I attended Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy Part II in DC, and overall it was a really enjoyable…read moreexperience--especially for fans of Poe--but with a few logistical quirks worth noting. First, "speakeasy" is definitely used loosely here. The event took place in a ballroom at the Kellogg Conference Hotel, with a stage set up at the front and several round 8-top tables arranged throughout the room. It felt more like a small theatrical performance with table seating than an intimate, hidden speakeasy-style venue. One thing to flag: the event FAQ mentioned that some venues may have a pre-show bar but no food. That wasn't the case here--the hotel actually had food available for purchase before the show. So if that matters to you, it's worth checking directly with the venue rather than relying solely on the event website. The performers truly carry the entire experience. They handle everything--checking tickets, seating guests, serving cocktails, and performing--which is impressive but also leads to some occasional disorganization. When we arrived, there wasn't great communication between the ticket checker and the usher, so some guests seated themselves and had to be moved later. It didn't ruin anything, but smoother coordination would make the start of the evening feel more polished. As for the cocktails: you get four, one paired with each story. Unfortunately, this was probably the most underwhelming part. The drinks weren't very strong--you could barely taste the alcohol--and despite the website showing nice glassware, they were actually served in plastic cups. It didn't quite live up to the "cocktail experience" expectation. That said, the performance itself was fantastic. The cast was engaging, energetic, and clearly passionate about Poe's work. They performed The Pit and the Pendulum, The Cask of Amontillado, Annabel Lee, and The Fall of the House of Usher, and each was brought to life in a compelling way. There were even a few ad-libbed moments that added humor and kept the show feeling fresh. The actors also did a great job interacting with the audience at each table while serving drinks, which added a personal touch. Overall, despite a few hiccups with logistics and the cocktails, the strength of the performances makes this a worthwhile experience--especially if you're a Poe fan.

The performance was fantastic and the cocktails were fabulous! The facility was nice but if I…read morecould change one thing it would be the chairs.

I love their service and the food is delicious. The employees are very helpful and professionalread more

Pennsylvania Rye Company is a New American restaurant and whiskey bar located on Hamilton Street in…read moreAllentown. It's open Wednesday through Saturday from 4:00 PM to 2:00 AM and Sunday from 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM. My friend and I made our first visit early Friday evening. The service was good, and the food more than lived up to expectations. We started with tender, well-seasoned beef skewers, crispy buffalo wings over blue cheese, and perfectly cooked roasted cauliflower paired with a tasty tzatziki sauce and pickled onion. For my entree, I ordered the maple-glazed short rib. It was incredibly tender, practically melting in my mouth, and came with creamy sweet potato puree and roasted shallots. My friend ordered the rich, deeply flavorful bolognese. Although she received the small plate portion rather than the entree, it wasn't a major issue as we had more than enough food. There are still many items on the menu I'd like to try, and after such a strong first visit, I'll most certainly be back.

Service was good (Phil). This is a hamburger restaurant. They have bison, Elk, Venison for a…read morepremium price and beef for a lesser price. I've had bison steak before, so I knew it was a bland tasting meat, so I tried venison burger for the first time. Same outcome, bland meat. Good thing there was bacon on top to give my burger some flavor . Definitely not worth the $23.00 . Stick with the beef for $12.00 . The French fries were mainly one inch long and easier to eat using a fork, they tasted good but difficult to eat with fingers. A 4% extra charge for credit card use. (Sorry Phil, the boss got part of your tip) I will eat the again if I want to pay $12.00 for a hamburger and fries but I wasn't impressed to say , WoW!! Converted farm house atmosphere, yawn.

So apparently I was here maybe 10 years ago, I said it was casual and it was, I just wasn't…read moreimpressed with the menu, some of the starters sounded interesting but the rest was mainly burgers. I thought there was more selection before but I guess not. Drinks were ok but I don't know I felt like I spent way too much for burgers. Service was decent considering we sat outside and the vibe is nice but still kind of expensive for what it is.

