Fare

★★★★☆ 3.7 (509) • $$

"This place solidified that I need to move here.First, let me tell you about the truffle fries. They do NOT disappoint. Even when I go during happy hour, I always ask for the full basket because I put those puppies down in minutes.Drinks are amazing. Wide selection and they always have specials.It's a little more on the expensive side, however, the food and the servers make it worth it, ESPECIALLY if you get to sit out on the patio during the summer. So nice to chat and people watch!"

Enswell

★★★★★ 4.6 (41)

"Finally took an afternoon coffee break at Enswell after wanting to try since they opened, and am so glad I did! A lot to love here:1) One of the most beautiful cafe settings I've been to. It's like being transported to somewhere in Europe - muted rococo but somehow modern? I love every design choice from the lighting fixtures to the bar stools to the color palette and everything in between.2) Every staff member I encountered was kind, helpful, and quick with a recommendation or explanation.3) Coffee menu is all Rival Bros (a favorite of mine) and you can even get their canned options if you're on the go. My chai was lovely!I do wish there was bit more depth to the daytime food menu. I love an all day cafe but would love to see more robust food options beyond pastry, even if just grab and go, for the daytime/lunch hours. The dinner menu looks good, with some smaller and larger plate options available, as well as a full bar. I look forward to returning and am so grateful to have this gem of a shop on Spruce!"

Jet Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (176) • $$

"Jet Wine Bar is an excellent location in the city, with the star of the show being their expansive outside seating area. This is is a great location to come on a warm summer afternoon evening, and saample a few wines/snacks. The outdoor area has a lot of tables for seating, and is a bright and colorful space. They have a plethora of interesting wines to try (including orange wines), and the staff were super helfpul in allowing us to sample wines and providing recommendations. We only came here for a drink and a snack, but they had lots of great snacks on thier menu perfect for pairing with wine. We had the hummus (recommended by the staff), and they did not dissapoint. This was an excellent and creamy hummus, paired with toasted pita and marinated olives. This is a definitely a space I will return to for drinks with friends, adn would also be a great location for a summer or fall date!"

Reserve Wine Bar & Lounge

★☆☆☆☆ 1.4 (24) • $$$

"Reserve is Reserve. I mean if you don't have anything going on on a Saturday it's always a move. I've been here plenty of times and never really had a spectacular time. Sometimes they have certain events where if you RSVP you can get in free before a certain time and then like last weekend I had to paid $30 to get in which definitely isn't worth it. I think on a normal night it may average $15 to get in. It's a well kept place even though I think it could be more spacious. Not quite upscale but trying to be there kinda. The sections are directly adjacent above the dance floor. I don't think they're particularly strict on dress code but I wouldn't come looking raggedy. Every time I've been they play hip hop. It's enough going on to have a good time, dancing and drinking. I've never really seen any drama. There's always a good amount of attractive people. Service at the bar has never been a problem. I don't really have any complaints. Just never had a really "good" night here. It's just always something to do if I don't know about anything else."

Bar 210

★★★★☆ 4.4 (7) • $$$$

"There is no longer a happy hour here. In fact, if you ask about the happy hour, they will look at you very strangely. Its like the staff won't admit it ever existed. It's not a big deal. I just thought you should know. Food-wise, the oxtail ragu is pretty good but very salty. The oysters, although tasty, are expensive compared to other places you can go in a 2 block radius."

Alimentari

★★★★★ 4.6 (49) • $$

"So excited to finally check our Alimentari! The decor is always so beautiful especially around this time of the year. Last year, the top floor was only open for holiday gifts and drinks, but they've reopened recently serving drinks and food.We got the tomato soup and the grilled cheese, definitely some strong smelling cheese but sooo delicious. Wish the portions were a little larger, but still a delicious little snack for midday."

Cry Baby Pasta

★★★★☆ 3.9 (279) • $$

"The food was delicious and the pasta fresh. I tried my partner's branzino which was also great. Very tasty drinks. Service was efficient and our server polite and courteous. Loved the cozy, initiate atmosphere. Will definitely go again!"

