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Like a clumsy slash on a coat of arms, 22nd Street bends sinister off South. The sudden wrenching fits the scene. Holding a desert flower, I get out of the cab. The flower is for a girl I barely know and it will do little to broker peace as I'm here fresh off a crime of sorts, but this I can't know yet.
"This not Race!" the cabbie announces.
"'Grace,'" I say. "I see it right there."
"Race far!" the cabbie pleads. "It's other side of city!"
"I'm here," I say. (A point disputable.) "Thank you."
Adrift, I made of this place a second home. I ordered burgers medium rare and received them medium rare. I drank Fins du Monde. I became persona non grata thanks to an impromptu performance piece. I shut the door in my own face and, for years, pretended to ignore it.
Battered a bit from the storm, I braved Grace tonight. I ordered a burger and got it as I'd ordered. I got a phone number on a napkin without asking for it. I got my old bar back.
I'd heard a lot of hype about Grace Tavern before going there, and I finally got the chance a few weeks ago, meeting up with a friend from work. Now that I've been there, I'm not really sure where I fall on it.
I like the nice, unpretentious bar feel, the dark wood and tin ceiling, combined with the lone tube tv give it a throwback feel. The tap had a moderate selection, but it was the situation where despite being a step beyond the usual suspects, nothing really interested me. I never really got a look at the bottle list either. The bartenders were engaging, which is always a plus.
We split a basket of the fried green beans, which were pretty good. A deeper sample of their menu might raise my opinion, but really, I wasn't very impressed. The few small tables in the back seem like an afterthought. I don't think I would really describe it as a dive, but it toes the line between dive and neighbourhood haunt. If you're in the area, its probably worth a visit, but I wouldn't call it a destination, worth traveling to.
We stopped in Grace Tavern for a quick bite and drink on a weeknight. We'd heard a lot of good things and they are all true. We also have called ahead and gotten takeout.
The beer selection is pretty good, in a "there is something here for everyone" sort of way - but it is definitely catering to the beer aficionado. Prices were very reasonable.
The food really stands out. Burgers were excellent, well cooked and very well seasoned and fit in well with the Cajun theme that seems to run though the menu. The sausage sandwiches are very good. I was a little under whelmed with the tuna steak sandwich - the burgers and sausgage are king here. The green beans are good in a greasy, spicy way but some may find them too greasy to palate. The food prices are very, very reasonable - five sandwiches, two apps and a salad barely passed the $60 mark.
The atmosphere is OK, sort of dive bar-ish but charming. The staff was very friendly and that helps to dispel the old-man bar vibe.
My only complaint was the service was a bit slow, even with just a few people at the bar (we were the only table in the dinning area).
Overall - great place to grab a beer and some cheap but delicious eats.
After reading about this place in Philadelphia magazine and on http://philadelphiawee... I figure I had to check out this "amazing" bar that is two blocks from my house. I was a little disappointed upon entering as I think I was assuming it would be less dive barish. Now keep in mind I was there at 5pm on a Wednesday so the place was mostly empty and no one ever really wants to see a bar during the day - it just looses it's mystique.
We had three burgers and three beers - pretty standard. The beer selection is pretty good. There are about 8 beers on tap and a fairly long list of bottled beer that had I noticed before I ordered one on tap I might have tried. Two of the beers we ordered came out pretty flat but not so bad as to send it back. The prices are extremely reasonable and the selection wonderfully varied.
As I kept hearing about the burgers at this place I figured that's what I had to order (although the various sausage options looked really interesting and tasty). I got the standard Grace Burger with onions, lettuce and tomato. My companions had the South Street (blue cheese and onions) and the Kelly (bacon and sharp cheddar). The burgers were awesome, really. I wasn't expecting them to be anything special but they were really great. Mine had this great char-grilled taste and the size was perfect. More often than not I eat half a burger and call it a day. But that was just NOT going to happen here. Not only was the burger awesome and so forced me to eat the whole thing, but I ate all of the fries too. The fries aren't anything special (as reviewed elsewhere on here) but the house mayo for dipping and the grey poupon on the table. Well I'm a sucker for dips so - yay.
