Frame Philly

I didn't see it anywhere so posting for any future patrons - 48 record bar is located inside…read moreSassfras bar - upstairs to be specific. Drinks were good but music was way too loud!

Great spot, i will say... the music they were playing was very much so elevator music. Wish it was…read moresomething cooler or more interesting considering it has so many records and is named for that reason. Also, we confirmed the closing time when we entered the bar (the bartender confirmed last call at 1:45 bar closes at 2am). At 1:30 the music stopped and everyone cleared out. We felt very awkward leaving at 1:45. If they wanted people out earlier they should have let us know.

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Sassafras Bar

4.4(456 reviews)

I wish Jen and I had shown up in matching flapper dresses because Sassafras feels like stepping…read morestraight into the 1920s. Huge bar, giant wall of liquor bottles, dim lighting, and a cool old-school vibe. I told the bartender that ordering a beer in a place like this felt like I was insulting him. He laughed and told me not to worry about it. The drink special was called "Naked and Famous," which honestly sounded like the perfect cocktail to order in honor of Jen. But then I spotted a dark beer on the menu that sounded too good to pass up. If you follow me, you know I'm slowly becoming a dark beer guy. I liked it a lot. The sandwich special was a cheesesteak. Sorry, I should've taken a picture of the menu. But I really enjoyed it, and for $18 it came with a mountain of seasoned fries, which feels like a bargain these days. Bomb Shell: the two people working absolutely crushed it. I don't know if they were understaffed or if Monday night got busier than expected, but they were working their tails off the entire time. Even with that, they stayed polite, friendly, helpful, and incredibly accommodating to the guy carrying around a mannequin. Great visit to Sassafras!

I had wanted to come here for sooo long and I should have gone sooner! Sassafras bar is soooo good!…read moreSince it was Valentine's Day we had about a 10 min wait to get seats at the bar - not bad. We both ordered a special cocktail - pornstar martini - and wowwwww it was so good. We didn't have time to stay for more unfortunately but I can't wait to go back. Great ambiance and our bartender was awesome.

Bar

French snap and an old fashioned

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French 95

Cocktail Culture Co

5.0(29 reviews)

0.0 mi•Old City

This was worth every bit of the 5 star rating I gave!…read more I've been wanting to try this place for a couple years and finally had the opportunity to do so. The organization and seating was clear and optically pleasing, the fruits were fresh and tasty, and the support staff was awesome! While I'm traditionally not a cocktail person, my new go to is a mezcal margarita for a cocktail option. While this time I experienced the fruit cocktail class, I would certainly want to try their other classes.

Came here with my office and had a great class experience! Our instructor was very friendly and did…read morea great job managing our group's different tastes. We did the herb-themed class and got to incorporate lots of fresh ingredients into our drinks. We made three throughout the class, but we didn't feel rushed. We just wish there was something to snack on while drinking (chips, popcorn, crackers,etc). We all had come straight from work, so it did feel like a lot of alcohol without anything to snack on. The classes are held in Infusion Lounge, an upstairs bar/night club.

The bookcase

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Herb-themed class

Buena Vista Mexican Restaurant

4.4(9 reviews)

This restaurant occupies the space where Han Dynasty used to be. The entrance is on Chestnut…read morestreet. Very big space. I got there on Wednesday around 6 and there were only a couple of customers at the bar. I almost left because I didn't see any employees. Finally someone came out to greet me and seated me in the middle are. He had to put some paper at the bottom of the table because it was a bit wobbly. A lot of choices in the menu. I ordered guacamole and chips for appetizers and it came out right away. The chips are fresh and not stale. Good amount of guacamole. Street corn aka elote. The corn is juicy. Unfortunately, it was not enrobed with mayo and cotija cheese as a typical elote should be. Fried plantain: not many slices. They are dry and not sweet . I was hoping for more ripe plantain Birria tacos: small tacos, the consommé lacks of depth of flavor. I could only taste saltines. The waiter asked if I wanted rice and beans. I said only beans. It's basically mashed refried beans. I wasn't aware that it costs extra $4. My husband ordered this dish served in half pineapple. It has chorizo and shrimp. Again , lacking depth of flavor, very salty. Service was great. The staff is friendly. Credit card is accepted but with a fee. There's an ATM if you prefer to pay with cash.