Rittenhouse Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (346) • $$$

"The cheetah carpet seems tongue-in-cheek when taken with the upscale piano bar atmosphere, excellent pianist, and sophisticated drinks. I had reservations elsewhere and only popped in for a drink but I think I'll be back for the food before long."

Il Bar

★★★★★ 4.7 (3)

"Happy Hour - Monday thru Friday 5-7pm - featuring $5 glasses of "house" red or white wine and half-price appetizers. Scattered along the bar are small bowls of crunchy, cheesy nuggets baked from some sort of dough. A fine display of 120 bottles of wine, all tapped and ready to pour via their cruvinet system.Pleasant and intimate-feeling atmosphere.The house red wine I enjoyed on a recent Friday was very nice for $5. I found it very drinkable (I don't remember whether it was an Argentinian or Chilean wine) by itself and it also went well with the three different appetizers we ate. Recommended: the escargot and the calamari appetizersBonus: after enjoying your wine and appetizers, staying the night at the Penn's View Hotel"

Barcelona Wine Bar Passyunk

★★★★☆ 4.4 (835) • $$$

"I've been to Barcelona Wine Bar in several different cities and have never been disappointed with the food, drinks or service at any of them. Can get loud when the restaurant is busy, but that doesn't take any from the atmosphere as a whole. If you have celiac, this is a wonderful place to go as the staff is very knowledgeable, the choices are abundant and delicious."

Kabuto Hibachi, Sushi & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (221) • $$

"Party of 2 dined in sunday evening... huge space inside - sushi and bar in front and hibachi&bbq in the back. we were escorted in the back as we reserved for ayce ; they just started(i made reservations over facebook business account chat) We were escorted in the back promptly. We were pretty starving. Ordered miso soup, house salad and Takoyaki for appetizers (so many tempting choices makes me greedy but I managed to keep it down to 3) and 3 rolls (not all of their regular menu is included in the ayce options and no sashimi) and bbq meats. Salad did not look that pretty (?) but the dressing was banging! 3 rolls were pretty appetizing appealing. Be aware bbq meats come in smaller portion so if you can eat alot (?) mark quantity accordingly on the order sheet. They have so many good options for meats; porks, beef, duck breast, lamb, prime rib eye (very thin slices) scallops...I instantly regretted ordering too much (?) rolls since rice was pretty filling and I couldn't really dig in bbq.. Only downside was there was no proper sauce for bbq as they were new probably... and serving was bit slow in between providing meats so order plenty and ahead! Seems like 30 mins before closing time is their last call, the server informed us to order for the last time but we were full... The manager (?) was very attentive, smiley and nicely kept checking on us Bill came with (25% promo this month -$9 from 35.99... $26.99 per person) and $7 for 2 Soda.. pretty decent price for ayce I can totally see myself revisiting here but hopefully they had more sauce options!"

Teresa's Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 (506)

"While watching an episode of What's Brewing this past weekend, Glen and Joe Sixpack came up with a list of romantic beer spots, either breweries, alehouses, or beerhalls, etc. On the list was Teresa's Cafe in Wayne, PA. Being from NJ I really had no idea where Wayne, PA was, but after looking it up I realized it was only 20 minutes away from Newtown Square, which is where my wife had an appointment. The fate of the beer gods must have been with us. Walking into the place you can't help but notice how nice it is. Very clean and organized with a beautiful bar and nice tables and booths on the side. Since it was midday we were lucky to get a booth which would be very nice for a couple out on a date. My wife and I are beyond the dating scene, but it was nice having the booth to ourselves. Of course the first menu I grabbed was the drink menu. I was really curious why the guys from What's Brewing liked this place. It did not disappoint. Great selection of Belgian Ales and other domestic craft beers. Also, was happy to see some hand pumped selections which I rarely get. I started with a hand pumped Geuze Boon, which was delicious. I later got the Tripel De Garre which was fantastic. But if you don't care for beer they also have a great selection of wines, gin, and whiskey. My wife had a nice Pinot Noir from South Africa. The food menu is also incredible and extremely diverse. Exotic meats (kangaroo for example), wings, salads, pastas, a variety of entrees, and mussels, were all on the menu. They even have something for the vegetarian in your life. My wife got the Eggplant entree which she really loved. I tried a little and it was very good. I had the Ostend Mussel's which were delicious. I couldn't get enough of the broth and ordered more bread to soak it up. The frites were also good and the dipping sauce that came with it was very nice with a little kick.The service was excellent. Our server was very attentive, but not intrusive. We spoke to the owner later and he was really nice also. Great place with a great atmosphere, great beer, and great food. Only wish it was closer."

