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    Jaffa Bar

    4.5 (72 reviews)
    Open 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM

    Jaffa Bar Photos

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    JAFFA BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Jaffa Bar

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    Today's the night
    Mary S.

    Drinks were good, we were able to grab a few of the drinks at happy hour prices...which made it even better. Oysters and cocktail shrimp was good. Good deal at happy Hour price. Jaffa burger is a smashed burger and it came out well flavored. We also got the Moroccan shrimp, the sauce was delicious. Best two entree items we got. Now some of the other items were a tad bit too salty for me (I'm on a low sodium diet) so depends on the person...in my case it was too much...but to others it might just be perfect. So I can't accurately rate those. (Boiled clams, salad that came with the crab cakes - crab cakes were okay). So will say that those two dishes were just okay. Golden beets and the yellow tail pastrami were good, nicely flavored and small plates. The spicy chicken wings were ehh to me...I didn't feel the spice at all. Service was good and attentive. They charge a standard 20% service charge so tip was included in the bill...but did note that by doing so they pay their staff a good hourly wage. I'm going to say this was a 3.75 out of 5 stars for me. Only due to my own flavor palette preferences. Clean and looked well kept place in a nice area where parking wasn't too difficult.

    Gabriella L.

    More deserving of 2.5 stars, but rounded up. Went at 5pm on a Monday night a few weeks ago. It might've been the servers first day, he didn't seem confident about anything he told us. We ordered a dozen oysters to start, only 10 came out for some reason. The waiter said he thought 2 might have been out, which is fine, but it should have been something that was noted ahead of time. I went with 3 friends. We all got main dishes, which came out at all different times. If it was busy, I'd understand that, but just a few other people were there. My dish, the crusted tuna, was lukewarm at best, and fell flat of expectations. It was neither interesting, nor filling. My partner got the crab cakes, which she gives the same critique to. We ordered ribs for the table, which were fine, but nothing of note. Plenty of great restaurants all around Philly, I would not add this one is into the top 100 on my list.

    Katrina W.

    I've been told to try Jaffa for a while and am glad I finally did! The service was friendly from the front to the server. Offerings matched what we wanted for meal options including a $40 "catch of the day" where each person gets an appetizer and entree and there's a shared dessert. The avocado salad was amazing, the trout was crispy and flavored just right, and the passion fruit bar for dessert was the icing on the cake. The restaurant is cute and open with plenty of room for different parties. Mocktails were available to boot! I'll be back.

    Steve J.

    Located in Fishtown, this gem is awesome. It's two floors with great vibes. The first floor bar has tvs for watching games, while upstairs is more of just dining. The food is awesome. The wings are in an awesome sauce that is unique and full if flavor. Great steak, cooked perfectly, good crab cakes, big meaty ribs, the trout was delicious. Save room for the desserts...and don't forget the delicious cocktails. Service was superb.

    Avena P.

    Great vibes. Really good drinks. Staff was friendly. Came here for galentines with some gf's and enjoyed the place and ambiance very well. Would definitely come back here!

    Burger

    This is the best burger in Philly. The service is amazing and the food is even better. I don't know how they make the fries taste so good, it's a crispy cloud potato. Blessed be the food I had there. Thank you for existing! The cause is made in house, even the hot sauce.

    Retna S.

    We were expecting a wonderful brunch here. Unfortunately, they don't serve breakfast anymore. Crab cake sandwich: not your typical crab cake with bay seasoning. It has a lot of fresh herbs. Interesting twist. No filler, fresh crab meat. Ceviche is highly recommended. Super fine and fresh fish with ginger and chili. A good way to awaken your appetite. Turkish coffee pudding is amazing. A must for coffee lovers. Strong coffee flavor, topped with hard-shell chocolate. Garnished with a heaping whipped cream. Josh, our waiter, is very knowledgeable of the menu and the oysters on the menu. He helped us selecting the oysters. When the check came, the manager apologized about the oyster unavailability of the brunch. Very nice gesture.

    Tuna steak
    Colleen P.

