Back
food - n. any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into
the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.
"My favorite animal is steak."
~Fran Lebowitz
"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons."
~Alfred E. Newman
This page chronicles my experiences at noteworthy restaurants in which I've eaten.
I will provide my opinion of each restaurant using the following rating system:
All catagories are rated from 0 (worst) to 10 (best).
0 or 1 : a poor or below-average experience. I do not recommend.
2 or 3 : an average experience. this is not necessarily bad, it is merely average.
4 or 5 : a good experience. better than average, and probably a good value.
6 or 7 : an excellent experience. clearly worth a trip. will rarely be awarded.
8 : a world-class restaurant. worth a special journey. will very rarely be awarded.
9 or 10 : near perfection. a truly elite restaurant. will rarely, if ever, be rewarded.
A restaurant with an overall score of 4 and above will be highlighted. This is the threshhold at which I recommend a restaurant.
A restaurant with an overall score of 6 or 7 will be awarded one star (*) next to its name.
A restaurant with an overall score of 8 will be awarded two stars (**) next to its name.
A restaurant with an overall score of 9 or 10 will be awarded three stars (***) next to its name.
My
star system is an homage (and an attempt to be analagous) to the
Michelin star rating for restaurants, the most prestigious in the
world. As with Michelin, I do not award stars lightly.
Catagories:
Overall - my overall impression of the place. not a mathematical combination of the below catagories.
Food
- by far the most important catagory. this takes into
account flavor, quality, the skill with which the meal was
prepared, presentation, creativity, originality, as well as the consistency
in quality, preparation of the food, and the menu offererings
both within a single meal and, if applicable, between visits.
Value
- what I consider the second most important catagory. bang for your
buck. Instead of 0 through 10 I will rate this as Poor, Fair, Good, or
Excellent.
Service
- the attentiveness of the staff. everything from making reservations,
to greeting, to the waitstaff or sommelier, until walking out the door.
Decor - the degree to which the dining room, place settings, and overall atmosphere enhance the experience.
Note:
I originally wanted to split the Food catagory above into
additional subcatagories like Consistency, Quality, etc, but I felt it
best to keep it simple.
Anatomy of a review
line 1) Eat At Joe's (Philadelphia, PA)
line 2) American
line 3) Overall: 2. Value: Good.
line 4) Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
line 5) 2009. $15. Cheesesteaks. Gruff service.
line 1: Name of the restaurant (location in parentheses)
line 2: Style of cuisine
line 3: My overall opinion of the restaurant and its value.
line 4: My opinion of the food, service, and decor.
line 5: Last time I ate there. Approximate
cost of one average meal (appetizer, entree, coffee, and dessert),
based on what I paid at the date to the left, including tax, tip, and
one glass of wine (if they serve alcohol). Finally, an example of
the house speciality. I may also include other comments as I see
fit.
Certain restaurants may merit an expanded review. If
this is the case, there will be a link to a separate page with the
review.
Finally, the reviews...
Philadelphia and surrounding areas
12th Street Cantina (Philadelphia, PA)
Tex-Mex
Overall: 0. Value: Good.
Food: 0, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$10.
This taco stand inside the Reading Terminal Market used to serve
an amazing Cubana sandwich. Now they serve only tacos.
Bummer.
1601 (Philadelphia, PA)
American/Bar Food
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008.
$40. Hip bar in South Philly serves a great filet mignon sandwich. The name is the address - 1601 S. 10th St.
Abner's BBQ (Jenkintown, PA)
Barbecue
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$20. Authentic smoked ribs.
Alyan's (Philadelphia, PA)
Middle Eastern
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2008.
$30. Lamb shishkabob, falafel, hummus, baba ganoush, etc. My first choice for inexpensive middle-eastern food in Philly.
Barrell's (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2008.
$20. Red gravy takeout in South Philly. Average, and a bit pricey.
Beau Monde Creperie (Philadelphia, PA)
French/Crepes
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 4.
2008.
$40. Large variety of sweet and savory crepes.
Bomb-Bomb (Philadelphia, PA)
Barbecue/Italian-American
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2007.
$40. An odd combination of bbq rib joint and red gravy joint. Ribs are not smoked. Closed Sunday.