Le Caveau

★★★★☆ 4.3 (15)

"Came here with friends a few weeks ago just for a drink and saw the menu items and was very excited. The drinks we got that night were good so I decided to come back. The old fashioned is delicious (albeit strong) and definitely worth it. The french bread they give you is phenomenal and perfectly crusty on the outside with a nice fluffy give on the inside. I tried the fried oysters with roe and some kind of sauce and I must say that the sauce was not appealing. There was so much of it and the flavor was odd for my taste. Maybe I have just never had that flavor before but even if I had, there was so much - what I would essentially call - mayo/aioli. I had to scrape a TON off to even taste the oyster. However, the oyster was perfectly cornmeal breaded and the roe was a nice addition. I also tried one of the cheeses and that was perfectly pleasant and a nice palate cleanser between my other course. The real star of the show (besides the old fashioned) was the smoked whitefish rillettes. I loved smoked whitefish so I may be a bit biased here but it came in this little jar topped with a layer of butter and/or fat that created this shell you had to break through to get to the good stuff. Paired with the aforementioned perfect bread - it was amazing. My only critique would be that there was maybe a little too much of the butter/fat - but that's just me. I would have liked a better proportion since I'm not a huge fan of that. Atmosphere-wise, this place is charming. It's small but not too small, good drinks but not too expensive, classy but not too pretentious, a really good vibe for happy hour, dinner of light snacks to share, and a little bit of a hidden gem as it's upstairs from Good King Tavern (look for the one door on the side for entry). I will be back to try other foods and look forward to their ever-changing menu."

Prunella

★★★★☆ 4.3 (226) • $$

"AMAZING experience. Not only were the food and drinks delicious, but our server Devon made the night so memorable. He was sweet, funny, and gave some great recs. Our whole party loved him and promised we'd be back soon!Definitely try the spicy Caesar - it wasn't too hot for me and the dressing tasted homemade. The branzino was also a favorite and perfect portion size.Overall 10/10"

Panorama

★★★★☆ 3.7 (377) • $$$

"Beautiful and intimate restaurant with dim lights. My friends and I were very excited to dine here for restaurant week since we've heard great things about this place. Beautiful restaurant, great service and good food. I'm not giving 5 stars because none of the food blew us away. I'd come back here, but I wouldn't reorder any of the same food. It was good but not great or memorable.We ordered:Pear salad (app)Chicken (entree)Rigatoni (entree)Tiramisu (dessert)Torta (dessert)The rigatoni was delicious and the best thing we tasted. My friend thinks it's the best or second best rigatoni dish she's ever had, which says a lot! Super rich flavors and a hearty meal. I ordered the chicken and it was beautifully cooked and juicy, but a bit boring and not enough mash potatoes. A really big piece of chicken and you definitely will be stuffed after eating it. We all agreed that the complimentary bread we received in the beginning was the same thing they used for the tiramisu and torta. It looked and tasted like it but we couldn't confirm. Each dessert tasted good with the added ice cream, but we couldn't get over the fact it looked like the same bread we received in the beginning.We also ordered the wine flight, which was fun and a cool experience. A bit pricey, but worth it! We ordered the red flight #802, which I would get again."