Yesterday, my wife and I drove up to Allentown, PA (~60 miles one way) for the main reason of…read morehaving lunch at The Shelby! When we arrived and saw that they were in a shopping mall, we were thinking about looking for somewhere else.... Boy I'm SO GLAD that we didn't! We arrived around 12:30 and they were packed - we were able to get a table outside (bar and inside dining area were too noisy for us)! Our server, Ariana O. was great! My wife enjoyed her Flamingo Fandango drink ($ 14.50) with the Torta Ahogada ($18.95) - both were delicious but the sandwich was very messy - better eaten with a knife and fork - and absolutely delicious as were their French fries that she had! I ordered the Beef "Cubano" sandwich ($ 17.95) with a side of golden beets ($ 2.00 up charge) glazed with the same horseradish sauce that was on the sandwich (Ariana's recommendation). Both were wonderful and we shared tastes of each other's items! It was worth the drive up and the impending drive back!!! We also shared a Dark Chocolate Custard pie that featured an Oreo type of crust with whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate as a topping - it tasted wonderful but I felt a little on the small size for the $ 12.95 price! All things considered, I would make the drive again to go back to experience the other items on the menu but as was suggested, I would definitely make a reservation for lunch and definitely would for dinner! FYI: their menu is seasonal so you want to view it online before you go!

On the way to Philly we wanted to stop and have a nice lunch and this place came up as a…read morerecommendation. I was initially on the fence about it since its in a shopping mall surrounded by chain restaurants and a wax salon, but I figured if it looked bad inside there was a Smashburger nearby. How wrong I was! The inside is absolutely stunning, what a beautiful space. It took a while to be seated since it was a holiday weekend but when we did we had a beautiful view of an indoor sunroom. We got the potato pierogi to start, which was fantastic, and my dish was the tofu scramble (with fruit as a side). The scramble had a surprising sweetness that was not unpleasant and was quite a large portion. Our server was great but he had a very strong and vibrant personality - which I did not care for when I first sat down and was tired and hangry, but he was great and won me over at the end, haha. Anyway, try this place, its amazing and next time I am in Allentown I will be back for sure.

Wow!!! Found Union and Finch in an online review article. Absolutely the best food!!! Started w…read morethe Pepperoni and Brussels sprouts. Crispy pepperoni with Brussels, pecorino cheese, and spicy honey. The most unique combination of delicious flavors!! Followed with the Burrata. Excellent and the bread that came with it was some of the tastiest bread I have ever had. Yes, I know it is just bread..but no seriously, so good! Next a burger and fries! My husband declared it the best burger he has had in at least 10 years! Fries were equally noteworthy!! Best best best meal! Beer selection varied and outstanding and the Aperol Spritz was one of the best I've had. Get yourself to Union and Finch..your taste buds will thank you!!

Ppl of color stay away Severely overrated and don't spend…read moremoney or time here Acting like they don't want to serve you

I ate here 2 Friday nights in a row! The food was…read moreabsolutely delicious! From appetizers to desserts!! Everything was hot fresh and amazing!! Of course the staff was friendly, attentive and went Above And Beyond Our server was constantly checking on us and making sure we were OK They are also very kid friendly. Great menu for the kids and plenty of space for them to go outside and have a little fun while waiting for their food. I'm telling you I can't stand enough good things about this restaurant. If you have the opportunity and you're in the West End of Allentown, make sure you check them out

Want a great microbrewery experience? West End Taproom is it. Illumination Brewing brought their…read moreFunk beers into a former florist and greenhouse creating a great first come first serve space. Not a beer drinker? No worries they have a list of creative cocktails. Hungry? Kitchen by Tre puts out delicious pizzas, salads and sandwiches. Service is friendly, if things are a little slow they let you know without hesitation. This is a great place to slow down the pace, get casual and enjoy their offerings.

