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Alfa American Tavern
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants American (New) Bars, American (New) [Edit]
1709 Walnut StPhiladelphia, PA 19103
Neighborhoods: Rittenhouse Square, Penn Center
(215) 751-0201
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street, Validated
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Ettya F. said: "Every paradigmatic American supper should begin with two things: 1) a nice cool, tall glass of honey-colored domestic pilsner and 2) classic pull apart dinner rolls. Said rolls must have amber brown tops, glazed with sweet butter and a…" read more »
117 reviews for Alfa American Tavern
Review Highlights
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"This was my favorite happy hour spot in Rittenhouse." In 46 reviews -
"...have a list of fun cocktails, like the "I heart Chase Utley." In 4 reviews -
"All good compliments to the cocktails." In 19 reviews
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117 reviews in English
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Review from Mary S.
4/25/2012
Definitely a nice bar/rest/lounge for happy hour or hanging at night with friends. Once you find a table, don't leave! You'll never sit down again for the rest of the night.
I like their atmosphere on Fri/Sat nights--there's decent music and it's crowded, but it doesn't feel as gross as Old City where people are trying to eat/drink at tables and others are grinding on top of it. -
Review from Robert C.
Kenilworth, NJ
2/13/2012
Awesome happy hour!
My girlfriend and I were staying nearby at the Club Quarters and walked over to Alfa for a Friday night happy hour. We got to the restaurant around 5:30pm and were lucky enough to find some seats at the bar. Around 6pm, the bar really filled up.
I tried the local Lionshead beer and really enjoyed it, especially for only $3. Good selection of beers for $3, wines for $4 and champagne and mixed cocktails for $5.
The happy hour food menu has a lot of small snacks like tater tots, hummus, edamame, wings. We tried the tots and the hummus and both were good. Only $3 each too.
Our bartender was on point, and didn't ignore us despite being wedged between two big, high-spending parties.
For 6 total drinks, the tater tots and the humus, we paid $25. Awesome deal, in my opinion, for the quality food, attentive service and convenience. -
Review from Chérie S.
Philadelphia, PA
1/23/2012
This is a fantastic little place. It gets busy on the weekends and the service is always great. That's what I love about this place, consistency. Be it, food, drink or service, it's always good. The crowd is always a pleasant mix too and the ambiance is just perfect.
If you're ever having one of those nights where you're wandering around in a city full of bars and restaurants and still can't figure out where to go, like I always am, go to Alfa. It hits the spot. -
Review from Kristin W.
Philadelphia, PA
5/17/2012
Alfa was our chosen spot for Friday happy hour, and we were pleased that we could reserve a table ahead of time. We made the most of the specials (daily from 5-7pm), sampling a variety of $3 bar appetizers. Standouts included Tater Tots (a throw back to my favorite middle school cafeteria food), the Deviled Eggs, the Potato Chips, and the healthier Edamame (with salt and soy sauce on the side). The Cajun Wings were a little overcooked and the Nachos were not amazing, but there are plenty of other food options and drink choices (try the Hello Kitty if you like lychee) at cheap prices to make this a great happy hour spot.
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Review from Budd R.
Philadelphia, PA
4/27/2012
I've only ever gone here to eat, never for the "bar crowd" experience. The food and service has always been very good. I love their vegetarian BLT and mostly go back for that. It's nice inside and has always been quiet (slow) when I have gone. Minus one star because they don't open until 5, that's unheard of in Rittenhouse!
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Review from Alie A.
4/10/2012
Alfa is a swanky little spot that I recently discovered. I went here for dinner with girlfriends; we unfortunately missed what looks like an amazing happy hour menu (5-7 PM, wine as cheap as $4 a glass!) But we were still able to enjoy some very creative cocktails. Their Dirty Martinis are very well done! The I Heart Chase Utley is a good one, too. We had the Cajun Chicken Wings, Baja Tacos, and the Veggie BLT. The BLT was To. Die. For. SO much fresh avocado and the tempeh was cooked to perfection. The salad that came with it was accompanied by a mouthwatering house vinaigrette. This is my new spot for Happy Hour. Love!
