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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Roxborough, Manayunk
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what can i say about Derek's? we celebrated a friend's bachelorette here the other night. for me, neither here nor there, and probably would not have been my first choice for a fancy special occasion dinner. service= exceptional. wine list= delightfully extensive. food= nothing to get too excited about and expensive. decor= could use a little makeover.
my main advice... Derek's...please! step into the twenty-first century by taking the ".99" off the end of your menu prices. seriously. if i order the $23.99 salmon, i'd rather be charged an even $24. if i order the $7.99 creme brulee, i want to pay $8. after all, who are we trying to fool?
We started out outside, nice weather, good scene. Unfortunately, the service left something to be desired. It was a while before anyone acknowledged us, and then a while for them to bring our drinks and a REALLY long while for them to bring our food.
Halfway through waiting for our food (after the salads, before our main dinner), it started pouring. The good thing is we were promptly seated at the bar. Things picked up in there. The bartenders were very friendly and attentive. But that didn't help the wait for our food.
The bread was really good. Tasty.
Our salads (which came out pretty quickly) were good. And BIG! I went with the goat cheese one, and friend got the grilled asparagus and portobello mushroom. Didn't taste hers, but she said it was good. Mine was excellent as well. So excellent I ate the whole thing, even though I was trying to save room for the three appetizers we ordered for our main meal - we just couldn't stop eating the salads!
Once our food came, it was definitely good. The sesame tuna was pretty basic, but whatever sauce was on it was the highlight of the dish. Well, that and the edamame bean salad that came on the side (with the same sauce). The sauce was almost like a sweet soy and really made the dish something special.
The quesadilla boasted chicken and corn, with brie and cheddar cheese. I'd describe it as good, but nothing special. I'm a huge brie fan, so maybe if it had more brie it could be considered special.
And finally, the cheese platter, which we saved for our "dessert." Good choice, as it was probably my favorite part of our meal (but then again, cheese is ALWAYS my favorite part of a meal...). It came with 4 really nice size pieces of cheese. Each cheese came with an accompanying little side (chocolate covered strawberry, honey, grain mustard and.....I can't remember). The major downfall of the cheese platter was that no one told us what each one was. We had to guess, which wasn't overly difficult, but still, would have been nice to know exactly what kind, and from where, etc. By the time we got to the cheese platter, we were pretty full - everything was a really decent sized serving.
If someone suggested/invited me to this place, I'd definitely go back, but maybe not on my own any time soon. Although the food was pretty good, it wasn't anything special and I found it kind of pricey for what it was.
Based on the one experience I've had at Derek's, I'll give it four stars. The food was tasty, our server was awesome, and the pricing is what I expected for this kind of place.
I can see, however, how the negative experiences other people have had would happen. Usually there are way too many annoying little richies sitting outside in their D and G glasses, which is why I never went in there, but the crowd was blessedly thin when I went. That probably helped. I was there on a Sunday with two other people at 6:30, which probably also helped.
Whoever made my drink tonight needs to pay me back my $. I had the white grape martini on the "wednesday special" it was literally overwatered down ginger ale. it was sooo light...I swore i was drinking water.
I drank it cause it was just $6 but I kept re-tasting to see if I'll eventually get it.
I ordered the baby back ribs and there were really tasty. YUM..nice and meaty. Came with a side of stringy fries. I really liked it and I loved the price.
No parking so arrive early to hunt for street parking. Waitstaff were friendly. I like the layout of the place. Nice drink list also though I was trying to be economical by shopping on the "specials" list.
Despite my water drink, I think I'll go back..twas a nice atmosphere and I'm sure on a fri/sat night it will be more bubbly.
But where was Derek?
Derek's Martini's are excellent, but now I go for brunch on Sundays from 11 AM to 3 PM. It's a sweet deal.
You get to choose one entree from the brunch menu to be downed with unlimited bloody mary's or mimosas for only $22 (the wine list is also half-priced on Sundays). Service is friendly and the food (while pretty ordinary) is surprisingly ungreasy for breakfast. No complaints here.