Buddakan (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese Fusion
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 4, Decor: 4.
2007.
$50. Upscale, tasty Chinese dining in a rather tacky setting.
Cafe de Laos (Philadelphia, PA)
Laotian/Thai
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 1, Decor: 3.
2008.
$50. Whole fried red snapper, Laotian and Thai specialties.
The best thing here is the whole fried fish, and perhaps the
classic Thai soups. Place loses major points because the wait
staff speaks broken English and frequently flubs your orders (in my
experience).
Cantina Los Caballitos (Philadelphia, PA)
Mexican/Tex-Mex
Overall: 2. Value: Poor.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008.
$50. Disappointing and overpriced Mexican bar and
restaurant located in a neighborhood with many inexpensive and
authentic Mexican restaurants. Try El Zarape directly across the
street. Offers half-price margaritas during happy hour (4-6), but
they're made with sour mix.
Capogiro (Philadelphia, PA)
Gelato
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2009.
$10. Costly, but worth it, gelateria in Center City
featuring a large and unusual rotation of flavors made mostly with
local ingredients.
Cedar's (Philadelphia, PA)
Middle Eastern
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2007.
$30. Average middle-eastern food.
Chiarella's (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2008.
$50. Competant renditions of traditional Italian-American food, but a bit pricey. BYOB.
Chick's Cafe & Wine Bar (Philadelphia, PA)
American/Small Plates
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 5.
2008.
$50. Quality food and good (but pricey) cocktails, in a
truly stunning renovation of this old South Philly corner bar.
Chickie's Deli (Philadelphia, PA)
Hoagies
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2007. $10. Hoagies. One of the better Italian delis. South Philly.
Chink's Steaks (Philadelphia, PA)
Cheesesteaks
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$10. Cheesesteaks. One of the better cheesesteak
places. Also serves milkshakes. Located in Mayfair.
Cochon (Philadelphia, PA)
American/Bistro
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 4, Decor: 3.
2008.
$60. Pork shoulder, rack of lamb, steak frites, offal.
Quality food at reasonable prices, but in a loud, tiled dining
room. BYOB.
Cosmi's Deli (Philadelphia, PA)
Hoagies
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2008. $10. Hoagies. One of the better Italian delis. South Philly.
Criniti (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$40. I used to go to this place quite often years ago, but
stopped in recently and found the food very disappointing.
Mediocre Italian-American food served at rather high prices.
Recently moved a few doors down to a renovated church (my decor
rating is based on the original location).
Dalessandro's Steaks (Philadelphia, PA)
Cheesesteaks
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$10. Cheesesteaks. One of the better cheesesteak
joints. Review does not reflect the change in ownership, so
caveat emptor. Located in Roxborough.
Dante & Luigi's (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 4, Decor: 3.
2008.
$50.
One of the best (and oldest) red gravy joints in South Philly.
Not cheap, but you get what you pay for. Cash-only.
Dark Horse (Philadelphia, PA)
Irish/Bar Food
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2007.
$30.
Known for their burger, but I was not overly impressed.
Average pub fare. Irish clientele watching soccer on TV.
Devon (Philadelphia, PA)
Seafood
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 4, Decor: 3.
2009.
$60. Crab cakes, fish. Competantly prepared seafood at reasonable prices in Rittenhouse Square.
Dim Sum Garden (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese
Overall: 4. Value: Excellent.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 1.
2008.
$20. Excellent homemade dumplings and noodles at ridiculously cheap prices. Located at a bus station near Chinatown.
Diner at the Plaza (Philadelphia, PA)
Diner
Overall: 2. Value: Good.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2009.
$20. A diner with average food, but the sandwiches here are pretty darn tasty. Serves alcohol. NOT open
24 hours!
Di Nic's (Philadelphia, PA)
Sandwiches
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$10. Roast Pork. Roast Beef. Along with Tony
Luke's, serves the best Roast Pork. Located in the Reading
Terminal Market.
Divan Turkish Kitchen (Philadelphia, PA)
Turkish
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 4.
2007.
$50. Donner kebob, hummus, etc. Competant rendition
of Turkish cuisine at a weird location in South Philly. A tad
pricey.