Archer Music Hall has quickly become one of my favorite small-to-mid-size concert venues in…read morePennsylvania. It's about an hour and fifteen from me, totally doable for a weeknight show, and honestly the combination of ticket prices, artist variety, and solid acoustics keeps pulling me back. Venue Atmosphere & Layout If you're into a club-style concert vibe, this place nails it. It's basically a big black rectangle of a room in the best waywith a wide open floor that gives you a clear line of sight from almost anywhere. There's also a slightly elevated second-tier area behind the main floor with its own bar and standing space. Great if you want a little more breathing room without sacrificing the view. Bars run almost the full length of the building on both sides, which makes grabbing a drink pretty convenient (I didn't grab any this time, so can't speak to pricing). Security & Entry Here's the one thing you must plan for: entry takes time. Both times I've been here, I missed the first song of the opening band even though I arrived around 6:20 for a 7 PM show. Security is thorough but slow-moving, so if you want to see the opener or get a good spot, show up earlier than you think. Sound Quality & Experience The sound inside Archer is surprisingly good for a venue of this size. I've seen: * Magnolia Park * From Ashes to New * Set It Off * Autumn Kings * Vana * Fame On Fire And every show felt tight, loud, and balanced not the usual muddy wall of noise you get at some club venues. Lighting and production are also way better than expected. Ticket Prices & Value Another huge win: tickets are cheap. Most shows I've gone to were around $50 with fees, which is practically a miracle these days. For the level of talent they bring in, the value is incredible. Extras * Coat check available * Bathrooms clean-ish (for a concert venue, that's basically a compliment) * General admission only -- which I personally love Overall Archer Music Hall is a fantastic GA concert venue with great acoustics, solid sightlines, friendly staff, and ticket prices that don't make your wallet cry. The only downside is the entry line, but that's fixable by showing up a little earlier. I'll absolutely keep coming back. Perfect for fans of rock, alt, metalcore, pop punk, and high-energy live shows who want an intimate venue without sacrificing production quality.

Very excited to check out this new venue in Allentown. Appears they opened around March 2025…read more Great venue, great sound, great lighting. The show I went to had an attendance of about 800...mostly general admission and some people paid more than double to get a seat upstairs in the balcony. While it would've been nice to be able to sit, I found it nicer to be downstairs on the main floor to see the band. The floor is concrete and there is literally no where to sit. There's an area behind general admission where you can also pay a premium to have a seat and a small table. Cost varies but to put things into perspective, i paid $40 for my general admission ticket and it would have been an add'l $60 to upgrade. Bars and food: Anyone who was over 21 and planned to drink was ID'ed prior to entry and given a special wristband. There are bars on both the left side and the right side of the general admission area. Full bar. I had a Stateside seltzer for $8 and my friend had a refillable soda for $7. Note there's a combo of bottomless popcorn and bottomless soda for $12. Many people bought some sort of cocktail in a reusable cup and it had a flashing light in it ($22). As for the food/snacks, it was all prepared ahead of time and available in a warming drawer for the bartenders to give to those who order. They also had snack sized bags of chips. Note when you pay (cashless), the system defaults to a 20% tip...you can adjust. Security: everyone must pass thru metal detectors and security made each person with a hat take it off. While my bag wasn't searched, I heard most people's were. Note there is a bag policy. Parking: we easily parked on the street and used the parkmobile app to pay. Cost was about $2/hr and 2 hr limit on that main street that the music hall is on. Only had to pay until 9pm. While I was told by many that we'd be able to renew the parking after 2 hrs, the app wouldn't allow us. We got around that by using a different phone's parkmobile app. Some people paid $18 via ticketmaster and purchased parking ahead of time. That lot was somewhere behind the building. Wi Fi / service: my cell service was terrible in the venue. I was able to connect to the venue's wi fi and that worked well. Bathrooms: There's only one ladies room and one mens room for general admission and it's in the lobby. Plenty of stalls. The bathrooms were not kept up throughout the night. By later in the evening, some stalls were out of toilet paper, only some dispensers had paper towels and only some soap dispensers had soap. Restaurants in the area: there's a great quick Mexican restaurant directly across the street called Amigos. I got a steak bowl for $13. They have indoor seating (extremely casual) and outdoor seating. They are starting to sell alcoholic drinks and making their own tequila and vodka.

