Totally agree w/ kortina on this one. Friends took us here a few weeks after our wedding and even though i can't remember what i had to eat (even though i *do* remember what we drank - almost 1/2 case of Moore Bros Bon Marche ... ) the service was outstanding as was the food.

Bottom-line: best italian in NoLib?

We totally destroyed Sagami last night. Just killed it. And enjoyed every second of every minute of every hour that we were there are we were there for 2.75 hours. Between (and amongst) the 4 of us we had: edamame, oshinko, negamaki, chirashi, Sushi B (their version of the sushi deluxe - 1 tuna roll and 15 (or so) assorted pieces), vegetable tempura, yaka dofu (i know i mangled this one - its the cold tofu dish), chicken katsu, one bottle of Jizake and a 6 pack of assorted japanese Foodery beers. oh yeah, 2 uni with quail egg and 1 ikura w/ quail egg. and 3 ice creams and 1/4 pineapple. I cannot stress enough how fantastically fresh, cool (almost cold) and clean the sushi is/was. One of the finest sushi meals i have ever had. Great company. Great food.

Bottom-line: 1 of 2 reasons (the other being Moore Bros) to cross the bridges to NJ.

You can sit in the back main dining room and empty your wallet pretty fast or you can sit up front in the bar area and drink great beers and eat local/free-range/organic whatever. Today, i had their "Cuban Reuben": Lancaster County Ham, Swiss, Sauerkraut, Pickles and Russian Dressing w/ a side chickpea salad and another side of fries. The sandwich was FANTASTIC (and really i don't take this comment lightly ... i am truly a cubano snob (even though this isn't a "cubano" per se at least it has cuban in the title...). the best one in Philly is at Plaza Garibaldi (see review) and the best one in the northern hemisphere is in Puerto Rico at Kasalta. Kasalta is a must-go-to before you die. really). The chickpea salad was spiced with curry and red onions and was decent. Fries, dipped in mayo ... how can you go wrong?



Bottom-line: good, clean, enviro-friendly food.

i dislike retractions but here it goes .... oh hell i'm not retracting just refining. i had a very decent meal at dave's tonight. and the service was stellar, now not upscale le bec fin stellar but small bar-b-que chain stellar. the pork ribs were meaty and moist and those spicy baked beans with HUGE chunks of pork were outstanding.



Bottom line: if you can't make it to Rib Crib OR you just want to sit and eat within city limits then FD is not a bad option.

You get what you ask for.

"Can i have the worst burrito ever?"
"Sure, coming right up!"

Yes, sarcone's bread is amazing. But their hoagies flat out suck. If you've ever been to Chickies (10th and Federal) then you know what i am talking about. avoid sarcone's and head over to chickies - you will not be disappointed. i really am amazed that people even mention sarcone's hoagies... they are that bad. then again philadelphians are not know for their good taste *cough*Penn's landing*cough*rocky*cough*mayor street*cough*

soon i will be able to edit my posts but until then ...
forgot to mention that Monks has the hottest wings ever. These are not your typical buffalo wings with a vinegary red-sauce. i think its a habanero dry rub and then a sauce (been too long for me to remember particulars) AND the wings are HUGE. Really, if you find a hotter wing let me know.

Another refinement: hit the tap again last night and and well ... was slightly disappointed. First, i really never noticed how DARK it was, i guess mostly because i was there many times over the summer, on the deck, when it was beautiful. (Also, it is usually a place to get your drink on and well, lets face it, dark is good then.) It is so dark that you can't see your food. Take away the sense of sight and you might as well scorch my tongue with acid ... it affects the taste. It was so dark that i couldn't see that my hangar steak was waaay rare when i wanted it medium-rare (my bad, i know i should get that cut medium) but i sure did taste it as i chewed and chewed and chewed. Bad, bad hangar steak, i should have sent it back. On the flip side the fried oysters were really good. Oysters are very silky and delicate and i imagine it is hard to get a coating that is suitable for frying BUT not to heavy to overpower the weak mollusk. ST is able to get the rigid coating but it is, IMO, a bit to heavy. Still good but not delicate enough.

Bottom-line: naturally the tap is a great place to meet friends and drink amazing philadelphia beers and just chill. Maybe the lights need to be kicked up a notch but i think they pride themselves more on the ambiance for drinking than for eating.

Since i can't edit my post i have to make another one .. "my bad" (as the kidz say) i didn't realize that it was BYO ... i wonder why i thought that? Anyway ... good pizza!

Agree that Lombardi's was much much better but now that it is gone (even the building is gone!) MP might be the next best option for wood-fired pizza. Plus they serve decent (over-priced) beer (Chimay).