    Wow they really knocked it out of the park tonight!! Jaffa is a reno'd fire station and has such a cool vibe. The service from start to finish was friendly and attentive without overdoing it. Felt very welcoming and genuine. Had dinner with a friend tonight (wednesday) after work and it happened to be happy hour. 2 of each oyster/clam/shrimp with all 3 "sauces" and it was all amazing. All raw bar was fresh and tasty and the cocktail sauce is so unique - prob the best Ive ever had. The passion fruit mignonette was equally yummy and really made the flavor variety of oyster origin shine through. We also had the shrimp cigars and black lime pepper wings. I could eat the shrimp all day for the rest of my life. Bring me just a plate of that and I will be happy. The wings were crispy & tasty. I had the tuna steak and my friend had the burger. Both fantastic entree options the fish is rly unique and tasty and the burger was cooked perfectly. For dessert we shared the turkish coffee pudding and each had a cup of turkish coffee...you need this experience I promise. We both had 2 rum/egg white cocktails which surprisingly went well with everything. Overall a great place and I will definitely be back here with other people. Good spot for a date or keeping it casual with a full bar. Parking was super easy and we walked right in no reservation. I would've taken more photos but I ate everything so quickly it just wasn't possible. Go see for yourself how good Jaffa is!!!

    Scallops
    Dominique S.

    This place was great! The dishes we ordered ranked in order of our favorites: 1) tuna - this has a crispyness to it from the way they sear it. It is served with avocado, pomegranate seeds and a chili oil. It is a wonderful combination of flavors. 2) roasted carrots - so good and tender 3) tuna tartare - served over a little tarter tot thing. Very fun flavor and texture combo 4) the bread with dipping sauce - unique bread but very good 5)scallops - not bad but just not as good as everything else Overall really like this place and would recommend for a date night or GNO

    Brittany P.

    stopped in to drop off beer and had a cocktail. i asked if they could make a singapore sling & evan delivered a 10/10 sling. thank you once again for going off menu. beautiful space. very nice staff. had some snacks i can't remember the names of but they were delicious ! can't wait to come back for a full meal.

    Passion fruit bar delicious dessert
    Kimmesha B.

    This is literally my favorite spot for so many reasons. The service, the food, the flavors, the atmosphere it's just amazing! I'm here at least twice a week!

    Ray M.

    Nice addition to the area. Cool vibe though out. Parking is very challenging nearby. I recommend using a ride share or walking. Very friendly staff, and nice comfortable decor. Jaffa has a very decent oyster menu. I recommend staying downstairs by the bar to enjoy this experience. The mixology here is also top notch. Very knowledgeable and experienced bartenders. The food menu is well balanced. Small enough not to confuse you, but varied enough for you to explore your palate. I really enjoyed my time here and would recommend you add Jaffa to your Fishtown rotation.

    Tuna Tartare
    Morgan C.

    Absolutely wonderful on all counts! Food was incredible and fresh - didn't get pics of everything, but stand outs were the raw bar selections and the crab cake sandwich / fries (though I was too full from starters to finish it all.) Also a shoutout to the Green-Eyed Lady cocktail made with aguachille - so unique and refreshing (though very small)! Service was great as well though one of our apps came out after our meals. Loved the decor and two floor setup, we sat by the open doors on a gorgeous day. Only negative was it was surprisingly pricey, but totally worth the price.

    Raw Bar ordering card (Feb 2025)

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    2 months ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Jaffa Bar

    Where is the best place to park if we are forced to drive to the restaurant?

    Parking is a challenge around Jaffa. I would recommend taking an Uber/Lyft. Best of luck.

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    Sassafras Bar

    Sassafras Bar

    4.4
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    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!

    Sassafras has been a consistently solid bar for me. I have been obsessed with their pisco sour and…read morethe drink comes equally as good each time I order it. The drink menu is extensive and well planned. I love the prices the most probably. The service is good but not super fast as they usually only have 1-2 people serving, so only go here if you have time to wait. The staff is always kind and accommodating. The food here is also very solid. The cheese steak and the burger are both delicious though the burger might take the #1 spot. I love vibes of the place and find myself relaxing and sipping a lovely drink while staring at the beautiful tiled walls. The quality is high and the prices decently low

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    Buena Vista Mexican Restaurant

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    Showed up for dinner right around 5 pm and sat down at the spacious bar. The whole restaurant is…read morehuge and so much bigger than you expect. Service was impeccable from David. I got a crisp XX on draft. The tortilla soup was hot and mildly spicy, just the way I like it. But the real star was the chipotle chicken. Juicy and tender chicken, stuffed with cheese and peppers then smothered in the chipotle sauce. It was perfect. Absolutely love this place and will be back again. P.S. they also host dance parties on Saturday nights and a pool table in the back ;)

    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.

