppy Daze, which was the brewery's excellent take on a Belgian IPA. Dead Reckoning, Arcadia Jaw-Jacker, Sierra Nevada Belgian Trippel, Cask Conditioned Hop Devil, Steamworks Colorado Kolsch, Dock Street Hop Garden and two more rounded out the list. Prohibition also has an impressive bottle list.

Bottom Line: This place is good. It won't blwo your socks off, but it's an espeically good option for weekday lunches for me. Check the beer list before you go and find a time when they have a few interesting brews on. And don't forget, Green Beans!

Essentials:

501 N 13th St (13th and Spring Garden)

(215) 238-1818

Avg Lunch Ent: 8-10

Cash only: No

Reservations: No

Noddinghead

It's been a long time! I've not been going out to eat too often, and I've also been revisiting some of my fevortie places lately. Because I really only focus on writing about my new experiences, this doesn't leave much room for new posts.

Although I've been to Noddinghead quite a few times, I don't often eat here. Recently, my coworker and friend Dan had a chance to take a lunch break here. Noddinghead positions itself first as a microbrewery, as it should. They make excellent beers, and although they might not all be to my taste, I respect what they're doing. For example, they recently made the Wet Chinook Double IPA. It uses fresh hops; they were cut and shipped overnight from California, and promptly used for their brew. They did a great job with this beer, not over-hopped or too citrus-y. We mostly drank the Lead Piper Lager, a dark bock beer, strong at 7%. This was a well crafted, dark lager, that had a lot of good flavor. One of my favorite things is that Nodding head will sell half pints, full pints, or pitchers, all at reasonable prices.

I like this spot a lot, they have a small bar and a lot of tables in the big open room. It feels cozy in this place. Following their moniker, this place has hundreds of bobble-heads around the bar. I love looking at the different ones, you can spot some real treasures if you try. The service, well, it exists. There is someone to provide beer and menus, nothing special.

While I was looking over the menu, I noticed that is was generic pub fare; Noddinghead does not exercise the same creativity with food as they do with their beer. This is probably the reason I only drink when I visit. Under the barkeep's recommendation, I went with the pulled pork. It was a huge, messy sandwich with coleslaw and cheddar on top, and a side of fries. The meat was tender, but not too flavorful. Overall, the meal was good, but nothing spectacular.

Bottom Line:

There are better places to eat within walking distance, but not many better to drink. Noddinghead is making some of the finest beers in town, and this is the only spot to get them. I've heard they have a decent brunch, but I advise this to be a watering hole only.

Essentials:

1516 Sansom St

(215) 569-9525

Avg Ent: 8-15

Cash Only: No

Reservations: No

Chinatown's Shiao Lan Kung

Although I think it's a cool neighborhood, I rarely stop in Chinatown for meals. On Saturday my good friend Callen and I were wondering around Philadelphia, and walked through Chinatown. The mid-autumn festival was in full swing, with street blocked off, traditional dances, and people everywhere. We figured now was as good of a time as any to grab dinner. I didn't have a single recommendation; I didn't even have an idea of what might be good. Luckily, we stumbled upon Shiao Lan Kung.

The front windows of this small eatery are almost completely obscured by reviews and awards. Philadelphia magazine, Craig LeBan, and Citysearch, among others, have been giving this spot props for over fifteen years. Despite the positive press, I was a bit skeptical. One inside, the interior has about as much atmosphere as a roadside diner.

Shiao only tries to impress with their food. We were quickly seated and offered hot tea. A quick look over the extensive menu and Callen and I were ready to order. We split orders of rice, hunan chicken, and the Phoenix and Dragon's nest. The pork fried rice was excellent; a great base for our other dishes. The Phoenix and Dragon dish was a mix of chicken and shrimp with snow peas, broccoli and carrots tossed in a light butter sauce. It was served in a hardened bowl of crunchy noodles (the nest) although they weren't really edible. The hunan chicken was the real hit of the meal. This dish was perfectly prepared and the hunan sauce was excellent.

Between the two of us, we couldn't finish our food. This is surprising, especially considering the bill was $20 each, after tip and tax. And, the food tasted great reheated. At the end of the meal, we were full and satisfied, but didn't feel gross. This is a hard feeling to find after a Chinese meal.

