Derek's
Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Manayunk, Roxborough4411 Main St
Manayunk
Philadelphia, PA 19127 (215) 483-9400
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
12 Reviews for Derek's
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.
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Under most circumstances, I will avoid anything in Manayunk but I had to go to Derek's for my step sister's graduation luncheon. My brother and I kept making fun of this place and calling it Derelicte's before we got there.
Once we arrived, I decided to give the place another chance. The menu looked good and I liked the wine list. The food disappointed me, though. It had so much potential but there was little follow through. Plus, I think the teenage bus boy kept staring at my wife's boobs.
Aside from the drinks, the saving grace of Derek's was it's dessert list. My bro and I split a raspberry Lambic float. It was good, though it had too many chunks of hard white chocolate which forced us to proceed with caution.
The music was good too. They played lots of 90s Matador bands like Pavement, Guided By Voices, and Superchunk (ok, they were only on Matador for a short time.)
I wouldn't mind trying more of their drinks and desserts but that alone is not reason enough for me to go back to Manayunk.
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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 www.restaurant.com. You can get a $25 gift certificate for $10 to use there.
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This is one of my favorite restaurants in Manayunk.
I love the calamari which is really fresh every time I get it. You can also order individual items from the 3 course menu list--I recommend the french onion soup. I am also a HUGE fan of the Lychee martini! They offer a half priced wine list which I think is on Sunday's and its a steal.
Also a great place for a first date!
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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.
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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.
Derek's has awesome crab cakes with avacado-corn rellish and half price wine bottles on Sunday's. They have small plates so you don't have to spend a lot and can get a couple small things.
Some bad things: The chicken quesadilla is bland and some seats are too close to other tables.
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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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.
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