Really cool spot! Very cool vibe and atmosphere Seats upstairs are so cute but if you have a fatty you may be a little uncomfortable. We celebrated our anniversary here, such a great So, we had to switch from upstairs to downstairs and that delayed our night but umm, so not holding that against the staff in any way...We had so much more to be happy about. Did try the bourbon tasting and that was cool and our server timed it perfectly. Impressed Did the restaurant week menu, 1st time here and was great cause it was timed perfectly Take a sip after one course, chat for 3-6 min and here's another course. Dessert was okay, my pudding could've been smoother and the vanilla ice cream as just that, but not bad. Overall, great and we will return. read more

The Twisted Tail - Lobster Mac and cheese!!!!!!!! So goood!!! And Scallop Ceviche - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Best happy hour best service and best place to be! The setting of the place was gorgeous. I came to this restaurant all the way from NYC. To find out $1 oysters for happy hour?! Oysters are so fresh we almost ate the place dry! My server name was Love and he (or they/them must not assume) was fantastic Always checked in with my table always did minor chit chat with us. made us feel like home and super welcomed! To find out it was his first day on the job and we were his first table!!! We felt so honored Twisted Tail you better not let Love go because then I'd let my love go for this place read more

If you are looking for incredible comfort food and an absolutely massive (and strong) bourbon selection, The Twisted Tail is a must-visit. The inside has a great cozy vibe, feeling like a small, quaint pub where you just want to settle in and stay awhile, which in fact we did. We started our meal with two incredible appetizers. First, we built an amazing cheese and ham charcuterie board, choosing 5 different cheeses that were all fantastic. We also ordered the Whipped Ricotta, which was out-of-this-world delicious. The maple syrup drizzle was a perfect touch, and it paired beautifully with the pumpkin seed puree and grilled bread. For my main course, I went with the Beer-Battered Fish & Chips. The fish was cooked absolutely perfectly, crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside, and just super tasty overall. The portion was pretty amazing too. It came served with parmesan chips, malt mayo, malt vinegar, and tartar sauce, which completed the dish perfectly. Even though I was stuffed, I couldn't resist dessert. The cinnamon beignets were light, fluffy, and the absolute perfect ending to a phenomenal meal. The other component I'll mention is there were four of us dining and every single one of us thought the food was just terrific! Not a single complaint! I should also mention the service was attentive and pleasant. Society Hill has a lot of dining options, but this place completely stands out. I'd definitely go back! Highly recommend! read more

See all

My Thanksgiving prix fixe experience was decent. The value was good for the relatively low price of $59pp (same price for kids), but they did cut corners on some things, and the ambiance wasn't enticing to me. Hostess was welcoming and they were kind when we were about 5min beyond their 15min lateness window (we did call ahead about it though). Our table was comfortable and attractive, but the lighting was such that somehow we were under a bright light while the rest of the room was quite dark so it felt a little on display. I also got a real "city vibe" from the other patrons, like just cold and pseudo-hostile as I've often felt from city dwellers as a suburbanite. No smiles or even acknowledgment from others as you walk to/from the bathroom or brush past someone getting to your seat. Just did not feel like any holiday was happening in there. Other places downtown don't seem to have this vibe despite their obvious urban demographic. It could be the cold weather, political climate, or just that crowd at that time, but that was the overwhelming ambiance I felt. Had the "All In The Family" bourbon flight, including Basil Hayden, Knob Creek, and Maker's Cask. Loved the Maker's Cask, was not a fan of the others. Also had a Michter's US*1 which was a lucky blind pick for me, very good! I will say our server was quite sweet and did a very good job. She smiled, made eye contact, and was knowledgeable about the food. She wasn't fully versed in the extensive whiskey menu but they really need some kind of manual or bourbon "Bible" to explain all the various batches and makers, so I don't discredit her for that, though Twisted Tail ought to be on top of that with a didactics for their bountiful booze. I acknowledge and second many photos and reviews saying seasoning was needed, particularly on meats. My husband needed salt to try to save his "prime rib" by which he was so disappointed and consequently grumpy the rest of the meal. My son's ham was good but not the highest quality. My short rib was okay but also needed salt. Sides were varied and plentiful, and all tasted decent. I'd have to say they redeemed the meal for me. The variety and selection were spot on for Thanksgiving, all the tastes and flavors you would want or expect of the holiday! Dessert was pies that tasted at least a week old. They were dry, flavorless (except sugar), and difficult to cut. After 2 bites I just stopped eating. Flavors were the predictable pumpkin, apple or pecan. It really doesn't matter which I ate because all we tried were equally terrible. They charged an obligatory 20% service fee. We added another 10% to it. read more

