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    ERA

    3.9 (208 reviews)
    ModerateEthiopian, Dive Bars
    Closed 4:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

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    ERA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Divey
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - ERA

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    Reviews With Photos

    Derek Tibs
    Orrin E.

    True - it is a dive bar, so you know what to expect for ambiance, but every time we've gone it's exceeded our expectations. Staff and clients are friendly, and the food is amazing. Really solid Ethiopian cuisine. The last time we were there we went with lamb and chicken, this time around we tried the beef tips with greens and veggies. Our only complaint was that they happened to be out of eggs- which gives us a reason to return. Looking forward to exploring more of the menu.

    Era Combination
    Sneha S.

    The front part is a bar and back part has seating space for food. The cuisine is unique and the food was excellent. The family style was enjoyable and the server was kind and very friendly. Great option to try Ethiopian flavours.

    Combo platter
    Robert Z.

    You would not expect an amazing Ethiopian restaurant behind a pretty normal dive bar but that's exactly what ERA is. We came by right as they were closing and they still sat and fed our party of 4, which was just an A+ in my book. They also sat us with a smile and did not rush us to finish our meal. The food itself was amazing, I always have a soft spot for Ethiopian food. Theres just always such a variety of flavors and it goes so well with the soft, slightly sour injera. We got the combo platter and it was enough to feed 4 people well. I can't even recall the specific meats we got but it was all just amazing so I doubt you'd be disappointed with any choices you make!

    Era Combination with derek tibs, doro wot, and shiro
    Jen T.

    Tasty Ethiopian spot with a full bar, billiards table, and a few tables for dining. It mostly feels like a bar. Our server was the bartender, and she was friendly and helpful, though service was a tad slow because she was handling everyone's orders and the food took a while to prepare. There were three of us, so we opted for the Era Combination, which comes with three entrees of your choice plus all the sides (the collard greens, yellow lentils, and atakilt wot or cabbage with potato and onion). The waitress recommended the derek tibs, shiro, and doro wot, which I thought were all very yummy. The one thing though: the derek tibs consisted of small chunks of beef that were very dry and tough. My husband didn't like the texture at all and felt like it was burnt. I've never had derek tibs before so I'm not sure what it's supposed to taste like, but I didn't mind the texture. Overall, the injera was soft and tasty, the food was super flavorful, and I'd definitely come back!

    Inside
    Che D.

    Came here today to have dinner with my mom and her husband. I finally realized that you won't get the maximum experience of Era unless you order the family style option. Big is the way to go. Otherwise it's a total waste. Era excels at large portions but individual plates are abysmal...tasty but not worth it. We had beef, lamb and chicken and it was absolutely amazing. The waitress was friendly and helped us decide on the level of spice that suited our palate. I like Era because it's part dive bar, part restaurant. I'll be back but only when I know I'll be with at least 3 people or more.

    Atakilt wat on the left (which I had ordered as my main but it came as a tiny side), shiro wat in the pot, misir wat on the right.
    Jenny S.

    What a joke! I can't believe they're actually charging money for this "sampler size"! I know Ethiopian food because I travel a lot and it is my #1 go to in bigger cities where you can find it. But I have never been so disappointed in the portion sizes. And, most places will offer a combo platter with 4-5 dishes. I ordered the atakilt wat (on the left) as my main, but it came as a measly side instead. I can't believe they're charging almost $20 for these two tablespoons of food!! The quality of the food almost doesn't even matter here, because there was barely enough to even taste it. That being said, it was lacking in flavor and depth of spices. We had originally ordered this for two people! So, my friend had to order a separate dish and wait while the rest of us in the group ate our measly portions. My friend ordered something with beef and said that the meat was burnt and dry. It looked it. Even the injera (bread) was gummy. The waitress couldn't have cared less when I mentioned the teeny portion sizes. I would never turn down Ethiopian food unless someone mentioned this place again. Stay home and eat Top Ramen instead.