The last time i was at the Medusa Lounge the smoking ban was not in effect and it was smoky as hell (being downstairs w/o any fresh air) but now that the cancer-freaks aren't killing the rest of us it might be enjoyable. It is styled with Clockwork Orange type furniture. I think when you go to an R5 Production (r5productions.com) show and show your ticket/bracelet you get a drink special.

Bottom-line: should be less smoky, go to an R5 show, drink for cheap and have fun.

Best egg sandwich on the streets of philly. Ever.
True story: i stood in line behind a frat boy who ordered (no joke): 3 eggs scrambled, cheese, extra-bacon, extra-sausage and extra mayo on a long roll. Hangover much?

If you've never been to a food truck on the streets on Philly you can stop reading now....
One look at the crowd at Kim's truck during lunch time is evidence enough that the food must be good.

One word (well two): GINGER CHICKEN

Bottom-line: run, don't walk. Seriously.

If you've never been to a food truck on the streets on Philly you can stop reading now....
For the brave adventerous souls who have eaten at a food truck, i salute you! At first glance the truck that houses Yue Kee's Mobile Kitchen seems, well, dirty and greasy but on seconds glance it looks, well, the same as the first glance except probably dirtier. Have no fear! The food from here is very good but you just need to know what to order. For example you DO NOT want the Chicken Egg Foo Young but you DO want the Spicy Triple Delight (the triple being: chicken, shrip and pork and the delight being matchstick bamboo shoots and a lovely brown sauce (served with white rice)). Some other recommended dished are:Beijing Hot Noodles (almost like an Asian spaghetti with meat sauce .. really yummy!) and the Singapore Noodles aren't half bad (the Real Lee Ann has the best Singapore Noodles for a lunch truck). If you eat here and know of something delish please let us know.

Bottom-line: great food from a beaten down truck (call ahead for faster service as the line can get long (w/ a 20-30 minutes wait), 610.812.7189

One year they won the prestigious prize of best wings (2004?) and so naturally i had to try. The wings were good, the beer was good and the friends i just helped move into their place in philly picked up the tab.

I've never had any of the pastries from here but my friend who, last year traveled to Spain simply for the chocolate, swears it's her favorite pastry place in Philly.

Full disclosure: our wedding reception was held at Davio's. They own the top 2 floors of this building and you can rent it out and they will cater and (this is a big AND) you can use their membership at Club Quarters (members only hotel) for your guests (at a ridiculous rate of $60 per queen room - in CENTER CITY this is insane). Anyway, the food is what you would expect from upscale steak-houseish and Italian (more Italian than steak but we had the filet at the wedding which was served with a full head of roasted garlic per plate, so insane). anyway, my mother drank almost a full 5th of Grey Goose and had the best night of her life. There is a balcony off of the dining room where i spent most of the night oggling the city lights and basking the in the deep seated (in the bones and in the soul) glow of marriage.

Bottom-line: if you need a special place for your 100th review you might want to chose the place that is ingrained in your heart.

I forgot to add that it is a SHAME that this restaurant closed. The food was amazing, the service was stellar and the atmosphere was perfect for a medi/euro experience.

Since this is foobooz's first and only review i feel compelled to add some content to the listing. But seeing that it is closed doesn't leave me much to go on. So, here's the one and only foobooz/philaguerilla tag team review, BOOM!

I used to go here often when i first moved to philly but then i stopped going for awhile ... i think it changed hands during that time. Though i must say they have some serious delicious omelette options. My fav is some fixin of scrambled eggs and beans and sausage done cajun style. With an English muffin.

Bottom-line: a convenient place to eat if someone you know is at Pennsylvania Hospital (the nation's first hospital) and you need a break from the hospital smell OR you just like good food.

I think the 1st time i was at Lovash there was a sign that read "Indian and Mexican". Is that possible? I know it's strictly Indian now. and it's not bad. If you have the dough and the time walk over to Cafe Spice for serious Indian but if you are just skipping down the south street and aren't totally obsessed with food and "a meal is just a meal" (what!?) then try it and let us know.

sorta confused by the description of chick-fil-a from above. upscale? rich taste? Reminds me of the scenes in the Big Lebowski when Jackie Treehorn spikes the dude's white russian with ludes ("you make a mean Caucasian jackie") and he has that flashback/dream ("just dropped in to see what condition my condition is in") and then ends up at the Sheriff's station in malibu ("stay out of malibu, lebowski! stay outta malibu, deadbeat!"). Where was i? oh yeah ...

Bottom-line: chain. semi-okay option if you need the fast food fix and/or your wife is pregnant and wants to go there, then it becomes the most delicious place you've ever been and yes dear the baby probably does love chicken, no no the oil is good for it, i love you).