Bottom Line: Shiao Lan in a small operation, a bit shabby and quant, with friendly faces serving up delicious food. Callen and I really enjoyed ourselves, and want to make this a regular stop when he has the chance to visit Philadelphia. Most impressively, Craig LeBan gave it three bells. But I wanted to give my spin first. If you're not a vegetarian and you are looking for great Chinese food, Shiao Lan Kung is definitely worth a try. We didn't BYOB, but you can, making this small place even more versatile, and a great cheap and delicious option.

Essentials:

930 Race St

(215) 928-0282

Avg Ent: 7-13

Cash only: No

Reservations: No

BYOB: Yes

Zahav

This is part four of my four part restaurant week/birthday celebration. Delicious.

Rachel and I went out for a final restaurant week visit. Zahav is incredibly popular; I made the reservations about five weeks in advance, and even then I had to pick a few dates before I could get a reasonable time. Oddly enough, there were empty seats the whole time that we were eating.

The atmosphere is really nice; they have really focused on it and crafted it. The lighting, ambiance, music, layout all works really well. Zahav has an open kitchen that pushes out the dish to a small staging area with heat lamps. Not only does this look cool, but it's an efficient and effective way to serve up their food.

The service was great. Zahav has a nice team of severs and food runners; we were well taken care of, water was always filled, dishes were quickly cleared. The service was on par with the rest of the dining experience. Everything that we ordered was part of the $35 restaurant week menu. It was an amazing (and I really use that word sparingly) deal.

There was so much food! To start off, we were offered pita bread and hummus and eight different salads. The salad portions were really small, just enough to get a taste of each one, but it was really nice to be able to try so many different styles. The pita bread was probably the best I've ever had; warm, fluffy and doughy.

We had four appetizers between us. Grilled sheep's milk cheese was great, as were the fried cauliflower. These two were excellent, and the next two the low points of the evening. The cured wild sturgeon was salty, but interesting. The stuffed baby peppers were filled with cold rice, walnuts and feta, but tasted somewhat bland. That being said, there is plenty on the appetizer menu to please everyone.

By this point in the meal, we were getting pretty full. It was nice that the entrees were manageable portions, only slightly bigger than the appetizers. Rachel went with a dish a beef and lamb, which came out looking like two meatballs. Poor presentation. She said they tasted okay. I was far to busy raving over my dish; swordfish over lentils and green beans. This dish blew me away. It was probably the best tasting food I've had this year. So, so good.

My dessert was the best way to finish, right on par with the rest of the food. I had a chocolate semifreddo, which is somewhere between mousse and ice cream. It was served with a caramel sesame glaze. It was so rich, but so tasty, that I couldn't stop eating it. Phenomenal.

This was my favorite restaurant I've been to in a very long time. I recently went to Marrakesh, and I really enjoyed that spot. But Zahav makes it look like McDonald's of Middle Eastern food.

The biggest downside is the beer. There are a few good, carefully selected brews like 90 IPA, Yard's saison and Prima Pils, amoung others. But these are all bottle offerings, and don't seem to be worth the price. Go with the wine, or save some money and stick with water. There's enough flavor coming at you from all of the different foods.

Bottom Line: Zahav was completely delicious. It far surpassed my expectations and redefinied what I expect of the best restaurants. The menu for restaurant week was phenomenal, but it's absolute worth a visit at anytime.

Essentials:

237 St James Pl (2nd and Walnut)

(215) 625-8800

Avg Ent: 36-42

Cash only: No

Reservations: Yes

Moriarty's - Best Wings in Philly?

Somewhere along the line, I heard that Moriarty's had the best wings in Philly. A quick Google search will put it near the top of a few lists, but will also provides mixed results.

Because I was only interested in the wings, I'll start there. An order costs $9 and give you 8 to 10 full wings, which isn't a bad deal. I like full wings. These were well cooked, had a flavorful, tangy buffalo sauce, and came with a side of average tasting blue cheese. I wouldn't call them the best in town, but it was really nice to have a change from the tiny little wings found most places. The wings definitely get a thumbs up in my book.

Aside from the wings, this place has an great beer selection. It has 30 taps, and I had 90 minute IPA while I was there. They have quite a few Belgians, including La Chouffe with the big guys: Leffe, Chimay, and others. There's some decent happy hour specials as well.