Listed in: Let's Get Groupie
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Review from Katrina C.
Philadelphia, PA
12/3/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I only come here for happy hour.
A few things I like:
1. The cocktail and wine specials - which are $5 and $4. Awesome pours for classes of wine.
2. You can sit at one of the tables in the back for happy hour. They don't do that annoying you can only sit down for dinner thing.
3. The atmosphere inside is nice and loungey, but not too annoyingly pretentious.
4. AMAZING $3 bites happy hour food menu. Okay, I'll be honest. I come here for the food during happy hour. Hummus, chips and salsa, nachos, deviled eggs, tater tots ... among others. Delicious.
Things I'm not crazy about:
1. The beer specials are lame. $3 - but the only one even worth drinking is Kenzinger. I like Kenzinger, so it's okay I guess.
Good to know:
1. They open at 5:00 pm everyday. (which seems weird in Rittenhouse), but now you know.
2. There is a secret bathroom beyond the first two where everyone stands to wait.Listed in: My Neighborhood, Best Happy Hour
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Review from Erin W.
12/6/2011
I love this bar. I love the $5 Champagne cocktails every night from 5-7. I love that I can come here and get drunk off delicious drinks called Ricky Martin's and make "She Bangs!" jokes the entire time with my drinking partner in crime, Lyndsey F. I love the tater tots and the edamame, and I love that I spent my last birthday planted firmly in one of the barstools. BUT, I only love this bar on random weeknights because I don't love huge, unnavigable crowds of bros and scantily clad ladies.
I wish I lived right next door. But then I'd be broke and an alcoholic. Oh well. That's what your 20s are for, right?Listed in: Mah favorites.
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Review from Kat C.
Manhattan, NY
12/1/2011
Crowded place, great for people watching on a Saturday night. Most were dressed to impress.
It took awhile to flag down bartender for drinks. Lighting seemed a bit weird, made my beer look greenish. -
Review from Krista P.
10/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is quite the scene. I came here for a final drink after a few other drinks at a less-classy establishment in my kickball gear, and I have to say - I was certainly out of place.
Very diverse crowd, most (read: everyone besides us) were dressed to impress. The cocktails were strong and creative, if a bit expensive. And you can buy people a drink for the future and write their names on the board. Please put "Krista P" on the board as a thank you for this review? -
Review from Vichet O.
Updated - 6/16/2011
Wow, ALFA. Your food is quite tasty. And huge. You've won me over. Those tater tots were awesome. And there were so many of them that
even I couldn't finish. Seriously, me? Unable to finish a dish because it's too large? Though it may sound preposterous, I kept eating and eating the tots, and there were yet more of them. I was down to my final 15, and probably had eaten a hundred by then when I admitted defeat.
ALFA has good drinks, a great happy hour, and awesome snacks. Once again, the only weird thing about it is the... effete music selection. Not that my own is hyper-masculine, but there you go: if I, of all people, say it's a bit on the feminine side, you can be damn sure it is.Listed in: The Fat List, "Sure is smooth, boss!", Date Restaurants, All time favorite restaurants…, Great on a weeknight
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/29/2011
This is a place I may grow to really like. It's the downstairs of Walnut Room, which I actually… Read more »
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Review from Chris G.
Philadelphia, PA
11/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food is ok, portions are on the smaller side... nothing great.
They do get a good happy hour crowd. -
Review from Igal K.
Philadelphia, PA
8/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
This review is the 100th for Alfa...kewl.
Alfa is an average place of its category that doesn't stand out which is probably a good thing. By no means does it mean that the place looks average, it's actually quite nicely decorated and the employees are all smiling and down to earth.
The average part is their prices which are quite high and considering I never make it in time for happy hour I end up paying quite a sum for a few drinks and some chicken wings.
Their food is tasty and comes in small portions, well it's not a restaurant so no surprise there.
The only think that changed to the worse is the music, it used to be so much better but oh well I guess you have to go where the money is. -
Review from EricaLynn J.
