The patio atmosphere was very nice, and I really enjoyed the live jazz music. The pretzels were also one of the highlights of the meal. However, the overall experience was disappointing due to slow service, lack of communication, and issues with the food. We visited after the Lehigh Graduate Commencement Ceremony and were seated from 1:30-3:00 PM. Our server, Younise, only checked on us roughly every 15 minutes. It then took 45 minutes for pretzels and another 30 minutes for our 2 entrees. While we overheard that the kitchen was behind, this was never communicated to us directly, which made the long wait more frustrating. There was also an issue with my order. I ordered the Caesar salad wrap (Julius' Chicken Dance $14), but I was brought a Caesar salad with chicken ($3 up-charge) instead. The server did not offer to have the kitchen correct it or provide an alternative. After discussing it, I eventually asked if she could bring me a tortilla so I could make the wrap myself. A 15% discount was applied, which I appreciated, but the bill still listed the incorrect meal and reflected the higher-priced salad instead of the wrap I originally ordered. The burger was also underwhelming, as the cheese was not melted. For a meal that came to over $60 for pretzels, a burger, a salad item, and one drink, I expected better communication, food quality, and customer service. The ambiance was great, but the entrees and service unfortunately did not match the setting read more

See all

Great service, great food. The person who booked our dinner reservations did not know this was a cigar bar so we were a bit shocked walking in, but we were seated downstairs at the farthest away table so we thankfully didn't smell much smoke. Service was great, our waitress was very attentive and friendly. For apps we did the pirogies which were some of the best I've ever had, the red wine sauce was amazing!, as well as the shoulder lean which was good. For an entree, I did the Jimmy Pesto wrap. Good flavor and massive portion, but the chicken was very dry. Husband got the What's the Dilla, which was great and again a massive portion. We also enjoyed most our cocktails. read more

See all

The Wooden Match is a cigar bar & grill located on Lehigh St. in Bethlehem. They are open Mon - Tue 4PM - 12AM and Wed - Sun 12PM - 12AM. My last visit was this past Thursday. My buddy and I stopped in around 2PM and had the whole place to ourselves. I started with Fatman Scoop; Hoss pierogies, cooper sharp, shaved ribeye, red wine demi glaze, caramelized onions, and one over easy egg. Absolutely amazing! I then moved onto the Angry Birds. They were served wet, crispy, and delicious. The hot-n-honey sauce packed quite the punch. Last but not least, The Feast of St. Eugene; seasoned ribeye, caramelized onions, Gruyère, Egypt Star Bakery French bread, au jus, and horseradish aioli. The roll was fresh, the meat was tender, and the au jus and horseradish aioli complimented it perfectly. Top tier! The Wooden Match has Indoor and outdoor seating. Pickup and delivery are both available. Lunch specials Wed - Sun 12PM - 3PM Fatman Scoop- 8.3 Hot-n-Honey Angry Birds - 8.1 The Feast of St. Eugene - 8.5 Food - 8.3 Service - 8.1 Value - 8.3 Restaurant score - 82 read more

See all

One of our favorite places in Bethlehem! We showed up just as they opened at 4 pm on a Monday, four people at the bar. We had Cheesesteak sandwich, Slice steak appetizer, perogies and a beet salad, all were just outstanding! Nice beer selection and it is cigar friendly, had a nice scotch and a stogie. Very cozy with a cellar area for private parties, just a great place. read more

Met up with a friend for some drinks and dinner. This is a totally different venue from what I'm used to in Bethlehem. It was a really good vibe. DJ was playing really good songs. The wait staff was down to Earth and made everything feel comfortable. I will definitely go back. read more

The Wooden Match - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

See all

Has a reservation. We arrive and told they couldn't honor our reservation because a big party came in and we're still there. No remorse, they just didn't care about screwing us and ruining our plans. read more