See all

I usually go to Twisted Tail for their happy hour because of their dollar oysters! They always have other great items on the menu and live music playing in the background. This time, I ordered food outside of their HH menu and this is their pasta dish. Was surprised how delicious this was!!!! read more

The Twisted Tail - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This place is very cute. I came here with a friend for dinner (and to celebrate my birthday). The drinks are good. The food was delicious. Our server was phenomenal. The desserts were good, but average. It was so cute that our server out a candle on my dessert. I would come here again and recommend it to friends. read more

See all

Decent American food. We visited The Twisted Tail on a Saturday afternoon, and it was about a quarter full. The restaurant feels a bit like a saloon with wooden panels and western photographs. I tried an espresso martini to drink, and we split the cheese curds, crawfish mac and cheese, and fish and chips. The espresso martini was great! The cheese curds were more like large balls of fried cheese, but they were tasty and paired with a couple of interesting sauces. The mac and cheese was decent, but the sauce could have been a bit thicker and more rich. The fish was perfect and the breading was excellent. I really enjoyed the tartar sauce too. The potatoes were okay, but the flavor was a bit off, and the mayo dipping sauce wasn't great. Overall, I had a hit-or-miss experience at The Twisted Tail, but I think there is a lot to like. read more

This is a great place to catch some live music on a Saturday night. I was surprised it wasn't more crowded. We were upstairs enjoying some drinks, so I cannot speak for the food. I'm pretty sure the place is haunted though. read more

Walked in for some drinks on a Friday evening. They give you complimentary popcorn with the drinks which is wonderful. We got the Katana San and Cargo Plane - the latter has a strong cardamom flavor and we both loved it! Would recommend getting a table upstairs as that's where they play live music. Also, we have tried their scotch/whiskey flights and highly recommend getting one. read more

The Twisted Tail - Katana San and Cargo Plane - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

My first experience at Twisted Tail was three years ago during a special event called Dining in the Dark. It was hosted upstairs, and yes, we ate our entire meal blindfolded. Not only was it a unique experience, but it also made me curious about what Twisted Tail offers on a regular night. Since then, I've gone back multiple times and always enjoyed myself. I even celebrated New Year's Eve there with their 2025 course dinner, which was fantastic. This is one of those spots I genuinely enjoy and always recommend to others. The drinks are consistently great. I especially love their espresso martini and the old-fashioned. The complimentary popcorn is a fun touch--even as someone who's not really a popcorn person, I find myself reaching for it. The menu also has something for everyone, including picky eaters. read more

The best thing about this dining experience was the patience of our server, Todd. Dined on a Thursday night with a 9:30 pm reservation for two. The restaurant had a live music performance, and I was glad the place has seating both near and somewhat away from the music for those like me who prefer to not be too close to a speaker. Now on to all of the lackluster food we experienced... The pork belly tasted burnt, which in my opinion is hard to get with such a fatty piece of meat. Whatever seasoning/spices were rubbed on the outside were just burnt. I really want to know if they reheated a plate they attempted to serve earlier, that's how bad it was. None of the components of the ravioli dish were prepared well. The dough was fried to a hard, dry texture and the filling was bleh. It was topped with what tasted like burnt roasted sweet potato cubes, and I was completely surprised when I looked at the menu again and realized it was supposed to be pork belly. The microgreens were wet and the SAUCE WAS BROKEN (my biggest pet peeve!) The swordfish was dry and the herb gremolata was more like a pool of oil. I was most excited about this dish and again, none of the components of this dish were prepared well. We had to ask that the smoked wings be cooked a bit longer because they were wet and also lacked flavor. This is the only thing my husband ate because well sometimes, chicken is just chicken. The hanger steak was seriously overcooked and by the time we got it back to the kitchen, we'd missed last call. Our server gave us a complimentary pot de crème style dessert which was good, but we were both still hungry. Paid our $100 bill, and of course left gratuity for our server who tried his best. Sadly, we left still hungry and slid down the street to Ishkabibble's for a failproof Philly staple. I'm not sure if it's because we came just a bit before closing (they close at 10), but if that's the case they should stop seating at 8:30pm if the quality is this poor in the final hours. read more