Dmitri's (Philadelphia, PA)
Greek
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2005.
$40. Decent Greek food, but I don't understand the fuss. Kanella is better. Cash-only.
Donkey's Steaks (Camden, NJ)
Cheesesteaks
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$10. Cheesesteaks served on a round roll with poppyseeds.
My favorite cheesesteak place. A bar with loads of
character and history located in possibly the worst neighborhood
anywhere. Open very limited hours. M-F 11-5 or thereabouts.
Down Home Diner (Philadelphia, PA)
Diner
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$30. Average diner food inside the Reading Terminal Market.
Downey's (Philadelphia, PA)
Irish/Bar Food
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2006.
$40. Above-average pub grub on South Street, but a little pricey.
El Bohio (Philadelphia, PA)
Puerto Rican
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 1, Decor: 1.
2007.
$20.
Pork, mofongo, plantains, etc. Decent Puerto Rican food
located in North Philly's barrio. Staff does not speak English.
El Zarape (Philadelphia, PA)
Mexican
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2008.
$20. Tacos, mole, burritos, etc. Very good Mexican food at good prices. BYOB.
Famous 4th Street Deli (Philadelphia, PA)
Jewish Deli
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2008.
$30. Huge sandwiches, corned beef, pastrami, etc. The
quality of this place improved tremendously when it changed hands in
2006 or thereabouts, but it has since changed hands again. Review
reflects the previous owner.
Fat Jack's BBQ (multiple locations in NJ)
Barbecue
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$20. Ribs, pork, brisket, etc. This place won WIP's rib contest and I do not understand why. Average barbecue.
For Pete's Sake (Philadelphia, PA)
American/Bar Food
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008.
$40. Upscale pub grub.
Franklin Fountain (Philadelphia, PA)
Ice Cream
Overall: 2. Value: Poor.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$10. A costly, but just kind of average, ice cream parlor in Center City.
Geno's Steaks (Philadelphia, PA)
Cheesesteaks
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2008. $10. Cheesesteaks. Gruff service. Somewhat inconsistent product. Open 24 hours.
Golden Empress Garden (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 1.
2008.
$20. Probably the best of the garden variety Chinese joints. Has a vegetarian menu.
Good Dog (Philadelphia, PA)
American/Bar Food
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$30. Well known for their cheese-stuffed burger.
Grey Lodge Pub (Philadelphia, PA)
American/Bar Food
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2007.
$30.
Duck spring rolls, fish & chips, cheesesteaks, fries,
mussels, etc. Northeast Philly gastro-pub serves quality food and
a wide variety of microbrews. Frequently cited as one of the
nation's best beer bars.
Imperial Inn (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2005.
$30. One of the better Chinese restaurants and a Chinatown stalwart. Could use a facelift.
Isgro's Pasticceria (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian Pastries
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008.
$20. Cakes, cookies, canolli, etc. My favorite Italian pastry shop. Lines can be very long at peak times.
Izakaya (Atlantic City, NJ)
Sushi
Overall: 5. Value: Good.
Food: 6, Service: 3, Decor: 7.
2008.
$60. Sushi, small cooked dishes good for sharing. A
truly impressive space within the Borgata. Serves excellent sushi
(toro was a higlight) and cooked food (rack of lamb was another
highlight). This would earn a star were it not for the merely
adequate service. Staff does not seem knowledgable about the sake
or wine that they sell.
Jim's Steaks (Philadelphia, PA)
Cheesesteaks
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008. $10. Cheesesteaks. Famous, but average, cheesesteak joint on South Street. Open late.
John's Roast Pork (Philadelphia, PA)
Cheesesteaks, Roast Pork
Overall: 2. Value: Good.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 0.
2008.
$10. Cheesesteaks. Routinely named as the area's best
cheesesteak, but I found it to be over-cheesed and somewhat
inconsistent. Also serves a decent roast pork sandwich, but not
the best.
Kanella (Philadelphia, PA)
Greek
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2008.
$50. Grilled sardines, rabbit stew. Excellent Greek food at reasonable prices. BYOB.
Karina's (Philadelphia, PA)
Spanish/Mediterranean
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2007.
