vgatto Reviews - The Beer Mapping Project

2nd Street Brew House

vgatto - score: 83.3 — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:50:23 EDT

Brewery
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 19 May 2013 21:50:23 EDT

Overall Score: 83.3
Selection: 4.25 | Service: 4.25 | Atmosphere: 4 | Food: 3.75

Reviewer: vgatto

The eponymous street boasts a fantastic string of craft beer bars, but the 2nd Street Brew House is somewhat remotely apart, about a half mile south of the more popular Old City bars. It is a pale stucco three-story building with small brown awnings and an elevated street corner entrance. Parking is free along the street in this urban residential area of Philly. Enter and their 12 chair wooden bar is on the left with a few televisions overhead, and there are a couple high top tables on the right. The place is relatively small and is partitioned halfway back by a partial wall. Past that are six more bar chairs and just a few tables. The walls are wood paneled and trimmed with warm red string lights. The colors are dark earth tones with wooden floors and tiled ceilings that create a compact, cozy space. The atmosphere is casually relaxed yet alive with a warm energy. The bartended was friendly and approachable. The food is simple but varied, including appetizers, salads, wraps, sandwiches, pizza, and Mexican fare. The bar has 12 taps, mostly regional craft beer with a couple international surprises. Despite their name, they do not brew their own beer. Regrettably they do not offer sampler flights, but they do offer growler fills. They have a very decent standard offering in bottles, plus at least a dozen rare or seasonal specials. I enjoyed the local neighborhood bar feel of this place. With 12 craft brews on tap and over 65 in bottles, you're bound to find something new and interesting in this cozy, casual pub. 2nd Street Brew House is yet another respectable craft beer bar in perhaps the greatest beer-hunting city on the east coast.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com

12 Steps Down

vgatto - score: 75.0 — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:26:38 EDT

Beer Bar
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 19 May 2013 21:26:38 EDT

Overall Score: 75.0
Selection: 4 | Service: 4 | Atmosphere: 3.25 | Food: 3.5

Reviewer: vgatto

At the northern end of the Italian Market District is a dive bar that serves a decent variety of craft beer. You can find free street parking around this two-story brick street-corner building. Descend a dozen concrete steps below street level to enter a loud, lively and smoky atmosphere. In the center of the large room is a three sided 18 chair copper topped bar, with many chairs along the wall. Past that is a frequently used pool table surrounded by several dining tables. Several televisions populate the circumference and chalkboards display the beer list. Tile floors, low ceilings, and poor acoustics create a lively tavern atmosphere. Patrons are more likely to wear tank tops than buttoned shirts, cursing is the norm, and interior smoking is allowed. Simply put, this is not a family friendly bar. The bar offers 10 taps in a variety of styles, but unfortunately most patrons appear to drink common national beers in bottles or cans. The bottled list includes about 75 varieties covering all styles. The service is friendly and attentive. The pub fare menu includes appetizers and sandwiches, but and hope at savory aroma is completely lost in residual smoke. 12 Steps Down seems like a popular place for rowdy locals, but I'd place this near the bottom of my list for craft beer bars in Philly.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com

Kite and Key Tavern

vgatto - score: 86.7 — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:42:02 EDT

Beer Bar
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 19 May 2013 20:42:02 EDT

Overall Score: 86.7
Selection: 4.25 | Service: 4.25 | Atmosphere: 4.5 | Food: 4.5

Reviewer: vgatto

Kite And Key is a popular Philly cafe located just a short stroll from Logan Square. This urban jewel features deliciously upscale pub fare and an excellent craft beer selection. The tan concrete building has a small awning over the black entrance door, and windowed doors open from the bar area to the sidewalk during nice weather. A colorful kite and key mural over the Philly skyline adorns the opposite building's side wall. The obvious reference is to Ben Franklin's experiments with electricity. Several black metal patio tables are spaced along the side of the building. Parking is metered along the street. Inside on the left, the bar area has several high top tables and a10 chair wooden bar. Behind the bar is a brick wall that is well stocked with liquors and decorated with an authentic beer serving engine. The floors are wooden and the walls are decorated with a great variety of beer serving trays and several televisions. Up a few steps on a spilt level is a small mirror-backed dining room. The food menu includes a good variety of appetizers, salads, mussels, flatbreads, sandwiches, and dinner specials. The bar offers 14 craft brews on tap and about 40 bottled, a mix of national and global crafts plus a few common bar standards. The servers were busy but efficient, as plenty of patrons lingered to chat and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. Kite and Key is open and inviting, with enticing cuisine aromas filling the air. If you are near Logan Square, a visit here for food and drinks is highly recommended.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com