When i first moved to Philly and after i located some of the places to see a show (Upstairs at Nick's being one of them, no longer exists) i ended up one night with ticket in hand to see Don Caballero. I was early and too high to stand around the mostly empty venue waiting for the opening band to start. I headed downstairs to Nick's and ordered the, um, Hot Roast Beef sandwich and a beer. I remember drowning the bread in the au jus so that it took on that very soft texture so that the beef actually was more 'pronounced', texturally speaking. What a meal! I was able to really focus on every bite and chew thoroughly and even though i was eating alone i kept up a very good internal dialog regarding every bite and how it differed from the bite before and/or the bite before and projected how the next bite might taste. It was a sandwich dissertation! Anyway, i haven't been in about 8 years or so so i have no idea what it's like now. The show kicked my ass, btw. DC are no longer together but it really sent me into a tailspin trying to find out more about Pittsburgh bands.

So, we had our wedding cake made at Sud (so i am biased, seeing that she was an integral part of the most wonderful and spiritually satisfying day of my life (and i am agnostic)). I only know Sud when it was Sud and before she married the guy who helped her launch the "cafe" so i can't speak to that. We used to live around the corner and for a couple of weekends before the wedding we used to walk over and she would ply us with free pastries and talk about the cake and our options. The days and weeks before you are married BUT after all the planning is done (well, almost all of the planning, the the planning continues until the day of) are strange days, you feel this inevitable event breathing around the corner, you can hear it and feel it but it doesn't have Shape - you're face to face with it only when you are in the midst of it. Our times spent in Sud were very comforting and caused the breathing to be a bit softer and we learned to love the anticipation. I thank Sud for that. The cake kicked ass as well.

Never been here but have been in the parking lot many time's picking up pizza from Celebre's and cheese cakes from Termini Bro's. You might know C&P's from Fox news when the smoking ban was first proposed in Philly. When Faux news needed someone on the con side of the argument (um, like, smoking has scientifically been proven to cause cancer, read the warning on the box, moron) they would inevitably 'interview' someone at C&P who would spew such gems as "this is america", "i don't want the american taliban telling me what to do", "stoopid liberal-pinko-commies tryin to infringe upon my 1st amendment right, gimme my gun i'm pissed now", etc ad nauseum
Will someone not biased please eat the food there and let us know?

How can you go wrong with Celebre's? It is the same parking lot and Termini's Bros and Chickie and Pete's. So, here's a great idea for a Sunday: hit C&P's for the Iggles, drink heavily, walk-over to Celebre's and order your pizza (slam a Heineken while you are there), walk next door to the ATM and tap that checking account, walk over 2 stores to Terms and get the choco cheescake and accept that in this hood you are called "hun". Pick up pizza, head home (have the designated driver, "DD", drive), enjoy the loveliness that is Celebre's. This is not thin crust pizza, its actually quite think. I HIGHLY recommend the 'old world' pizza, which is dough THEN cheese THEN sauce (yup, sauce on top of cheese). Good stuff, hun. Doncha think?

You can do much better than MP for Indian. Though if you are stuck in CenterCity and are fiending it really is your only choice. And if that is the case then you should get any of Biryani's. The food is served on trays on disposable plates. Its very down-scale.

Def one of the best Indian restaurants in the city. And get this ... it's a chain! With locations in NY, NJ, PA and MD. I've eaten here about a half a dozen times and can't think of a single complaint. The drinks have always been good (happy hour is fun), the food is always delicious and the atmosphere is happy/trendy w/o being snobby. You can show up in jeans and a tshirt or with a button down and pressed pants. you'll feel at home either way. The booths are intimate for parties of 2,3, or 4. Most entrees are $15-$24 but it's well worth it. The saag is made with ... FRESH Spinach! The Chicken Sixty Five is SPICEY but you can still taste the flavor of the chicken. The presentations are beautiful. Be sure to get the bread basket combo.

Bottom line: get your spice fix on at Cafe Spice. Now!

I've only had the lunch-time buffet at TI. IMO, indian buffet's are DANGEROUS. You want to get your $$'s worth but you don't want to overdue it ... all of those spices can put a serious hurting on your stomach. You don't just feel full you feel OMG FULL, I NEED A NAP. So, please take it easy.

I can recommend the Tandoori chicken, chicken vindaloo and usually anything lamb. The saag made me sick once (and i love saag) so i avoid it now. Def a good lunch choice if you are in the area. For upscale Indian check out Cafe Spice.

The Foodery is not a restaurant though you might spend as much if not more here than you would for a mid-scale meal.

Boasting the greatest selections of beer from around the world. A huge bonus is that they sell singles and six-packs thereby undermining the draconian liquor laws of Pennsylvania.

Before you head to your next fav BYOB restaurant *cough*little fish*cough* stop by the foodery for the perfect compliment to your meal.

Bottom line: Best. Beer. Selection. In. The. State. Of. PA. Ever.