The atmosphere brings this place down a few notches. First of all, I'm not a fan of "Irish pubs." They seem to be generic and homogenized to a point of cultural blandness. Here, Moriarty's is

on par with mediocrity. Further, it's definitely a bro spot. Seriously, there were a bunch of guys wearing Guinness hats. I was offered a free Guinness, and when I turned it down, the incredulous promo guy gave me a hard time. Seriously?

The menu has a serious identity crisis. Moriarty's offers an extensive selection Scotch, but doesn't even advertise their Irish whiskey. With a load Mexican offerings, it leaves one wondering what this joint is trying to accomplish. Lastly, the menu prices that all end in $*.99 (ie, wings are $8.99), and it leaves you feeling like you're in nothing more than a Irish branded Applebees. And I hate Applebees.

Bottom Line: The wings here are good, and there's some decent beer too. Even the fries were likeable. But this place is too frustrating to really enjoy oneself. If you must try the wings, get in and get out.

Essentials:

1116 Walnut St

(215) 627-7676

Avg Ent: 8.99-12.99 (because one penny makes a difference)

Cash only: No

Reservations: Not a bad idea

Spasso Italian Grill

This is part three of my four part restaurant week/birthday celebration. Delicious.

Italian food is not my jam. I'm almost never going to pick out an Italian spot. That's why it was great when Quinn and I went out last week, and she insisted upon this spot. I would have never picked it on my own.

I have to get the atmosphere out of the way. This place is big and open, with booths and tables. The layout is weird. It feels a bit corporate. There were large groups of Italian families inside. Loud children were right next to us, too. It definitely doesn't feel like a nicer restaurant. This distracted from the meal a bit. Our server was clearly Italian. I like it when my server is an expert in the food being served. We had good service throughout the meal.

Spasso had an awesome special going for restaurant week. $35 brought four courses to the table. Quinn and I ate so much food, I honestly don't think my appetite came back for 24 hours. To start off, I went with the fried calamari. I love this dish, and this was an average rendition. I wasn't impressed, but it wasn't bad either. Quinn went with a fried crab cake. It was a large crab cake that was seasoned interestingly. I can't put my finger on what it was, but it was a nice experiment with a dish that can easily be bland.

Our next course was the house pasta dish. It was offered as part of the special, and they picked the pasta and sauce. We were served penne with a simple red sauce. It was nice, but in reality, I probably didn't need it before the main course.

For my main, I ordered gnocchi with asiago and asparagus. Quinn went with spinach ravioli stuff with four different cheeses. The presentation on both of our dishes was good, and my portions were great too. I though that Quinn's was a bit small, with five large ravioli's making up the whole dish. The gnocchi was great; perfectly cooked. The white wine sauce was well balanced. The asiago and asparagus additions completed the dish well.

For dessert, Quinn took the chocolate mousse cake. It was awesome. It was so rich, that we didn't finish it between the two of us. It was a great piece of cake. When our server told us that profiterole was available, I had to jump at the chance (because of "Look Around You." If you

haven't seen this video, you really need to take 2 minutes and check it out). Unfortunately, my dessert was simply a dollop of ice cream between two hard, bland biscuits.

Bottom Line: Spasso's tag line is "comfort food from Italy," and I think they success in this department. I may not ht up this spot again, but especially considering their restaurant week offering, I think this is a nice spot. If you want simple, good Italian food, this is a viable option.

Essentials:

34 S Front St (Front and Chestnut)

215) 592-7661

Avg Ent: 15-22

Cash only: No

Reservations: Yes

BYOB: No

Lolita

This is part two of my four part restaurant week/birthday celebration. Delicious.

Last night, I went out with my man J Rashid for dinner. I ate outside again, which was nice, but it was a bit cooler than the it was at Audrey Claire. Lolita is a fancy Mexican inspired spot right in the Gayborhood. I've been wanting to check out this restaurant; it came high recommended. For some reason, my camera was freaking out, so I didn't get any good pictures of the food.

We ordered a tall pitcher of mint blood orange margarita. Our server mixed and poured the drink for us, and we added a little more tequila after she left. The margirita was great, and it lasted us the whole meal. Lime and Watermelon were also available. With the BYOT (Tequila) option, this is basically a must when dining here.