Meetinghouse

★★★★☆ 4.4 (21)

"This place has such good food. I never expected this brewery to have such an interesting menu. They have a ton of sandwich options, entrees that consist of fish/meat, appetizers, and desserts. Our server was so helpful in guiding our meal decision. She was so friendly and easy to chat with (I guess her day job is teaching but honestly she should go into sales). If the owner is looking at this: Get this woman a raise! The place has a bar with some stool seating. There is a small other room that has table seating. It's definitely important to get reservations since it is such a small space. I highly recommend the baked clams and green salad. The baked clams tasted delicious especially with the garlic butter. The green salad was presented so well. It looked like a square with dressing all over it. The Dijon vinaigrette was so tasty.Our entree was a broiled fish with potato's. I really liked the potato's. I liked the white sauce it was in. The fish was of good quality but it was kind of small. The desserts were amazing. I loved the ice cream more than the desserts actually. The ice cream with crème de menthe is a must try!"

Mish Mish

★★★★☆ 4 (65) • $$$

"Wow, the food here was amazing! Also, the server was very friendly and helpful with the menu. I have been close to 300 restaurants in Philadelphia, but I rarely write a review online. I was so impressed by Mish Mish that I felt impelled to write this review. There were four of us in our group and we decided to get almost everything on the menu to share. Nothing disappointed; quite the opposite. The ambiance is small and intimate. I can see where it could get a little noisy, but it was fine on the Friday night that we were there. The prices are a tad steep for the quantity, but the quality makes it worth it. As you can tell, I highly recommed that you go to Mish Mish!"

Fishtown Social

★★★★☆ 4 (81) • $$

"Really cool wine bar. We stopped here as we were waiting for our dinner reservation at Suraya. They have a pretty cool selection of wines offered by glass and bottles. If I lived close, I'd be a regular here! Also the inside is super cute."

In the Valley

★★★★☆ 4.2 (77) • $$

"One of my family's oldest and dearest friends happens to be quite the foodie. Before I ventured home to Philly for Thanksgiving, this friend urged us to make a reservation at ITV, Nick Elmi's newest business venture. She happens to be best friends with Jonathan Cohen, Elmi's business partner, so she's committed to getting the word out about this place. Luckily, we managed to book far enough in advance to score one of the few tables in this small but mighty eatery. Though I haven't been to Laurel (Mr. Elmi's four-bell, fine dining spot, adjacent to ITV), the food at ITV is apparently quite different--here, a more casual but equally innovative a la carte menu. Our night at ITV was divine, punctuated by standout service (food comes out FAST!). ITV is a small space. In the front half of the restaurant, seating options are limited to the bar/a high top against the window. In the back, four or five small tables in dim, intimate lighting. ITV is as much of a bar as it is a restaurant, so alcohol is very much on display here. The bar area is gorgeous and stocked with plenty of fancy bottles. Most bar-restaurant hybrids tend to excel in one area alcohol-wise, oftentimes at the expense of others. Not the case here. ITV boasts a well-curated drink list with equal care given to beer, wine and liquor. Though the cocktail menu doesn't immediately strike a person as exciting, these drinks have that "fancy" quality to them. It can't really be described by way of flavor, but you know it when you experience it. These are like that. Well-balanced, high-quality ingredients and super tasty. I tried the Drunken Farmer (Bourbon, Fig Leaf, Egg White) and the Kirby (Gin, Genepy, Aperol, Lime) which were both fantastic. Given the egg white, the Drunken Farmer was a bit lighter but still in line with fall flavors. The Kirby, though shaken (I believe), was on the stronger side but fruitier/more sour than the first. Can't go wrong. The food was still the star, though. Eats, below:Hamachi Crudo, Grapefruit, Black Olive, Sesame: A-Perfect starter. Light and gently wakes the palate up. Delicate flavors, nice and citrusy. Didn't wow us, but a great first dish. Puffed Pork Chips, Sour Cream and Wild Onion: AFun artistic touch that you need to look out for if you're seated in dim lighting: the dip, spread in a crescent shape along the side of your plate. We almost missed this sophisticated sour cream and onion dip on the side! In any case, this is the most elevated pork rinds/dip combo I'll probably ever come into contact with. Another fabulous starter. Light and airy but still quite flavorful. Beef Fat Biscuit, Scallion Honey Butter: AThis one was just for my bf, but I gave it a try. Not surprisingly, it was magical. Flaky and decadent. Chicken Liver Stroopwaffle, Plum Agrodolce: N/ABoth of us tend to dislike chicken liver. Which is a shame, because I can tell that I would have loved this preparation had my taste buds developed differently. The waffles and plum were a yummy sweet/savor combo, but we sadly had to set this one aside. Smoked Trout Rillette, Pumpernickel Soldiers, Trout Roe, Radish: A+++The star of the night. I can't even describe why these were so good, but they were perfection. The rillette was heavenly. The bread was spongy but crispy. The roe was plain luxurious. A masterpiece. Bacon and Wild Burgundy Snail Ragout, Mushroom, Jimmy Red Polenta, Soft Poached Egg: A+What a special, creative dish this was. Everything worked together in perfect harmony, here. I have a quirk where I like to eat dishes one component at a time, but this one's best just mixing everything together--poached egg and all. Rich, warm, hearty and bursting with flavor. My bf had never tried snails prior to this night, so it was a fantastic introduction to him. I tend to avoid polenta, but this preparation managed to touch my heart. Well done. Little Neck Clams, Pancetta, Scallion Broth: AA thoughtful, yummy seafood dish. The clams were some of the best I've ever had, and I typically don't love clams (depends on the preparation for me). The pancetta was a lovely touch, though made the overall flavor profile a bit salty. Minor complaint, though. The scallion broth, as well as being gorgeous in color, was yummy and perfect for bread-soaking. Rabbit Schnitzel, Celery Root, Green Apple: ASimple but incredibly tasty. The light salad served atop the schnitzel balanced the dish nicely. If the idea of eating rabbit doesn't give you the willies, give this one a try. The meat was cooked perfectly and is fantastic with a quick squeeze of the seared lemon served on the side here.To top off what had already been a beautiful night, we were lucky enough to meet Chef Elmi. I had asked the waitress if Jonathan was in that night (our family friend's friend--and he wasn't), but it was Mr. Elmi who came out instead! Gracious and sweet. Getting to meet the chef is always a special treat for me, but a famous Philly/Top Chef guy was just too great."