Oh hell yes Susanna Foo. Very decent upscale Chinese food at an upscale price. My wife and i were given a $250 gift cert as a wedding gift when we were, um, wedded. I think we blew through the 250 and then some. You can certainly do it for cheaper but we decided not too. Def some of the best lamb i have ever eaten. The desserts were memorable as well. I think i had sake and beer.

Put SF on your CityJoints "queue" ... what's that CJ doesn't have a queue yet ... well maybe because they haven't been listening to my suggestions. You might want to send them an email (info@cityjoints.com) and request this functionality.

Mid-scale chinese food. The interior is nice and very not typical cheap chinese decorations. Many options for vegetarians. Besides Susanna Foo i don't know of any other mid-to-upscale chinese in this city.

To get great Korean food you need to travel to the North East (Jong Ka Jib) or to 69th street near the Tower Theater where the menu is completely in Korean. If you find yourself in or around West Philly you could do much worse than Han Wool. I've only had some of the korean dishes here and none of the japanese dishes. The spicy squid is very good as are some of the large bowls of soup. The beef and cellophane noodle soup is especially good. Naturally, the banchan is of a great variety (though i swear they give me the american-white-guy one's...). As Kat mentioned the bibim bap is very good.

Full menu and buffet. Insanely hot hot sauce that is served in a Styrofoam cup labeled "hot sauce" written in red magic marker. Next time i go i will be sure to note some of the buffet menu items. 2 locations in the city.

I can't give TOG a star because i've never eaten here but it *is* a chain in CenterCity and only 5 minutes from great Italian in South Philly. Move along there is nothing to eat here...

Some of the highlights here are:
Dutch Eating Place - great breakfast option at anytime of the day.
Termini Bros - pastries
Metropolitan bakery - bread artisans
Flying Monkey Patisserie - pastries
(Tony) Dinic's - get your hot roast beef, pork & veal here
Tea Leaf - great selection of loose teas

I haven't eaten here yet but i believe that it is the same chef who used to work at Little Fish and since that is one of my fav spots i figured this has got to be good as well. From what i can tell looking through the windows is that Pumpkin is doing it right. Someone please go AND review!

Def a big fan of Lutecia and the french proprietors who know how to do simple sandwiches. The french bread with brie and tomato and capers is fantastic. The indoor seating can get a bit crowded and the outdoor seating can get a bit noisy from the traffic. I'm glad this place exists.

For some reason i really like Chaucer's. The food isn't spectacular, the beer selection is decent, the atmosphere is ... okay. I guess it has less to do with Chaucer's then my experiences at Chaucer's (see my review for Doobies).

Really no reason to go here unless ...
A story: when i first met my wife, who at the time was my co-worker, and i was trying to court her (wtf? did i just say 'court'?) i asked where she hung out and she said "Doobies" but since i have an awful memory (see reviews) i promptly forgot, though i didn't forget the area (lombard in the low 20's). anyway, one night my friends came into town from NYC and treated me to xtc for my bday. We went to a show at the troc and since it was my first time on x i was really impacted by the 'perspective' it offered me on life and human beings and what it means to be alive. After the show it was very important to me to try and find co-worker/future-wife at the bar which i couldn't remember the name but knew it was near lombard and near the low 20's. We ended up at the Chaucer's Tabard Inn and needless to say she was not there. She was at doobie's. The desire that i felt for her being and the craving that i felt for her still resonates with me to this day. I guess it's a good thing that i didn't find her that night.

Bottom line: avoid at all costs, especially if you are looking for your future wife.

Cavs has a fairly decent corned beef sandwich and the fries with olde bay hold their own. This is def a college pub, with a college pub atmosphere and college pub menu. Good lunch choice if you are in the area.

tampopo is def an option if you live in the area and want take out.

Def worth it for the grub urge-er within you.
How often can you have Burmese? Flesh out that resume, Foody.

My wife and i celebrated something here ... could have been an anniversary or bday or master's degree ... can't remember. I do remember the octopus and a Mediterranean platter with olives and hummus and many other goodies. Great location right near Fitler Square. Great people watching. Outdoor seating in the warmer months.

Oh hell yes one of the best ice cream parlors around. Hell, i don't even know of another ice cream parlor in the city. Get. There. Now.

A suggestion: if you have a date and it is the beginning(ish) of the relationship ... take him or her to the Continental for some drinks (2 martini's should do it), skip dinner, and get a milkshake from this place. Guaranteed to produce mad "i love you" vibes even if you haven't said "i love you" yet and were wondering when those words would be uttered. You could let them slip right about now and it is guaranteed to hit the heart. Really, do it.

I totally forgot about this restaurant until just now when i was browsing to see what rofix reviewed. Here's something crazy: i've eaten at Beau Monde about 5 times and i've never had the crepes! yup. that's right. I ALWAYS get the steak au poivre - i can't help it. A lovely cut of meat with smashed peppercorns in a brandy/cognac/wine buttery sauce. That steak with a chimay is heaven. plus, i think one of the waitresses wanted a threesome with me and my wife.