Oaklyn, NJ
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been to many bars just like this one in my day, in many different cities. And have drank my share of fabulous drinks and eaten numerous goodies off the menus. There is something so welcoming and comforting about a neighborhood bar that serves great food and has a creative and inspired drink menu. It takes a lot for me to have a terrible experience at a place like that. It's hard to do.
I had visited Alfa a handful of times, mostly because of the locale (convenient to my work and prime center city shopping) and because of the atmosphere (dim lights but not annoyingly so, modern but not too hipster décor, full of great people but not too full, that sort of thing) and because of the drink list (any place that has a drink called "I Heart Chase Utley" gets points in my book). So I was more than happy to meet up with my husband and friend one early Saturday evening. I wanted to finally try something off the menu (as I had heard the food was great) and had the type of day that could easily turn around with uniquely-named libations.
It was not even 8pm, and our friend - a petite girl, to say the least - was already beyond far gone. She was in the midst of the "happy drunk" phase (you know, where everything is AMAZING and FUNNY and YOU LOOK LIKE JANE!! MY FRIEND JANE FROM WORK EIGHT YEARS AGO YOU DON'T KNOW HER BUT OHMYGOD YOU LOOK JUST LIKE HER OH CRAP WHERE IS MY JACKET DID I WEAR A JACKET OH LOOK A GUY IN A SOCCER JERSEY!!!!!) and my husband and I were attempting to get her to sit still and I silently prepared for the next phase, which I calculated would happen in the amount of time it would take for me to order a plate of food and eat it.
I decided upon the chicken fingers, which honestly were quite good, though I would not order them again simply because I didn't think they were worth the $13 price tag - especially because they didn't come with anything else (other than dipping sauces.) But they were quite good, really. I had asked for a substitution of one of the dipping sauces (marinara sauce instead of the spicy sauce because it would be the only kind I could eat) and was happy that they were able to accommodate me.
The lady in question was sipping on water (I had been told she was cut off for awhile) and I retreated to the restroom (pretty darn clean considering) and upon my return, the next phase was clearly upon us. She was swaying back and forth, her eyes not able to focus on anything for too long, and she wanted to know if I hated her, if I was mad at her, if I dislike her, are you mad are you oh no I know you don't like me you hate me you are mad the room looks funny oh look a guy in a soccer jersey.
So my modus operandi at that point was to make sure the girl didn't fall down and break anything (herself or otherwise) and to make sure there was a clear path to the front door (bathroom being too far) in case she needed to... you know. A few minutes later, the bartender brought over a drink in a small martini glass. He told her it was a special martini just for her. I figured it was something non-alcoholic (perhaps coffee) but when she took a sniff of it, she made a face and pushed it away from her. When I'm so drunk that I have the spins and the world seems to be closing in on me, the one thing I don't want to smell is alcohol. So I asked the bartender, just in case, if there was alcohol in there.
I then proceeded to be on the receiving end of the biggest attitude I have ever received from a bartender, waiter, or otherwise - ever. EVER. We're talking years and years' worth of bars, restaurants, parties, you name it. I've been a lot of places and met a lot of people, and this was by far the worst I had ever been treated. And all because I was looking out for a friend who didn't have the wherewithal to know up from down at that point. The bartender glared at me and said, "Is that your business?" I thought at first he was joking, so I said, "of course it is!" And then, in a manner similar to the way six-year-old boys fight, he repeated over and over again to me, "Is that your business?"
I responded to him that I was not trying to cause any issues (I wasn't!) - and reiterated that I was just looking out for the girl. I didn't want anything to happen to her and she had no clue what was going on.
He then responded by saying, "I got you the marinara sauce that you wanted so stay out of what I'm doing and mind your own damn business." Sure, that made sense to me. I should be made to feel like a burden because I asked for a side of sauce?
I look out for people - not just my friends but anyone around me - and I think that's a good way to be. I've had plenty of people look out for me in my day and I'm thankful for that. So if I want to ask a question - nicely - I have a right to. Or so I thought. Instead, I get berated and treated like a child.
I think it is safe to say that I will not be visiting Alfa again. -
Review from Jill T.
8/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's unfortunate that I don't really see the appeal of Alfa. I had been meaning to check out Alfa for some time now having heard rave reviews from friends and colleagues of mine. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed.