$50. Paella is the house specialty. Decent, but perhaps a bit pricey.
Kildare's Irish Pub (Philadelphia, PA)
Irish
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$40. Very average food in a Bennigan's-like atmosphere. Slainte!
La Fourno (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2008.
$40. Competantly prepared Italian food at reasonable prices.
La Lupe (Philadelphia, PA)
Mexican
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2007.
$20. One of the better Mexican joints in South Philly. Located behind Geno's.
L'Angolo (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 4, Decor: 3.
2008.
$50. Osso Bucco, fish, veal ravioli. One of the best
Italian joints in South Philly. Reasonable prices. Tiny
dining room, so make reservations. BYOB.
*Le Bec-Fin (Philadelphia, PA)
French
Overall: 6. Value: Good.
Food: 6, Service: 7, Decor: 7.
2008.
$100. Philadelphia's premiere French restaurant and most
famous restaurant, period. Recently changed concept to an a la
carte menu and casual dress code, resulting in much cheaper prices
(although the traditional $140 tasting menu is still offered).
Food and service are excellent, although a bit outdated by
today's fine dining standards.
Lee How Fook (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 1.
2006.
$30. Hot & sour soup, traditional Cantonese. Many love this place, but I found it to be just average.
Los Taquitos de Puebla (Philadelphia, PA)
Mexican/Taqueria
Overall: 3. Value: Excellent.
Food: 4, Service: 1, Decor: 1.
2008.
$20.
Tacos al pastor. This place makes perhaps the best tacos al
pastor in the city, and they are ridiculously cheap at like $6 for
three. Staff speaks very little English.
Lovash Indian Cuisine (Philadelphia, PA)
Indian
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2006.
$40. Lamb, chicken, tandoori, etc. I don't know why,
but Indian in the city always seems to disappoint. This place is
not bad, but did not blow me away.
Mai Lai Wah (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$30. A dime-a-dozen restaurant in Chinatown.
Marathon Grill (Philadelphia, PA)
American
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008.
$40. Salads, sandwiches, etc. Good american food at reasonable prices, but sometimes uneven service.
Marra's (Philadelphia, PA)
Pizza, Italian-American
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$20. Brick oven pizza in addition to traditional
Italian-American food. Stick with the pizza as the other food is
poorly done. My favorite Philadelphia pizza. Does not do
slices. Located in South Philadelphia.
Mazza (Philadelphia, PA)
Greek/Mediterranean
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$20. Chicken kebob, gyros, baklava, hummus, etc. Food ranges from good to great, but the wait for your food can sometimes be long. They deliver.
Melrose Diner (Philadelphia, PA)
Diner
Overall: 1. Value: Poor.
Food: 1, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$30. Everybody who knows goes... someplace else.
Famous South Philly diner is a famous disappointment. Open
24 hours.
Midtown 2 Diner (Philadelphia, PA)
Diner
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2009.
$20. Midtown 2 offers daily specials that often include a
ridiculous amount of food at a cheap price. One time I got a huge
London broil (very tasty, too) that included soup AND salad, sides of
potato spears AND broccoli, bread, and a cup of rice pudding for like
$12.95. I practically had to be wheeled out of the place after
that meal. Serves alcohol. Open
24 hours.
Midtown 4 Diner (Philadelphia, PA)
Diner
Overall: 2. Value: Good.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$20. Greasy-spoon
diner food. I'm not sure if all of the Midtown diners are still owned
by the same people, but I like the Midtown 2 better. Serves alcohol. Open
24 hours.
Mixto (Philadelphia, PA)
Columbian/Cuban
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2008.
$50.
Pork, seafood, chicken, etc. Competantly prepared, slightly
high-end, yet average-tasting, pricey latin food. The only reason
I eat here once in a while is because I live across the street.
Monk's (Philadelphia, PA)
Belgian
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2007.
$40. Mussels, fries, burgers, chicken, etc. Excellent
Belgian bar has sadly let its quality slip in recently years.
Offers a pricey beer list the size of the Manhattan yellow pages.
Moriarty's (Philadelphia, PA)
Irish/Bar Food
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008.
$40. Average bar food. Famous for their wings, which I have not yet tried.
Morning Glory Diner (Philadelphia, PA)
Diner
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008.