NOTE: i just checked the website and i don't see the steak listed on the menu. that's too bad. if you go look for the steak and let me know.

Here's what i remember: mojito = too sweet. food = i have no idea what to say .. it was not rememberable at all apparently. though we did have a decent brunch there one Sunday morning.

I won't "star" this restaurant because I never have eaten here. I have had drinks at the bar many times (especially when i was doing my laundry across the street at my favorite laundromat. It is managed by this old school cat named "Al" (i can't believe i just said cat to refer to a person). Al, is a cool dude. I would buy him 20 oz's bud's at Kitchen USA (20th and Spruce) before i headed over to do my laundry. We would talk about the rats (HUGE! long tails running across the floor and no matter how many times i saw a rat in that laundromat i would always think "my god! was that a rat?!) and the roaches (again HUGE! and again they would run to and fro and you would think "i've never seen a roach so big"). Needless to say, eventually i made the connection rat + coachroach + me and my laundry. so, i stopped hanging out with Al and headed over to TM for a martini. After a few weeks of the blah crowd and even more blah atmosphere i was itching to see Al and the kids. But then we moved. I haven't been back. If you go to TM do me a favor and stop by the laundromat and tell Al that his boy from way back sez "hey".)

AC is in a great location, 1 block off of Rittenhouse Square The tables and interior are usually arranged in full-on Martha Stewart style (this is a full-on compliment). There is indoor and outdoor seating. The food was decent ... too bad i couldn't remember what i had. You see, we had friends who just moved to Philly from Pittsburgh (or maybe they were originally from Pittsburgh but recently moved from baltimore) and we had some mojito's at the apt. before we headed over to AC for dinner. We brought a couple of bottles of wine from Moore bros. The conversation was good, again food was decent, drink was great. I think the smallish place could get loud if packed. Great people watching place. You could head over to Audrey Clarie's other restaurant, Twenty Manning, if you want a more trendy experience.

Bottom line: head over there and then write a review because i can't remember what the food tasted like (even though i vaguely remember spicy chickpeas).

Could do better could do worse. Best option for the area. The grilled hoagies are decent.

Great pub with excellent food. Huge asset to the NoLIb food scene. One of the best hangar steaks i've ever had. The upstairs is actually an option now that the smoking ban is full effect.

Hell yes top notch Greek food. Fantastic octopus. Great romantic dinner to drink your BYOB (the Foodery is right down the block), eat seafood and discuss the future. Will you marry her? have kids? Private school vs. public school ? It's all good at Effie's.

I really agree with beker on this one. Ordinarily I would slam this place for being so awful but then again it is what it is: a loud and greasy pub for Penn students to get their drink on. (Though after getting *my* drink on i had their potato skins and happily gorged myself on the oil and cheese)

You know i really want to love NXNW. The space is really great. The food is very mediocre. It is in a very up-and-coming area of Mt. Airy. It has the bones it just lacks the meat.

Upscale yet authentic Mexican.

Now a story: a few years back when i first met my wife (then gf) we ate at Tequila's (when it was in the old building not its new location). We ordered the pitcher of margarita's then another then another...see i was young and in love and you know how the beginning of relationships are, the priorities being: sex and food. We were in the midst of that stage. I was fully, completely and thoroughly drunk by the end of the meal. I remember weaving into the bathroom towards the end of the meal and actually doing the man-in-the-mirror routine: "please just let me hold it together a little longer i can't make an ass of myself. i plan on marrying this woman". I get back to the table and my brother has a shot of mescal waiting for me. The man in the mirror just laughed. We downed that shot and then another and then the miracle happened. This has never happened to me before. I sobered up. 2 shots of mescal must have pushed me beyond drunk into a region i've never been before and a subconscious control took over. I was walking straight, being witty, slam dancing on the man in the mirror who let me down.

Bottom line: great food. AND if you ever are getting too drunk and the man in the mirror is not cooperating - do 2 shots of mescal.

I really love the bartenders in this trendy restaurant. What i really love about this place is: my wife knows and is okay with me drooling over the bartenders, the martini's are very good, the beer selection is great. The food is upscale trendy BUT its very good (albeit over priced). Now that i think about it i let the Latest Dish slide because of those gorgeous bartenders. A couple of years back when work was canceled because of the snow we trudged down south st. in knee high deep snow (hi Spaceboy! you served us well...RIP) and into The Latest Dish. Spent the afternoon drinking. That was a good day.

I really really try to love this cute little shop but for some reason i can't. Nothing specific. It's probably me (it usually is).

Need some excellent coffee? Craving super sweet, loveliness in the form of a waffle? Look no further. Not bad for a chain.