There were about six options for each course, and three desserts. Jonny had some salmon tostadas, while I had jack cheese filled corn cakes topped with brazed short ribs and guacamole. The meat on my was really fantastic, and overall my dish was well prepared, in presentation and taste. My appetizer was easily the apex of the meal.

Jonny main course was mahi-mahi with cumin chorizo. Again, he loved this. I went with pork short rib with sweet Mexican BBQ glaze and cornbread stuffing. The meat and glaze were good, but really, it was just BBQ pork. I could get this a million places. On top of that, the corn side dish was bland. Overall, the was a good dish, but my standards change depending on the quality I expect (and the price).

Overall, Jonny loved his meal. I'm sure he'll rave about this place. I make a note of that because I want to give contrast to my experience. I thought everything was good; nothing more. My dessert was a really nice tiramisu, and Jonny had some kind of milk biscuit/cookie concoction.

For service, Jonny had a really hard time with our server. She was a bit scattered, maybe overly friendly, but it didn't bother me. I probably wouldn't have even noticed if he hadn't commented. As for atmosphere, we were outside, so we didn't experience it much. Looking inside, it seemed like a normal spot, but a bit too packed and loud for my liking.

Bottom Line: Looking back over my review, I just keep saying things are "nice" and "good." Clearly, I'm not raving. There are so many people who will give Lolita high praise. I'm not one of them. Still, at the same time, it's in the upper echelon of food and Mexican spots in the city.

Essentials:

106 S 13th St (13th and Sansom)

(215) 546-7100

Avg Ent: 18-24

Cash Only: Yes

Reservations: Needed

BYOB: Yes

Max's Taphouse - Baltimore, MD

Max's Taphouse is amazing. There is not a spot like this in Philly, the so claimed best beer drinking city in America. Max's features sixty taps, and from what I've tasted and read online, keeps the lines fresh. That's a feat in and of itself.

I had a few beers when I passed through Baltimore last weekend. Flying Dog Double Dog (Imperial IPA) on a nitro tap? It was creamy and delicious. I stayed heavy with the Southern Teir Unearthly, another fantastic imperial IPA.

These were great beers, but the scope of the list is the most impressive part. Three italian beers on tap, including Del Ducato Verdi, an Italian Imperial Stout brewed with chili's. Allagash Confluence, Old Horizontal, a few Dogfish Head I hadn't seen before (Burton Baton, Theobroma, and Chateau Jaihu) also round out the list. Max's continues to keep it international with options from Norway, Finland, Switzerland, and others.

To top it off, there were several plasma screens scatter around the bar. The best beer selection, and the ability to watch my teams? Philly, listen up! This place was great. I'm sure I'll visit again.

Essentials:

737 S. Broadway

Baltimore, MD 21231

(410) 675-6297

Cash Only: No

Tap List

Audrey Claire

This is part one of my four part restaurant week/birthday celebration. Delicious.

Last night I had the pleasure of dining out with Rachel and the Kolodzieys for my birthday. Rachel picked Audrey Claire; we had to postpone my first choice because the reservations didn't work out. I hadn't heard a single thing about this spot before last night, and I'm really surprised about that.

The restaurant menu was the only thing offered, which I really appreciate. I've been to spots that offer a paltry restaurant week menu that seems weak next to the regular menu. There were about eight options for each the first and second courses. Because there were so many good choices, we all split the first course. I shared the flatbread and brussel sprouts. I'm not sure how brussel sprouts got a bad rap, because I think anyone who would have tried some of mine from last night would agree that they're delicious. The flatbread was topped with sliced bosc pear, gorgonzola, and sunflower seeds. This was also excellent. Perfectly cook, thin, crispy flatbread.

I was floored by the second course. I ordered potato crushed ahi tuna topped with crispy beet shavings. While the potato crust didn't provide a whole lot of flavor, the tuna was perfectly cooked. Seriously, seared on the outside, pink on the inside, and warm throughout. From my experience, most places can't pull off seared tuna to my satisfaction. Audrey Claire made me flip over a dish I generally don't love. A+. Rachel had sole with lemon and capers. I tried this, and this was also great; it had a better crust than my tuna. John went with a pork loin that he enjoyed, and Alli also had the tuna.