$20. Good breakfast food that's a cut above your traditional diner. Offers homemade ketchup.
Mr. Martino's (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 4.
2006.
$40. Roasted chicken in balsamic sauce, brocolli rabe,
roasted peppers, etc. Reasonably priced dishes, but rather small
portions ensure that you will order a lot so it's not as cheap as it
looks. Food is not bad, but certainly better can be found in this
neighborhood. Romantic dining room located in a renovated
hardware store. Open very limited hours, so call beforehand.
BYOB.
Nam Phuong (Philadelphia, PA)
Vietnamese
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$30. Pho, whole fried fish, standard Vietmamese food.
Good, authentic renditions of traditional Vietnamese food.
New Samosa (Philadelphia, PA)
Indian Vegetarian
Overall: 1. Value: Good.
Food: 1, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2008.
$10.
Vegetarian buffet. The "old" Samosa was better, but this
ridiculously cheap (like $10) all-you-can-eat buffet offers an
extremely limited selection of vegetarian Indian dishes. Food is
below average (and there's a lot of it ;-), but at these prices you
can't really complain.
Nick's Charcoal Pit (Philadelphia, PA)
Barbecue
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2008.
$20.
Grilled ribs, chicken, sandwiches, salads, steaks, etc.
Reliable South Philly takeout offers decent grilled food, but I
would skip the tuna steak.
Nick's Roast Beef (Philadelphia, PA)
Roast Beef
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2008.
$10. Roast Beef. Ethereal roast beef sandwiches,
supposedly made with prime roast beef, are hand-carved at this bar at
20th & Jackson in South Philly.
Oregon Diner (Philadelphia, PA)
Diner
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$20. One of the better diners in South Philly. Menu contains lots of daily specials. They serve alcohol. Open
24 hours.
Pad Thai (Philadelphia, PA)
Thai
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2006.
$30. Tom yum soup, pad thai, etc. This place off
South Street serves competantly prepared Thai food. Interesting
tropical decor. The server that waited on me was a transsexual.
Paradiso (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian
Overall: 4. Value: Fair.
Food: 4, Service: 4, Decor: 4.
2007.
$60. Rabbit, branzino, veal, homemade pappardelle, etc.
Pricey Italian joint on East Passyunk serving above average food.
Parc Brasserie (Philadelphia, PA)
French
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 4, Decor: 4.
2008.
$60.
Lobster cocktail, steak tartare, French onion soup, steak frites,
trout amandine. Very good (and very rich) renditions of French
classics abound here. A tasty, but pricey, cocktail list.
Starr has nailed the Parisian decor here, but the dining room can
get very crowded and very loud. The lobster cocktail, at $19, is
a great starter: half of a very large lobster, split down the
middle, served cold with cocktail sauces.
Pat's Steaks (Philadelphia, PA)
Cheesesteaks
Overall: 1. Value: Fair.
Food: 1, Service: 2, Decor: 0.
2008. $10. Cheesesteaks. Gruff service. Very inconsistent product. Open 24 hours.
Penrose Diner (Philadelphia, PA)
Diner
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$20. One of the better diners in South Philly, but can be pricey. $5 for a side of home fries? Say what? NOT open
24 hours!
Pesto (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2007.
$40. Yet another South Philly red gravy Italian joint. Good, but not good enough to stand out among the rest.
Pho 75 (Philadelphia, PA)
Vietnamese, Soup
Overall: 3. Value: Excellent.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2008.
$10. Pho. Cheap and good, you can get a huge bowl of pho for around $6 here.
Pho Ha (Philadelphia, PA)
Vietnamese, Soup
Overall: 3. Value: Excellent.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2008.
$10.
Pho. This may be the cheapest, and also one of the
tastiest, pho operations in Philly. Some have issues with their
cleanliness, however.
Pho Hoa (Philadelphia, PA)
Vietnamese, Soup
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2009.
$20. Pho and other Vietnamese standards. That's not a typo,
there is a Pho Ha and a Pho Hoa on Washington Ave. in South Philly.
This one serves pho along with a variety of standard Vietnamese
fare, such as lemongrass chicken, fried fish, etc.