This is a mixed review. Love a restaurant that offers options other than beef for a burger. The portions are large, had The Mandate burger with turkey patty and the house chips. They had live music with a variety of artists and offered seating for people eating and those just drinking. The two groups separated by the train tracks. One thing is they allow smoking outside at the tables. The kitchen was slow, did notice that tables that ordered appetizers seemed to get those dishes quicker than the main courses. read more

See all

Nachos were swimming in water. Inedible. Husband's burger was supposed to be medium. It was dry and gray throughout. Super smash bros burger and pretzels were asking. However, just disappointing the consistency. Used to be a spot for amazing bar food. read more

The Wooden Match - Watery nachos - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

See all

Slow as usual....never enough wait staff. This is a great spot and has so much potential but there is no focus on restaurant service. Horrible hostess - seemed bothered that people stop by. Wait staff are a bit overwhelmed. Covering too many tables. Great location for live musics and events throughout the year...just prepare for a big of a wait for service!! read more

My Guinness was flat and the "Dill with It" burger was terrible. It was nice outside and service was good. I would like to try it again, just don't waste your time on the "Dill with It" burger read more

Visited again late on a Saturday night for dinner with my picky father. We were both blown away by the wings, which they fry and finish on the grill. Sauces were delicious. Our quoted time for a table was more than an hour, but we didn't wait nearly that long. In the meantime, it was nice to enjoy a few beers outside and listen to the live music. read more

The Wooden Match - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

I'm a huge fan of restaurants and bars with character - and the Wooden Match is everything you want and expect in a cigar bar. Walk-in humidor. Eclectic menu. Nostalgic decor. I can still taste the boldness of my CAO Maduro (hand-selected by the server) paired nicely with my sour cherry ale. I ordered Jameson Caramel wings, and my friend ordered their famous Fatman Scoop, which includes Hoss perogies, Cooper sharp, shaved ribeye, caramelized onions, demi-glaze, and an over-easy egg. I would have loved to tackle the Fatman myself, but, alas - my dairy allergy said no :) I ordered a Kriek American Wild Ale on tap, and my friend followed suit. We finished our cigars and meal and ventured outside to imbibe the live music along the railroad tracks. The Wooden Match is now a "must go to" when I travel to Bethlehem, and I recommend it to all who live in or travel to the area! Side note - Kriek American Wild Ale is rare and available on tap at the Wooden Match. I tracked it down at a beer distributor in Delran, NJ, and proceeded to buy an entire case of it when I returned home ;) read more

See all

WORST dining experience in almost 30 years of living in the Lehigh Valley. Wish I could assess a negative star rating. Popped over on Sunday night with our son and daughter-in-law for dinner. Right from the get-go, it was evident that our server was an under-achiever, to say the least. She was unable to answer a few questions regarding the food and drink menu and just seemed off. We ordered one app (pretzel bites), four cocktails and four sandwiches/burgers. Almost an hour and a half later, still no app and no food, and our server did not bother to check in with us once during that time to refresh drinks or even check to ensure that we had received our order. Meanwhile, at least two other tables which were seated after us (and had differenct servers) had received their food, etc. When we were finally able to flag down our server, we were told that the kitchen was "behind" (clearly a lie), and that our food would be out soon. As we were already sitting there at that point for almost 2 hours with nothing, we told her to just cancel our food order and get us a check for the 4 cocktails, and we would pay what was owed and be on our way. TWENTY minutes later, she sauntered over and handed us our bill, telling us that her manager was "kind enough" to remove the food from from our check. THE FOOD THAT WE NEVER RECEIVED AND DID NOT CONSUME!!! Then, to add insult to injury, there was an auto tip applied for 20%, for a party of FOUR. We asked to speak to a manager, because, though I typically tip above 20% in most instances, in no world did our server deserve any tip, let alone a 20% tip, and were told by the server that the manager was in a meeting and would be unavailable for at least 30 minutes... ON A SUNDAY AT 8:00 P.M. Yeah, right!!! Anywhooo.... I've never felt the need to post a negative review about any dining experience we've had, knowing that everyone has an off night now and then. However, this particular experience was so infuriating on so many levels, I felt the need to warn others. And, if you look at other reviews, this seems to be a recurring issue. Shame on you, Wooden Match! Hire better, and be better!!!!! read more