Parc

★★★★☆ 4.2 (3370) • $$$

"Fantastic French bistro inspired restaurant. Wonderful atmosphere, good size menu, friendly service and pretty good food. The French Onion Soup was excellent, really enjoyed that. I also had the steak frites... that I was somewhat disappointed as the cut of meat was not very good, had a lot of gristle and nowhere near enough fries for a frites dish.But honestly, I still loved the place. Something about the overall atmosphere that was warm and inviting. Will definitely go back next time I am in Philly."

Darling Jack's Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.4 (139)

"I was in Philly from out of town (Dallas) for a concert two weeks ago and was running late to get to a concert. I found out about Darling Jack's through Yelp and decided to stop in before heading the concert at the Fillmore. I sat at the bar and I'm happy that the bartender and DJT got me in and out of dinner fast! Like within 45 minutes!I had the burger, which was excellent, and a great old fashioned. I could tell that the pickles on the burger were made in house, which was a nice touch. The burger was cooked to perfection. No notes. The service from the bartender was very efficient. I'm sure I seemed strange, simply because I was in a race against time. The ambiance was very cool and seems like a great spot for a good meal or cocktail, for a date or for a night out with friends. I highly recommend Darling Jack's Tavern (love the name by the way)."

Tria Cafe Wash West

★★★★★ 4.5 (806) • $$

"I always enjoy coming to Tria for a casual date night type of vibe. The ambiance is always so relaxing and intimate and the staff goes above and beyond - just amazing! While the Rittenhouse location is a classic and in a convenient location, my boyfriend and I prefer the Washington West location to get away from the hustle and bustle. We always go for the classic charcuterie board which never fails us. The spread is so good and just perfect amount for the two of us. We always get ourselves the herb marinated olives which is so delicious. We recently tried the sardines (imported from Spain) which was absolute perfection. The sardines are from a tin can, but was marinated in olive oil and served with bread. Definitely give this a try if you like sardines!"