There were about six choices for dessert. Three of us opted for the warm chocolate lava cake, while Alli went with cinnamon raison rice pudding. The cake was served with fresh strawberries and house made whipped cream; it was a perfect way to end the meal. I'm not a rice pudding guy, so I can't comment on it.

This was a great pick for restaurant week, I'd highly recommend it. I took a look at the regular menu, and the prices aren't outrageous otherwise. The portion sizes were perfect; I've found this can be another disappointing "trick" pulled by restaurants during the promotional week. Each course was the perfect size and I was satisfied at the end of the meal.

Last night was probably the nicest day of the year, and we decided to eat outside. Audrey Claire has a nice indoor dining area with an open kitchen, although I've heard complaints that it can get quite loud inside. The service here is on par with what you'd expect from fine dining. I noticed several time our server checking our plates from down the sidewalk; he knew just when to clear the plates and put in the other orders. This was the best service I've had in quite some time.

Bottom Line: This spot is great. It's a perfect nice-but-not-too-expensive spot. It's a BYOB, which always wins points in my book. At the very least, consider this spot for a future restaurant week pick.

Essentials:

276 S. 20th Street (20th and Spruce)

(215) 731-1222

Avg three course meal: 32-46

Cash only: Yes

Reservations: Yes

BYOB: Yes - No Cork Fee

Fitzwater Cafe

I'm glad that Yelp has arisen as an alternative to CitySearch. I used CitySearch a lot but hated the bloated and clunky website. Still, the article on CitySearch about the best brunch places turned me onto my all time fav, Carmen's, so it can't be all bad. Fitzwater Cafe was one of the last spots on the list I had never visited.

I finally made it out here last weekend. The cafe in tucked in on the corner of 7th and Fitzwater, and has a long bar with a small dining area. The decor in this place is cute and quaint; it really looks like a cozy neighborhood spot. Rachel and I took a seat at the bar and looked over the menu.

Overall, the menu is pretty limited. It contains a few different omelets, some sweet breakfast options like pancakes and waffles, and other small items like granola and yogurt. Despite the limited menu, I ordered a veg omlet that sounded right up my alley. Rachel ordered an omelet made with pesto, and it was served up looking the part; totally green. The food came out really quickly, and we were drinking the cafe's excellent coffee while we were waiting.

The service was below average. We had empty coffee cups half the time while we were there, and I had to walk over to the waitress to pay the check. She was just talking to another customer for a long time while we were waiting. The servers seem nice, but that doesn't make up for poor service. On the up side, the food was good. The omelets come with toast and great home fries.

Bottom Line: Within a few days, I forgot that I ever stopped in here. It's nice that this place is open at 7am on the weekdays, and it would be a great place to grab a quick cheap meal during the week. But I don't live close and I won't be doing that. It's a lot like a South Philly version of Ida Mae's.

Essentials:

728 S 7th St (7th and Fitzwater)

(215) 629-0428

Avg Ent: 8-11

Cash only: Yes

Reservations: No

Hours: 7am to 2pm daily

PYT - Burgers at the Piazza

PYT has definitely been generating a lot of press. After a lack luster review last week in the City Paper, owner Tommy Up offered a free burger to anyone who brought in a copy of the review. In my opinion, this is a genius move: Up is taking anyone who might be swayed by the review and giving them a chance to taste for themselves. This especially works out if you serve excellent food.

I've read a lot about PYT, and it's been all over the place. A few things keep coming up: the location brings out the bros, and the onion rings are fantastic. I went with my friend Quinn and we worked through the full treatment of the menu: burger, rings and shakes.

The alcoholic shakes are a gimmick. That being said, I'm sure a lot of people love these. These shakes are $10 a pop and come mixed with different ice creams and liquors; there are quite a few different ones for different tastes. Mine was a simple mix of vanilla and Maker's Mark, while Quinn ordered one with vodka and kalua. She seemed to like her's more than I enjoyed mine. We both came to the same conclusion: these are made with a heavy hand and aren't really akin milkshakes at all. They're more like mixed drinks that happen to use ice cream as an ingredient. I'm sure that was the goal for PYT, but next time, I'll just go with the regular shake.