It's very small- which is fine, but it also gets very crowded. It's also very dark- which is also usually OK by me, but it was so dark my eyes started to hurt because I was straining to see the person sitting across from me while having a conversation.
Good points- the nachos and tater tots were really delicious. I really liked the 80's music being pumped out of the speakers as well. Perhaps City Sips isn't the best time to try out Alfa, and so I'll give it another shot, but right now- I'm not impressed. -
Review from Jen R.
Philadelphia, PA
7/29/2011
Have been here frequently for the happy hour specials, which seems to be most of their business. After 3 $5 dirty flashmobs (martinis) I was a giddy girl. Really like the dry-rub wings and tots too. You can't beat $3 apps.
Crowd seems to disperse once 7:00 rolls around, as do I. -
Review from Sarah C.
Philadelphia, PA
3/7/2011
Alfa is a nice place to stop in for a drink if you are in the Rittenhouse Sq area. The happy hour specials between 5 and 7 are great and I just found out this applies to the weekends aswell! Perfect for a post-shopping drink and a snack. Usually a nice mixed crowd aged between about 25 - 40. They have tvs above the bar that are usually showing sports , but it avoids being too sports bar-y if that makes sense? It never feels too busy and you can be dressed up to the nines or wearing jeans and a t-shirt and feel totally comfortable.
Nice spot! -
Review from Mallory S.
Philadelphia, PA
5/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
As most reviews state, the Happy Hour here rocks! One of the best parts about it is that it's 7 days a week!
I came to ALFA for a pre-pottery class happy hour hoping that some booze would get my creative juices flowing. Got my usual drink...The Hello Kitty (The I Heart Chase Utley is also very good) and it was just as I remembered it from my college days...deeelish! Also, got the tots and the edamame and both were yummy. I've also had dinner here before and remember loving the caesar salad with roasted red peppers and the calamari!!!
One issue that I have is that I definitely remember them having a more extensive Happy Hour menu...like 1/2 priced sliders...anyone remember this time?? Anyway, minus the slider issue ALFA is the way to go if you're looking for a great Happy Hour!! -
Review from Stephanie Y.
San Francisco, CA
4/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wow!! For once it wasn't crowded. My friends and I came around 11pm and we were seated at the lounge area. It was great and comfortable. The cocktails were so delicious, just enough alcohol where you can still taste the sweetness of the mix. Even though I'm not a fan of Hello Kitty, I rather enjoyed the Hello Kitty drink here.
We were even able to order food ... a plate of sweet potato fries to go with our drinks. Our waitress was attentive and available. -
Review from Melissa W.
Philadelphia, PA
3/9/2011
This is a nice, classy bar with nice, classy bar prices. They have an interesting cocktail list, but they cost $10-11 each (plus tip!). Unless you're way baller, it's not the greatest place to have more than a couple drinks. Somewhat surprisingly, they play good indie music at 11 pm on a Saturday night, or at least they did this past weekend.
On the other hand, happy hour sounds like it would be awesome here. -
Review from virginia c.
Berkeley, CA
1/30/2011
They have Hello Kitty Cocktails with lychee pieces, need I say more? with happy hour specials of 5 dollar cocktails and 3 dollar drafts, who couldn't love this place?
For a bonus, they have wicked awesome sliders and burgers. Do it! Now, my only draw back is there is only a 1 person bathroom (and during happy hour when you really want to go/there is a line- Exactly).
Will def. come back at some point :) -
Review from Soyoung K.
Philadelphia, PA
10/4/2010
I have passed by this place numerous times yet I couldn't figure out for the life of me whether it was a restaurant/bar/club/pub. I'm still not sure but I think after a couple visits, I'll figure it out soon enough. My last visit was on a rainy Sunday night with a bunch of people from the industry. The atmosphere is pretty nice. It's dimly lit and there were some sofas in the back for lounging purposes. Oh! The bar is literally first half of the venue. Very nice bar, I say. The liquor selections were various so I was happy to have some choices...(as if I needed any, I always get the same thing.)