    Lionshead and Heaven Hill Citywide Special
    Joe L.

    I must admit, I was a bit confused when I walked into the bar. "How is this an Ethiopian restaurant?" "Because they serve Ethiopian food." OK, then. If you are hungry, I would suggest going to the restaurant part of the building (that I didn't see). My friends and I went to the bar, where I think they also serve food. Got it? I took advantage of the Citywide Special and got the Lionshead Pilsner with the shot of Heaven Hill. I recommend taking advantage of this deal. I live in Southern California where this is unheard of. They also had a pretty good draft and bottled beer selection, including Lancaster Milk Stout (I used to be the brewer!) I didn't get to try any of the victuals, but, maybe next time? There were a number of vegetarian options that looked like they would be vegan, but I would ask to be sure. I hope to check out Era again the next time I visit your city. If I get to try the food, this review will be updated.

    Gloria E.

    I've been to just about every Ethio place in the city, and ERA was last on the list. Coming on a Wednesday for Quizzo, a trivia night where you can win a gift card or sometimes small prizes, we ordered a few city wide specials, a few beers, and the meat combo platter. The hefty price of over 40 dollars really threw me, since usually for that price, you can get 4 separate meals at my fave ethio places, but I went for it. We were a group of 3. Platter was impressive. Bar was a little cramped for Quizzo, but we made it work and ate quickly. For three people, we knocked out the whole thing pretty easily. What I first noticed is that they give less than one slice of injera per person. The injera is also a lot less sour than injera is at some places-- a pro or a con, depending on what is your favorite type. The three meats were unique-- the kitfo (raw) was flavored well, and they gave a lot! But the derek tibs, arguably the cheapest to make, were gone in only a few bites. Also the yebeg (lamb) wasn't very saucy. By the end, wish we'd left one person at home. What they lack in giving meat, they try to make up for by giving so many veggies, the bites are endless. Really great lentils, too. Everything else standard. Think the standard for the platter should have been at least one piece of injera per person, though. Don't think I'd eat here again very soon, as the portions don't match the prices, but fun to try out.

    Mike P.

    So a friend too a few of us here when we were visiting, we walked over from his place and it was worth the walk. I had never had ethiopian food prior and have always wanted to try it. I was curious about what kind of thing would be on the menu. We ended up getting a sampled platter for 4. We got lamb chicken and beef and a few sides. The food was pretty awesome. I liked the idea of using the bread/pancake to scoop food and eat it. I don't remember what everything was name wise, but i really did like the lamb. It was suppose to be spicy but i didn't find it particularly so, but i may have also burned off most of my spicy taste buds. The chicken and beef were also good but not as good as the lamb. The only improvement on the meal specifically the sample platter was that we got 3 sides but they gave us like 6-9 portions total. It would have been nice to get maybe 6 portions and been able to try all the sides or more of them.

    Doro Wot
    Shannon H.

    I must first admit that I have nothing to compare this to. My husband asked if I wanted to celebrate my last student day with Ethiopian Fios and I said yes. I had to get past the look because I am not a fan of looking at the craters in the bread, but it was quite delicious. I enjoyed it enough that I got it later in the week for takeout. I gave them four stars because the establishment can get quite warm. Please fix the AC.

    Yedoro Wat (Chicken and Egg), Yebeg Tibs (Lamb), Atkelt Wot (Cabbage and Potatoes), Miser Lentils, Gomen (Collard Greens), and Salad.

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Tastiest food on (basically) Girard. Service was great and the ambience is also. Will definitely go again

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    2 years ago

    One of the best meals out we have had in a long time! Get the Lamb Wot! Fantastic! Server/bartender was very polite and very helpful!