The onion rings are different than any you've ever had. The breading is lighter and sweeter than anything else I've ever had. It evokes memories of funnel cake batter. These were good, but I am in the same boat as the shake; I'd rather have a good version of what I'm expecting.

Finally, the burger. It was cooked to order and overall, well made. It wasn't the "fist of meat" that far too many pubs serve up. Still, Sketch burger has become the gold standard to which I compare all other burgers. PYT just doesn't hold up. I ate my burger quickly, and enjoyed it, but there wasn't anything memorable about it. There were a few vegetarian options that looked appetizing; I'd go for one of these if I found myself here again.

Bottom Line: PYT will thrive on location alone. It has a few cool tricks up its sleeve, but in the end, none of them "wow" me. There are people who will hate this place, other who will rave over it. I fall squarely in the middle. It's definitely worth checking out to find out which person you are. Of if you absolutely need a good burger, head a few blocks over to Sketch. PYT also has a full bar if you're trying to avoid Swift Half.

Essentials:

1050 N Hancock St (Piazza at Schmidt's)

(215) 268-7825

Burgers: 7-12

Cash Only: No

Marrakesh

Before I visited on Saturday night, I had heard great things about Marrakesh. In reality, all I knew was that i's a nice Moroccan place with generous portions. I had reservations with Rachel and the Kolodzieys. We were seated in a fully decorated, dark room with rugs and great ambiance. The atmosphere at Marrakesh is definitely one of the highlights. We were sitting in a corner couch huddled around one table. Sharing is also definitely a theme here, so make sure you like the people with which you are dining. Ideally, I'd like to revisit this spot when we could have a whole room to ourselves (12 to 16 people). I think this would be the best way to enjoy the food and service here.

When we were seated, we were offered a menu, but it only included the drink choices. The beer offerings here are a joke, but $12 bottles of house wine are an excellent choice. The server then came over and explained the seven course meal, which was really the only food option. There are a few choices in the main courses, and you can have vegetarian courses as well, but Marrakesh is sticking with what they know best, which means limited options.

Before the first course, we all washed our hand in rose water. This was a nice touch, especially because we were all about to eat the whole meal without utensils. We started the meal with three salads: eggplant, cucumber, and carrot. We scooped them up with pita bread. They were all good, but the eggplant was the clear champion of this course.

Next, we had phyllo pastry filled with unknown meat and topped with powdered sugar. This was good, but not my favorite course. It was definitely interesting to contrast the meat with the sugar. The third course was a whole, slow cooked chicken. The sauce was cumin based, a bit spicy but not over the top. I thought this course was great. The chicken was well cooked and marinaded.

The fourth course is probably the apex of the meal, in terms of portion and taste. We opted for lamb with an almond honey glaze. It was excellent. At this point I was getting pretty full and knew that I needed to pace myself for the rest of the meal. The other option for this course was beef shish kebabs.

The fifth course continued to impress. It was a couscous dish with chicken, raisins, and vegetables mixed in. The raisins were the best addition here. I generally do not enjoy couscous, so the fact that I was digging in here is a testament to the dish.

The last two courses are dessert. We were served a fruit bowl with grapes, apples, bananas and oranges and finished with baklava and tea. By the end of the meal I was full and happy. The 7 course menu is only $25 a person, which I think is awesome considering all that you get.

As I already mentioned, the atmosphere here is great. During our meal, we were also treated to a belly dancing show, which added to the evening. The same CD played on repeat the whole night, so we heard songs about four times; it was a bit annoying. My one complaint for the evening would be the service. After our meal was finished, we waited more than twenty minutes for the bill to arrive. Our server was not attentive during the evening. Water refills never came when asked for, and other small problems made me feel like our table was being neglected. Our gratuity was added to the bill, so maybe the server though it was an off night for him as well.

Bottom Line: Dining at Marrakesh is an experience. We were there for just over three hours. Go with people you like, enjoy the conversation, don't rush through the courses, and soak in the authentic experience.

Essentials:

517 S Leithgow St (5th and South)

(215) 925-5929

7 course meal: $25

Cash only: Yes

Reservations: Yes

Tiffin Ect

Tiffin quietly expanded their menu a few weeks ago. This excellent Indian take out spot added a few new item, the most exciting being an arsenal of Indian inspired pizzas. Rachel and I ordered a few pies last night to try out the new offerings.

