Jacob and Evan did a great job for us with brunch. The Mrs…read more and I both went with the Benedict and I substituted smoked salmon and neither of us regretted our choice We went at around Noon on the Sunday of Penn Relays. They were slowing down at the time which allowed us to get a quiet corner in a long booth. Would stop by again for sure the next time we are in the area.

Went to Louie Louie for an early dinner after watching my niece run in the Penn Relays. Had a…read morelovely time sitting in a pretty blue crescent shaped booth, away from the bar so we could easily hear each other speak. Service by Kate was impeccable, attentive and not intrusive, friendly and not obsequious. I had just come from Goldie's where I ingested a tehina shake and shwarma spiced fries so wasn't super hungry, but that didn't stop me from ordering two sides made into a meal: - side of salmon, 5/5, I don't usually enjoy eating the skin on the salmon but this one was perfectly crispy and so tasty! - side of broccolini, 5/5, tender and crisp at the same time, deliciousness of flavors This combo really was the perfect meal to offset all those fries I had just had! Everyone enjoyed their meals including: - cheese platter - nicoise salad - truffle fries - bacon wrapped dates - seafood salad (had three very large shrimp, real crabmeat) Highly recommend Louie Louie.

The Yelp rating hold up! The his place was great!…read more Out of towner here visiting for the weekend. Turned to Yelp to find a good place and this didn't disappoint. The restaurant has 2 levels and there is an elevator to the second floor. We were seated at a window which was quite nice. We were able to watch the city streets and architecture while enjoying our meal. The service was top notch, they were incredibly fast and attentive. All of the food was fantastic. If I lived around the area this would be a staple for a nice night out!

Had a lovely last minute brunch here on Saturday before we spent a day in the city before our…read moreflight home. We found a last minute reservation and walked quickly there. It's situated right near rittenhouse square so it's a bustling and great area. The spring festival was happening is it was PACKED! We were seated by a window and immediately given water. We ordered some lattes that took quite a while to arrive - we learned they have one coffee machine so things were backed up! Our serve apologized profusely and they gave us a sweet treat on the house at the end of our meal. I ordered the frittata which was delicious and my husband to the omelette . We also got the drop biscuits with strawberry rhubarb jam and omg am good! Our brunch was great and the interior was modern but felt homey and we had the best service and the manager also came to see things were going. I would definitely recommend this place and hope to come back next time I'm in town!

FANTASTIC place. Totally recommend and would absolutely go back…read more Easy to make a reservation over the phone and our party of 5 was welcomed and brought to our table upstairs. The upstairs area has a chill vibe with some Mario-themed art as well as a TV. It seems that the kitchen is upstairs, so a lot of waiters were flying by out table to the staircase. Our waiter was pretty chill. Apparently an O's fan, he was excited to learn we're from Baltimore. Food was all fantastic. The style of fries isn't my preference, but they were decent. Other than that, I was blown away. Child #1 and Child #2 got some items from the Kids' menu - grilled cheese and cheeseburger. Bread and Butter appetizer. Is it expensive for just being bread and butter? Yes. Is it worth it? Also yes. The homemade bread is great, but combine it with honey butter with flaky salt, and it's incredible. Loads of reviews on Yelp talked about the sausage roll. GET IT. It's greasy and filling in all the right ways. Goes great with a beer. My wife got the burger and she found it to be very tasty. I got the Grilled Maitake Mushrooms dish and holy cow; it's perfect. Even if you're not a vegetarian (I'm not), you can appreciate this dish: crispy rice cake (not the dry kind from the store), tender baby bok choy, and of course the well-cooked mushrooms are tied together with black vinegar, garlic-whipped tofu (!), and a peanut sauce. A++ would absolutely get again. The food menu has some staples, but overall it does change nightly, so make sure you check it out before you come. Apparently, on Sundays, they do a different experimental flavor of wings. I was curious, but my stomach has only so much room, so I had to draw the line. There is a respectable drink menu. My wife got the blood orange mezcalita, which she liked, but thought the smoke flavor was more subtle than described. I got the Plum Fizz and would totally get it again. Pleasantly-sour with a nice fizz. It's a nice pub in a nice neighborhood of a major city - be prepared for prices to match. But it is absolutely worth it.

One day I was craving a burger and decided to come to bad brother for the first time. I came on a…read moreMonday night not knowing there was a drinking event so it was pretty busy for a Monday. They were doing raffles if you ordered certain drafts but I decided to get a cocktail instead. The plum fizz was so delicious and refreshing. I liked that it wasn't too sweet or too strong (especially because it was a weekday) Anyways, because it was pretty busy I just sat myself at the bar. The bartenders were all so kind and nice and answered all of my questions. Apparently they do change some items on the menu and they do a martini and meatloaf Monday. I stuck with the burger and fries. When I tell you it was the best burger I've had in fairmount, I'm not exaggerating. I was expecting typical bar food but I was wrong. I will be back for sure and I'll be sure to tell all of my friends to go there as well. I've never had a meatloaf but just because the burger was so good I'll have to let my first one be at bad brother.