If you haven't been here in a while it's time to come back! Great vibes terrific food, bands and cigars. Plus huge outdoor seating on the newly improved patio! read more

The Wooden Match - St Patrick's Day Full Irish! - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

See all

Service was excellent. Craft beer selection was sensational. The food was marvelous. We had a large party seated downstairs and everyone in the group couldn't say enough about how good the experience was. read more

The Wooden Match - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

See all

I have been here a few times including this past weekend (which I get it, St Patty's Weekend). Each time I am hoping for more from this place. Bar service is weak! Each and every time there is no organization on how to order or get a drink. Just muscle your way in stand as close to the bar as you can and they will still look right past you. Service is without a smile. Friendly service or smile goes a long way!! Sat down for a burger/drinks and waited a long time to get our order taken! For a minute, I thought we were going to get lucky and get a quick order in only to have a waitress come and pick up our menus and ask if she can have them for another table. The waitress was sweet so nothing against her or even any of the staff. They all seem like nice people. I think as a restaurant/business there needs to be some organization and some professionalism. I will say it's a direct reflection on management as to how everyone works/ smiles and acts. Maybe it's just not a place for me and my family but I expect a lot more from a restaurant in downtown Bethlehem. I also feel as a patron you should feel appreciated! Just my two cents, but I will not be coming back when there are so many other great restaurants in the area. PS. On a very positive note the woman working the table and pouring Jamesons smiled, had a great personality and provided great service. read more

This place is cool for the unique atmosphere and interesting outdoor seating area mostly. Food is good to average. Nothing bad but not over the top either. Service can be on the slower side but I think thats part of the casual vibe. It is dog friendly which I am not crazy about since I am not a dog owner, but its not an issue either. Not many dogs are usually there. I would recommend and I will keep going back. read more

Reserved but will admit to elevated pub fare. Drinks not so good for a pub. Service was woefully non-present

Excellent service and great food! Love the patio seating! They're dog friendly and brought water out for the pups! Big servings and loved the drinks! read more

We had such a great experience bringing our pup here for outdoor dining! It was his first time and our waitress Alexis was so sweet to him and even brought him ice for his teething! The food was so yummy and we can't wait to go back! read more

The Wooden Match - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

I wish I could give half star reviews because this place was probably a 3.5 rather than a 3. My sister and I started with the fried pickles which came with a chipotle ranch. They were good, especially the ranch, but there weren't too many of them which was a bummer, and they were not crispy at all. For our mains we shared the spicy burger with jalapeños and ghost pepper jack cheese along with the Greek Aphrodite salad. Both were delicious along with the fries as well! The service, however, took forever. We were here for about an hour and a half and didn't even order any drinks. Every time there was an empty plate on our table, our waiter would walk by without picking it up which was a bit bothersome. I know this is also a cigar-friendly restaurant, but I wish there was a designated area to smoke them if that's what you opted to do. The gentleman at the table next to me was smoking a cigar, and I had smoke blowing in my face the entire time. I definitely left the restaurant smelling like smoke. Overall, the food is solid, but be prepared to wait a while for your order. read more

Such a great burger, the bun was literally perfectly toasted!! S/o also was happy to enjoy a bourbon and a good cigar! read more

The Wooden Match - Burger and sweet potato fries - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Huge fan of this place one of my favorite places in Bethlehem, menu is phenomenal and food is usually always awesome BUT very let down on my last visit. Bar service was subpar. Outdoor bar had nothing available so i went inside, I stood at the bar that had 4 people at it for 10 mins before i was even greeted. Got seated waited another 25 mins before a server approach us for drinks. Appetizers were awesome chips and salsa and fried pickles. Food took a very long time to come. My food and my buddies were perfect. Both of our wives had to send their burgers back. One hockey puck and other smothered in bbq sauce when asked for none. We arrived at 7pm and didn't leave until 10pm. Most of that time was just waiting. Im giving 4 stars because id still recommend this place, awesome food just had a rough outing, hope they can get the service issues and wait thing hashed out because this place is a gem in Bethlehem. read more