Best. bread bakery. in. philly. hands. down. With multiple locations in and around the city it shouldn't be too difficult to pick up an amazing loaf of olive bread or a seriously seed coated bagel.

Bottom line: get there now.

My good friend (vegan) who was in town for the night picked up some takeout from Singapore before he headed over to our place. I am a carnivore but a foody first and foremost. I am always impressed when i can eat straight-up vegetarian food and not once think "where's the beef?". i remember the lo mein being delicious.

Bottom line: solid vegetarian chinese food in chinatown.

Great brunch spot for those of you tired of waiting at Sabrina's. The staff, atmosphere and food are amazing. Great addition to the NoLib restaurant scene.

One of my fav restaurants in the City. My wife took me here for my 31st bday on the Friday night before the Craig Leban review in the Sunday paper. Started at the bar with one of the best martini's i've ever had. We moved into the backroom to our table. I can't remember exactly what i had but I started with the raw oysters, topped with caviar and a light vinaigrette. Best. Oysters. Ever. The service was amazing, the rest of the meal was fuzzy because i didn't treat the martini's like breasts (1 is not enough and 3 is one too many).

Bottom line: a must go-to for Foodies. And don't violate the martini code of conduct.

Crappy greasy pizza. But but but ... they sell 6 packs of beer and if you already have your drink on and need some food and even more beer i suppose its not a bad place to go.

When i lived in the area i used to do smoke a joint before heading into CinCin. As a full on panic attack (side-effect of weed, yah know?) would start to settle into my bones my martini would arrive and one sip later i would melt into my chair. those days i wasn't much of a conversationalist (still not much better) BUT i was an young, up-and-coming Foody and would dazzle my friends with CinCin's upscale Chinese (with a French Flair ...). It gets quite loud in the dining area but with a head full of candy rainbow misty mountain ride and a belly full of vodka and General Tso's you really won't care.

Bottom line: well worth the drive to Chestnut Hill for great Chinese.

Hell yes one of the best pizza's in the city. I love that you have to order you dough in advance. Went to a couple of large bday parties here and had lots of fun. Make sure to stop by the NoLibs Foodery for beer before heading into this BYOB.

The beer menu is named The Beer Bible. Best. Beer. Selection. In. The. City. Ever.
The first date i went on with my wife (then gf) was to Monks. We ate in the back room. I think i had a hamburger (or the tuna burger). She had the veggie burger i think. Here's what i remember: i want to marry this woman AND she has some lettuce stuck in her front teeth but it's a;ready been 5 minutes since we finished our salads and how do i bring it up now? oh christ i am an awful person for not brining this to her attention. I stress about it through the rest of the meal and she probably took my semi-silence and quiet and smart introspection ... we pay and leave and i walk her home. Obviously we ended up getting married and i can't remember how/if she found out about the salad/teeth.

Bottom line: drink some beer, eat some mussels and some fries. Tell your future wife if she has something stuck in her teeth.

Very decent lunch choice in West Philadelphia. The lamb kabobs are amazing. Plus, you get to watch TV in Arabic! (Their soaps are almost as good as the Korean one's)

Cheap cheap very solid falafel. The fixings bar has: fried eggplant, cauliflower, hot peppers, various sauces, carrots, plus many many more. Great for when you have the munchies. Small indoor eating area. Fries are good. Expect to feel slightly oily after eating (maybe that is because your falafel dripped down your hand and up your sleeve?)

Crappy smoky bar in West Philly. Perfect for Penn students looking for a hangover.

My foody friends touted Sagami as the best sushi in the tri-state area. My wife and i tried it on new years eve 2004/5 and were not impressed. I know its unfair to judge a restaurant on that night so we tried again. Again, disappointed. Time to reassess my friendship with the Foodies. After much introspection i realized that the problem was with my expectations and not Sagami. We tried it yet again and BOOM - fresh fish done right. Thanks Foodies!

Extremely knowledgeable staff in all things tea. Great packaging. Full range of teas from around the world. Great gift ideas here.

Food + Drink + Atmosphere = 4 stars
Great place to meet friends, take a date, or dine with family. What makes Jones great is that it lacks the Scenester qualities that are annoying at many other Stephen Starr restaurants. Most enjoyable experience at Jones? Meeting MIA and Diplo after their show at the Ukrainian social club.

Very decent mid-scale chinese. best hot-n-sour soup in chinatown.

Solid mid-scale bar food. Great beer selection. Now that the philly smoking ban is in full effect i might visit this joint more often. After being away in Edison, NJ for 3 days w/o my wife I met her here for some eats before heading home. Even though i was consumed by desire for my wife I couldn't help noting how delicious the pulled pork sandwich was.

When i was single i used to enjoy coming in here and eating the tuna sandwich and drinking a cappuccino and admiring the rittenhouse hotties but then i met my wife and got married. She's the only hottie for me now. Haven't been here since the day before my wedding when i shed a single tear on my apple, walnut and boursin cheese salad.