White Dog Cafe totally won me over. The space is incredible. It feels like you're walking through a…read moreseries of cozy, artsy rooms in a historic home, each one with its own personality. It's charming without trying too hard. I went for brunch and couldn't stop smiling the whole time. The coffee was so good I ordered a second cup without hesitation. I had the Farmers Plate and somehow even the eggs, which I'm usually picky about, were perfectly seasoned and cooked just right. You can really taste the quality and freshness in everything. The staff was upbeat and genuinely kind, checking in at the right moments and making the whole experience feel effortless. It's the kind of place where you lose track of time and end up lingering longer than planned. Already looking for an excuse to go back!

I really wanted this to be a perfect experience, but it was wholly unsatisfying. I will say, this…read moreis one of the most interesting and gorgeous restaurant venues I have ever visited. That was my favorite part, how interesting walking through each room was. Unfortunately, the service and food were problematic. We had a group, not huge by any means, but the group gratuity became an annoyance following the service. Most importantly, multiple people in the table were served undercooked fish--the inside of their salmon was completely raw. One of these guests also had a severe allergy, and was still given plates with that allergen after alerting the server multiple times. One of the pomegranate margaritas we got was undrinkably spicy. The staff did replace the salmon, but it was sad to see multiple members of our group get cold and undercooked food. Furthermore, our table set the reservation during the Fearless Restaurant week--but when we asked for the special menu advertised online, our server had no clue what we were talking about. He had to ask us what the items on the prix fixe menu were. And after all that, the multiple drinks each person at our table got, the mid-level set price for the 3-course special, we were still hungry. The portions for the fearless menu were really small. But, due to their menu prices, rather than order more I went home for a second dinner. I really wanted to like this restaurant, but I'm disappointed and underwhelmed. The food was alright, but not for the price and experience we got.

Amazing service and food! Every element of the dishes are meant to be enjoyed together and were…read moreintentionally designed. Highlights were the beef tartare (best I've ever had, super tender and a flavorful but fresh at the same time) and the grilled prawns (grilled to perfection with fragrant aroma, paired perfectly with the coconut sauce). The special was uni with squid couscous - a delicious seafood combo for seafood lovers! Not heavy at all. Everything on the raw menus is honestly good. I'm more biased towards the on toast and small plates in terms of quality. Recommend getting ~6 dishes for 2 people. Ask for the specials of the day. Service was also top notch!

We visited Vernick on my birthday in July before a show at the Academy of Music, and we had a…read morewonderful dining experience. Vernick has been on our radar for a while; in addition to all its accolades throughout the years, a friend from high school worked as a chef here a few years ago, so we've been meaning to visit. We had early dinner res to make it to our show, and we were seated very quickly and right in front of the kitchen, an ideal spot. Service was spot on, checking in on us appropriately and being mindful of our time restrictions. We actually had a bunch of time in between finishing our meal and going to the show but never felt rushed, sign of great hospitality. I was also surprised and excited to receive a complimentary small dessert at the conclusion of our meal for my birthday - an unnecessary but appreciated touch. For food, we really relied on our waiter to guide us to the right number of dishes to order. The kitchen provided a small bite to kick off the meal - a gazpacho and pastry puff, a nice touch. We started our selections with the blue crab toast, which was so "meaty" and nicely paired with the lemon and tarragon. We then moved on to the yellow fin tuna, which featured cute crispy rice to give a little crunch. For some greens, we opted for the broccolini with golden raisins and pine nuts; what a fun combination! We were convinced to order a seasonal panzanella with peaches and peppers that was perfect for the season and hot weather, so we were grateful for the encouragement! To continue the summer produce trend, we also had the grilled romaine salad with strawberries and basil dressing, nice and refreshing. Lastly, for our main, we opted for the halibut with miso mushrooms and tomatoes. The fish was so light and flaky but paired excellently with the meaty mushrooms. We each enjoyed a cocktail with our meals (their selection offers something for everyone, including N/A options), which paired nicely as well. It seemed like a ton of food, but each plate is small enough that the menu lends itself to allow the diner to enjoy multiple dishes from the entire menu. We had a lovely dinner at Vernick, and the wait was well worth it. It is a price spot, but the quality of the food is well worth it. I love their focus on seasonal items for their various "sides" and small plates, and the "main" dishes were all so simple yet complex and intriguing. The hospitality was great, really allowing the memory of the evening to linger. I would love to revisit and to try the other Vernick spots in the near future!