Wow! So good! Our whole party was pleasantly surprised at how good everything was. Started with a…read morePITCHER of margarita which easily could have served like 10 people! It was only $50 so well worth it. The michelada was really good so we would recommend that too. For starters, we had the ceviche and it was amazing and also the street corn (it's so good, you should order two!). Everything on the menu that we had was delicious; however, the carne asada taco portion was a little small so make sure you order a side of rice and beans. For dessert, the churros were to die for: they came with ice cream too! We don't order dessert too often but I was so glad we did! The space is HUGE and there was no problem getting sat right away on a Saturday night. They do turn it into a dance club at night so we'll have to go back. Servers are nice and attentive and we will definitely be back!

Bar and seating area

Chicken nachos and stuffed jalapeños

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Chairs

Almanac

4.5(29 reviews)

Drinks were outstanding, and so was the food! This actually came as a surprise since Almanac is…read moremarketed as more of a cocktail bar/speakeasy. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since they are located right about Ogawa (also amazing)! We tried the omakase cocktail, which was really fun and creative. Although if I'm paying $25 for a drink, I do expect a bit more of a presentation... The scallop crispy rice was absolutely a favorite, we had to order two! The toro was also a standout, although how can you go wrong with toro, uni, and caviar? The wagyu dog itself was great, but the roll it was on was dry. In my opinion, the bread makes or breaks a sandwich, so points off for that one. The ambiance was cozy, if a little dark at times. Our waitress was knowledgeable and attentive and gave us good recommendations on what to order. I will absolutely be back for the crispy rice alone!

This place is a vibe. Perfect speakeasy style spot with moody decor. I had an intimate birthday…read morecelebration evening here. Service was great, we got recommendations, all questions answered with lots of knowledge about the menu, plus some birthday celebration shots. The regular menu drinks were next level, I loved the punch drink which is near the end of the menu and easy to miss. I did get an omakase drink but thought it was just ok, it was like a cucumber gimlet but I was expecting some more complex for the price ($25 I believe). I also thought it would be great if they asked about your taste, favorite cocktail, etc to truly customize the drink. Instead they don't ask about your preference, just if you want shaken vs stirred and to pick a season. So I'd recommend sticking to the actual menu . Other than that the food menu was fun. I enjoyed the wagyu hotdog, and all the appetizers I tried were delicious.

Table for two

Sweet Potato Cheesecake

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Complimentary tea

Next of Kin

4.7(66 reviews)

1.6 mi•Fishtown

What a fun bar! The…read morebartender is super knowledgeable and made us fun gin drinks off the menu. Fig tini? Something with fig like an old fashioned is a must try.

The staff makes you feel welcome the moment you walk in. It's a small space, but seating is open…read moreand you can even grab one of the booths in the back, which we fully expected to be reserved only. Drinks are a bit on the smaller side for the price, but the menu is packed with fun, creative options. The combinations are unique, and the bartenders are happy to make just about whatever you're in the mood for. They have beer and wine as well. Important to know, there is no food, so this is best for a pre dinner cocktail or an after dinner drink. Also, parking is a nightmare so Uber or Lyft if you can. Overall, a great little spot for inventive drinks and a welcoming vibe.

Godfather Cocktail.

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The single greatest duo booths of our time.

National Mechanics

4.0(1k reviews)

National Mechanics is a unique spot, located on 3rd Street just a block west of the "heart" of Olde…read moreCity (2nd St corridor). The space is a former bank building--hence the name. My traveling companions and I visited on a recent Monday night. Though we were a party of seven with no reservation--normally a recipe for disaster--we were seated almost immediately and enjoyed GREAT service throughout out visit. National Mechanics has a nice beer selection and menu of American favorites to suit most tastes, including one vegetarian member of our party. Portions were good and the fries were unanimously praised. Decor is fun and funky, and our booth-style seats were repurposed church pews My friends from out of town truly enjoyed the laid back atmosphere, good food, and friendly service.

