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Bourbon Blue
Rating Details »
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Roxborough, Manayunk2 Rector St
Philadelphia, PA 19127
(215) 508-3360
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
16 reviews for Bourbon Blue
I ate here with a large group and lost the battle of "who has the best entree?" miserably. You know the game - everyone gets their entrees and then looks around at everything else on the table. The smug victors enjoy the spoils of their smart decision while the losers finish their meal and pick at the leftovers of those who have defeated them.
I got the paella and it was not impressive. It doesn't have the kick that you're led to believe should be there when you see the "spicy" icon on next to it on the menu.
That being said, Bourbon Blue was saved by the other entrees I got to try. The voodoo BBQ shrimp is awesome. It has the heat level I was hoping for in the paella and is complemented by a touch of sweetness. The Pan seared Tilapia is equally impressive, as it is served on a creative shrimp and potato hash.
Appetizer props go to the cheesesteak eggroll and scallops.
In addition to the food, the drink specials on a Tuesday night are rocking - 5 dollars for a mean long island iced tea, 3 dollar draught beers, and some other things that I don't remember.
A solo guitar player sang covers over by the bar as we ate our meal and the atmosphere was appropriate for a chill night out.
Long story short - good place, good drinks, good food, avoid the paella.
I am writing a review based on: night life and brunch.
Nightlife: a decent place to hang out. It's been a while, but as I recall, they charge cover which is always annoying, but it has a nice big dance floor and when I was there, people were gettin their boogie on, for sure.
Brunch: I cannot wait to go back. I wish I could go grab all the people waiting in line at Le Bus (not because that place is not good, but because, why wait in the line??) and take them here. The place was EMPTY on a Sat morning, but that worked out just fine for me, because we got seated quickly and excellent service.
I went with an omelet, which was HUGE. I mean...HUGE, and came with some of the most delicious breakfast potatoes I've had in a long time. My friend opted for the eggs Benedict, with crab cake - amazing. I wish I had gotten it. It was really nicely done, and the sauce didn't over power the crab cake, and you could still taste the eggs. All those flavors stood out, yet combined really well. Personally, I find $2.50 for coffee (which was my least favorite part of the meal - NOT good coffee) steep, but hey, I was sleepy and had a long day ahead of me...Other than that, the price is RIGHT! A much better meal than a diner-type place, for just a few bucks more :)
Can't wait to go back here - it would be great for a big group, since it was pretty empty.
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We would always go to Manayunk to look for furniture. After a long day of walking, we came across this Cajun restaurant Bourbon Blue. My husband being very adventurous with food tried the Alligator Quesadilla. At that time the alligator was not an endangered specie in New Orleans (I guess they mentioned that it came from there) that's why they still serve it. The second time around they didn't have that in their menu. So surprise, surprise I loved the Alligator quesadilla. It actually tasted like chicken with a fish like texture to it. It was awesome. I actually am looking for that type of dish whenever to go to a Cajun/Creole place.
Being the ordinary me, I tried the Crab Cakes. I'm a sucker for that. There are several entrees that when I see in the menu, I for sure would order that in a heart beat. Although I'm a little bit cautious when ordering crab cakes because some resto's would serve the fake ones which is really a bummer. Well I'm in luck because this was pure crabs. No imitation crab in the cake.
Jambalaya is also in our list of things that we would order when we see in the menu. And this did not fail our expectations. A little bit spicy, especially when you use the hot sauce wrapped around the plate. The appetizers were amazing! The blackened fillet tips is a winner. I think I remember having blackened beef too for appetizer if I'm not mistaken. Maybe that was something special that day. We typically eat out with a bunch of friends and a litter of kids. When we ate we had 3 kids in tow. As it got later, it got a little bit busy since it's also a bar, kids enjoyed the food and the waiter was really nice.
The bourbon Blue burger is pretty damn amazing with creamy bleu cheese and onions, a nice bun and a great helping of fries, that if asked come with a seemingly homemade BBQ sauce. But really what will keep me coming back will be the half price meal for lunch. An incredibly filling and delectable meal for about six bucks.
Didn't really experience the indoor venue here since we ate outside when we went.
The outdoor seating is kinda awkward though - even the tables right along the edge of the Schyukill dont really give you much of a view.
A nice take on New Orleans cuisine. I had a BBQ shrimp dish which was a leeetle tough, but the sauce was tasty. The alligator quesadillas were delicious though!!
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Not sure if I would call Bourbon Blue "an inspired New Orleans experience", but it's not a bad time. You've had better food, for sure, but they offer a good nightlife scene for Manayunk.
The Saturdays and Fridays I've been here, there's usually a rambunctious crowd. When I partied here for a birthday, it was pretty packed. The DJ (never figured out if he was a resident DJ) kept everyone grinding on the dance floor, and I've seen bands on stage too. Maxim sponsored a party where there was no cover, and pretty girls promoted their brands, giving out free shots. The security staff do a good job and I've never experienced any problems there.
Not sure if my brain's melting or not, but it SEEMS like the stairs between the basement and ground floors moved at some point - can anyone confirm/deny my insanity?