Came with a large party last night and our sever, Tatiana was amazing! She was so personable, kind, and it honestly felt like she was our friend too. The food was great, the Fatman Scoop was to die for. But a good server definitely makes any meal 10x better. Would highly recommend and ask for Tatianna!! read more

The Wooden Match - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Overall I'm going to recommend this place with a few caveats. The atmosphere & appetizers are the reason to come. Service is very slow but also very polite. If you are looking for something quick, this isn't it. It's got a great outdoor space and live music and everyone is super chill. A lot of people are smoking cigars so if that bothers you, steer clear. Appetizers were amazing (pretzels and pierogis). Burger flights and cheesesteak were really good as well as the homemade chips. Would not recommend the salmon. It was overcooked. Taste was good but was pretty underwhelming. Stick to the burgers and apps and you'll be happy! read more

Excellent service Excellent atmosphere (5-7p) Excellent food Nice variety of beer on tap with flights The Skrimp appetizer phenomenal. Yes it is spelled skrimp. The Liberty sandwich very tender pastrami The meatloaf sandwich unique and delicious read more

Friendly staff, and loved the outdoor seating. Have gotten burgers from here twice, both times they didn't disappoint. Had an almost perfect Guinness one of the times I was there. read more

We arrived at this restaurant at 10:05, one hour and fifty-five minutes before closing. It took us 10 minutes to be seated, no problem. It took 10 minutes for our orders to be taken, while we were waiting for the server to take our orders, we were extremely jealous of some other people who were getting their food delivered to their tables. When the server finally came to take our order and get us water, we made the mistake of trying to order an appetizer. We were informed the kitchen was closing at 11:00, 1 hour before the restaurant closed. So my girlfriend and I could only order 1 item each, okay whatever, we ordered our food. We waited 45 minutes for our food. I ordered a chicken sandwich, my girlfriend ordered tacos. It does not take 30 minutes to make a chicken sandwich, and 30 minutes to make tacos. We left after 11:00, before our food arrived, after 90% of the people who were there left 20 minutes ago. Who knows if it ever would have gotten to our table. We went to a different restaurant where we went in and got our food in less than 20 minutes. It was cheaper and I'm not going to lie it definitely tasted better than whatever chewy, soggy atrocity of a sandwich that had been cooked for 1 hour tastes like. The servers were nice when they showed up every 20 minutes, but I wish they would've been honest with us and told us the cooks are not prepared or somehow don't know how to make an item listed on the menu in under 1 hour, a short wait is not 20 minutes. If I were to offer constructive criticism it would be "The Wooden Match" name doesn't make sense because all matches are wooden, meaning your restaurant is basic, and is not unique compared to other restaurants. If for example it was called "The Mahogany Match" your restaurant at least has a cool name and makes sense. Just kidding, this place really needs better management. Yes I was salty about the cooks taking forever but it probably wasn't their fault, a manager is supposed to "manage" the kitchen, so I would ask that manager what they were doing to not notice that the 1 order that had been taken in the past hour had not been completed. Seriously, maybe pay the servers more than the managers since they seem to be doing more work. read more

What's not to like about this place? A recent first visit to The Wooden Match proved to be one of the best beer, food and ambiance experiences in the Lehigh Valley. We ordered pretty basic food: pierogies, salads and nachos. However, not only were all three of our orders HUGE, they were over-the-top delicious. The bar is situated in an old train station (1800s) and it retains that vibe. We visited on a Sunday evening and they had an open mic night. The musicians were brilliant and kept the volume low enough to allow patrons to converse without yelling. And, this place allows smoking. Whaaat? Yup, America still exists in this "enjoy a cigar wherever and whenever you please" oasis of freedom. This is a definite re-visit for me. Kudos. read more