I didn't look at the menu but someone had ordered wings. It looked good and it tasted good, too. Overall, I would like to go back during earlier hours in the evening and try out some food. Service was excellent - one of the big reasons why I'd like to go back. -
Review from Julianna K.
Haddonfield, NJ
7/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
Loud. Extremely loud.
Didn't eat any food here, just drinks, so I'm not sure how much of a fair review this is... The drinks were ok, the service was just ok (not the friendliest), and the clientele, well um, was really weird. There were the loud obnoxious college aged girls in the booth behind us, a group of loud foreigners next to us, a couple that was having sex on the couch across from us, and the nerdy group bumping/grinding and tonguing each other in the front of the bar. Maybe this place is really cool during the day, but on a friday night I would not go here again.Listed in: FOOD!!!!, Baby, Don't Bother...
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Review from Meghan D.
Philadelphia, PA
5/24/2011
I end up here for happy hour on a regular basis. It's pretty good, although I'd love it if they brought back the 80's or 90's happy hour specials. 4$ glasses of decent wine though? Count me in!
My one complaint is the food - really overpriced. The happy hour food is cheap but tiny. Don't go here hungry, because you'll end up ordering something you can't afford, and it won't be worth it. -
Review from carrie l.
LAFAYETTE HL, PA
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I thought the dishes were well-priced and tasty...but I was turned off by the fact that I walked in late on a Saturday night and there was at least 3 tapa's on the menu that I wanted to order by they "ran out." Having said that, I'm still a fan... I would go again because I love TAPA's .... but hopefully they will improve stocking their ingredients!
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Review from Monica S.
8/26/2009
I'll be the first to admit that I've never considered Alfa a dining destination. It's always been more of a bar/lounge to me, and not one I regularly frequent. Consider me wildly mistaken though! I went to the Root Liquor Tasting dinner last night and found myself beside, well, myself.
The creamed corn summer soup topped with fresh and slightly warm lobster, the scallop on steroids, the pork loin with golden raisins, the venison with Root mashed potatoes, the cream soda float! The whole meal was inventive and tasty and our unruly, drunk tablemate helped add the finishing touches to an otherwise food-focused experience.
When he started slapping venison against his chest, well, we knew that was our cue to make for the exit. -
Review from Beth K.
1/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Alfa is a lounge-y bar that caters to a younger crowd than some of the nearby Rittenhouse locations (ie Parc). It's a place that you can get dressed up for, or not, depending on your mood. They have a list of fun cocktails, like the "I heart Chase Utley." And after a few drinks, if you want to dance, you can head upstairs to the Walnut Room.
Alfa also is a great spot for Center City Sips, by the way. They're always crowded, and usually have good specials like tater tots. -
Review from Nina B.
6/17/2009 ROTD 7/6/2009
I heard a lot of hype before finally trying Alfa's happy hour on for size one weekday. And let me tell you something: it fit.
Getting there even before they opened their doors, I'm pretty sure I was still their first customer after doing a lap to kill some time in anticipation of what was to come. And what was to come? An impressive menu of $5 cocktails made from the likes of more than just speed-rack booze (I'm talking the good stuff-- champagne included). Plus, they're inspired by 80s movies, music, and celebrities (Emiliooooooo!). They also have great wine and beer deals, but why, when you can have a Flashdance or Silver Spoon?
There are tons of different seating options: bar, tables, bar tables (you know, the tall ones), and even cushy couches. My only complaint in the seating department is that the proportion of my stool was odd. So if you're 5' 5", this warning's for you.
Finally, the service was great and the drinks were neither super strong (shakes fist) nor super weak (high fives). And please note that I did not have anything to eat there, so my review is based solely on the libations and atmosphere. The food did smell great, though.
I guess you could call me an Alfa Female.Listed in: When I'm Not Yelping..., ROTDs
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Review from Wei T.
10/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
Good atmosphere for drinks. I haven't had the food but my friends really enjoy it... portions are pretty good. I have, however, ordered the edamame... as expected, nothing out of the ordinary.