If you need a coffee fix head to la Colombe. if you need a sandwich head to Chickies. If you must visit a chain w/in the city i guess this is sufficient.

Best. Ribs. In. Philadelphia. Ever.

Same old story. Boy meets chain restaurant skeptically. Boy feels guilty for stigmatizing chain restaurants. Boy lays down $100 for 4 people to satisfy their grub urge for chicken, beef, pork and corn bread served on an aluminum garbage can cover. Boy feels vindicated for the stigmatization.

Bottom line: there are much better options for bar-b-que (Rib Crib in Germantown) PLUS why go to a chain restaurant within a city? That is just wrong.

It's about time that Pho traveled to this side of the river. I've had much better Pho but even mediocre Pho can be good (i mean how can you go wrong with a beefy, spicy meat-laden and rice noodle soup?).

Bottom line: good lunch choice. great hangover cure for Penn students who can't walk very far.

Can get mad crowded but a great place to be if you have your drink on already and are craving some corned beef and cabbage. Not sure if it is a chain but it has a chain-type feeling.

Feeling like you need to stay within your comfort zone? Craving Guinness? MUST HAVE Fish-n-Chips? E & C might be the place for you. Even though the "Irishness" feels a bit forced you can always count on the beer and fish and chips to settle nicely with your comfort zone.
Bottom line: this is one of the few chains that i consider w/in city limits.

Very good food with an upscale sensibility. As mentioned already but def worth reiterating: the wait on the weekends gets RIDICULOUS...call ahead .... or walk 2 blocks and have some Pho at Pho 75 (solve the hunger issue AND the hangover).

Right. Okay. You know that one lunch truck on Spruce Street between 36th and 37th street where people wait over 30 minutes for a $4 burrito? When i heard they were opening a sit-down restaurant in West Philadelphia I was thinking "mucho gracias senor mexicali!". Set-up to be knocked down. Though the food is still very good the service is lacking and the prices have been slightly jacked.

Bottom line: best Mexican this side of the river. Doesn't fulfill its potential.

Convenience is the only reason to eat pizza here and, i guess, to be able to drink a 40 oz. while eating said mediocre pizza. Perfect for drunk Penn students. Note: they recently upgraded the interior - maybe the pizza was upgraded as well?

One of the best places in Chinatown for Dim-Sum. Super cheap - you can eat for over an hour and walk out spending less than $15 pp. The tripe is top notch.

Solid Vietnamese food. Not the greatest not the worst. Just good and sometimes good is all you want. Highly recommend the pho and salt and pepper squid. Service could use some tweaking.

One of the greatest reasons to go to Scoop Deville is that they have a sign hanging by the front counter that reads (can't remember exactly) "No kissing or cell phone talking in line". Any place that shuns cell phone users is top notch in my book. And, oh yeah, the multitude of ice cream mash-ups are mind blowing.

The only reason to eat at Qdoba is if you are: too lazy to walk to MexiCali (40th and walnut) or a Penn student who is: too drunk to know better.

Decent pho if you are in the area. The only reason not to travel to Pho 75 (11th and Washington) is if you are fiending for a rice or noodle dish (Pho 75 *only* serves Pho). Last time i was there it was very smoky (cigarettes) but the new smoking ban might have eliminated that annoyance.

Don't let the cafeteria style seating and florescent lights deter you from one of the best bowls of pho in the Center City area of Philadelphia. Service is quick and efficient. The perfect antidote to a hangover (or really anytime).

(multiple locations in and around the city)

Perfect addition to the Mt. Airy neighborhood home of the Weavers Way co-op. The staff is efficient yet kind and caring. Best coffee in the NW of philly. Delicious home-made pastries. Great for people watching, children and pet friendly. Beautiful concrete counter top tables. Enjoy the benches out front when all of the inside tables are occupied. A real gem.

Really lovely upscale (yet casual) BYOB in the heart of Germantown Avenue in Mt. Airy. Recommend: escargot, filet, all the desserts are delicious.

Great bakery with multiple locations around the city. Highly recommend any of the cheesecakes.

Really good middle eastern food. Mixed platter is recommended. The service can really use an overhaul (it's been really awful for over 5 years). The backroom can get loud but when it's quiet it can get romantic.

Best. Coffee. Ever. hands-down in the city of Philadelphia. Great people watching establishment.

Food = awful
Service = awful

How/why does this place exist?

Decent vegetarian options for old-school DIY punk rockers. Recommend: vegetarian cheese steak (with greens) or fake meatball parm sandwich. Crabby fries are a must. Some of the desserts are quite edible as well, considering they are mostly vegan.

Decent vegetarian Chinese.