See all

Beautiful experience at The Twisted Tail! I can't believe I've been in Philly this long and I haven't had the opportunity to check them out! Oysters are ALWAYS a good choice! We got a Charcuterie Board and the selections were phenomenal paired with some great cocktails. I was full just from those two options and didn't get a full entree for dinner. The music was on point! I mean, it really added to the vibe and atmosphere of what this place truly is! When I went in to use the restroom, I was immediately hooked on seeing the decor which made this a 10/10 ambiance. The service, ONE TO REMEMBER! Our server was beyond amazing with the check-ins, recommendations and their overall engagement. I will definitely be back. read more

See all

This has been my go-to date spot and it's pretty good. Not insanely amazing, but definitely worth visiting. The drinks are good and almost all the food I've tried has been good. Staff has always been nice with decent service! read more

Came during restaurant week for dinner. The offer was $40 for a 4-course meal (charcoal grill, small plate, entree & dessert). The service was great. I had the Gruvi Juicy IPA, which is their non alcoholic option. It has the flavor of a fruity IPA. for dinner, I had the jumbo shrimp, smoked wings, ricotta gnocchi & caramel budino. The smoked wings had a good rub, though I wished the skin was a bit crispier. The gnocchi & caramel budino were the highlight of my meal. read more

See all

The cheese from the selection of cheeses was delicious. They have a good variety and definitely will come back to try more. They had a great variety of genuinely interesting cheeses. I had a Bordeaux as well which was nice. An average Bordeaux nothing mind blowing. I also ordered the pulled pork empanadas and pork belly sliders. What was quite interesting was that for both dishes the pork was cooked to perfection which is hard to find, but not seasoned enough. The pork belly sliders were bland which was a shame because the meat was tender and beautiful. There was a ginger aoli or something on it that tasted basically like whipped heavy cream that might have sat next to ginger in the fridge. It was just bland and tasted like cream even though there was a ginger smell to it. The pork needed more of a sauce and definitely salt. It was severely under salted. The empanadas were the same story. There was supposed to be cheddar in them but it barely tasted like it. The pork was tender but again bland. All of the flavors in the empanada combined to a somewhat bland mush. Thankfully it came with a sauce because otherwise it would have been too bland to eat. The service was ok. I had to flag down a random employee to ask for my check and I felt bad because I don't think he was a bartender. There were like 3 people behind the bar but they were like moving and busy and I just had trouble getting their attention. read more

The Twisted Tail - Pork Belly Sliders - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

We stopped by the Twisted Tail with a large group for dinner. There's a plethora of cocktails and mixed drinks on the menu as well as a long list of beers. We tried a variety of the food. Everyone loved the chorizo taco along with the fried chicken. The service was amazing as well with constant attention. The one negative was the loud band playing across the room. It was so loud we could barely hear each other talk. Overall could experience I will come back again. read more

See all

No drink specials at HH other than a white and a red wine. Come on, guys!! that's what HH is all about! 1.00 oysters! Small but good with no shell fragments to speak of. Local beers only but my partner found one he liked and the server let him try it first. Buttermilk fried chicken sandwich was good but too much bread to chicken, as if they were trying to make it look like a great deal for 8.00, which it was and would be even if the bun were smaller! A large pickle came with the sandwich, which was crunchy and fresh and a nice accompaniment. Crayfish mac & cheese had delicious toasted crumbs on top. The cheese sauce was a bit on the thin side but tasted of quality and was fresh. The crayfish was scant and seemed to be there just to tempt customers to order it. It would be fine without the crayfish. Service was fine; a bit slow and a table in a quieter location was requested but we were seated directly next to the bar. read more