All in all the meal was as success. I might think twice before bringing my boyfriends mother the minute she lands in town (as we did this time) but definitely a great option for a great burger in the grad-ho/fitler square area!
We love Grace Tavern! My roommate and I go here all of the time because its near our house and everything is done right: from the friendly, genuine service to the perfectly cooked burgers. The burgers are the best we've had in Philly, and the $8-$9 price tag is just an added bonus. They also have a nice selection of beer including some choices from local breweries, and although their fries are just o.k., the sauce that comes with them its amazing. Go! You won't be disappointed.
These aint ya momma's green beans and that aint your daddy's beer. I like Grace. Good bar food (forget the gastropub shiz), good prices, good brews, nice staff (especial dudebro #1 behind the bar)
Just go. If you want to sit go at an off hour. It fills up and gets crowded. Try the green beans and the tuna burger with hot sauce. Serious.
The famous "Green Beans" suck. Stick to the burgers!
Grace Tavern, it took me a long time to get here, but I did. Had to wait till after the second trip, and food, to write the review. So here goes nothing.
Been here two times, on weekend nights, both times walked right up to a seat at the bar. Good start. The tap menu is slim, and two of those spots are/were ciders, step backwards. The bottle list was a bit beefier though. step forward. Atmosphere was the right kind for me, chill, pressed tin ceiling, long bar and little dining room. Another step ahead.
The bartenders were cool, although a bit busy.
Peak Organic Pale Ale was really good.
Then there is the food.
Everyone on here was raving about the Blackened Green Beans, so I had to try the small ($2.00) size of them. When I got them I couldn't believe they were only 2 bucks... there was more than I or my buddy could eat, and actually I didn't feel right eating them. I just know they can't be any good for you. Greasy, flavored of all the other things that were ever cooked there ever, and just a little too much. if that makes sense. I can see why people go ape for them, but I was a bit weary.
I also had a burger with bleu cheese and something, cooked almost completely rare, that scared me too, but I ate it and it was really really damn good. (the next days trips to the toilet led me to believe I should have gotten it a little more cooked). They make a note on the menu of calling fries 'frites' and guess what, they were plain old SYSCO frozen french fries (the time I was there anyway). My buddy commented that "the frites were good" and I nearly put him in the million dollar dream for using the term frites on obviously standard issue fries. Anyway, after I berated him on that we got on to a good night at drinking at a very nice bar.
Last note... my favorite beer here is at $5.00, 50 cents cheaper than anywhere else I know about. POPE, you have been beat on that finally...
And for anyone who wants to know, that beer is La Fin Du Monde, so if you are reading and know you can get it for 5 or less alert me so I can track it on the "LaFindex" which right now is hovering around 6 bucks a bottle. Thanks.
Oyster Po' Boy. Wow. Seriously, I crave this sandwich. And the sauce they serve with it is delicious on the sandwich as well as the fries. Add to that an effortlessly laid back atmosphere, low prices, and great beer selection, and you have an excellent neighborhood spot.
I love this unpretentious bar just a stone's throw away from the shambles that was once the South Street Bridge.
Why is it so great?
1) Awesome beer selection!!!- I've tried a bunch of different brews with fantastic flavors. Wish I could actually remember even one but that's what happens when you're a lightweight. Just go there and try it!
2) The crowd isn't lame! There's no scene. Just people grabbing a drink with friends- exactly what a good neighborhood bar should be.
I'm eager to return to try the food (and more beer!!). Warning it is small and I went on a weekday but I hear its packed on the weekends...
Good beers. Nice atmosphere until it's crowded. A bit rough around the edges.
Great string beans! Good burger, good tuna sandwich, okay fries.
I live closer to Ten Stone, but I walk the extra few steps to Grace. Reese is my favorite bartender.