Excellent drinks. Decent food. Too bad the olde city yipsters ruin the atmosphere.
Tho after 2 martini's (they're like breasts...) you really don't care anymore anyhow.

As mentioned the pub-grub is right-on. Ten Stone is aware of its limits and doesn't try to push the food beyond that. Superb selection of beer (btw, Budweiser is an awful beer (if one could call it that)).

decent coffee. good west philly vibe. 2 thumbs up to the proprietors for investing in west philly (NOT "university city" as Team McPennification would like to refer to it as)

Best. Coffee. Ever. Ever.

Really lovely little place in the Queen Village / Belle Vista neighborhood of Philadelphia. Extremely fresh seasonal seafood cooked in interesting ways. A few years back i had the most amazing halibut cheeks. Staff is caring and attentive.

The Americano burrito is your choice of beef, chicken or steak and is topped with cheese and vinegary potatoes. so yum.

Def worth a visit to filthy south street for some of these eats.

Authentic Mexican food in an area populated with authentic mexican eateries. Best sandwich EVER. The cubano: pounded flat steak, pork hot dog , chicken, chorizo, AND a fried egg topped with avocado and chipolte sauce. Really, no mas needs to be said.

Great Pho at the entrance to Chinatown. If you need the Pho fix look no further. Clean, cheap, delicious.

Decent Indian buffet. Good lunch deal.

Like all Stephen Starr restaurants this one feels like part an adult gastronomic amusement park. Service is good, food is just good. Good place to celebrate. Great place to be high. Great bathrooms.

Awful service. semi-decent burgers and fries (as long as you don't have to wait 45 minutes for them). Save your money and head up to the Marathon Grill (40th and walnut).

Sigh. Vietnam and I have a long and rocky history. When i first moved to philly in 1998 i discovered Vietnam. Could it be? The food is outstanding AND the price is ridiculously cheap AND the service was amazing AND the atmosphere was like a cafeteria (stoners beware - those fluorescent lights wreaked havoc on our poor blood shot eyes). Yes, it could be and it was. Fast forward to 2006. The atmosphere is much better (still loud), the food is amazing, the service is good but but ... the prices have been pushed to where i no longer have the itching need to GET SOME SALT AND PEPPER SQUID NOW! It's not expensive by any means but I was used to walking out of there spending $15 for drinks and app and meal. Now, that would be ~$30 or so. AND you would have to wait up to 45 minutes.

Bottom line: if you've never been, you must go. if you've been, keep searching for the next Vietnam.

Avoid this chain restaurant at all costs. Awful food, awful service.

Best veggie sandwich. Ever. Ever.

Not awful for a college campus Chinese food restaurant. lunch specials are a good deal. Hot and sour soup is decent. General's Chicken is hit or miss. As mentioned by others the food can tend towards the greasy side.

The guy who owns Gia Pronto is one smart dude. Of course Penn students need pricey grilled panini and organic, free range salads. What took someone so long? At an ideal location with a smart interior Gia Pronto is a well addition to the mess of fooderies on spruce st btwn. 37th and 38th. La Columbe coffee is, naturally, outstanding. Salads personalized and made to order are fresh. One can choose from almost 50 toppings. The panini are made with free-range chicken, preservative free meats (prosciutto, salami, ham, turkey) and/or organic vegetables. Finally, they are grilled. Some suggestions:

sandwich: buffalo chicken
salad: mixed mesclun greens, sunflower seeds, chickpeas, portobello mushrooms and free-range grilled chicken. soy-ginger vinaigrette.

I know, i know. There is absolutely no reason to venture into deep-south philly. Except for a Tony Luke's Pork Italiano sandwich, or Veal Italiano, or Beef Italiano! The Italiano is greens (brocolli rabe) anf provolone (sharp or mild). Top any of Tony Luke's offerings with it and you will not be disappointed. Plus, even though south philly people look scary they can actually be quite nice.

I know it will be difficult for the foodies of Center City to a) venture to the north-east and b) consider soft-tofu soup a "mind-blowing", "stomach and soul warming", "how did i live without it" regular addition to their gastronomic adventures. This is a good thing. The Vietnam-Effect (cheap, excellent food gets popular. restaurant gets an upgrade, prices increase (still worth it). prices increase yet again (still worth it). prices increase again and you wait 45 minutes on a friday night, sit next to loud mouth cell phone jabbering olde city heading (not quite so) hipster (totally no longer worth it)) should be minimized at all costs.

The specialty is a steaming stone bowl of spicey (to your liking) tofu stew. Additions include: beef, kimchee, seafood, or mushroom. Before the boiling cauldron simmers to a stop be sure to crack into it the raw egg. Alternate the sips of spicey stew with any of the wonderful banchan (side-dishes).

The entire experience will set you back $8.00.

Xenophobes stay home. Stomach spelunkers venture on out.