The first pizza was topped with tandoori chicken, crushed red peppers and mozzarella. After a few bites, the spices and heat really kick in. This is a great pie. But I liked the second one even more. It was topped with grilled lamb and little cherry tomatoes. Again, the subtle spices on the meat really make this pizza shine.

We also ordered two stuffed parathas. It's like a gourmet pancake filled with different vegetables. Although these were decent, they paled next to the pizza. The only other part of the new menu includes wraps, and these don't seem too exciting.

The pizzas are excellent, and with six different options, there's bound to be one to please almost everyone. We ordered more than a enough food and the total was $17 for the two of us. Seriously? These pizzas are awesome and $5? You have no reason to avoid Tiffin's new pizza.

The worst part about all of this new stuff is finding the menu. Tiffin is great at Indian food, terrible at web design. Go on a scavenger hunt on their page to find the pizzas, or use this direct link for the menu :http://media.philly.com/documents/ETCMenu+v33-2.pdf.

Essentials:

712 W. Girard

(215) 925-0770

Avg Ent: 5-6

Cash only: No

Reservations: No

BYOB: Yes

My new little blog

Since it's mostly my friends who read this, I just wanted to let you guys in on the "new micro-blog." It's just little things that find interesting while I'm online.

http://weeg.tumblr.com/

A RX Rebuttal

I got a message from the owner of Rx the other day, and I thought it was fair to post his response to my review. I looked back at my review and believe it to be honest and overall, positive. Here's his two cents:

Thanks for taking the time to write your review. I appreciate your attention to detail. So does my brunch chef, who seems to have taken your comments about portion sizes as a personal challenge. I don't think you'll have a problem with portion size should you choose to return.

Re: sides, every dish has some side, whether it's potatoes or salad. There are no plates going out naked.

Re: price, to do what we do definitely costs a little more. There is no other place in the city with such a locally sourced brunch, as any farmer delivering to Philly will tell you. That said, I think paying marginally more for the best available ingredients is a fair trade-off.

Re: minimum, what can I tell you? college students like to camp out over a cup of coffee regardless of ho many people are waiting to sit down to eat.

Thanks again for the input,
Greg Salisbury

And my response: I pretty much agree with Greg. I didn't take offense to the price, the minimum per person, or the portion sizes, but I think that all of these facts were notable. The dish i ordered for brunch was two eggs over black beans, so I guess they're considered the side? I didn't feel like my dish was naked, but just a little bit more would have gone a long way.

But I'm not here to complain. I think there's a lot to be said for restaurant owners reaching out and taking constructive criticism. Cheers Greg. Now everyone go eat at RX...

Supper

I've been wanting to go to Supper since I passed up on their deviled eggs and Slyfox happy hour. Maybe that wasn't the best choice, but it was great to get to visit for a whole meal. Supper is located on South Street, which is an odd location for this nice restaurant. I doubt their really getting any walking by traffic because of their location.

Despite the location, the atmosphere here is great. I've read that they're going for an "urban farmhouse" feeling, and it's easy to see that aim with the decor. Supper also features an open kitchen, which is a treat if you're dining downstairs, but be prepared to have a louder and more hectic dinner. There's also a nice upstairs dining area with a bar, but average beer selection with NYC prices make beer hardly worth it. Sadly, I didn't find a single beer that justified the price they were asking, but my sampling of my sisters' cocktails were delicious. These drinks are mixed well and aren't weak, either.

Supper's menu consists almost entirely of small plates. The recommendation is for each person to order three courses; an hor'dourves with a first and second course. I was out with my two sisters; Laura and Betsy, along with her boyfriend Chris. We were all getting along pretty well, so we abandoned the traditional, boring dining style here and ordered a whole mess of plates to share. The result? Awesome.

We started with a cheese plate, which had six different domestic cheese that varied in style. Even the worst one good, and the best one, well, maybe the best cheese I've ever had. (I may have been sold even before I tried it when our server hinted at a beer aftertaste). The portions of the cheese plate were enough for the four of us to sample everything a few times, which is a nice change from overpriced microscopic dollops of cheese found in too many other restaurants.