A Happy Hour Destination!!! We had Happy Hour here and it was great. Nice outdoor seating and great staff. I took a star off because the $1 oysters were not great quality and poorly shucked. Other than that, it was great. Check it out read more

See all

We went in for a light dinner, ordered Gnocchi and beef tartare. Both are very flavorful. Nice ambience with life music. read more

The Twisted Tail - Vibrant on a rainy Wednesday - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I was just not blown away by the food. I went during Restuarant week and it was 4 courses for $45. I ordered smoked wings as my appetizer and that was the best thing I ate for the entire meal. My entree was the braised short rib and it needed more flavor and could've been cooked longer so it would be more tender. The ambiance here and the service was great however! Very attentive server and the decor was really nice. I'd give this place another shot. read more

The Twisted Tail - These were tasty.. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Came here for restaurant week last night with my boyfriend and we both had a very nice time. Really nice location right off of south street with many things to do after dinner! We decided to sit at the bar because the setup was beautiful. Our bartender was very kind and attentive. My bf tried the flight that came with 1 bourbon, 1 scotch and 1 whiskey. It was a very cool idea and a great way to taste the diff options they have. I went with a dirty martini which was made perfectly. For restaurant week, we ordered the following below: Whipped ricotta (first course) Heirloom beets (first course) Crawfish mac&cheese (second course) Smoked wings (second course) Braised short rib (third course) Grilled hanger steak (third course) Ricotta beignets (fourth course) Vanilla panna cotta (fourth course) The only "complaint" of mine was the first and second course arrived at the same exact time. We were sitting at the bar with 4 plates of food, flight and a drink. We wanted to take our time with the first course, but had to quickly eat the second course so the hot food wouldn't get cold. We loved everything but the wings. The wings are highly reviewed here but last night they were very chewy and received two thumbs down. Everything else was DELICIOUS! I would 100% reorder the beets, whipped ricotta and mac&cheese. So good! Both entrees were delicious, but didn't blow us away. Dessert came and we loved the beignets. Perfect size and amount. The panna cotta was a bit too jiggly and not firm at all. Tasted a bit like soft tofu so we sadly didn't finish that dish. I would still come back and would definitely recommend the first 3 dishes listed above! read more

See all

I'd like to give this 3.5 stars but alas Yelp limits me. I thought that this was a solid place: drinks were great, food was good, wait staff were very friendly and accommodating. I do think, however, that some of the portion sizes left a bit to be desired for the cost. Overall though, it was a nice dinner, just wasn't overly impressed for what we spent. read more

Amazing food. Service can be cold and dry. Ambiance : the music rocks when they have the bands . Crowd is usually tamed and quiet even with a banging band. read more

Great happy hour food menu- Drinks could be better although the craft draft beers are 50% off 1.00 oysters are amazing let's hope they keep them! Food was very good and service at the bar was extremely friendly and attentive A gorgeous restaurant read more

Twisted Tail is in such a cool part of the city! I've been here a few times and it's always a great time. The mood is pretty dark and romantic and sometimes they have live background music. This time there were a few changes. The menu was very different from online food and cocktail wise which was a slight bummer! This time popcorn was served in place of table bread and it was delicious! The waitress was even thoughtful enough to bring bacon fat and non to accommodate everyone's dietary restrictions. The drinks were amazing. Lots of brown liquor but when asked to modify the drink to make it clear, it was no problem and they came out just as tastey! The Basil Lemonade and the Black Cherry Gimlet were very good! The food is very shareable with a handful of bigger meals if you feel like going that way. The burrata was fresh and creamy served with spiced roasted carrots, the broccoli wasn't charred as described but was served with a spicy oil and creamy spread evening things out. The mushroom raviolis didn't do much for me. The sauce was very fresh but other than the 1 or 2 pieces of mushroom on top, no mushroom flavors were detected! A mixed review this time but still a great place with well crafted food and cocktails! read more