The mixed drinks are great. Stiff and cheap. They do not have frills or redbull, but to make up for they have the most delectable green beans on earth.
The toilets are amusing little nooks resembling harry potter's bedroom under the stairs, but they have two which is awesome. The place is great on quiet nights of the week a little crowded on weekends, but what bar isn't?
The bartenders are quick to throw out anyone who annoys them or they think might be trouble. The ashtray outside is always catching on fire. The beer selection is awesome. The chairs at the bar are comfy.
It's a great bar in my hood and way better than that other place.
A good friend of mine moved near Grace. We checked it out last week. I liked the Vegan burger, and I thought they had a good beer selection. The bartender, I felt, was a little over extended. Poor guy had to work the entire room by himself, so it took a little while to get noticed. BUT, for a guy in the weeds, he was very nice and never seemed to be too overwhelmed to answer any questions about the menu or life in general.
Not a bad place to hang out.
With the closing of South Street bridge, I haven't been to Grace's as much as I'd like (or as often as I use to) but every time I do make it there, I truly enjoy myself. This isn't a bar where you need to look a certain way or act a certain way. - it's an old-style neighborhood bar with a single TV (not flat panel), some colorful bartenders (Reese is great!), great beer, and AMAZING food.
The bar is dark and has a variety of bar-seating, dining tables and standing room. Although the bartenders can make just about any drink under the sun, I wouldn't recommend coming here for the latest "it" drink you read about in cosmo - this just ain't that kinda place. Try the Kelly burger with fries - I might like this even better than the burgers at Good Dog! I honestly prefer going here on weeknights as it just gets too crowded on the weekend - especially since it's become so popular!
Damn, now after writing this all I want is a burger and a beer at Grace Tavern!
Best bar in Philly? really? REALLY? This is joke, yes?
While I was digging the pressed tin ceiling, the dark wood bar, and the fabulous beer fridge, this place is a most effective lullaby, as I was so bored within 15 minutes of being here that it was off to nappy town.
At first I thought maybe I'd spotted my first hot Philly scumbag bartender. Then I realized that he had washed his hair today, was wearing clean pants, seemed to care about serving customers, and didn't appear to be even slightly retarded. For shame! You sir, are a TERRIBLE dirtbag!
Also, I thought this place was supposed to have a jukebox! I was totally stoked! And yet, I saw none. Something else I saw ZERO of was hipsters. Everyone here just seemed real nice and swell, drinking a beer and wearing a fleece. Zzzzzzzzzz.
They probably have tasty food, and the drinks are adequately strong. However, this place didn't just miss the "cool boat", it probably didn't even have any idea where it was sailing from.
Best bar in Philadelphia? That's a stretch. It's dark and there are always a few hipsters brooding at the bar. Also, ever since the PW article, it has consistently been packed with loud, obnoxious kids who look and act like they're fresh out of high school. But the food and Rees make up for it all.
The burgers are flavorful and moist sandwiched b/w the most amazing le bus brioche roll. My favorite is the kelly burger. The sausages are perfectly seasoned. I often daydream about the tuna burger. So so good. And don't discount the chicken fingers and fries. I could eat them for every meal. The chicken is juicy and the outside has just the right amount of crispiness. And the (horseradish?) dipping sauce for the fries is like crack. Dip your burger in it and you'll be temporarily transported to heaven. But when you get back to earth you'll realize you're still in a small dark and dingy bar and you need another high life (i'm no beer snob).
I only go when Rees is working and he's a total sweetheart. The other bartenders are not quite as...friendly.
On a recent weekend trip to Philly, I managed to visit Grace Tavern twice and sample 2 different burgers...so I feel highly qualified to write this review.
The first time we went in was about 8:30 on a Friday night. Grace Tavern was humming and there was a great feel to the place. I definitely had local-watering-hole-envy. I'm not sure if it's the best bar in Philly, but I can see how it made the top of somebody's list.