The rest of our appetizers consisted of deviled eggs, which are rightly so one of Supper's trademarks. Four different eggs are served up: paprika, sirachi, truffle, and crab. It seems that there's a lot of different eggs, it just depends on the night. Another appetizer that everyone seems to be crazy about are the duck fat fingerling potatoes. Laura liked them a lot, I just thought they were fine. To round out the appetizers we had excellent crab cakes.

We were served a chilled corn soup next. As a rule, I'm against chilled soups, but Chris went ahead and ordered it, and I'm glad he did. This soup was excellent, and has given all chilled soups a second chance in my book. We all continued sharing with the Pan Roasted Sea Scallops, Moroccan Grilled Lamb Ribs, and Spice Crusted Tuna. I don't want to go into detail about every single dish, but the order I mentioned them is the order that I liked them most to least. Everything was good, but the scallops were just the best.

Lastly, we finished up the meal with one of the big plates which included: Beer braised belly w/ peach & kale, smoked loin w/ warm potato salad, grilled housemade brat w/ picalilli & crispy pigskin slaw. These things were good, but I don't recommend the big plates here. I think lost of small apps and firsts are great for the whole party.

The price here can vary greatly depending on how much you want to sample and how hungry you are. Still, there's no way around it, Supper is not cheap. At these prices, I'm glad I was sharing a table with some of my favorite people in the world.

Bottom Line: This place serves up great food. While it might not be in your budget, restaurant week is around the corner and this would be an excellent spot. Drink somewhere else, eat here. Plan dinner with the online menu.

Essentials:

926 South St (10th and South)

(215) 592-8180

Avg dinner: 30-60 per person

Reservations: Yes

Cash Only: No

McGillin's Olde Ale House

Because I ocassionly work in Center City, I've been searching for the perfect lunch spot within walking distance of City Hall. I really like to try out new places too, but after lunch at McGillin's I could give up my search and make this my regular spot.

My friend Dan and I hit up this spot for lunch after passing on Misconduct Tavern's average beer list. McGillin's is hidden on Drury St, a side street off Juniper. Because of this odd location, and the fact that it was the middle of the day, I expected to walk into a quite little spot. It didn't even really look open for the outside. But inside, it was bustling with business. There were a few tables filled with clear tourists checking out Philadelphia's oldest bar (established 1860), but it was mostly filled with the Philadelphia work force taking a break.

McGillin's is holding on to the old time mentality, with the decorations and atmosphere, and a collection of servers who look like they're been working here for years. They also offer free soup with every entree, which seems like an old time practice lots in search of increased profits.

When we visited, the soup was turkey vegetable, and it was surprisingly flavorful. We ordered a side of wings. They were fine, but a mistake, considering we both had soup and entrees. Further, the service was so fast that we barely had time to finish the soup, let alone with wings, by the time main course came out.

Dan chowed down on an average burger, and I went with the German platter. Potatoes and Veggies served up with two types of sausage. It was okay, but my experience on South St raised my expectations. The food was okay, but the prices seemingly made it taste better.

In general, the prices are great here, especially for the location, and that extends to the beer. Pitchers are $9 to $13, depending on what you want. The tap list here is respectable too. We split a pitcher of Ommegang Rare Vos and then moved to Brooklyn's Sorachi Ace. The Sorachi Ace is a crazy hop, and I think that Brooklyn did a nice job making this beer, although I won't order it again. McGillin's also has three house brews from Stoudt's, a brewery I like a lot. These all come in at less than $10 a pitcher and would make for reliable choices anytime.

During the lunch rush, the service also seemed rushed. Also, I must admit I'm turned off by seeing a cook weave his way through the dining room in the middle of lunch with a full bag of garbage. Even if there's no other way, can't it wait until the dining room isn't packed?

Bottom Line: My first experience at McGillin's was definitely positive. It's almost a no brainer for a lunch spot close to City Hall, and the beer list and specials every night make it a good bar in it's own right. This won't be my last time here, and either for beer, food, or simply historical value, this stop is a must.

Essentials:

1310 Drury St (Off 13th between Sansom and Chestnut)

(215) 735-5562

Avg Ent: 5-10

Cash Only: No