Jake's & Cooper's Wine Bar & Wine Shop

★★★★☆ 3.7 (346) • $$$

"I continue to enjoy my visits to Jake's! Happy Hour continues to deliver...house wine...cocktails and great appetizers!The service and ambiance always delivers and the food remains consistent! I will continue to say..one of the best Happy Hours on Main Street in Manayunk!"

Bloomsday Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (140) • $$

"One of my new favorite places in Philly, and all I did was sit and drink an iced chai at the bar on a beautiful Saturday morning. Their brunch program and menu is totally underrated (yes I do see the many other 5 star reviews...I more mean I hear about it less around town) and the space itself is completely gorgeous and well thought out. Bonus? They have a pastry and coffee window on Stamper. Bonus bonus? They have a wonderful wine shop that features natty wines from small producers and farms. Bonus bonus BONUS? The staff here is super down to earth, friendly, and the vibes are just very good.As you can imagine my chai was delightful. I love slow mornings walking around a new neighborhood and finding treasures. Every dish that came out of the kitchen looked SO good - especially the breakfast sandwich that comes on a massive brioche bun. I can't wait to go try their entire menu and am grateful I stumbled upon this fantastic spot."

Townsend Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (23)

"The best music the in the history of the world. Ever.And since I need to write more characters... the drinks are good too."

Sally

★★★★☆ 4.4 (118)

"Sally is a great and intimate date spot for wine and pizza lovers alike. A cozy atmosphere serving up pizza (nice char) and other small bites. Easy to get a reservation on Resy. We got on the day of. Music selection was immaculate. Had to give compliments to whoever's playlist I was getting lost in. Food was pretty good. I really enjoyed the sardines which I tried for the first time here. Now I'm craving them all the time. As mentioned, the pizza is good and has a nice char that adds a crisp crunch. Only tried the cheese pizza on visit so I'll need to come back to try some of the other options. The crew ran through a couple bottles of wine. A little pricey but you can't put a price on a good time. Servers were awesome and really enjoyed chatting with them."

Bellini

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (391) • $$

"This was our first time dining at Bellini. I made a reservation a couple months in advance on OpenTable since we were going to see a show at the Academy of Music. Our reservation was at 5:15, but we arrived around 4:50. The host was very friendly and sat us immediately. He warned us the table he sat us at by the window can be a little tight for tall people and offered to move us if we were uncomfortable. We were fine, so we stayed at the table. Our server was excellent, and he checked on us throughout our dinner. I had an Aperol spritz, and my husband had an IPA. The Aperol spritz was very refreshing. They provided complimentary bread. The bread was a little too hard and crusty for my liking, but the inside was good. There was olive oil on the table for you to dip your bread in, but there was also a homemade fig jam for the bread. I really loved the fig jam and thought it was a unique touch. Originally my husband and I were each going to get a salad for starters, but thankfully we thought to ask the server how large their salads are. We appreciated our servers honestly that all of their salads are big with the exception of the melon salad, and he graciously offered to split whatever salad we ordered on two plates for us each to enjoy. We ordered the Insalata Bellini (Baby arugula, candied walnuts, provolone, and honey crisp apple in pomegranate vinaigrette dressing). It was so delicious. The salad was huge even split between two plates. For dinner, we both ordered the Vitello alla Parmigiana (veal parmesan) which was served over a bed of linguine. Our meals were excellent, and we loved the sauce. If I could give one criticism, I don't think there was enough sauce on the plate. When we asked for one box to take home our leftovers, we asked if we could have more sauce, and the server kindly gave us a couple ramekins of sauce on the side. For dessert, I had the Profiterole (Homemade cream puff filled with a Chantilly cream covered with melted Swiss chocolate), and my husband had the Crème Brûlée (creamy custard covered with caramelized sugar). Our desserts were delicious of course. I wished my profiterole was a little larger for the price. My husbands Crème Brûlée was a nice portion. Upon leaving, the host and servers were very kind and wished us a goodnight. I would give Bellini 4.5/5 stars, and I would definitely return!"