See all

Honestly one of the best restaurant week experiences I've had yet. 110% worth it. I loved how they gave the table complimentary popcorn rather than bread, don't get me wrong I love bread, but changing it up is always nice. This restaurant week menu was a hit with everyone at the table. There wasn't one thing we didn't like. I started my dinner with a basil lemonade cocktail which was exactly what I was looking for. The shishito pepper appetizer was great, the batch we got wasn't spicy at all, but still flavorful even with lacking the heat. The tuna appetizer tasted fresh. I didn't have a ton of the crawfish mac n cheese because I didn't want to suffer with stomach pains the rest of the night lol but my one brave bite and hearing my friends rave over it was all I needed and more. I got the ribs as my second course and they were definitely the stand out for me. Sooooo tender and just the right amount of sauce for me. I got the steak for my entree and surprisingly the potatoes were my favorite on the place. The steak was still good, not my favorite cut of beef, but still tasty. Ended the night with a few more bites than I should've of the budino. Super creamy and delicious. Worth the tummy ache at the end of the night lol. The server was kind and I really liked the ambiance of the place. Feels cozy but slightly fancy. Dim lighting. Kind of a pub feel I'd say. Definitely check it out! read more

See all

Best meal I have had of 2025. 1 dollar an oyster, free popcorn, and weekend happy hour. The service was great as the downstairs bar was full so we got sat a table. Our server went and checked to see if the upstairs bar was open for us and suggested we sit up there instead because of the deal on oyster. I thought this was very kind because as a past server I know losing a table can be a lot. Once we got upstairs the bartenders were very sweet and the food came out fast. Once we were done sitting we were able to take our drinks to the side room and play a game of darts and shuffle board. The place was comfortable and roomy but we were all there from 4-7. Could not recommend more! read more

See all

This is a fun place to be with great cocktails and food. We happened to be there when there was live music and I live music! Service was great too. We ordered a bunch of plates to share for 3 at the bar and everything was good, even ordered seconds of a couple of plates. Tasted a few different cocktails as well. Everything was served in a timely manner, which was impressive given the large parties at the tables. And the bartenders were very attentive. This is has become one of our go-to spots. read more

The Twisted Tail - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cute spot. Warm interior. Menu was interesting. Food was adequate but not a stand out among other restaurants. We had the whipped ricotta, wagu beef tartar and kale salad to share. The service was very attentive and friendly. Our drinks were adequate. Not a bad stop but wasn't worth another round or a trip back. read more

Damir is an excellent sever !!!! Awesome place. They are very attentive and cool. Damir rocks.

French toast was amazing. Service was good. I went for brunch. We ordered mimosas. We opted for the champagne bottle and orange juice.

Remembered loving Twisted Tail a few years ago, so brought my significant other here for restaurant week and felt like the quality has gone down by a lot. Portion sizes were great, but the seasoning was off on almost everything. Got the scallop ceviche as it was recommended on the menu, and as someone that LOVES ceviche, I was disappointed. It tasted like just lime juice, sour and no other flavor. We got shishito peppers for the appetizer and they were barely grilled so it was insanely spicy. I like spice but my significant other could barely touch it. Later he got a skirt steak dish for a main course, and the shishito peppers there were actually grilled properly, so we could tell that the appetizer just didn't spend much time on the grill. For the skirt steak itself, he ordered medium rare, and it was just rare. I tried to attach a picture of the piece he let me try and it was not pretty. The crawfish Mac and cheese was pretty good, definitely the best out of all the dishes. Salmon was also not bad, but also not that flavorful. Pork belly didn't have any seasoning. Overall felt bad that I brought my SO here, probably should've believed the other reviews but had such great memories of Twisted Tail from 5 years back :( read more

See all

I had been to The Twisted Tail for drinks, and enjoyed the ambiance, but had never eaten there....until a few weeks ago. I was pleasantly surprised to find the restaurant has some excellent food. I started with the Short Rib Ravioli; it was prepared in a delicious sweet corn béchamel sauce. The pasta was filled with a tender and succulent short rib! My main course was the Shrimp and Grits. The giant shrimp sitting atop the grits, with the heads still on, tasted so fresh and were seasoned perfectly! They had a sweet mild taste with a bit of crunch and were cooked just right. The grits were smooth and not at all spicy - subtle seasoning made the dish a real treat. The meal ended on a note that perfectly complimented my southern style meal - delectable Beignets with a savory chocolate sauce! read more