Definitely a restful and classy place to go after a crazy Saturday night.
Just a little side note. You can BYO bottle of wine and there is no charge!!
They have a few rules though:
One bottle per couple and you cannot sit at the bar or outside, must be in the dining room
This made me love this restaurant even more :) Well that and the sweet potato gnocchi I ate that evening.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Manayunk.
I love the calamari which is really fresh every…
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How have I not yet reviewed Derek's? I'm there fairly often because it's close to home and reliable. I take guests there when I don't want to drive downtown because it's modern/fancy, and there is something for everyone on the menu -- even picky eaters.
My favorite time to go is summer. Outdoor tables are perfect for people-watching. During the colder months, the atmosphere is best upstairs for eating, and at the bar for drinking.
The house cocktails are great, especially the coconut-and-vanilla one. Dinner, lunch, brunch -- it's all good at Derek's.
Dereck's is a cozy restaurant and wine bar that has excellent food and an extensive wine list. This spot in Manayunk also boasts a candy martini special. $5 martinis that taste like skittles? Yes, please!
Even better, on Sundays their wine list is half priced--my girlfriends and I go out of our ways on Sundays just to have a bottle (or two!)
I have tried a few menu items here and have never been disappointed. The mozzarella and tomato basil salad is delicious, Their spring roll is to die for, and the sushi ain't half bad either!
Was there on a Monday evening when my BF and I were chilling out in Manayunk. It was Margarita/Mojito Monday so we figured we would give it a try. Well, I would like to say that I was a little dissapointed.
This is what I learned at Derek's about Derek's:
$5 Margaritas during Margarita Mondays= A lot of sour mix
$5 Mojitos during Mojito Mondays = Not very much liquor
$5 Chicken Quesadillas = Black Bean Quesadillas (because it's wrong on the menu - it's "black bean" NOT "chicken")
Burritos @ Derek's = lots of sour cream on top
Black Bean Quesadillas @ Derek's = lots of sour cream
Food was pretty pricey and we weren't that hungry so we just ordered the burritos and the quesadilla special.
I would like to mention the "wine sale" they are having though (which I may go back to Derek's for) where selected wines from their menu (probably overstocks) are 1/2 price. I saw a pretty decent bottle of white for $20 - not bad, not bad.
I'll probably be back for some appetizers and wine, but I wouldn't recommend this place for dinner. Oh, and if you want to save a couple of bucks, I believe that they are listed on http://www.restaurant.com. You can get a $25 gift certificate for $10 to use there.
The food at Derek's didn't really stand out that much and was actually fairly forgettable. If it weren't for the miniscule morsel of lobster in the lobster bisque, I'm pretty sure that you could file a false advertising complaint against the owner. We went here on a weekday afternoon and the service was unbelievably slow, however this was probably not the fault of our waitress. I am almost positive that not only was she the lone waitress on duty, she may have been the only person working in the entire restaurant. I saw her waiting and busing tables while also serving drinks behind the bar. In fact, my friends and I were jokingly wondering if she was cooking the food and washing the dishes as well. When we saw her, she was very nice, giving a bowl of water to the dog and cleaning up a glass that shattered next to us, but the fact that she was the only waitress on duty was a bit of a bummer. All in all, nothing really memorable and a bit overpriced for what we experienced.
The [gf] and I went here for lunch one day and found it to be a little lacking in originality. Seeing that the outside was very posh, and the insides are nice too; we expected a little more excitement in our meal. I had the burrito which was good enough but could have used a little more finesse in the presentation. There was also a lot of people with kids there that day, which I have no issue with - but it makes the place a little less intimate and exclusive when people are letting their kids run around all over the place.
I am sure this restaurant has wonderful late night dinner but lunch didn't light a fire for me or my companion.
The problem with Derek's is that the food quality is inconsistent. You could order a dish on Monday and it will be fabulous, but on Wednesday that same dish could be bland or over-seasoned. I have eaten here many times, and each time I leave feeling alright about my dining experience.