Middle child is a must try. Especially if you're a breakfast person (like me), but I'm sure you…read moreknew that already. Doors opened at 9am and for a Thursday morning, there was no problem finding a table. Order at the front, get your number, wait for your coffee (optional), and find a seat. Water, glasses, silverware, etc is self serve in the middle of the seating area. The green and white restaurant felt nostalgic but not old. Okay so boom: Big pancake (opted for the citrus honey syrup): So good I could cry Latka'd hash brown: a cool play on hash browns, but I prefer a traditional potato latke. The dill sour cream was delicious. Classic breakfast sandwich: too much egg for my liking but good nonetheless. My blunder was not adding any avocado, meat, or anything. I won't make that mistake againz Honey cinnamon latte (iced): sooo enjoyable. From the bar (opens at 10am) Espresso-tini: not your typical. I enjoyed it but it is Absinthe forward, so I can see that not being everyone's cup of tea not for everyone Parking is a beast, but we made it work. I'll be going back again, and again, and again...

Great vibes & service All food was good…read moreSpicy marg x3 so delicious Very yummi def order a few things per person

This restaurant is 2 floors and so beautiful! It's modern with nice splashes of color and it was…read moresuch a vibe. Service was fantastic. This was a great spot for a girl's dinner. It's casual but you won't be out of place if you dress up. For food, we started with the crispy calamari that came with a citrus frisee salad and was already sauced up. It was a unique style that I enjoyed and much lighter than other calamari dishes I've had. The petite plateau was perfect for sharing among the 4 of us. Everything was fresh and delicious while being presented so beautifully. The cocktails I had were good. They were different from ones I typically order which I thought was fun to experiment with new flavors to see what I like. One had a pickle garnish and the other was with a non-smoky mezcal. For entrees, most of us got pasta which were all handmade and tasty. My favorite was the one with crab & vodka sauce. The cacio e Pepe & mushroom ones were also good. What stood out the most during the meal was dessert. We got the double chocolate mousse and that was one of the best chocolate mousses I've ever had! It was so gorgeous and topped with a sunflower seed praline & had tangy passionfruit sauce at the bottom which made for a flavor explosion. I was so impressed! The key lime panna cotta was also a work of art topped with candied sourdough that provided a nice crunch to the creamy texture of this dish. It was so yummy! I can't wait to go back again!

Stopped at Wilder for a birthday dinner, so cute on the inside (and pretty easy to make a…read morereservation). We enjoyed splitting the rolls and some pizza (and broccolini, not pictured). Everything was pretty good! Would stop by again (but I think I prefer their brunch!)

Literally one of the best meals I've ever had!…read more So this is definitely a splurge, it's expensive. But you are getting not only spectacular food, but exquisite service, a gorgeous and intimate environment and a long and lingering meal - they aren't rushing you out here, they want you to rest between courses and have an excellent experience. It's a set prix fix menu that changes regularly of seven courses plus an opening snack and two desserts. Portions are tiny but it adds up and you will not leave hungry! I am a vegetarian and they easily accommodated me with advanced notice. They also offer a wine pairing, which we skipped, but know friends have done it and said it was fabulous (but be forewarned... they give full pours so you will be very tipsy!). We saw some couples sharing a single wine pairing and that seemed like a smart idea. It's very hard to get a reservation- on the first of the month they open up reservations for the following month, and they go fast! It's on the second floor of an old townhouse so there are stairs to climb. The first floor is a bar with first come, first serve seating. At the bar they have a different menu with full sized portions. Can't wait to go back and try that out! Highly, highly recommend and I can't wait for an excuse to go back!

I was so excited to go to FSS after they won a Michelin star. However, I left disappointed and will…read morelikely not be returning. We got the tasting menu (with the additional lobster snack), and got 3 drinks total. After tax and tip, this meal cost us ~$600 dollars for 2 people. At that price point this should've been the best meal I've ever had in philly - or one of the best in my life tbh. But I was so disappointed in each dish. Almost everything fell flat to my palate. With small bite presentations such as this, I firmly believe that each bite needs to taste like a flavor bomb in my mouth. Instead, it all tasted very 2 dimensional and was severely lacking in some acidity or spice. Didn't even bother taking a picture of all the dishes. I don't believe FSS is on par with other Michelin star meals I've had, especially not at this price point. Overall, don't waste your money at FSS if you want to celebrate an occasion. You're honestly better off going to a starr restaurant and paying less than half the price ‍