The waitress we had was really friendly - especially considering that my friend spilt his beer. She was kind enough to help us clean his mess up. :)
Oh, as some other yelpers mentioned, for whatever reason, it is extremely loud here. -
Review from Carrie E.
Philadelphia, PA
8/8/2008
I met an associate here recently for drinks, and it took me a good 20 minutes to remember that I had actually been here before, a few months earlier, on one of those wacky "girls nights out" you've been hearing so much about. You know, those nights, when people who are girls go out together? Yeah, it was one of those. On that visit, which went down on a Friday night, we had to wade through a sea of people to get to the back of the room (some sporting some major cleavage and clearly had a different idea of the definition of "girls night out" than I did). I remember the service was slow and the drinks were weak. And after a while, we left, disappearing into the land of Loie, shaking our heads in wonderment as to where many of these people came from (and how certain Philly girls can be so damn tan, even in the winter) and why we were even going to Loie in the first place. Blarg.
So I came here the other night at happy hour, and was excited to see that all the drink specials revolved around the '80s. You may not be aware of the fact that I am kinda obsessed with all things '80s. I cannot explain it, nor will I waste your time or mine in trying to do so, but I just do. Of course, I ordered the Molly Ringwald, whom I've recently come to realize I based my entire high school existence upon (I have the photos to prove it). I drank it. It was good. Something about champagne and Chambord and a sugary rim. So, yeah...it was lovely.
But something was missing. Even though our waiter was great and it wasn't that crowded, Alfa was still just...ok. Not bad, but just ok. And sometimes ok is ok enough to get business taken care of over happy hour decade-themed drinks. Because it made me happy. For approximately one hour, at least.Listed in: Uptown Adventures, Best Philly Bars
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Review from Lydia H.
Philadelphia, PA
7/26/2009
We went to Alfa last night for a few drinks after dinner at Roy's. Since it was still early, we had our pick of seats and ended up at a high top by the bar. It was a great spot - I could do my people-watching, and my man had a dead-on view of the TV so he could get his baseball on. Hey, whatever makes them happy, right?
I stuck with a Blue Moon, and he went in for another gin and tonic. Both of our drinks were good, and we enjoyed the atmosphere. Our server was fairly attentive, we only had to track her down once for another round. I enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere, and I can see how it probably gets pretty busy later on in the evening. They have a row of booths toward the back of the building, and some swanky little couches along the side that all appeared to be reserved for bar service.
I would definitely go back for a couple of drinks with friends. Directly upstairs is The Walnut Room, so you can always opt for a quick change of scenery. -
Review from dj h.
Philadelphia, PA
12/9/2009
Bearable pretentiousness that's not as pretentious as you might expect.
At first glance you think to yourself, awww she*t, this is gonna suck. Its gotta douchy name, its in a douchy gayborhood, and the bars around this area are generally douchie. But its not that dooshy because the staff is actually friendly. Yep, bee-lie-ve it or not, they actually act like they want your money (or credit card, if you are a gentrifyer).
Never had the food, but it without any doubt SMELLS GREAT. The drink prices are inflated, so bring a flask (standard for this nevo-riche-bubbletard-transplant-hipster-yuppie area these days).
Because this place used to be a pizzaria before the housing boom brought us these wonderful 'new people' - the layout is VERY small.
Since the staff is not uptight, the clientelle seems to be more laid back here. The entertainment gets an F though as there is just some strange Euro-trance always playing at wh*te-people volume in the background.
Overall a tolerable bar if you happen to be unlucky enough to find yourself in center city Philadelphia.
PS - do yourself a favor and do NOT go upstairs to the 'walnut room' - they are notrous for changing their dresscode back in 2007 to include, and I quote "No doo-rags. No Tims. No white sneakers. No jeans. No darkness. No caps turned backwards. No diamond earrings. No bling bling." Only go up there if you want to visit kentucky -
Review from Thom K.
Philadelphia, PA
3/25/2011
Haven't been to Alfa in a while. Stopped by on Monday and it was pretty empty during happy hour. I sat a table and ordered the Teriyaki Salmon, green beans and asparagus. It was pretty good. After a tasty meal and some good Garnacha, the sweet waitress kissed me good-bye. OK, she didn't actually kiss me, but she was very sweet.