O'Neals Pub

vgatto - score: 78.3 — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 19:30:43 EDT

Beer Bar
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 24 Mar 2013 19:30:43 EDT

Overall Score: 78.3
Selection: 3.75 | Service: 4 | Atmosphere: 4 | Food: 4.0

Reviewer: vgatto

This area of Philly's Queen Village, known as South Street Head House District, reminds me of New Orleans' Bourbon Street. Erotic shops and tattoo parlors are dispersed amongst a great variety of shopping, bars and restaurants. Street parking is metered, and can be challenging during peak hours. South Street, from 3rd Street to 8th Street, is an area of great diversity and all kinds of cuisine. At the eastern end of this dense craft beer area is O'Neals Pub, a traditional Irish tavern. The exterior facade is brown wood at street level, with orange, white and green painted upper floors. Enter and their 14-chair wooden bar is on the right. The typical pub decor with tiled ceiling is cozy and inviting. The bar offers 13 taps of common imports and domestics plus just a few craft brews. Behind the bar a refrigerator with about 100 common global craft beers. Further back is their blue booth dining area, and past that is a door to their small outdoor back patio beer garden, which has several tables and an overhead wooden trellis. Upstairs is a second 17-chair wooden bar, several dining tables and a dart board. The food menu is pub fare, sandwiches and a few English / Irish inspired dishes. O'Neals is a comfortable, casual neighborhood tavern.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com

Jon's Bar and Grille

vgatto - score: 88.3 — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 19:16:45 EDT

Beer Bar
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 24 Mar 2013 19:16:45 EDT

Overall Score: 88.3
Selection: 4.5 | Service: 4.5 | Atmosphere: 4.25 | Food: 4.25

Reviewer: vgatto

This area of Philly's Queen Village, known as South Street Head House District, reminds me of New Orleans' Bourbon Street. Erotic shops and tattoo parlors are dispersed amongst a great variety of shopping, bars and restaurants. Street parking is metered, and can be challenging during peak hours. South Street, from 3rd Street to 8th Street, is an area of great diversity and all kinds of cuisine. At the eastern end of this dense craft beer area is the storied Jon's Bar & Grille, a brick building with green awnings. Its claim to fame is being the birthplace of Larry Fine, who played Larry of the Three Stooges. In front is an outdoor patio at street level, and there is a second floor outdoor patio too. Enter from 3rd Street into the bar area, which has a 13-chair 3-sided wooden bar and several overhead televisions throughout the place. There is a separate dining room to the right, and upstairs is a second dining room and exit to the upper patio. The decor naturally includes plenty of Three Stooges memorabilia. The food menu is large with good sandwiches and varied entrees. The bar offers 20 well chosen craft beers on tap with emphasis on bold seasonal selections. Wonderfully you can create your own 4 beer sampler flight. They also have about 70 bottles, a mix of common bar standards and exceptional global craft brews. In all, I really like this place. The Stooges history gives it a tourist feel, but don't be mistaken; this is a respectable craft beer bar and grill.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com

Finnigans Wake

vgatto - score: 76.7 — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 18:11:38 EDT

Beer Bar
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 24 Mar 2013 18:11:38 EDT

Overall Score: 76.7
Selection: 3.5 | Service: 4 | Atmosphere: 4 | Food: 3.5

Reviewer: vgatto

Finnigan's Wake is located at the southern edge of Philly's Northern Liberties neighborhood, which has several places to eat and drink within walking distance. Parking is free or metered along the streets, depending whether you park on the main road or a side street. This massive four story building has a colorful blue, green and purple facade, painted like a series of several Dublin shop fronts. This exterior decor belies the building's interior size, which has a total of five bars! Enter and ascend a few stairs to the main floor which has two bars, many tables and a small stage for live music. The 4-sided 40-chair main bar is old brick topped with faded wood past its useful life. The main level's nearby second bar is smaller with 16 chairs. More bars and space for dining and fun are upstairs. The food menu is very simple pub fare, appetizers, sandwiches and a few English / Irish pub dishes. They have 16 taps of draft beer, which are all unimpressive common bar standards. The service is just adequate, decent for a casual pub, but not very knowledgeable about craft beer.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com

Revolution House

vgatto - score: 81.7 — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 17:34:54 EDT