Pho Xue La (Philadelphia, PA)
Vietnamese, Soup
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2006.
$20. Pho Xue La means "soup train" in Vietnamese, as you
might have guessed by the neon train in the window of this Chinatown
fixture. A good place to stop for pho, as well as the seafood hot
pot.
Plaza Garibaldi (Philadelphia, PA)
Mexican
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2008.
$20. Another tasty and inexpensive South Philly Mexican place, serving tasty tacos, chicken mole, burritos, etc.
Positano Coast (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian Seafood
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 4.
2006.
$50. Nice seafood restaurant in an attractive space. I recall having a tasty tuna tartare here.
Primo Hoagies (Philadelphia, PA)
Hoagies
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2008. $10. Hoagies. One of the better Italian delis.
The Pub (Pennsauken, NJ)
Steakhouse
Overall: 4. Value: Excellent.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 4.
2008.
$40. Steaks, salad bar. This place may be the best
bargain going for steakhouses, and also has an extremely kitschy
Beowulf meade hall-style decor (a good thing, in my opinion!).
Steaks are charcoal cooked, tasty, and very reasonably priced.
Every entree also includes their vast salad bar, so really you
don't need to order appetizers. Desserts are hit or miss (mostly
miss), except for the gargantuan chocolate fudge cake, which always
elicits stares from neighboring tables. Taking value into
consideration, this is my favorite steakhouse.
Rangoon (Philadelphia, PA)
Burmese
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2008.
$30. Thousand layer bread, chicken with basil and chili
sauce. Excellent Burmese cuisine in Chinatown, operated by a
friendly older Burmese woman that seriously seems to always be putting
on a fake smile. Smile and eat up.
Roselina's (Philadelphia, PA)
American, Desserts
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 5.
2007.
$40.
The regular food here is very mediocre, so just stick with the
coffee and desserts. The dining room is beautiful and has an
old-timey antiquey charm. Prices are a tad high, but I think
worth it for the charming decor.
Rose Tattoo Cafe (Philadelphia, PA)
American
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2002.
$50.
This may be my least detailed review. I honestly do not
remember what I ate here, but I recall that the food was decent and the
bill was high.
Rouge (Philadelphia, PA)
American
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 4, Decor: 3.
2008.
$50.
Burgers. Rough is known for their burger, and indeed it
does not disappoint. Get it with a side of truffled fries.
Alcohol here is pricey, so beware. Room is funky and
velvety. Not sure if I like that so I gave it a 3 for decor.
Sagami (Collingswood, NJ)
Sushi
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2004.
$40. Sushi, as well as other traditional Japanese fare.
This dark, low-ceiling'd sushi place in Collingswood is a
classic. Good sushi, but not up there with the best in Philly.
I recall having a slimy piece of uni, but maybe I just don't like
uni. Other Japanese dishes, such as sukiyaki, are prepared very
well.
Sansom Street Oyster House (Philadelphia, PA)
Seafood
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2007.
$50. Oysters, crab, fish, etc. Perhaps my favorite
seafood restaurant, and reasonably priced. Sadly, they recently
closed and may be out of business for good.
Sarcone's Deli (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian Deli
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2007. $10. Hoagies. This is probably the best italian deli in the city.
Scannicchio's (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2007.
$50.
Veal chop, escargots, steaks, etc. Above average
Italian-American at Broad & Porter. Pricey, but you get what
you pay for.
Shank's and Evelyn's (Philadelphia, PA)
Luncheonette
Overall: 3. Value: Excellent.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2008.
$15. Cheesesteaks, veal scallopine, sausage, crab cakes,
soup, various specials. South Philly luncheonette that's a cut
above, and an excellent value, too. Service may come with a side
of atty-tood.
Smith & Wollensky's (Philadelphia, PA)
Steakhouse
Overall: 2. Value: Poor.
Food: 2, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2008.
$80.
Porterhouse for 2. Disappointing steaks, and poorly
executed cooking, at sky-high prices. Dining room has lots of
wood panelling.
South Street Diner (Philadelphia, PA)
Diner
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2002.
$20. A good diner, similar in quality to Oregon or Penrose. Open
24 hours.
Standard Tap (Philadelphia, PA)
American/Bar Food
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008.