We ordered a variety of burgers (1 with cheddar and mushrooms, 1 with bleu cheese and sauteed onions, 1 with swiss, tomato, lettuce and red onion), served on a buttery bun with garlicky mayo. All were delicious -- Definitely several notches above typical pub food.
I was particularly excited to learn that the house specialty was crispy, spicy green beans. Is there another bar on the planet that can claim that as the house specialty?! What a great snack food! (I should also mention that the french fries were quite good.)
They had a great selection of beers on tap and quirky bartenders/waiters who managed to handle the large Friday night crowd with relative ease.
My second visit was for Sunday lunch. On a sunny fall day, Grace Tavern felt a little dark and depressing inside -- but that's my fault for going to a bar for Sunday lunch. My real complaint is that the wait for our burgers and tuna sandwich was RIDICULOUS (one hour plus) considering almost no one was in there. It obviously makes sense to visit this place at normal-bar-times when they're fully staffed.
I was stuck in Philadelphia en route from NYC to SFO for the night and my Philly friend Andi, being the wonderful lady she is, suggested Grace's for a few drinks before we head out to some house party.
I live in Manhattan and the first thing I thought was--damn, this looks like it belongs in the Village! It has that NYU vibe to it, which makes complete sense since it was packed with UPenn kids.. not that NYU and UPenn students are the same. But it also has that Greenwich Village look and feel. Okay, I may not be making any sense but just trust me on this.
Anyway, Andi suggested this place because the beers and the bar food are both good. There's a wide range of beers on tap (Monks Cafe is my favorite!) and an even greater selection of bottled beers. And the food! The blackened green beans--yum! It was piping hot and served with a spicy mayo dipping sauce. In addition to this, I had the chicken apple sausage sandwich, which was delicious. Best of all, everything was SO cheap.
This place was packed and it's a no-brainer why--Grace's is awesome!
One of my requirements for choosing a place to live is a decent neighborhood bar. Now, I would generally only give this place 4 stars, but I've tacked on one of the leftover stars that Ten Stone wasn't worthy of. I would say this is hands down the best bar in my neighborhood, and have contemplated wearing my slippers there on several occasions.
I recently had guests from NYC and we had to pick up another friend at the airport at 5 AM (I should probably reevaluate my friendship with said airport guest...), so didn't want to stray too far. At a loss for what to do, I took them to Grace. I wasn't going to try to out glam Manhattan or prove that we had swank in our town, I was just going to show them what, for me, makes Philly Philly.
Shortly after arriving, the bartender came over to answer some questions about what was on tap, and a few moments later he was telling us stories about doing acid in Maryland in the 80s. YES. This is what I pay my tax dollars for (that doesn't even make sense. I know. Continue.).
The beer on tap is great, and like another reviewer mentioned, it's unique. Not just generic light beer and other miscellanous, uncreative crap brews. In fact, he described one of the things on tap as "if someone walked into Nodding Head and asked for a Miller lite, this is what they'd serve them instead." Excellent.
We got some chicken fingers and fries to munch on. They were yummy; nothing extraordinary. Portion sizes were good and the whole table was satisfied.
I love the layout of Grace. I love the beer. I love the people who work there. I can understand why people contest the "best bar in Philly" award entirely. But I think in a lot of ways, that place embodies Philadelphia. It feels familiar whether you've been there once or a thousand times. As such, I vow to wear my slippers there at least once before the end of winter. I really don't like having to take them off.
Ok this is tough for me...went there a bunch of times when Reese was bartending and had a great time.
However this past Saturday afternoon me, my gf another friend and his gf went there for a drink after we got back from a pool party . We were joking around cracking each other up just having a good time when the super skinny wanna be rocker bartender comes over and asks us if we can keep it down because people were complaining - aka his 3 friends at the bar.
Last time I checked it was a bar and not a library. My gf is a bartender and I work in the nightclub industry and have never seen people laughing and having a good time told to tone it down.