I'm going back. The bartender is always a great guy too.... wonder if he'll kiss me :)
go try them out.... and yes, they serve tots too!! tater tots that is ... -
Review from Julia N.
9/11/2009
I didn't expect to like Alfa. It's kind of the definition of "not my scene," with its dressed-up loungey vibe and clientele who look like they wandered off the set of some sort of dating-related reality TV show. However, Alfa has won me over with its solid, veggie-friendly food and drinks and friendly, competent service. I wouldn't come here on a Saturday night, but for happy hour or a quick drink and dinner during the week, it's cool.
As you walk into the restaurant, check out the collage in the entryway - it's a series of shots of various people hanging out at the newspaper boxes on Walnut St. right by Rittenhouse, and I love its Philly-ness. The same local photographer has pictures on the walls inside, too, and they're awesome.
For happy hour snacks or appetizers, Alfa offers several appealing, although not super-exciting, options, including a big old pile of edamame, tater tots just like the ones in the school cafeteria, a Mediterranean plate with tasty olives and tzatziki.
The main menu has a couple of other veggie options, but I always order the same thing: the smoky, delicious tempeh BLT. With avocado, a lemony aioli, and thin, crunchy, flavorful tempeh, it just might be my favorite sandwich in Philadelphia.
A note about music. I understand the (tired...there, I said it) 80s songs during happy hour, and the trancey remixes of top 40 singles at night. What I can't get my head around, though, is the 90s "alternative" radio hits playing at a trendy Center City restaurant. Alfa's not the only offender, but seriously, I do not ever want to walk into a sophisticated, nicely decorated space and suddenly wonder if/why I'm listening to WMMR circa 1997. I mean, the Offspring? Alfa, you have some talented DJs around - have one of them make you some mixes to play during the off hours. -
Review from Emily P.
San Francisco, CA
6/19/2008
Alfa: where your waitress is taller than you are, with a voice reminiscent of Chris Evert.
It's hipster-yuppie-chic scares me a little, but I must admit I am partial to the vintage concert flyers conspicuously placed on the wall. (Radiohead, Flaming Lips, etc.)
The cocktails are exquisite and the main reason I visit. Favorites include Veruca Salt, Midnight Cosmopolitan, and the Original Cin .
The food offerings aren't terribly exotic, but they taste INCREDIBLE! I highly recommend the fries and sliders for appetizers, and the jerk spiced pork loin sandwich was perfectly seasoned. Everything tasted incredible.
Maybe I just eat at weird hours, but Alfa is never crowded when I dine there. Sure, the bar always has a good number of people, but I don't think I've ever seen all the tables full. Service has always been good, even if our server was a bit intimidating. (It's not her fault she has an imposing stature and deep voice!)Listed in: Phillaaaaaayyyy
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Review from Ciara S.
Philadelphia, PA
10/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
Their Cajun wings and crab cakes here are so delicious.
My first experience at ALFA was when I attended my Friends surprise birthday bash. This is when I tasted all the great food here. Upstairs the walnut room is cool....
One night I came back for dinner their atmosphere is so nice and laid back.. once again my food was great besides the blackened Mahi mahi tacos which weren't my thing... I believe it Was the fish but no fault of ALFA..
ALSO IF U R STARVING DON'T GO HERE EXPECTING A HEAP OF FOOD IT'S SMALL PORTIONS
Ciao! :)Listed in: Best FOOD in Center City!
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Review from Kathy M.
Manhattan, NY
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was my favorite happy hour spot in Rittenhouse. I lived in Philly for two years, that being said, I came from San Francisco which is VERy different. This bar was the closest I could get to an SF vibe. They have a great happy hour, with $3.00 eats, $4.00 wine and it is every day of the week!
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Review from Dave H.
6/19/2008 5 photos
Alfa is decent, and usually crowded as a bag of peanuts (also probably thanks to Center City Sips). We had to wait in line until a few folks left before we were let in. Our happy hour group monopolized the front by the window, causing the staff to periodically ask us to keep the entranceway clear. Our brave server, Amy, juggled many bills, checks, tabs, and orders.