$40. Burgers, venison stew, squid, mussels, duck, etc. Quality gastro-pub fare. Very popular and usually crowded.
Steve's Prince of Steaks (Philadelphia, PA)
Cheesesteaks
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2008. $10. Cheesesteaks. One of the better cheesesteak shops. Located in Northeast Philly.
Sweet Lucy's BBQ (Philadelphia, PA)
Barbecue
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$20. Ribs, brisket, pork, etc. One of the better authentic smoked barbecue joints in Philly.
Szechuan Tasty House (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007.
$25. Well-executed Chinese in, where else, Chinatown.
Tacconelli's (Philadelphia, PA)
Pizza
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2003.
$20. Brick oven pizza. Philly's most famous pizza
requires you to reserve your dough in advance. A good pie.
Does not do slices. Located in Port Richmond.
Tai Lake (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2008.
$40.
Live fish, frogs, shrimp, unusual items such as snake, sea
cucumber, abalone, etc. One of the better seafood restaurants in
Chinatown, I usually go for a whole live fish. The best part:
open til 3am!
Taqueria La Veracruzana (Philadelphia, PA)
Mexican
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2008.
$20. Another inexpensive, quality taqueria in South Philly. Pretty much all of these places are good and cheap.
Termini Brothers (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian Pastries
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2008.
$20.
Cakes, cookies, canolli, biscotti, etc. Check out the
original location at 8th & Cross. Serving quality desserts
for decades. They even operate a cafe with decent, inexpensive
food across the street.
Tommy Gunn's BBQ (Philadelphia, PA)
Barbecue
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2007.
$20.
Ribs, brisket, pork, etc. I used to love going to the South
Street location for ribs, but it has closed. The Manayunk
location still exists. This is probably my favorite ribs place in
the city.
Tony Luke's (Philadelphia, PA)
Sandwiches
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 0.
2008. $12. Roast Pork. Cheesesteaks. Gruff service.
Tony's Tomato Pies (Philadelphia, PA)
Pizza, Italian-American
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008. $30. Famous tomato pies. One of Philly's better pizza joints. Located in Mayfair. Cash-only.
Tre Scalini (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2006.
$40. Veal, pasta, etc. Traditional red gravy eating
doesn't really get much better than Tre Scalini. Recently
relocated further south down Passyunk Ave. I have not been to
this new location yet.
Tria (Philadelphia, PA)
American, Small Plates
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2008.
$40.
Duck salad, sandwiches, cheese, wine. A pleasant place to
relax and sample wine, cheese, and small plates of food, but honestly
the food here underwhelms me a little bit. I prefer Chick's Cafe
to this place.
Varallo's (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2007.
$40.
Pasta, veal, mussels, etc. An inviting red gravy joint in
South Philly is hit or miss, and service as well as cooking quality can
greatly suffer when this place gets crowded. The kitchen tends to
get overwhelmed when more than 2 or 3 tables fill, meaning you can wait
a very long time for food that may or may not be cooked properly.
That being said, I have had some excellent meals here when the
stars align, but it is a crapshoot.
Victor Cafe (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2000.
$40.
Admittedly it has been ages since I've eaten here, but I recall
competant, but pricey, red gravy Italian food, delivered by waiters
that pause every 10 minutes or so to belt out an opera song. A
good place to dine if you're into opera, I suppose.
Vietnam (Philadelphia, PA)
Vietnamese
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 4.
2008.
$40.
Serves all the Vietnamese standards, and maybe a few surprises.
Recently renovated, the interior is very nice indeed. The
food is on par with, but certainly not above, any of the better
Vietnamese joints in the city. Priced moderately higher than the
average vietnamese joint, as well.
Villa di Roma (Philadelphia, PA)
Italian-American
Overall: 3. Value: Fair.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2004.
$40. Old school red gravy South Philly Italian on 9th Street. Decent food, but nothing to write home about.
Wokano (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008.
$30.
Common and unusual Chinese dishes, including some offal and
shark's fin soup. Very average Chinese food in a friggin' huge
dining room, literally like the size of a ballroom on the Titanic.
If you need a place to cater a party for 500, look no further.
