R&D

Wow, such a cool spot to grab drinks and food in Fishtown! Has the upscale feel but super casual and easy to get a seat (as long as you have a small party). I love a good cocktail bar and this place did not disappoint. Stunning decor, friendly staff, huge cocktail menu which also included a ton of options for NA drinks which is much appreciated whenever we go out with friends that don't partake in alcohol and they can still feel included and drink something other than just soda or water. I ordered the Espresso in Paradise - truly a great tropical twist on the espresso martini, I've had so many other variations of this drink and because I'm an espresso martini girly I have always been disappointed when there's a tropical twist on this but R&D by far was the best I've had!!! (surprisingly enjoyed it more than I would a regular espresso martini)We had just came from dinner so we were mostly full, but decided to get a side of curly fries to share and they were perfectly crispy, perfectly seasoned and hit the spot with our drinks. I love the long open windows and our table was seated in the doorway so we were half outside/half inside and had great views of the main strip and loved the city vibes. I'd definitely want to go back to try more food and drinks at this spot, definitely already thinking of taking people whenever they visit me in Philly!

I love cocktails, so when my friend told me we must go to R&D to try their drinks, you couldn't get me there fast enough.My immediate thoughts upon entering were, this place is cool and welcoming. It reminded me of some of my fave cocktail bars back in Miami, because it had a friendly host, a poppin' bar crowd and a packed house in general. I started with the Paloma milk punch which is one of their most popular cocktails. Now, I love cocktails and yet I am not a big fan of clarified drinks. However, this was bomb!And when in Rome, I obviously had to try a martini. I opted for the Four Seasons Martini which has ramp gin, dry vermouth, aquavit, pickled ramp. It was vegetal, spirit forward, and everything you'd expect a drink to taste like from that description. I loved it!All in all, I would return as the drinks were superb and the vibes were even better. Put this on your list whether you live in Philly or not!

Top notch venue! I attended an industry event for bartenders and loved this place. Drinks were perfectly balanced. Service was friendly and attentive, and the the ambiance was great with a retro vibe. There was lots of seating for our large party and additional seating at the bar. I would had stayed all night if I had time to. Will definitely return and recommend to others! Keep up the good work! Just wow!

Probably one of the best happy hour spots in fishtown. Absolutely stunning decor with indoor/outdoor seating and open space environment.Happy hour lasts for one hour and the deals are great! I ordered the gimlet, which was refreshing and heavy on the lime. My friend ordered the daiquiri, which I will order next time. It wasn't a fruity slushy like consistency I was expecting at all.For food, I ordered the smash burger which came with a single patty, but was honestly filling. Especially with all the fries it came with!Fun vibes, great food, tasty drinks and friendly service!

One of my new favorite spots in the city for a cocktail and good vibes. I went with the Paloma Milk Punch which is their most popular cocktail on the menu and for good reason - it pours clear, is arguably TOO smooth, and is served with R&D branded ice. I don't think I'll ever come here and not order this cocktail. I also tried a classic margarita that was tajin-rimmed to perfection and glorious. We bellied up to the bar and were served by bartender Mike who kept the drinks flowing and was generally a total rockstar with recommendations. R&D has an excellent happy hour menu (though their happy hour is literally only ONE hour Mon-Thurs) and if I wasn't headed to dinner directly after, I would have loved to have tried their house popcorn. Bonus? They also serve Suraya hummus! Will have to save for my next visit. I am also looking forward to heading back and enjoying the indoor/outdoor feel in the summertime. This is clearly a very popular spot for date night (I think we saw 3-4 first or second dates occurring all around us!) so come for the great cocktails and stay for the eavesdropping. Thank you for a wonderful time, R&D!

So I only had one cocktail that was absolutely fantastic. I will say the vibe is so great and spot on with lighting. My only complaint is service. I appreciate them needing to card me a 31 year old woman, but the stare down combined with him bending my ID was intense. It was a slow hour on a Wednesday so I was confused. It kind of made my friends feel weird so they chose to not order and we moved on. I do think I'd give it another chance and hopefully find a better overall experience. Maybe he was having a weird day?

Such a cool fancy little cocktail bar in Fishtown. Loved my elevated Old Fashioned drink and my girlfriend liked her espresso martini as well. Extremely impressive ice cubes as well!

What a fun date night! We have heard such good things about R&D for cocktails, so we stopped by on a Friday night before a late night reservation at Middle Child. The beauty of R&D is that it's right in the heart of Fishtown and close to so many other good spots, so it's easy to pop in for a pre- or post-dinner drink. The vibe is speakeasy-esque, which we loved and is spot on for a cocktail bar. We were easily seated at a small table near the window, and even though the bar was busy, we still felt like we had an intimate experience. Not surprising, their menu is vast - truly something for everyone but also makes the decision so much more difficult! We steered away from the Back to Basics section since we wanted something more unique. We loved our selections, especially the R&D branded ice and the mini pancake garnish on my husband's old fashioned. The cocktails were incredibly well crafted with high quality ingredients - while we don't splurge on cocktails often, this experience was certainly worth the money! I would love to revisit R&D for other options and to try some food. It's just such a vibe, so I would highly recommend R&D for a date night or for out-of-town visitors who are into cocktails and want a showstopping experience. Thanks for a memorable evening, R&D!

Gaaaahhh!!! Please go here. It's a cute sexy vibe along a nice classy bar hop. The drinks are aaaaamazing. Try the Paloma milk punch (not shown and it's coconut and clear!) and then the tequila one that's on fire (disco nap) and the mezcal one (retrograde)... I forget the names but I guarantee they are all delicious. And cute big bathrooms!We couldn't get reservations cause we booked dinner prior and the OpenTable gods refused to believe we could do both. So walked in and the hostess told us 'yes! I just need the table back by 930' OK! I wish more restaurants did that. Gives the walk ins clear communication with direction AND you get that business . Others should follow cause how many times you be waiting and staring at an empty table--- yeah. Philly, we understand and can follow directions, give it to us direct. If it's gray... we will play!The server was friggin awesome. So personable, funny, charming and sweet. She saw our newlywed queerdos and fed us love and light! We will return, again and again. And one more time. Next time I'm bringing two more friends. Small intimate space and they have food but frfr you there to drink and be amazing.

Definitely one of the best cocktail bars in Philly! Very creative drinks (mine was literally on fire) plus your standard go-tos. The staff is very helpful if you have any questions or need a suggestion. Drinks are a bit pricey but we'll worth it. Highly recommend coming for a drink after dinner!