La Collina

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (213)

"Overall a great experience and we will be back. We ordered the octopus, broccoli rabe and sausage, squid ink pasta, and table-side fileted grilled Branzino. Wine and old fashioned to drink.Broccoli rabe was just ok. Table side filet was underwhelming. Everything else was superb. Wine was good. Old fashioned was excellent! And I am a picky drinker. We came for our 10 yr anniversary. The ambiance, service, cleanliness...all superb! A bit pricy but nothing unmanageable. Worth a try!"

Local Wine & Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.2 (113) • $$

"Myself and a couple of friends came by last Tuesday for dinner. This was my first visit to this establishment. My first impression when walking in, is that the space is very cute, warm and inviting. Our server was very personable, explained the menu and portion sizes well and gave us recommendations on both food and drinks when we were stuck between a few options.The airline chicken was perfectly cooked, still juicy on the inside and well seasoned. The gorgonzola mac and cheese is packed with a punch, a delicious twist to mac especially if you love that gorgonzola flavor. The only thing I would comment on, is that both dishes were a bit heavy on the salt for me - but just barely. I didn't have any cocktails or wine, so I can't comment on that. Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to return if I was in the area."

Tulip Pasta & Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 4.2 (61)

"While swimming and discussing when to go to Fishtown this week, my wife found Tulip and said we should go... She was hesitant, but I said, let's shower and go... So, she then said it was my idea... And she never gets to do things she wants... We always do what I want... I dried off and booked a reservation. Traffic was going to take an hour, but by the time we showered, it only took forty minutes. We wanted to walk around a bit, but it seemed too difficult to kill time, so we walked in and asked if there was a table available earlier. There was and we were promptly seated. We were in Fishtown to get Ice Cream, but then our server mentioned the tasting menu... Two appetizers, three entrees, and two desserts... How could we turn that down? Foccacia came out first, followed by charcoal meatball skewers. Both were so good. Pork Belly Cappelletti came out next almost like a soup... Soaking in delicious broth. Carrot Caramelles, with rhubarb and brown butter might have been my favorite. Like little candies. Followed up by pappardelle & Rabbit sausage. The meal was great. The bar sent out drinks so fast. Our server told me they are prebatched, so they can just pour. Fantastic service all around. We ate some s'more semifreddo there (since we couldn't take it home) and a lemon ricotta cake to go. The food was awesome, but the pleasantness and hospitality of the staff is what made this a solid five..."

Royal Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.1 (691) • $$

"I've been back a few times and I have an important update: ROYAL TAVERN HAS THE BEST GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH IN PHILLY Honestly, it might even be the best grilled cheese sandwich *in the world*"

Picnic

★★★★☆ 3.6 (33)