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I went here with two friends for a late lunch toward the end of the Red Bull Soap Box Race, after hours of being drenched. Our timing was horrible; every bar and restaurant and Main St. was packed, but we managed to get seated here rather quickly. Some guy was performing acoustic cover songs, which were painfully loud despite the roar of the crowd. I breathed a sigh of relief when he took a set break. Our beer was served up pretty quickly but the food took forever. I ordered the Smoked Turkey Sandwich which was delicious, but missing its bacon. It came with a very small portion of Cajun fries, which tasted great.
It wasn't comparable to my experience with actual restaurants in New Orleans but I'm sure the nightlife and less crowded times make up for it. Their website is wonderful (non-.pdf menus! events calendar!) and I'd be interested in their prix fixe menu as well as their take on beignets during Sunday brunch.
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I happen to enjoy playing photo hunt and Bourbon Blue has a mega touch machine... so they deserve another star for this fact alone.
As for the restaurant, I like it. I don't love it. I don't hate it. I like it. I went last night with my boyfriend and my parents and we all left without any complaints. With my mother (who I love very much), this is a tough feat...
We started with a few drinks -- the espresso martini was really good, not too sweet with lots of coffee flavor. I thought the Key Lime Martini was also good, yet it lacked a graham cracker rim, which was sad. We got the crab and spinach fondue, though not really a fondue and more of a dip, and it was quite tasty. The cheese steak spring rolls were even commended by my boyfriend, and he's quite the connoisseur. As for entrees, they were all presented nicely, though some with a bit too much sauce.
I'd go back... Have been there on one of the price fixed Thursday nights, and that's a really good deal. Way too much food though. Bring home your entree, eat the bananas foster, call it a night.
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I haven't gone yet for a Weekend "party" but I went on a Thursday night for a Company get-to-gether.
Pretty good drink prices and I definately had a good time. Nice looking people in a nice looking enviornment. They looked like they had food and drink specials every night of the week so i'm definately going to go back on Sunday for $1 drafts and .25 cent wings.
Update: Manayunk traffic cops can kiss my @..well you know
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When I first moved to Manayunk, I spent a ton of Friday nights in Bourbon Blue. On Fridays the upstairs of the bar is usually pretty crowded, but not in an overwhelming, oh-my-god-if-one-more-person-bumps-into-me-I'm-goi ng-to-freak-out kind of way. There's typically a place to sit or a table to stand around, and room to move.
If you get to the bar before 10pm, you can get in without paying the $5 cover. There's a cover because there's a DJ called Mike Scott (I prefer to call him Michael Scott, a la The Office, but that's just me) who takes over the lower level. Down there it's typically very crowded, loud, and hot. Plus, often dudes will just start grinding on you even when they are clearly unwelcome. I'm not so much a fan.
I've also had dinner and brunch here. The brunch is by far my favorite part of Bourbon Blue. Their breakfast burrito is probably the best I've ever had, and the mimosas are delicious and refreshing.
If you're there for dinner, I would definitely suggest the mushroom risotto.
Prices are reasonable, the dining room atmosphere is great, and they have drink or food specials every day.
I'd say they've cleaned up their act since the last review.
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We went on a Saturday night for drinks and music. Had to pay a $5 cover which was OK considering there was a band.
The cover band "BoneHead" was amazing... especially if you like 90s and modern alternative rock.
The bar has an average draught selection but, like a lot of bars in that area, has a good selection of bottled beers.
To top off the night, there was a good girl to guy ratio.
Tip: When listening to music downstairs and in need of a drink; go to the upstairs bar. Its quicker, less crowded, and not hard to get back down to your spot.
Tip: If coming from downtown Philly the regional rail can get you there but won't bring you back unless you leave the bars before midnight. A cab back to the city was $25 including fare and tip.
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This is the spot that I take my friends and family for a good and fun time, always having a damn good with great food - biggest crab cake in the WORLD and awesome fried chicken. Great bar specials too, and I really am a fan of the decor - it's sparse but pretty and right on the canal. The downstairs isn't my favorite bar/club area, but its always a pretty good time and now that Grape St is gone, its a spot I frequent in Manayunk for that 24-30 post-college crowd.
Went here for brunch. Seemed like a cool place in the middle of Manayunk and I'm sure it's a fun bar scene but do not go for the food. They do have some authentic cajun menu items, but the execution and service were abysmal. Menu descriptions were misleading and special requests were ignored. We had a fly in our water and asked for another glass, the second glass we received had debris in it.
If I could give this zero stars I would.
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Bourbon Blue is kind of hidden at the end of a small street so if you haven't been before it can be kind of hard to find, but it's worth it! They made one of the best crab cake sandwiches I've ever had, and the fries that came with it were tasty too. My friend's meals were also very well done and the staff was friendly and helpful. Overall a very nice place in a great area! I just wish I had a chance to come back for one of the live bands Bourbon Blue hosts.
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I've been here for school sponsored events. Not a great selection of beer (mostly just the light and crappy mass-produced stuff). Fun place for a lot of people to party though.
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First trip to Manayunk. Last trip to Bourbon Blue. Overpriced, underexecuted. The service was beyond bad, the food was underwhelming to say the least, and the overall experience stunk. Decent atmosphere, but loud and overpriced. The bread was good though.
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