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    Bar and seating area
    Bar and seating area
    Queso fundido
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    Almanac

    Almanac

    4.4
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    My husband and I went here as a little birthday celebration/fourth of July vacation treat…read more My husband's food ranking: Yuzu Miso Glazed Wings - Addictive Cucumber - Spicy Miso Mazeman Ramen - Ocean Trout Crudo My food ranking: Addictive Cucumber - Yuzu Miso Glazed Wings - Spicy Miso Mazeman Ramen - Ocean Trout Crudo We agreed that the Miso Ramen was easily the best bang for your buck and the Ocean Trout Crudo was the only thing we wouldn't order again; it wasn't horrible it just had waaaay too many almonds which took away from the fish itself. Unlike others, we felt the portions were not too small. Overall a very respectable dinner showing from Almanac. I kind of regret ordering a pre fixed cocktail because his Omakase was so on point to what he asked for and was delicious. I love rhubarb and Gin is my usual spirt of choice, so I didn't want to pass up the Hanamachi Rikki, but while I found the tart rhubarb refreshing, it fell flat when placed next to the Omakase. While I enjoyed the music choices, he did not and it was also INCREDIBLY dark/moody which isn't our preference, but makes sense for the intimate vibe they are clearly going for.

    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!

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    Table for two
    Table for two
    Sweet Potato Cheesecake
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    Next of Kin

    4.7
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    Next of Kin is a special vibe. It's got the energy of a neighborhood dive with the aesthetic and…read moremixology prowess of a swanky cocktail haven. It is intimate, friendly, down-to-earth, and totally unique. I don't visit Philly as often as I'd like (I live in NYC but grew up here) and while I'm always keeping up with dining scene, it's rare and thus special when I get to put a space to the name, so the speak. Next of Kin has a quirky, playful, impressively creative menu with drinks that are memorable. We came here at around 10:30pm on a Saturday night after dinner. There was a bit of a line outside which moved slowly, but we were given cute champagne jello shot things for our patience which were delightful and a fun little preview of what to expect on the inside. The seating options consist of tables, bar, and what I believe they call "love pods", all of which are beautifully designed. We were seated at the bar, which is our preference anyway. I always like chatting with the bartenders and hearing about the craft, and it is particularly enjoyable when they're as friendly and generous as the folks who work here. We were talking to them about some of their infusions and they let us try a taste of the coconut mezcal and the bruleed banana infused rum and both were unreal on their own. We ended up getting the Coco Bello (coconut mezcal, apertif, aromatized wine) which is a white negroni variation and the Swamp Thang (green chartreuse, herbal liqueur, pineapple and poblano tepache), which was served in some particularly memorable glassware (pictured). Both drinks were exceptional and complex, the former more sophisticated and the latter wacky and wholly unique.

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    National Mechanics

    National Mechanics

    4.0
    (1k reviews)
    1.9 mi
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    Perfect vibe. On point sound track - including volume…read more Excellent service. Best damn bar nachos I've ever had in 56 years. Only complaint? They are in Philadelphia, and I live in Michigan!!!

    A friend of mine was in town for the weekend and we spent Saturday afternoon walking around Old…read moreCity. Around midday, we became hungry and looked for something to eat. With the help of Yelp, we found this place. First off, the building that houses National Mechanics is absolutely beautiful inside and out, and for good reason. The pub/restaurant occupies the old Mechanics National Bank, a majestic Greek Revival building, built in 1836. Inside the restaurant, the surroundings contrasted greatly with the outside. The large, primarily wooden interior has the feel of a vintage pub. It is equally as beautiful as the front. The service at National Mechanics was great. Though the staff was clearly running shorthanded, every employee we came into contact with served us with a smile and couldn't be friendlier. The food, at least on that day, was mediocre at best, unfortunately. While the menu was filled with all sorts of tempting dishes that already made us thinking of future visits, we opted for the Mexican Burger and the Ribeye Cheesesteak, two twists on old pub standbys. Sadly, we were both disappointed in our meals. We did start off on a bright spot, food-wise. My friend and I opted to share the Batter-Fried Pickled Green Beans, which were fabulous! Too bad the good food ended there... The description of the Mexican Burger sounded amazing, with avocado, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños, Monterrey Jack cheese, and chipotle mayo. My friend said it was kind of bland and it was quite greasy. My ribeye cheesesteak did not match well with its "Amoroso" roll and the steak itself was dry. In the end, we were both disappointed in our choice in a lunch spot. Perhaps it was the large crowd of diners and little staff that made it all come out a little...off. In the end, I'd try National Mechanics again if I were in the area, as the atmosphere and service made it a cool spot to dine in. Hopefully the food will be better next time.

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    National Mechanics
    Nachos Grande
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    The bar

    Jaffa Bar - cocktailbars - Updated August 2026

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