I went into this blind. Did not check the menu before hand so I was not sure what to expect. The…read morerestaurant was very modern and had a sophisticated flare to it while still staying family friendly. I started with the lobster roll bao buns. Creamy lobster on top of nori inside of a light and fluffy bun. It was a fun twist on a classic bite. For the main I ordered the wagyu burger. I ordered it rare and it was not the right call. The burger was so thick that it didn't get a great sear on the outside and was falling apart. I did hear a waitress recommend medium well due to the size and I would definitely suggest that to anyone who tries it. It had a great flavor so I would still recommend you try it. I also ordered the notch fried rice bowl. Chinese sausage, pork belly, peas, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, broccoli, egg, bean sprouts, togarashi spice, and topped with a dippy egg. This dish was savory, Asian fusion cuisine mixed with something that felt like comfort food. If you go here, this is what I would recommend you try, but their whole menu looked incredible. This is a spot you need to add to your list of places to check out.

More of a brunch type stop. We stopped on the weekend during lunch and not very crowded. Food was…read morejust ok. Most likely will not stop here again. They appeared to be under staffed and played weird music.

If you haven't been here you need to go. Stopped in Allentown on a road trip and needed a decent…read moredinner. The menu online was just so-so and I expected it to be typical bar food. I was wrong. There were so many choices it was hard to decide. I had the French onion soup which was so delicious and had lots of melted cheese on top. Could use a few more onions but still delicious as is. Then I had the house salad and added salmon. The salad was so fresh and had cran-raisins, fresh blueberries and candied pecans. The portion was large. It was a gourmet salad. The best part was the salmon was cooked to perfection. It's a hard fish to cook and not over cook. It was moist and tasty. Kudos to the chef. My Husband had the Cobb salad with chicken. He really liked it a lot and it was a good entree size. Nicolette was our server. She was great. Food came out timely and she was always checking on us. They do have typical bar foods like chicken wings, burger, nachos etc. so you have something for everyone. Seating: bar area, separate indoor dinning area, patio dinning too. If I lived here I would be a regular so I could try some other dishes.

Friendly, fast & large portions. Tasty salmon burgers, nachos & shrimp salad. Quiet & warm friendly…read moreplace for older people

First time we came here was for dinner and we sat inside…read more House made chili was served hot and was good. Crab cake was also good and served with buttery rice & vegetables. Next time we came in, we had lunch on the deck. Roasted half chicken was tender and served with broccolini and house made mashed potatoes. House made chicken gravy was served on the side. Friend had chicken alfredo fettuccine with garlic bread and broccoli for lunch.

If I could give a 0 star rating, I would. I took my girlfriend to eat and see A band that was…read moreplaying here and the staff was straight up disrespectful to the band. First, there were rain and thunderstorms in the area the entire night before they played, but instead of moving inside they stuck them outside because the rain was "going to stop" according to the owners. Secondly, the owners rudely walked up to the band and cut them off in the middle of 4 straight songs due to them apparently being too loud. From where we were sitting, the band actually sounded great and had pretty low volume compared to other bands I've heard. Several other customers around us and people watching them perform were visibly frustrated and appalled at the way the band was treated. The bottom line is, If you have a noise issue, don't have bands. On top of all this the service down by the pavilion was miserable. Nobody was waiting tables or asking people if they would like to eat, and the tables were very dirty. And the food is very bad and quite expensive. My girlfriend got sick from the food she ordered. Please do not make the mistake of bringing a band hear or eating here.