They have an extensive wine list with something to please everyone. There are good deals on lunches, and dinner is reasonable. The service is always great, and try to save room for their wonderful deserts.
All in all, there are better places to get dinner on Main Street. If you're looking for drinks and some bar food, Derek's is fabulous.
You can't dislike a restaurant with a menu containing about 8 pages, 3/4 of which are dedicated to drinks.
I've eaten a few times at Derek's, each time being a positive experience. In fact, I'm just recovering from my all-too-filling, all-too-delicious lunch I just enjoyed there.
If you like squid, I say get the calamari. It was incredibly delicious and served with a creamy sauce rather than the traditional marinara. Also, it has a bit of spice to it that adds a whole other dimension of flavor.
The atmosphere and decor are pretty great. There is a burgundy theme echoed throughout the dining space. It's reflected in the art work, upholstery and paint, even outside on the awnings.
There is ample outdoor seating, which was filled with today with people enjoying food and drinks. I, however, left the house without checking the temperature and couldn't bear being out in direct sunlight while wearing jeans. Plus, I'm a wimp and anything over 75 makes me want to shrivel up and die. This is my own issue I need to sort out.
One thing I really like is the fact that Derek is almost always in the restaurant. I've heard some people say he was a bit of a jerk to them, but he's been nothing but nice and easy to talk to in my experience. I like that he always knows what's going on in his establishment, and takes the time to really be a part of it.
Two things of note:
1. There is always a 3-course, set menu you can order ($20 lunch, $30 dinner).
2. There is a special every day of the week typical on drinks. $5 margaritas on Monday you say? I'm there.
I was there for dinner with some friends and it had great ambiance for a casual get-together and reasonably priced. The staff is very friendly and helpful. My sister wanted a lemonade, which wasn't on the menu, and our server made it for her and didn't even charge us for it. The server recommended a crab stuffed tilapia dish that I ordered, and it was fabulous! Another member of our group ordered a steak and it was cooked perfectly. There is nothing special with the way the food is made or presented, but it is just done right. Good old-fashioned American food.
Went here last night because it was good before... pricey but good. Didn't feel like driving into town and didn't feel like making a reservation at the new Thai place a few blocks up. Being that it's close by and we had a decent meal before. Well that wasn't the case this time. The service was good but the prices went up again and the portions went down. I wanted to get the mozzarella and tomatoes app but they wanted $10.99 for it! Maybe because the balsamic vinegar was aged 10 years.. right. (someone ordered it next to me and i saw it was 1 tomato on 1 slice of mozzarella!) Well the meal was OK. I always dig the atmosphere minus the trendy loud Yunkers. But I doubt Derek will see me in there for a meal. I will go to the wine bar because its pretty good if you want to shell out top dollar.
I try to keep an open mind each time I venture to this funny sounding suburb/city town called Manayunk.
I love the bike race, love the shops, and now love the Soap Box Race!
We went last weekend to watch the race, play in the rain and hang out at a friend's house on Manayunk Ave.
We endured the down pour and saw about 20 of the carts race down! We ate great burgers at our friend's house and beer kept flowing.
At the end of the day, we went to Derek's to grab a final beer while we waited for the train. I should have known better as this was my second bad experience there.
The first time, a friend and I sat outside to eat lunch one summer day when all of a sudden, inbetween our appetizer and sandwiches a HUGE piece of glass comes crashing down on our table! WOW! No one knew where it came from and since the restaurant was busy, no one seemed to care either. My friend got a shard in her face, so the waitress rushed her to the bathroom to clean up. The funny thing was that after that no one seemed to notice that I had a giant broken piece of glass on my table.
We didn't get comped anything, we weren't offered a table inside...we were just told it would get cleaned up shortly.
A manager didn't even come out.
WHAT A CROCK. You can be sure we got out of there quickly (and later found it was a window that came out of the attic of this building by some freak accident). Regardless, the response was atrocious.