See all

I saw this restaurant on the center city restaurant week menu but we couldn't make it. We decided to go a few weeks later and found the ambiance to be very nice and it was full of happy guests. We had the chicken and braised short rib. Both were good, but I found them to be missing seasoning (salt, pepper, etc.). read more

The Twisted Tail - Fried Chicken - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Cute place with yummy foods! Everything was delicious and Service was great. Large rum punch was rather large, which is always a good thing read more

See all

Brunch was amazing! It was our first time there, and our server, Tatiana, was great. We ordered a cheese board which was to die for. Chicken and waffles was delicious-all six of us enjoyed our meals. The live music was subtle but great. Parking was easy. We liked it so much that we will now dine there again next month for Mother's Day! read more

See all

Such an awesome place for happy hour and appetizers. I love sitting by the bar as the bartenders are extremely nice and on top of everything. Food - delicious! We tried duck breast, oysters, shishito peppers, grilled octopus, and the crawfish Mac n cheese. I would say the only thing I probably wouldn't get again is the duck. It was a bit on the chewy side and the flavoring wasn't quite there for me, but everything else was great! We also ordered a rum punch bowl. This thing is massive and I watched as a ton of different rums were poured in. It was tasty, however, I don't think I would order it again. It got too watery too fast. I will surely be back! read more

See all

My boyfriend and I came here for drinks on a Sunday night. Around 7pm, there was live blues music upstairs, which was great! We decided to sit downstairs, as it was difficult to have a conversation over the music. Both of us ordered one of the draft beers. Unfortunately, mine was flat, but it tasted good. The inside of the restaurant is spacious and beautifully-decorated. Really great vibes! read more

Attended Dining In The Dark here a few nights ago. I had never been here before. We were seated upstairs for the event. The staff was great! The food was fantastic! I wasn't able to take any food pictures because, you know......it was in the dark and we were blindfolded! Lol I enjoyed the tuna and avocado lettuce wrap to start. Salmon over a bed of eggplant, pine nuts and golden raisins for my meal and dough balls rolled in sugar for dessert! Oh and the drinks! I had a Family Zoom. Yum!! read more

The Twisted Tail - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Despite dining in Philly for many years, I had somehow never come upon this place. I was taking a friend out for a birthday and wanted to try somewhere new. The dinner menu looked great with a variety of small and large plates. Most of them fall into the category of a farm to table kind of menu. We had made a reservation for a Friday evening. The host was very friendly and waiting to seat us as soon was we came in. I'm not the type of customer to ask to move tables frequently at all. However, there was a large party at the table next to us that was VERY loud. The host didn't give us any trouble at all and quickly moved us to the other side of the restaurant. Our server came over in just a few minutes introducing us to the many options the restaurant had to offer. My friend is very familiar with farm to table cuisine, and our server did a great job answering any specific questions we had. Even though there are regular-sized entree plates on the menu, we were more interested in the small plate variety. We took a few minutes to choose our plates and intended to share some of the items. The plates came out staggered by whichever items were ready the earliest. All of the items came out in a span of less than ten minutes, which I thought was very reasonable. I had chosen the Waugh Beef Tartare, Lioni Burrata, and Smoked Wings. My friend went for the Shishito Peppers, Spanish Octopus, and Enoki Mushrooms. I'm thrilled to say that I enjoyed all of the items I had tried. I'd never think of ordering wings from this type of restaurant, but they were excellent. My friend and I have eaten quite the variety of wings and both loves these. The Shishitos were fresh, crispy, and tangy. While burrata isn't the most unique menu item, the cheese quality was excellent. Same goes for the tartare, but high-quality ingredients made these items far superior to similar dishes I've tried at other places. As we thoroughly enjoyed our food, our server did a great job checking on us and refilling our drinks. This type of cuisine is by no means "cheap," but I thought the prices were very fair for the exceptional food quality and service we got here. Overall, this place is DEFINITELY a hidden gem. I haven't seen this one in any lists or articles of exceptional Philly restaurants, but it definitely deserves a feature. Considering how great my first experience was, I'd love to come back and try many more small and large plates this menu has to offer. read more

See all