"Wow, so the first reviewer who left a one star review? That was really not necessary. Opening night for a very hyped place is bound to have hiccups, and my group of five had a similar experience (came at 5pm, waited in line, were told to come back another time or put our names down for later), so we opted to put our names down and idled away the time at nearby Martha and Philadelphia Brewing Co. Yes, we ended up waiting 3.5 hours for a table (we were seated at around 8:30 and ended our meal at around 10:30), but again--super hyped place on opening night, and it's the night before the 4th of July so lots of people can leave work a little early, yeah? The employees managing the line were very apologetic but they had to do what they had to do, and ultimately, we had a great time, thanks to the gorgeous ambiance and very attentive service (shout out to our server Jacob!).The food exceeded expectations. My group has all eaten at Beddia, Suraya, and Kalaya, the predecessors of this place, and I dare say we like picnic equally or possibly even better, thanks to its casual atmosphere, reasonable prices, and friendly service. Plus, there's actually parking in East Kensington, unlike in Fishtown. We snagged a bottle of chilled red from the wine area on the way in and were given a bucket of ice to keep it cool. Seemed from first glance that most bottles were around $50-70, but I didn't go looking to see if there were cheaper or pricier bottles (I'm sure there were). They also had a bar with cocktails and non-alcoholic options, including a $10 or $12 glass of N/A pinot noir that I thoroughly enjoyed. I once had a N/A chardonnay and it tasted like grape juice. This N/A pinot straight up had the right mouth feel, with tannins and all!The prices are reasonable, given the very high quality of the food. We ordered a half baguette with cultured butter and anchovies, charred summer beans, a whole rotisserie chicken, smoked salmon sandwich, grilled oysters, and an Italian sausage with raclette that I am just now realizing never came--hopefully we weren't charged for it. The bread came first with a generous cup of butter. The bread was crusty and soft, with delicious subtle flavors that blended wonderfully with the creamy butter and salty anchovies. Next came the grilled oysters, which were so tender and covered in a tangy, spicy sauce. No picture of those because they were devoured. The charred summer beans were wonderfully smokey and citrusy, the perfect summer garden dish, and while I could not eat the smoked salmon sandwich, I'm told by my group that it was delicious, and it looked very good. The biggest snafu was that the chicken took an extremely long time to come out, but we were lucky to be one of the last tables to snag one because they eventually ran out! And they ended up giving us free dessert because of the wait. But the chicken was well worth it. Crisp outside yet impossibly juicy and tender on the inside, with four delightful sauces that we all dipped in equally (though I was partial to the chili oil and my husband loved the peruvian salsa verde). My husband declared it some of the best chicken he's ever had. I thought it was a bit too salty but otherwise would agree. And the desserts--the chocolate cake with candied pecans and caramel, and yogurt soft serve with olive oil--were not too sweet, rich yet not too decadent, complex and oh so pleasing. The perfect way to end the meal.So yes, the wait to get in was long, they might've forgotten our Italian sausage, and the chicken took forever to come to our table, but we had a lovely time and would definitely come back. I'm sure they'll have learned a lot from opening night and will iron things out as they go."

Vintage Wine Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (448) • $$

"Me and my wife stopped by vintage Wine Bar literally to get some wine on the way home from hanging out with friends across the street from this place. I was always attracted to how dimly lit and classic the place looked from the outside and we figured why not. At first, we were sitting just outside the open window but it was a bit too loud outside and we really couldn't enjoy the atmosphere. We asked to be moved to the back and they quickly got a table ready for us which was pretty cool. We didn't intend on ordering food but a couple of few tables down had the most exquisite looking lamb shank on that their plate so we figured it would pair well with a wine the wait staff suggested that pretty amazing wine. Was it good? Absolutely! We enjoyed the combination of the lamb shank which tasted just as good as it looked of course we are going to add vintage Wine Bar into the rotation now!"

Vinyl

★★★★☆ 3.6 (32)

"New club for late 20s early 30s crowd in center city! It did not disappoint! This still has club energy, with bottle service, bottle girls, and DJs, but has a more upscale speakeasy vibe than the rest. They also appear to have a full and delicious looking food menu - did not order any on this trip but will in future visits! Cocktails were delicious but slightly expensive ($16 range), but currently there is no cover so I think it evens itself out for a night on the town. The dancers were also amazing and added to the hype!"

The Good King Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.2 (374) • $$

"We've always heard good things about the Good King Tavern, but never thought to come by. I'm really glad we finally checked it out last month because all the good things we heard are true.I have to admit what really brought us here was the fact that they're DOG FRIENDLY! Since we came with our dog, we had to sit outside, but there are plenty of tables inside for indoor dining as well. Even though the outdoor seating area is on the sidewalk, this street is pretty quiet with not a lot of foot or car traffic, which makes this set up so ideal. There is also an awning attached to the restaurant, keeping guests protected from the sun or light rain. As for the food, everything we had from the beginning to end was delicious and on point. During dinner, my husband knocked over his glass of wine. Even though this was completely his fault, our server felt bad and comped our dessert, which was incredibly nice of her. Overall, we all had a great time. Service was great, and the food was very delicious. A lot of times, when we bring our dog out to eat with us, we have to sacrifice eating well. But NOT at the Good King Tavern. Here, we can have our cake and eat it too. I foresee us having a lot of doggie dinner dates here!"