Def sticking to going there when Reese is behind the bar
This is a pretty congenial place, but I'm still not sure why it was awarded "Best Bar" by a couple different publications. There's a definitely after-work professional crowd, along with locals and some folks who seem to travel from other parts of the city. I love the apple-walnut salad with ORGANIC chicken, but the nicoise salad was not impressive. Grace Tavern is more of a bar with food, rather than a food place.
It's dark wood-paneled, which lends a colonial feel, with a long bar as you walk in. The staff are very personable, if not always able to spend lots of time with each table. It's definitely a gauntlet, though, as one walks in, with easily 90% of the crowd young men. It gets loud, crowded, and kind of scene-y on weekend evenings.
Seated at the tables in the back are couples of all ages, though, and friends out for a quick bite. Interesting beer variety, reasonably priced. I go for the convenience, if not the food, necessarily.
I used to be a regular at Grace when I lived right around the corner. The food used to be consistently decent, there was a nice selection of beer (speaking of - this is the only place I've been that carries Synebrychoff), and they had Reese, the best bartender in the world.
I have to say it slipped a little since then (about 3 years ago). The food is just a tad more inconsistent - particularly the burgers and fries. I've learned that when a certain cook is working, I'll get a rare burger if I ask for medium-rare and a medium-rare burger if I ask for well done. A couple times the fries were under-seasoned and once they seemed to misplace the secret ingredient in the bourbon mayo sauce. But these are minor complaints really, and it's not the norm.
It can get pretty crowded on weekend nights but it seems petty to complain about a business doing well. The food is never bad, they still have a good beer selection for decent prices, and they still have Reese - so they still get 4 stars.
I guess being voted the best bar in philadelphia sent my expectations soaring to unreasonable proportions. Realistically, there wasn't anything grossly objectionable about Grace, but I left feeling disappointed.
Echoing what's been said by a few folks before, the service on my visit was surly and offputting. My buddy with me leaned over soon after our first interaction with the bartender and asked in a hushed voice, "Why does she hate me?" Good question. Couldn't tell him. It was the kind of service that made me want to crawl over the bar and pour the brews on my own.
The plus side to Grace Tavern, and it is a major plus: Walking in during the afternoon hours makes you feel like a film noir star. The sunlight peeks in and casts gorgeous shadows over the deep dark room, and you feel as though you could be a lonely, forgotten housewife embarking on an ill-advised affair with the private eye you hired to investigate your adulterous hubby. That kind of cinematic atmosphere is rare and precious, so soak it up kids. Hell, maybe the pissy service adds to the dramatic effect.
Food: Excellent. Beyond excellent. The blackened green beans are one of a kind (at least as far as I've experienced), and the sausages and burgers are great.
Service: Bizarre and wonderful. The waiters/bartenders all have distinct, quirky personalities and are just the kind of people you'd expect and want at a place like this.
Beer Selection: Incredibly well curated and a staff knowledgeable and passionate enough about the selection to help know what's going on.
The server was a trip on this Thursday night..super friendly, with a hint theatrics, adds to the fun. It's amazing how much a little personality behind the bar, can make a a neighborhood bar, the kind of place you walk out of your way for.
I had the jambalaya and it was done well with all the ingredients mixing, sometimes that doesn't happen. My friend liked her hot sausage, ( thats a n awkward sentence) and who would have thunk, that green beans were the perfect bar snack.
Reasons why this place didn't hit the big 4or 5 star are it gets crowded even on a week night. You have to eat practical on your neighbors lap.
finally, its very hot in there. first visit was in early May, and it was sweltering, did drink my beers fast, so for them its a plus. I was going to stop in two weeks ago, but as I went inside the heat hit me in the face, so I left.
last night it was un seasonably cool, so i decided perfect night for a visit, and I was right. I think come Fall, i will be frequenting this nice bar more often.