Two (expensive) Irish car bombs later, I barely managed to force down Alfa's tater tots. Egads, they're bad, even for tater tots! Salty. Gross.
Ted, our most excellent bartender, was patient enough to learn how to make a shot on the spot. If I remember correctly, when I asked if he knew how to make a duck fart [shot], he answered, "by squeezing it?" The duck farts came out perfectly. (Note their bar area is slightly elevated: I tripped and almost fell walking to it, freaking out a few people and almost breaking a tooth.) -
Review from Alex K.
Williamsburg, NY
5/27/2008
I've been to Alfa a handful of times, always at night with a small group of friends. It's located on Walnut's bustling Rittenhouse approach, a street lined with the fanciest eateries, shops, and clubs. Above Alfa is the Walnut Room, so the area in general tends to attract a lot of classy party-goers.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Typical of the neighborhood crowd, this bar/restaurant is packed (to the brim) with 20 and 30 something's, with an army of smokers outside, puffing away. It's cramped and loud, but the mood is very upbeat and exciting. Looks like this could be fun...
THE LAYOUT:
Minus one star for horrible layout-- the bar is at the front, and it's painfully, claustrophobically narrow. I've gotten trapped in a thick throng of people more than a few times (which I really hate), and I'm always inadvertantly bumping or being bumped by drunk people. Spilling drinks? Check. Almost impossible to get through? Check. Worst part of it all is that there is a huge open area past the bar, further back, but there is absolutely NO incentive to go back there unless you are sitting down or going to the bathroom, so all you can do while you're bodylocked from all angles is stare over at that nice, comfortable open space wondering what they hell they were thinking when they designed the place.
THE DRINKS:
They are the usual Rittenhouse price, and they do have a respectable offering of drinks and brews, I had a couple Mojitos, which while they weren't Alma de Cuba or Cuba Libre-quality, were quite good and strong enough to give me a decent buzz. Good luck getting served though, with all the other people vying loudly for their thimble of giggle water.
THE SERVICE:
Minus another star here, other people have commented on the snooty staff, it's in line with my experiences. They aren't total assholes, but they do give off an air of it...for example, bar tenders give you dirty looks, are generally unresponsive and take favorites...so when I got my first Mojito (on a friend's recommendation) only to find that mine was half the size of his, and then got a full-size one by having him order it, I was a little tiffed. The idea behind good service is to treat the customers right so they will want to go back...now I'm not some super sensitive sap who will vow never to return if a bar tender rubs me the wrong way, but I can see how reasonable people would get offended by service that acts like they are being inconvenienced by taking orders.
THE ATMOSPHERE:
It's like a college-style dive bar meets a yuppy professional clubloungebar...crowded to the max with drunkards who hold high-paying jobs and dress to impress. It's really not that easy to meet new people either, the only ice-breaker you'll have is "oops, I spilled half my drink on you just now, but don't worry I wont make you pay for it cuz I'm nice like that." I don't remember paying attention to the music when I'm there, its so loud anyway...it must not be anything special.
THE VERDICT:
Alfa is cool, they have good drinks, and it's good for groups, but it's not a star in Rittenhouse's lineup because of the way the layout forces the crowd into uncomfortability and the way the staff acts like you should be serving them. I do recommend it, but not as a stomping ground. -
Review from Tim H.
Philadelphia, PA
9/22/2009
Alfa's nice. The crowd isn't really my style - suits and those fancy Tshirts - but everybody's a lot friendlier than I'd expect. The bartenders listen and treat, the servers pay attention and make good recommendations, and even the bouncers treat me with respect. I've downed some of the staple drinks as well as quite of few of their creations, and I'm always happy. The food has consistently been excellent, whether it's tater tots or some fancy thing I can't pronounce.
Here's an inside scoop: A server named Nema and a handful of his co-servers/bartenders are the driving force of Photophilanthropy, a "grassroots" effort to celebrate and enhance the positivity of otherwise depressed neighborhoods. Google "Workin on Wilder" for more about that. It's nice to know that beyond the restaurant, these guys are doing good.