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    3 years ago

    Huge portions, freshly cooked, wings were wonderful. Service was impeccable and I could see their connection to the community. Please visit

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    Good Dog Bar - Short Rib Grilled Cheese

    Good Dog Bar

    3.9(1.5k reviews)
    1.9 miAvenue of the Arts South, Rittenhouse Square
    $$

    Good bar with solid food offerings. We needed a place to…read morenosh and watch some basketball during our visit to Philly. Good Dog checked the boxes. Multiple TV's, a good variety of draft and canned beverages, and good food choices. The soup special for the day was split pea with ham. Talk about a little childhood nostalgia, Hit the spot! The french fries and wings were also good. Great place to take a break while walking around the city.

    This hole in the wall was really cute. Super small, love the dog photos all over the wall. I came…read morefor a conference and I liked the welcome message they wrote on the wall. I'm not sure how accountable this review will be, as I did take out not stayed. They were having happy hour but it didn't count for me as I was take out I guess. I got the mozzarella sticks were bomb with the sauce and I got the creamy Mac and cheese. I was excited for the Mac and cheese because I had one last night that was amazing from somewhere else. I got back to my hotel my second but I found a hair. Like a fatty I threw it to the side and kept eating it anyways. Unlike a true fatty, I didn't finish it. So unholy for a Mac and cheese lover like myself... but it was too acidic for me. I couldn't keep eating it. So I'm basing this review solely on the food. The service seemed ok? They seemed nice, but can't judge that as I did take out.

    Photos
    Good Dog Bar - Good dogs at the Good Dog 4/10/25

    Good dogs at the Good Dog 4/10/25

    Good Dog Bar - Fried Mozzarella

    Fried Mozzarella

    Good Dog Bar - Softshell crab sandwich special

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    Softshell crab sandwich special

    Ye Olde Ale House - roast beef + sharp provolone + gravy on the side (on the side is the way to go, standard)

    Ye Olde Ale House

    4.0(235 reviews)
    9.3 mi
    $

    Finally got here! Ye Olde Ale House My good buddy Erik…read moreMalmberg has been telling me about these beef sandwiches since the day I first met him. Recently, The Godfather of Meat did a keen review and video, in which everything looked awesome. It took us about 45 minutes from Emmaus, and it was worth the trip. House made roasted beef with the house gravy on a sensational Kaiser roll -- was what we came for and they delivered! Piled high and fresh with provolone cheese. This is the best beef sandwich I have had in decades. Simple quality at its finest! This has quickly become my gold standard classic beef sandwich. The "Matt Fries", were interesting and completely unique: fresh crispy fries topped with generous black pepper, old bay seasoning, Parmesan cheese and Turkey gravy. It worked! We enjoyed them and the large portion was more than enough for 2-3 people. Steph Rush very much enjoyed the mussels in red sauce -- another generous portion, served with was bread. I had an order of the cold shrimp , which is weekends only. Fresh, cooked perfectly and extra horseradish in the cocktail sauce by request. We were overjoyed with what we ordered and I love they have birch beer on tap, my favorite! The joint was packed and busy, our waitress had her hands full in her section. We are looking forward to a return trip ! #rushieeats

    Had a craving for a good roast beef sandwich and remembered the 'godfather of meat' just raved…read moreabout this place. First off the place was packed. We secured the last booth available, ordered our drinks and anxiously awaited the infamous beef sandwiches. To say I was disappointed is a bit harsh, but worthy of such high accolades they are not. It is a decent fresh made beef sandwich, but nothing compared to DiNics. I would also rate Bob Morton's over this sandwich as well. Probably on par with Old original Nicks in Springfield- but their gravy fries are superior over the Olde Ale House. We also ordered wing that were overcooked , dry and only adorned with basic hot sauce, lacking the flavor profile we prefer. A good place to try, a decent sandwich and friendly service. A full 3 stars and another beef under our belts. Onto the next.

    Photos
    Ye Olde Ale House - Watching the sandwiches get put together -

    Watching the sandwiches get put together -

    Ye Olde Ale House - Buffalo chicken wings

    Buffalo chicken wings

    Ye Olde Ale House - Exterior

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    Exterior

    ERA - ethiopian - Updated May 2026

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