Craving fries and beer, my friend and I stumbled around the block from her apartment to Grace, which was overflowing on this Saturday night. Squeezing through the unruly, largely professional-looking crowd which seemed to be producing demonic voices like that of Linda Blair's from the Exorcist, we felt lucky to find a table for two open in the back.
Amidst the chaos, the only things that kept me there were the retro tin paneling on the walls and ceiling and the incredible basket of fries. The fries were great, though I would say they are comparable to Monk's in terms of deliciousness (especially since they come with the Monk's dippin sauce) and I don't think I will ever go back to Grace for more.
In the end, the 45 minute wait for a server to acknowledge my friend and me was a major put-off. The surly waiter stomped back and forth past our table without even saying hi. It was probably the worst service I've received in Philadelphia, and it just made me feel sad.
The drink prices are fair. The bartenders aren't even close to being dicks. They're friendly with a strong pour. And maybe they'll even smoke some tree with you. A bit small and no jukebox. Music controlled beyond the bar. Those are the only downsides. Nice and dark and not too hip. I'd definitely go back. I'm surprised it took me so long to come.
I didn't think I would like this place, but it kind of grew on me - it had a nice crowd. The bar keeps are extremely friendly and my husband loved his tuna steak sandwich - he especially loved the fries. I thought the food was reasonably priced.
I say it's well worth a visit and plan to hang out for a bit and some of their great beers!
i love this place. great food!!!! the greenbeans - wow. the servers are friendly. my boyfriends uncle brings his two little kids here all the time and they always have coloring books and crayons. it really is nice to be able to bring up kids in the city and have them experince real south philly. i read someone else said theres no typical croud here - i realize now thats true and how nice that is.
Sooooooooo good.
We love beer and really like a place that you can visit and there are a lot of beers to try and the bartenders know what is going on. There is not a dearth of places like this in the city but this one still impressed me.
The prices are also fair which means that you can enjoy the beer without having to worry that the bill will be ridiculous.
The food was the best bar food I have had in years. It takes a lot to impress me about a french fry but i was so impressed with the ones at Grace, I am still thinking about them. I also loved the green beans in a way i never knew I would feel about anything green.. Unfortunately it turns out they are cooked in so much butter that they are as god for you as the fries, but i do not care. My burger came on the tastiest freshest bun and was so good, and actually medium rare, that i had to pace my self to truly enjoy it.
It was empty when we went so i do not know about the crowd. I did like the bartender a lot. Some of those places the bartenders have such a bad attitude that it ruins it. Just because you bar is dark and divey does not mean you are cooler then I am. And this guy was not like that at all so that was a big plus. Overall I loved this place and look forward to taking friends there asap.
-Nice beers.
-I've heard complaints about the small space and how crowded it gets but I went during the NBA finals game last night (boy do I love seeing LA get their asses blown) and it wasn't too crowded at all. The bartender took a while as he was on his own but he was fake-friendly enough that I didn't care.
-Food looked expensive.
Verdict: chill weeknight pub, good for conversation with friends and some tasty beer sampling.
This is the best bar in Philly - but remember that its exactly that - a bar - in Philly. This is not a first date place, or a place to meet 20 friends, or enjoy overpriced atmosphere. This is a bar. It is comfortable, it is dark, and it is wonderful.
The bartenders are true Philly gold. Depending on the night you go, you might be greeted by a tough Philly skull cracker or warm smiles and laughs from Reese. But regardless of who serves you, one thing remains the same, they don't put up with obnoxious customers, they are quick, they are smart, and they are all Philly.
This type of bar rewards your frequent patronage with great new beers more frequently than you would believe, fantastic food that is reasonably consistent, and the opportunity to be surrounded by other people that appreciate these things.
Food Note- The charred green beans are spectacular - be sure to order those instead of fries (although the fries are good too). I believe they make their sausage fresh, and all of it is good. The fried oyster po-boy is perfect for those heavy beers. Basically, I have eaten the whole menu and have rarely been disappointed.