So, last weekend, we stood around a table outside at Derek's, next to the servers, and talked about getting a beer.
Not being a "wait around" type of girl I went inside to get 4 beers.
I had 2 bartenders walk by and look at me before they came back to give me a look as if "what do you want". I had to ask for the beers and got them with no smile or anything.
Then when I walked back out to our table the waiter, who was still just standing in front of the door, had the nerve to say, "oh, I could have gotten those for you." YEAH RIGHT! I think we laughed in his face.
The bottom line is don't go there.
Sure the bar is cool, but from my experience and from the others here that we unimpressed by the food...why waste your time and money.
Peace Out.
Derek's was recommended to me so we took a friend there for her birthday.
I had a glass or rich, thick red wine which was tasty. Our server (Turner) was pleasant and the interior chic. Better yet, the place is non-smoking! Appetizers were unmemorable. For my entree, I had the chipotle barbequed baby back ribs ($9; came with a pile of shoestring potato fries) that were somewhat bland, lacking any kick. Their texture was so-so. Their desserts are amazingly delicious (made in-house from a bakery, also owned by the owner), and my fellow diners agreed. Go for their Friday night scene (or any other day of the week), drinks and desserts!
Hopefully you have a better experience!
Derek is a great guy and a fabulous chef. His food is simple wholesome and superb. He makes the rarest burgers on the planet (cold inside) and he uses organic grass fed beef. His ingredients are top notch. The beer and wine selection are excellent. The atmosphere is frendly & comfortable yet elegant.
Best of all is the fact that Derek himself is often on the premesis with his trademark pony tailed hair and his wonderful stories about food, wine, local farming and life issues in general. Derek's is for real people who like real food that is fresh and carefully prepared. His deserts are insanely good. His prices are above average but you get what you pay for - large portions make from the freshest local ingredients.
Derek uses my own personal milk man Aaron Stolzfus from Lancaster County. Aaron's milk is fresh from the his local dairy farm. His cream and butter are incredible. Only a few resteraunts in Philly have the good taste and the good sense to use fresh milk and produce from the Mennonite farmers in the area.
I am at Derek's often party due to the close proximity to my house but there are a lot of great things that make me want to come back. I can always count on a good meal when I go, and you can order small plates so it's not such an overwhelming amount of food. The wine list is half price on Sunday, with their cheapest bottles going for $15, amazing! The decor is done well and the staff is always friendly. Also, if you're feeling adventourous, try one of their candy infused cocktails. Last time I got the Nerds martini and it was sooo good! Also, if you reserve on open table at certain times, you get bonus points!
very nice decor. nice drink selection. food was above average. but i loved the atmosphere. service was pretty good. not great, but pretty good. seemed overly crowded some of the times that I've gone there.
great cocktails and plenty of seating. i had the ruby zealander which was delicious while i waited for my friend. i was starving when i got there so i ordered the crab cakes, the hanger steak and ate a ton of the freshly baked bread/seasoned wedges they brought out. for dessert i had the funnel cake. the crab cake was big and tasty but the accompanying sauce was stone cold which i found jarring. the pat of truffle butter on my whipped potatoes (that came with my steak) was generous but the potatoes weren't hot enough to melt it so it kind of just stuck around on the plate. the steak was juicy and flavorful. i also had a nice glass of organic red wine. can't remember the name but it was supposed to have the flavor profile of pinot and zinfandel. the food was good but there were a bunch of snags with service, e.g. the server brought out the steak knife when i was mostly finished with my steak. we never got utensils for our dessert course or another knife when they took my butter knife away so i ended up eating my funnel cake with my "butter" teaspoon. don't get me wrong, our server was very pleasant i just think that they need to iron out some details. my latte looked like a cup of coffee with a ton of milk in it, there was absolutely no foam. all in all, the food was good, the service needed work and they need to get a more skilled barista. upside is that the price points are lower than similar restaurants in philly.
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