Beer Bar
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 24 Mar 2013 17:34:54 EDT

Overall Score: 81.7
Selection: 3.75 | Service: 4.25 | Atmosphere: 4.25 | Food: 4.25

Reviewer: vgatto

This area of Old City Philly has many interesting places to drink and dine within easy walking distance. Metered parking can be challenging, and there are several pay decks in the area. Revolution House is conveniently located at the intersection of Market and 2nd Street. It is a two-story beige building with black awnings and street-corner entrance. Downstairs they have an 8 chair wooden bar on the right with dining tables and booths further back. Wooden floors and walls and warm lighting create a colonial atmosphere. In the back are stairs leading to their upper level, which has a small dining lounge area and a second 8 chair bar. Also upstairs is an enclosed outdoor patio with plastic walls and ceilings. Space heaters provide warmth and there is a nice view looking down on Old City. The service is friendly and attentive. Revolution House is open for brunch through dinner, with a good variety of pizza and entrees. They have 8 beers on tap which are mostly regional crafts, and about a dozen bottled beers including common standards and well chosen crafts. It is not an expansive beer selection, but Revolution House is a charming place to relax and dine.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com

Society Hill Hotel and Bar Restaurant

vgatto - score: 78.3 — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:50:34 EDT

Beer Bar
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:50:34 EDT

Overall Score: 78.3
Selection: 3.75 | Service: 4.25 | Atmosphere: 3.75 | Food: 3.75

Reviewer: vgatto

Formerly called Society Hill Bar, and located adjacent to Society Hill Hotel, this relatively small bar is now named Monkey Bar. This area of Old City Philly has many interesting places to drink and dine within easy walking distance. Metered parking can be challenging, and there are several pay decks in the area. There are a few black patio tables out front, and the bar has a wooden green facade, with a green awning over its street corner entrance. Enter into the bar area which has 14 high top wooden tables and a 12 chair wooden bar on the left. The bar has 10 draft taps, a mix of common bar beers plus popular national craft labels. In bottles, they have only about 15 varieties of typical bar beers. The atmosphere is lackluster but the service is great, and their specialty martinis are worth considering. Their food menu is short, with burgers and several seafood dishes. Their theme is a bit silly, but fun. It is a decent place for cocktails or beer with retro background music.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com

Druid's Keep, The

vgatto - score: 78.3 — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:58:03 EDT

Beer Bar
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:58:03 EDT

Overall Score: 78.3
Selection: 3.75 | Service: 4 | Atmosphere: 4 | Food: 3.5

Reviewer: vgatto

Druid's Keep is located in Philly's Northern Liberties neighborhood, which has several places to eat and drink within walking distance. Parking is free or metered along the streets. Druid's Keep has a street corner entrance in a 3 story brick building. It is a relatively small place, and their 12 stool bar is on left, with a few high top tables on the right. Behind the bar is a refrigerated case of about 50 bottled varieties of beer. They also have 9 draft taps, nearly all regional craft brews. The food menu is simple pub fare. Past the bar is an adjacent room with a pool table and dart board. Past that is an exit to their outdoor patio area. The service is friendly, and this is a relaxed neighborhood bar.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com

Sassafras Cafe

vgatto - score: 75.0 — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:16:20 EDT

Beer Bar
Date and time reviewed: Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:16:20 EDT

Overall Score: 75.0
Selection: 3.5 | Service: 4 | Atmosphere: 3.75 | Food: 3.75

Reviewer: vgatto

This area of Old City Philly has many interesting places to drink and dine within easy walking distance. Metered parking can be challenging, and there are several pay decks in the area. Sassafras feels slightly upscale, with the atmosphere of an early 20th century soft jazz bar. Appropriate music wafts in the background. The decor features mosaic floor tiles, ornate ceiling tiles, and walls that are half tiled and half ornate paisley wallpaper. The soft lighting gives a comfortable ambience which contrasts with the otherwise sterile tiled motif. On the right are a few high top tables, with more dining tables further back. On the left is their 12 chair wooden bar with large dark wooden framed mirrors, and a well dressed deer bust with a nice fedora hat. The bar has just 6 choice craft beers on tap, plus a few dozen bottled common national crafts and imports. The food menu consists of appetizers, sandwiches, and a few entrees which honestly don't seem to live up to the theme. The service is adequate. In conclusion, Sassafras ranks relatively low on my list for this area, as there are much better places nearby.

Link to this Review at beermapping.com