The White House (Atlantic City, NJ)
Subs
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2005. $10. Cheesesteaks, hoagies, etc. Landmark sub shop in AC that won a James Beard award.
Zento (Philadelphia, PA)
Sushi
Overall: 4. Value: Fair.
Food: 5, Service: 4, Decor: 3.
2007.
$60.
One of the city's best sushi joints, located in Old City, from a
former chef at Morimoto. A bit pricey and the portions are kind
of small, but the quality is indeed excellent. BYOB.
Zhi Wei Guan (Philadelphia, PA)
Chinese
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 3, Decor: 2.
2008.
$30.
Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings), Hangzhou style cuisine, some
offal, pig stomach, etc. One of the better places to get soup
dumplings. I also tried the pig stomach soup, which had a
delicious rich broth, but I could only take so much stomach. I
need to try this place again.
New York City and surrounding areas
Angelo & Maxie's (New York, NY)
Steakhouse
Overall: 5. Value: Good.
Food: 5, Service: 5, Decor: 4.
2009. $80. Porterhouse. Gigantic side dishes.
Burritoville (New York, NY)
Tex-Mex
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008. $40. Burritos, typical tex-mex. Average.
Cuban Pete's (Montclair, NJ)
Cuban
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008. $40. Pork, chicken, fish, rice and beans, etc. BYOB.
Brasserie Les Halles (New York, NY)
French
Overall: 4. Value: Fair.
Food: 4, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2009. $70. French onion soup, coq au vin, escargots, fish, steak frites, etc.
Di Fara's (New York, NY)
Pizza
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 5, Service: 0, Decor: 1.
2008.
$20. New York's most famous pizza lives up to its repuation
for good eats and horrific service. It can literally take hours
to receive your pizza at this one man operation. Worth the
difficult wait.
Located in Brooklyn.
Ferrara's (New York, NY)
Italian Pastries and Cafe
Overall: 1. Value: Poor.
Food: 1, Service: 2, Decor: 3.
2008.
$20. Cookies, cakes, cannoli, gelato, coffee,
biscotti. Famous Italian pastry shop and cafe in what's left of
Manhattan's Little Italy is a dissappointment.
L'Express (New York, NY)
Traditional French Bistro
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2009. $50. French onion soup, quenelles, escargots, croque monsieur, duck a l'orange, etc. Open 24 hours.
Lombardi's (New York, NY)
Pizza
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2005. $20. Coal oven pizza. Supposedly America's first pizzeria.
Maxie's Deli (New York, NY)
Jewish Deli
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2007. $30. Huge sandwiches, but average quality. Pastrami, corned beef, etc.
Mexicali Rose (Montclair, NJ)
Tex-Mex
Overall: 3. Value: Good.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008. $40. Pork, chicken, fish, burritos, tacos, etc. BYOB.
Mexican Radio (New York, NY)
Tex-Mex
Overall: 4. Value: Good.
Food: 4, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2008. $50. Burritos, chicken, tacos, etc. Very large hot sauce selection. A notch above average tex-mex.
New Green Bo (New York, NY)
Chinese
Overall: 3. Value: Excellent.
Food: 3, Service: 2, Decor: 1.
2007.
$20. Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings). Whole fish in
chili sauce. Homemade dumplings. A tremendous bargain.
Osteria Giotto (Montclair, NJ)
Italian
Overall: 5. Value: Good.
Food: 5, Service: 3, Decor: 3.
2007. $50. Veal, steak, pasta, seafood. BYOB.
Stage Deli (New York, NY)
Jewish Deli
Overall: 2. Value: Fair.
Food: 2, Service: 2, Decor: 2.
2002. $30. Huge sandwiches, but average quality. Pastrami, corned beef, etc.
Elsewhere in the United States
Rao's (Las Vegas, NV)
Italian-American
Overall: 5. Value: Fair.
Food: 5, Service: 4, Decor: 5.
2008.
$70. Pasta. Lemon chicken. You're not going to
get a table at the original New York location, so why not try this
offshoot at Caesar's in Vegas?
Back Bio Bloodninja Calculus C++ Food Liquid Courage
Metal Pai Gow Photography Power Travel Writings
disgorge@undertheblade.com