I can see where all of the people who discovered the bar in Philly mag and thought that they would roll in on a crowded weekend night and fall in love with Grace's would be disappointed because it is hard to see all of this in one sitting. You really need to go on an off night - say mon, tues, wed - and soak in the laid back vibe and enjoy. That way, when you show up on Fri or Sat to get that next fix, you won't notice or care about the invariable crowd, because you will be focused on the beer, the food, and the great people that make this the best bar in Philly.
Yeah, fuck this place. The end.
Beer=good. Burgers, sausage sandwiches=good. Fries= sometimes incredibly good and crispy and straight out of the deep fryer with a little spicy kick from the spicy dust and the remoulade dippy stuff, sometimes limp, soggy and barely warm, or overly salty and covered in so much spicy salt that I'm going into sodium overload.
Why?! This inconsistency makes me sad b/c I want to love them all the time.
Another great pub from the folks who brought you Monk's and Nodding Head. Great beer selection, quality food, friendly vibe. Try the spicy green beans. People eat them like French fries here...so good. But the real fries are good, too. And the burgers.
The Philly 'gastro-pub' scene is a bit richer thanks to Grace.
Damn but their food is tasty. I've actually had dreams about the Spicy green beans- yes, they are spicy enough to warrant an upper-case "s". The tuna burger is also close to divine, but be sure to order fries or you'll feel left out since it comes with a salad. The burgers are quite tasty and you might not feel like you have any room left for beer, but you better save some- they've got pretty nice ones on tap. Last time for me, it was Stoudt's Scarlet Lady. Yum.
The tin ceilings are great, but too bad the place is tiny and there's only room for a few tables. It is indeed a "lovingly restored" pub and I wish there were more places like this!
I went here with some friends after a night out ice skating. The service was fast for midnight on a friday night. They had seating available, which the first time I tried to have a drink here they didn't have any. The staff was knowledgeable about the beer that they had on tap and was pretty attentive. We ordered the fries and they were gobbled up fast, because they were delicious.
I like Grace's, it really feels like some of the old men style pubs back in the UK. People may have issues with the dark moulding but this is very much old man UK pub style and I would be depressed if it went away.
The food is good as long as you want a burger and you don't mind it being a bit greasy. I've never had a major problem with the staff but there certainly hasn't been a lot of banter when I've been in there.
I was in on Friday night and had three pints of Yards. It was a new style that I hadn't tried before and so didn't stop drinking it due to the fruity flavor as it looked cloudy and I thought it must be a Wheat Beer. Needless to say, the fourth pint came and was clear and tasted very different. Resulted in me and a friend having pretty crap guts on Saturday morning. Never any excuse for this, if you are going to serve draft beer and charge a fair whack for it, then you have to keep your taps clean.
They lost a star just for that, win it back please.
Since I'm not a fan of Monks - I like Grace. The atmosphere is a bit less cave-esque. The beer on tap is fairly genaric, but not bad (genaric as in Lager, Yards, Dogfish head - as opposed to Bud, Bud light, yak, yak, yak) but the bottle selection is quite eclectic, tasty, and slightly pricey - but no more so than the Foodery, the only non-bar you'll find these guys in in Philly. Food's pub+ food... that gastro-pub type thing that's going around.
The staff is a kick. Sadly, the clientele seems less and less diverse... maybe it's that monstrocity of urbanity - Naval Square that's finally being populated.
Oh, and the Neighborhood is Devil's Pocket! Don't let the realtors YUPify the vernacular.
I'd add... in my all things hated of Monks, the same bottles of beer are more reasonably priced at Grace - even if they share the same owner.
I LOVE the Grace Tavern. Good food. The only reason I mark it down as low as I have is because there are just not enough places to sit down and have a fucking burger. This place is also awesome if you wanna catch sight of the illustrious Fergie as he seems to be there more than at Fergie's and other places.
Dude needs to get some more tables in though.
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