Great place to hit up if you like cigars, love beer, and am a fan of local music. I typically make it here every Musikfest for the local vendors that take cash, and the selection of beer it also usually much better. Prices are fair and the staff has always been friendly. Bring your stein or mug for refills! read more

The Wooden Match - Fill your mugs! - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

See all

The donut burger was wonderful, and so filling. The fries were crisp and delicious. I came in late night on a work trip, and the service was amazing and quick. The outside seating is so nice and they have games to play as well. Definitely a good place to get a bite to eat! read more

I have eaten at a lot of different restaurants in the Lehigh Valley and The Wooden Match might just be my favorite place now. I've been here twice now and each time, service was fantastic, the food came out hot, and quickly and overall a very pleasant experience. First of all Wooden Match is a cigar bar, regular bar and restaurant all into one. So if you do not like cigar smoke, outside seating is available and plenty. Music is controlled by a jukebox unless there is a live band so keep that in mind. Cigars available are printed on the menu and you can't step inside a humidor to pick one, they will be handed to you if you wish to smoke. Drink menu is fantastic with a variety of beers, wines and special cocktails to match. The food is exceptional for this type of food. Sure it's bar food but the food here is so good, it's almost feels like upscale dining. Arguably besides the high priced expensive gastropubs or restaurants, the food here is the best I have eaten in the valley. Plus as an added bonus, it's open late on weekends so it's easy to come with friends. Overall there isn't much negative to say about this place. Just make sure you get an outside seat if you do not like cigar smoke. read more

food is good music awesome. outdoor atmosphere can bring your animals smoke cigars. service is kinda slow but not horrible

I really really want to like the Wooden March but the food and service here haven't lived up to the hype each time I try it. Tonight's experience was incredibly disappointing, especially on a non-crowded evening. 1hr for food (boneless wings & pierogis... both cold) and I needed to go to the bar myself after 20mins to pick up my waiter-ordered beers. I wanted to chalk this up to a new-hire/bad server but I'm not sure if that's really the case. ...especially when the hostess was watching cartoons on her iPhone while a customer-seated table sat directly in front of her with a tray of spilled drinks on the ground at their feet (ice, fruit garnishes, etc). Also - don't spend $20 for the 12 boneless wings. They are 2/3 breading with little meat. You can get better in the frozen section of your grocery store at a significantly lower price May be good for the cigars but not for the rest, sadly read more

I love this place. Great food, great atmosphere, fun staff. All around a great place, good selection or beers and whiskey.