Always come here when I want a quick bite to eat. Usually don't need to wait very long and service…read morehas always been good. Have good variety of beers to choose from and have liked anything I've tried from the menu.

Ribeye Cheesesteak

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The bar

Vista Peru

3.9(271 reviews)

0.0 mi•Old City

Minority-owned & operated

Family-owned & operated

Get the lomo saltado with the green sauce and the ceviche vista Peru! I think those two dishes are…read moredeliciously! The first time I came here I got those two dishes as well and thought it was delicious! Then went to Miami and kept thinking of this place!! Had to come back to verify that this place was better than most of the places in Miami! Granted it is much more expensive but it's worth it!

I was eager to find a Peruvian restaurant in Philly and came to Vista Peru with a group on a Sunday…read moreevening. It was easy to make a reservation for the time we wanted. The main dining room is pretty narrow without much in the way of decor, and I think more could be done to help the space pop, but as always the food is my main concern in the end. The complimentary crunchy corn snack for the table was a nice surprise! We ordered an app, a ceviche, and four entrees to share between the six of us and found that plenty filling. The Yuca Frita app was tasty with a delicious dip we held on to, but I wish it came with more as six pieces felt small for the price. The Ceviche Mixto was a more solid portion with a great variety of seafood; it was on the tart side but came with a really nice cilantro sauce that the table ate clean. Out of our entrees, the Lomo Saltado was the highlight with well-cooked and tender chunks of steak and yummy fries (simple, I know). The Pescado a Lo Macho and Arroz con Mariscos were very generous portions with a ton of various seafood; even the fried fish dish came with shrimp, mussels, and scallops on top. The Aji de Gallina was maybe the least noteworthy entree, a chicken stew with cassava and rice, but even that was hearty and filling. Service was good throughout with plenty of water refills, and the cost was surprisingly reasonable for what we ordered. I'd definitely recommend this place for seafood lovers, and I'd be interested in coming back to try the roast chicken and to have the lomo saltado and ceviche again!

Lomo Saltado!

Pisco Sour!

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Society Commons

5.0(1 review)

0.2 mi•Old City

I love it here! My…read morehusband and I came down to the bar area and had a drink or two while we waited for a ride to head to the Philly and Bears game. The vibe is always high! They have TVs available so you can catch whatever games are playing on whether it be football basketball or whatever to your liking... the lobby is pretty steady but we always find a seat at the bar and the bartender's there are always on point. This particular black Friday late morning, we had cocktails. Myself a Margarita made from scratch and my husband had the Crown Royal with the splash of sprite 10 out of 10! We highly recommend you stop and give this bar a shot even if you are not staying at the hotel you can just drop in have a bite to eat have something to drink and be on your Merry way. Always love it here... have fun and enjoy life :)

1.1 mi•Penn Center, Rittenhouse Square

Neat

Caesar salad add tomatoes

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Crown and sprite

Midnight & The Wicked

4.3(131 reviews)

Live music

Romantic vibe

Quiet night at the quaint, sleek hidden jazz lounge…read more Saw on their event page that they had jazz music for the night along with a Galentine Paint nite that I could have joined but was too tired from the day's work. Had a drink and wanted to order apps but already full from another location. Visited this place a couple years ago and glad to revisit though this time was a lot more serene.

Midnight & the Wicked is such a great addition to Philly -- I've been a few times now and love it…read moremore each visit. It's perfect for a chill, relaxed date night or a fun girls' night out. Start the night with a cocktail and live music -- they typically have someone playing the piano, which sets the mood perfectly. Later in the evening, the Vault transforms into a nightclub, so you really get two experiences in one spot. The space itself is stunning. The velvet chairs are incredibly photo-worthy, and even the bathrooms are beautiful!! A great mix of atmosphere, music, and energy -- definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to.