Came to the wooden match before Covid-19 restrictions. My boyfriend and I were thrilled to find a great cigar bar and we had a great time. The owner even sat with us and we had a great conversation. Fast forward, we're making another trip to Bethlehem and we couldn't wait to go back to the Wooden Match. We called to check what their hours are during Covid. We were told that last call would be at 11:00. We arrive at 10:35 and the female server tells us last call is 10:45. Ok. Then this kid comes up to our table and says last call is 10:35-which just passed but he'd be willing to take our order. We tell him the times we were told and he said it's the Governor's mandate that they stop serving at 10:35....no, the mandate in Pennsylvania is no drinks are to be served after 11:00. After visiting a cigar bar in Lancaster, who's last call was 10:50, the bartender allowed us to order multiple drinks since we would still be there until closing. I say to mandate boy that I would order a multiple of one drink for the table. He looked at me incredulously and rudely and loudly says do YOU honestly think I'm going to bring you that many drinks?? You can order one. Again the topic of the "mandate" comes up. He insisted the Governor set the mandate at 10:35. Now, my boyfriend and I are completely aware that a business can put in place their own rules. That is fine but when asked if that were company rules he still wouldn't let go of "I know what the Governor said not you people" attitude. He said to me I don't care what you do here, order a drink or don't, not my problem. He then proceeded to say to us, this is really easy and your both being very difficult! I was shocked, I told him to go away and get someone else. I've waited tables and tended bar...want to lose customers and give your business a bad name? Hire mandate boy. By this time the owner is there. We explain three things. One-TWO of his employees couldn't get the last call time right which was misleading and two-perhaps mandate boy shouldn't be arguing about something he doesn't know. Funny, if he said that the time for last call was made by the owner...we would have been done. Three-when you employ someone who could care less about your customers and is absolutely rude, your customers are not going to care for your business and certainly wouldn't recommend to anyone else to visit the establishment. The owner had nothing to say. He told us we could order two drinks and as he was walking away he said and I quote "if someone walked in right after 11:00 and saw drinks on my tables I can lose my license" um, really?? So at 11:15 when there were still drinks sitting on people's tables (as they finished them) shouldn't he have gone around and collected them so he wouldn't lose his license? Just absurd. As my boyfriend and I were smoking our cigars a young guy comes in and sits at the bar, he is obviously good friends with those who work there-mind you, it was well after 11 and wow, a fresh beer just appeared in front of him. Covid-19 has changed many things and we are certainly understanding of changes. This had nothing to do with those changes. We will obviously be viewed as the difficult couple, fine with me, if your business doesn't have it together and your employees chose to be ignorant, your gonna have unhappy customers. Bit of wisdom from mandate boy "you know, if you had come in hours before last call, you could have ordered more than one drink"... who knew it worked that way? read more

If it's burgers you want, check. If you want anything else this is not the place. I was disappointed in the service, it took forever to get our food. In a scale of 1 through five, five being the top I rate this place a three. It does not live up to the hype. So in the wise words of Jim Carrey..."I've had better!"i read more

Ok so my last review I gave The Wooden Match a 4 star rating and only a 4 star because I was yet to have eaten there. Well I finally ate there the other week ( sorry for the late review but better late than never) and dang it was good. I'd give them more stars if I could. I had the Dirty Ratchet. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It's on one of the few pictures I posted. It was so delicious I can't even begin to tell you the joy and pleasure it brought to my mouth and stomach. It's a MUST TRY. There's a few other burgers I haven't gotten around to on the menu but I look forward to trying them all. No! I really look forward to trying them all. Besides the food, the atmosphere is awesome. You can drink a cold beer with cool patrons and the best part is you can smoke a big ol fat cigar. I had the Gurkha ( Beast ) and it is by far the best cigar I've had so far. Prices are cool Beer is abundant People are great The bar tenders are awesome And you can smoke cigars Live music on the weekends What more can you ask for. Check this place out! read more

See all

"Beer. Meat. Cigars." is the tagline for The Wooden Match. I can attest to the quality of two of those categories. This was one of the stops along Bethlehem's St. Patty's bar crawl. It's a bar located on a defunct stretch of railroad, which is absolutely fantastic. They have indoor and outdoor areas, and we took advantage of both. Top-notch setting for boozing. The bartenders were extremely slow because they were understaffed for the day's crowd. I'm not changing my opinion of them for that, but it's definitely a point they should consider in the future. They had a good selection of beers on draft, and I went for a cider. My friend and I also shared the Eileen's Dream cigar. It was probably the best cigar I've had, and it only cost $3! If ever in the area again, this place would be on my to-return-to list. I wish I could transplant it to my neighborhood.. railroad and all! read more

Unbelievable! From the beer selection to the food portions to the cigars, this place is amazing! Of course I had to try monstrosity that is the Bender Ender Burger (a 10 oz burger with a fried egg and bacon between 2 grilled cheese sandwiches). Sounds like a taste of heaven, right? Well, you'd be spot on. The flavor of the beef patty really outshined the rest of the fatty goodness. My only problems? The seating was very limited and the cigar pricing was a bit high. Otherwise, I highly recommend it! Just don't go when I plan on being there: I want to make sure I get a seat! read more

The Wooden Match - The Bender Ender!!! - Burgers Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania