National Mechanics Bar and Restaurant
Categories: Pubs, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Olde City22 S 3rd St
Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 701-4883
- Hours:
Mon 5:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.
Tue-Thu 11:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.
Fri-Sun 11:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner, Late Night
- Music: DJ
- Best Nights: Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: No
58 Reviews for National Mechanics Bar and Restaurant
Brunch has been brought. Or served. Whatever...I scarfed down the meal that is neither breakfast nor lunch here today, and it was a winner. Plus, I partook in their legendary Bloody Mary bar. Yes - it's official. I am a convert. Throw some bacon bits in that beverage (or A1 Sauce, peppers, hot sauce, whatever - they've got it all) and your Sunday will be peachy keen.
Lots of space, great choices, servers who always bust their butts to get you what you need, good coffee and a DJ - plus my favorite bathrooms in town. What more could you need? Nothing, that's what.
Now go forth and brunch it up next weekend. You can thank me later.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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01/13/2008
Wow - this place sure has changed a lot since it was Coyote Ugly! Alas, there is no more dancing on… Read more »
I agree best Veggie Burger I have ever had and only $5 until 7:00pm! It comes with coleslaw and steak fries. The beer selection looks really good too. I don't know about anything else, since I was only there once for lunch. The service was very good and the bartender/server was very friendly.
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I LOVE STEAK FRIES
I LOVE DO-IT-YOURSELF BLOODY MARY BARS
I LOVE NATIONAL MECHANICS!
The inside of this historic bank building is like nothing else in Old City. The owners must be wild! Beautiful long bar, tons of high tables and booths, big stained glass windows, amazingly different sculptures, exposed brick and more! Plus no TVs to add noise or distract your loved ones (which happens, trust me).
The menu is a delicious mix of pub fare and gourmet options. Hummus and fresh grilled veggie burger are my favs.
The drinks are well poured and with a sassy smile! Plus they have just about the best variety of beer and liquor one will find in the city.
This is a must visit.
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Great wings, friendly staff, and off the tourists radar.
If you are in old city and in need of a drink or a quick meal, stop here you will find something that you like.
Did I mention that the wings are great?
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I stopped by for brunch because a friend was DJing. I have to say, the bloody mary bar was delicious, and I was incapacitated by the hot sauce choices. Fried onions - delicious. The only thing they were missing were olives and pickled eggs.
The wait, however, was ridiculous. I did go with a group of 7, but we waited an hour for our food and the place was empty. Also, my egg whites weren't cooked, which makes me a little nauseous. OK, a lot. Sigh. Step it up - it's such a great space!
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07/17/2008
Just not that great. The veggie burger, supposedly "The Best in the City" is all right, and made… Read more »
Well, well, well. A place that lives up to its incredible hype machine.
Sheeit. I didn't even want to go in here based on the oozing hype. I imagined it had been talked about so much, there was NO WAY it was going to be that good. I was wrong. It wasn't just good, it kind of blew my socks off.
It was a Sunday morning/ afternoon and my lovely girlfriend was out of town. After about 5 or 6 text messages to various friends, none of which were game for lunch, I decided to get on my bike and go for a ride. While on this ride I decided to jaunt down to Olde City to see what the fuss was about.
I sat at the bar. The bar tender came over. I ordered the "build- it- yourself" Bloody Mary. It was pretty awesome. There is a little station at the bar with various fix-ins for your bloody drink.
Ordered the Western Skillet. It was delectable. It came on one of those ceramic coated cast iron skillets. It was pipping hot, the potatoes where nice and crunchy on the outside and soft and yummy on the inside. There was a healthy helping of crushed bacon, onions, and green peppers mixed in all topped with some good ol' fried eggs.
The service was rad. The bartender was attentive, made a lil small talk, and took great care of me. The dj-ish guy played some good mellow tunes that made both the yuppie and the hipsters sing along from time to time. The ambiance was key. The lighting was dim and the decor made me feel like I was in the middle of some northern English pub. I liked it. I'll be back soon. I'll bring friends.
thank you National Mechanics. Thank you for living up to the hype.
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I heart National Mechanics.
The food is Good (and considerably less expensive than most eateries in this part of town) Keep in mind that this is a Pub, and you can't go wrong with Pub Standards like Fish & Chips or a Good Caesar Salad (my personal fav) The Specials are where they really shine though - and they change weekly!
The Beer is even better And if you don't know that much about Beer, there's an Extra Bonus: Philly's own Two Guys On Beer is filmed here every week! http://twoguysonbeer.com/
I like to go for a beer right after work when I see many friendly faces and on Sundays for dinner when it is nice and quiet. (plus they have Video Games after 9!)
Nice is as Nice does. Go into National Mechanics With a good Attitude, and I guarantee you you will come out with some good friends!
Go Eat some Food and drink some Beer, and relax! It isn't that serious people!
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2 words: VEGGIE BURGER. Oh my god, this was so amazing, the best damn veggie burger I've ever tasted. (Real vegetables!!) I've only ever eaten there once, so I can't speak to the rest of the menu, but this alone was worth it.
I've made it a regular stop for drinks in Old City. I can't quite put my finger on what makes it so great, but I always want to go back.
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Nicely done up bar in Olde City, you can go in there and actually afford the food and booze, unlike many other bars in the area. The booths are old pews from when the place used to be a church, the stain glass windows are also left over from that time. Get the Hoptimus Prime! Food is hit or miss, stick to the specials mostly, and avoid the Hummas platter. The occasional shrimp or crab bisk is outstanding, and the $10 pub steak is a good choice. Comfortable atmosphere, with unique wall art. No jute-box, somebodies Ipod on shuffle.
The only way that someone could think that this food is in any way exceptional is if they are drunk. The thing is that this is completely feasible since not only is their wide variety selection available in pitchers but it is also ridiculously cheap.
When we walked into National Mechanics, we looked at the menu with shock. $5 hamburgers? $8 pitchers of lager? $5 salads? Where are we? Indiana?
It turns out, you get what you pay for. The grilled cheese and tomato soup combo was very similar to something I could have made at home and usually do when I'm sick. Flat, thin bread and Campbell's soup. My girlfriend's salad was similar to something bought in a container at a gas station.
I can see the value of National Mechanics, though, and I shouldn't knock it. You're in Old City and half way drunk. This sounds like a time to head over to National Mechanics and finish the job while eating cheap, poor food. It makes total sense and is really a brilliant plan.
Just don't walk in expecting something gourmet like Standard Tap, Memphis Tap Room, or the Abbaye.
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I don't know why this place gets great reviews. I sat at the bar a couple of weeks ago and the bartender, Drew, acted as if it was an inconvenience to serve me and my friends. If you sit at his end of the bar, migrate to the other end.
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Quick update. ... just wanted to mention I've been there a few more times - still like it, though have found it's not always as eclectically populated as my first visits.
Didn't really understand the 'update your review' thing, but as both reviews seem to continue to exist... I won't incorporate my first review into this one. But... read that one! This is the addendum. That one's the real deal. :)
I actually wasn't that thrilled to be there the most recent time - when the bar is half empty, do you really need to pound the music that loudly, dj guy? No one is dancing, it's clear we're all trying to chill and talk. No body needs their ribcage vibrating. My pity for your obvious lack of places to do what you do does not overwhelm my desire to be able to chat with my friends.
On the other hand, I had a smorgasborg (Suggested spelling corrections for this word are all variants of orgasm. 5, in fact. You go, orgasm, the word.) of appetizers, including.... drum roll please... quesadillas! Which were really good. Very hot and extra cheesy, they held together especially well, with what seemed to be half chunked/half shredded chicken. Came with the green stuff and the white stuff, and have shot to the top of my Philly quesadillas list.
And despite the best efforts of the night's dj... National Mechanics continues to be a nice place to come, sit, have a drink with some friends, and not worry about shiny clothes or pounding music. I love going to Irish pubs, but I like having a place to go that's not an Irish pub, but still lets me have that laid back atmosphere.
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03/20/2008
So, I don't drink that much when I go out. Don't even eat that much. So a lot of times, how I feel… Read more »
National Mechanics is by far my favorite bar in Philadelphia. I live in the Art Museum area and I would prefer to trek all the way to Old City than hang out in my own neck of the woods. Paul, Lauren, Drew and the gang ROCK, HARDCORE. Ignore that one review about Drew. I appreciate the fact that "NAT MECS" does not feel the need to have PBR to generate a crowd. Come to Mechanics if you are a beer person. Mechanics celebrates the local brews with Yards and PBC on tap. It's also a place that barely advertises and is always full at night. You can plan your whole week here! Well, I do.
Monday, when open, lunch with my old city buddies. Tuesday, if you feel up to it, karaoke night! Wednesday, hang out with John and get a team together for PUB QUIZ. Thursday, just hang the !@#$ out! Friday, sometimes SIDESHOW, most of the time, a great place to meet and hang! It's a favorite for all of the historical organizations like the National Park Service and Once Upon A Nation staff. Saturday, another hangout night if you get there a little early. The place fills up fast! Sunday, start your day with an amazing brunch menu. I am a hung fan of the french toast! Go somewhere else for the rest of the day, then come back around 9 and play Wii on the big screen! if National Mechanics opened a WAWA and a little Coffee Bar, I would not need to go anywhere else! Oh, and a little bookstore with a small selection of high-end adult magazines...hehe. In 2008, Once Upon A Nation made National Mechanics the first stop on the Tippler's Tour which runs every Thursday from April through October! Oh! I forgot to mention, the place has WI-FI!!! And it's Free!!! All you haters need to stop hatin on Nat Mecs! Some girl got her feelings hurt because Drew didn't think she was sexier than his hot, hot, hot girlfriend, so service was bad...haha! Makes "Mecs, YOURS!"
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h
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......karaoke....
maybe i drank WAY too much....but what a fun time that sure was.
the crowd was so funny about it all....god people sing like shit.
its was like the gong show.
luved it so.
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I came. I drank beer. I ate Veggie Burger. I go back.
liked the atmosphere, laid back and the veg burg was good as i was hopin it would be. bartender was nice, (even though i was in an incredibly indecisive and acting oddly/precarious about the subject of avocados)
I liked the tavern feel/no snob effect, would like to experience live music some night, and dogs wear wigs here.
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I love National Mechanics. Before I even went there, I wanted to love NM. It's so cool looking. Also, when I first wanted to try it, they had Yards Pynk on tap. Pretty awesome.
But, then, one fateful day, I tried to go to NM. The story goes like this: I finally convinced a friend (the lovely Jill F.) to try it with me, and as we're standing, within the columns of their porch, reading their menu, a pigeon hits us! This pigeon must have eaten the worst food (and I assume some cruel kids had fed it laxatives). In one go, it hit my head and arm and my friend's arm! It was the mother-load of pigeon poo! So we used their bathrooms to rinse of the green gooeyness and went home.
A month or two later, I hosted an Unofficial Yelp Event here (with the lovely George R.). We came without warning the establishment because we had no idea how many people to expect. The servers and managers were extremely helpful and friendly. The manager even came over and talked to me about Yelp and also told me that they put up pigeon guards since I was last there. Then, the management gave all of the people in our party a shot on the house. Pretty awesome.
Having been back several times now, I can say with confidence that the servers and bartenders are great, here.
The food is tasty and really reasonably priced.
I just wish they were open for lunch on the weekends.
And one more time for luck: Pretty awesome.
Snag a seat. Grab a pitcher. Enjoy yourself.
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My favorite bar and restaurant.
We poured in by the dozen reconfiguring the tables of half the bar so we could all chomp with each other while the staff looked on in amusement. They could handle us, sweet. I immediately felt at home. Hip and funky but understated, I came to learn from my local hosts that it provided refuge of cool in the Olde City landscape of trendy and wannabe upscale.
Still new to historical architecture in the public domain, I was impressed with the ionic columns at the entrance, and the expansive high ceilings which allowed our sizable crowd to be boisterous without drowning each other out. This could have happened very easily with their $3 Yuenlings for those who aim to get as tipsy for as little as possible, as well as tempting brews for the aficionados. I was pleased to see a white ale Hitachino (go owls!) and nursed it accordingly.
Then marched the eats: piled high nachos, burgers (a little too overdone), veggie burgers (a wee bit too salty), paired with thick wedge, yummy fries. By the end of the meal we were all smiling and satiated. Mission accomplished!
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National Mechanics is really not bad although I had a negative impression of it the first time I went there. Maybe that has to do with the fact that it's in Old City and despite its rugged yet hip decor and lovely bathrooms, it still exudes that Old City douchbaggery. Or possibly it's because it used to be things like Coyote Ugly and Whiskey Dix and no matter how hard you scrub you just can't get frat-boy out of the sheets.
I have been to NM a couple times with the ladies after getting booted from the Khyber. Not booted, really, we just didn't want to pay the cover and happyhour had ended. Let's just preface my commentary by mentioning the fact that I'm a raging beer snob (although I prefer the title conoisseur or even bon vivant) and the beer selection leaves something to be desired. I had draft Anchor Steam, which was just fine but really, people throw a little Legacy into the mix and then we can talk.
The food was fairly standard (but good) American pub fare. M. and I split cheese-less nachos the first time and I had an Angus burger last night. Despite lacking cheese (I can't do dairy) the nachos were still substantial. I liked the addition of pintos and I'm always up for some guac.
The prices are reasonable, particularly for Old City which tends to price gauge. Particularly, some of the more gastro-oriented gastro pubs can kill you with the sandwich prices. I don't mind paying $10 for a burger if it's oozing with Rochefort cheese (that's a holla, Good Dog) but for the most part I set my cap at 8. I guess there is something psychological about the single digit thing.
In all (weighing in at $8 with a side of extra hearty steak fries) I would rate NM's burger on the pretty damn good end of the burger continuum which exists between Burger King (nadir) and Good Dog (pinnacle). About a 7.5 to be exact. It would have fared much better had it actually been medium rare and not medium.
I blame Keanu Reeves, our server, who was ok, not bad on the eyes but kind of a mimbo.
Basically, I'd give it four stars if the beer selection were slightly better rounded but as I said before I'm a conoisseur and most people couldn't give a toss.
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At the Yelp wine tasting, I was wondering where I should go for dinner in Old City, but then realized that I was among Yelpers. George pointed me towards National Mechanics, and my stomach was very glad he did.
Beer prices are more than fair, they're cheap! (well, as long as you stick to the local fare) I shared a quasi-light dinner consisting of your standard bar/restaurant food - burger, fries and calamari rings. Although standard, some places do mess a meal like this up; I'm glad to say National Mechanics came out with flying colors.
Loved the decor! Plants stuck in jars? Crazy print hanging about the toilet? Random dog statues with colored lightbulbs sticking out of their butts? Yes, please! This place reeks of individuality, in a good way. Sound atmosphere was great too. The high ceilings prevent others' conversations from intruding, but give a nice background drone.
I WAS going to take off 1 star, because the service was sort of shoddy. Only 2 servers for a Thursday night didn't cut it. But our server made an effort (she ran by, asking how our meal was and left before our answer; but hey, it's the thought that counts). National Mechanics - oozing with personality, a great place for drinks and groups, and even a date.
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The existence of an entree that consists of a bag of Fritos with chili and cheese on top is enough to warrant a good review in my opinion! My experience here last night was actually pretty comical. It seemed like there was only one person working the entire front of house... the bartender... who came complete with a hugely bandaged finger. He came over about 10 seconds after we sat down and seemed surprised that we needed more time. Then he came back about 60 seconds after that! Since neither of us had been there before, we needed a little more time to take in the menu. Our entrees were brought out one minute after our appetizer, and the waiter dropped my friends mini-pizza on the table!! It landed half in my water too. At this point we were completely amused because it just seemed like this was NOT our waiters night. I think the servers must have all called out or something and left him holding down the fort alone. Aside from all the funny, our food was great and I loved the atmosphere in there! I am considering going back soon because all the specials (which we noticed on the wall half way through our meal since they were not pointed out or on the menu) looked great!
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as a vegetarian who doesn't drink (read: sXe), this seems like an unlikely joint for me to review. BUT... their ad in the newspaper does not lie! NM, at times, has the best veggie burger in town (tried to date). i say at times because i've been there several times when they were out of veggie burgers. they need some sort of placard at the door with veggie burger status on it.
for those not in the know, this place is great for lunch due to the $5 veggie burger+fries deal. not only the best veggie burger, but the best price. get cheese on that, it's the only way to keep it on the bun.
otherwise, i avoid this place on evenings due to Old City-y crowds (large, roving packs of drunk people looking for escape from their unfulfilling lives). also, sometimes live music or karaoke happens. both are probably fun if you're drunk or in a large group (which is often like being drunk). like other reviewers, i agree that NM is less Old City-y than other places, but its still on 3rd St...
for those that consume flesh, i hear the frito bowl is pretty fun.
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The only bar in Old City without a TV!!!! Someone finally figured it out. Really down to earth crowd and staff. Eclectic feel to the place (kinda like your art school buddies apartment) and excellent food...surprisingly good food as a matter of fact. The burgers are arguably the best I've had in town but even the higher end dinner specials have all been great. Good prices on drinks and interesting entertainment too. Great spot!
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Pseudo dinner/snack review.
Waiting for a friend, I decided to come over here to pass some time.
$3 Obovoid Oak-aged Stout?
$6 Popcorn Chicken?
What more could you ask for?
A little mellow (maybe because I got there early).... but it definitely picked up when I was heading out.
Nice place.
Good "Beer of the Week" deals.
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Proclaiming that you serve the best veggie burger in the world is a funny thing to do. Does anyone really carry around a list in their head (or god forbid, on paper) of the best veggie burgers they've ever had? Maybe I should start such a list, because then I'd be in a better position to judge the veracity of National Mechanics' outlandish claim (for the record, the veggie burger here is pretty damn tasty. Any veggie burger that incorporates broccoli is already a winner in my book, but there is a mysterious special something in the NM veggie burger that makes it better with every bite. I wish the fries weren't steak fries, though...but I concede that the fact that the veggie burger is accompanied by some of the best coleslaw I've ever eaten helps to make up for it.)
What else, let's see...as others have mentioned, the decor is fun. The first time I was there, I was drunkenly startled by the framed cases of dead beetles. The sinks in the bathroom seem handmade and I think that potted plants have been cleverly stuck underneath the pipes in order to catch the leaks (that's what happens when you have a homemade sink, I guess).
The music is usually pretty great. Early on a Saturday evening, we were treated to an entertaining little mix that included Jungle Boogie and Regulate (I embarrassed myself by announcing to my husband that it was a Snoop Dogg song only to realize that I had the wrong Dogg in mind). That made me feel old, and here's another thing that makes me feel old: back in the day, there used to be a music venue above the establishment that is now National Mechanics, called Upstages. One fateful night, I went to see Cat Power play there. Dave Grohl (?!?) was in the crowd and heckled poor Chan rather mercilessly, but we didn't care because we were all giddy with happiness that Al Gore had won the presidency (in the car on the way over, KYW announced that he had taken Florida! Hooray!) Then we got back in the car, turned on the radio, and life as we knew it was over. Times got so dark and so tough that this joint actually turned into a Coyote Ugly at one point. The failure of Coyote Ugly and the rise of National Mechanics in that same space symbolizes a rebirth of all things right and good in the world...I hope.
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The Veggie burger is claimed to be the best in the world. I've had better but it is pretty damn good. During happy hour it was only $5 with a side of fries.
Beer selection was fantastic and the prices were pretty good being that the bar is in Olde City.
The barkeep was super chill and I plan on going back anytime I am in Olde City.
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Great food, great music, friendly staff, well-stocked bar, creative drink and food specials, and reasonable prices. Where else can you get a huge fresh cheeseburger with giant steak fries for $5? Or a $10 steak... and wash it down with a $2 lager?
No TV is a huge bonus for me... it's nice to break away from the continual media assault we're subjected to everywhere else and actually socialize with a diverse group of down-to-earth people. And the music is just as diverse as the patrons, covering every spectrum of music (less classical & country). The decor is eclectic and odd, which adds to the charm of the place. The huge stained glass windows and church-pew booths are a tribute to the building's previous life as a Church.
All in all, it is one of my favorite places ever.
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Wow, $2 for a lager in Old City, you can't really go wrong there. There is also an excellent selection of premium beers for non-silly prices, which is always appreciated. I spent the night on Steam Anchor and was pretty satisfied.
Only one member of the group had food and got the nachos grande. The plate was huge and the service was quick.
We were there on a Saturday and had to move from our table when the DJ came on about 10. It wasn't a major problem and the waitress was nice about it. To be honest, it was getting a bit loud and obnoxious by that time anyway.
I would definitely go back, though maybe not late on a Saturday night. Bugger, I've turned into an old man!
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OK now + dusty hipster contractors + some slut storms + some elderly + some local neighbors + some dates + some clusters of friends + some outfit checker outers + some loners....all just chilling together! that's a nice mix...unpretentious.
The music is really good and some times goofy. burgers are great and (they toast the bun.) the steak salad is excellent. The specials are always a hit and taste fresh...I love the french fries...The bar itself is beautiful...warm and inviting. It's not a dumpie bar... its nice to me... They have plants and weird stuff to look at.
on the weekends people just start dancing...how fun is that!
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My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place [literally stumbled, for him -- we went there after $1 PBRs at Sugar Mom's :)] one night, and I admit -- we were mostly drawn in by the fact that a friend of his is a bouncer there. But honestly, once I got in the door, I enjoyed the place.
When we got there, a cool-looking band was leaving, and in their place was a Le Tigre song playing over the loudspeakers [which clinches it for me right there]. We were there late on a Friday night, so the place was absolutely *packed*. Very little room to move around unless you went to the back where the "stage" area is set-up [and the line for the bathroom]. There's a nice big plush couch back there next to the bar, which is really awesome for chilling out on.
The rest of the place is your basic bar/restaurant set-up. However, the insanely high ceilings definitely take away from that trapped feeling you might get in such a crowded room.
I didn't try the food that night, but did see that they have a really extensive menu [not just bar food!], and they serve well into the night, which is sometimes hard to find. I was really happy to find that they serve $2 Lagers [my favorite beer, and my boyfriend's] -- finally, a place I can get drunk for cheap and not have to drink shitty beer.
The only reason this place loses points is the crowd -- both in volume and personality. There seemed to be a lot of the "usual" types around [group of lame guys looking for chicks and getting way too drunk in the process, emo kids, guys in business attire that are trying to look like they have more money than they do]. It was also insanely crowded -- had I not been standing at the door talking to the bouncer for most of our time there, I don't know if I would have had a place to sit/stand. Overall, though, not a bad time!
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My lady friend and I were craving some delicious wings, and might have even typed in "delicious wings" to our Yelp search. We scanned a few reviews and top 10 lists before finding National Mechanics. I was surprised to hear such praise for a spot that I lived near but never heard of. Plus, they had corn dogs!
The decor was unique, I liked it. Kind of a mechanic theme, go figure. There was a lot of space for a restaurant. We left before the night time crowd, but it looked like it would have been a comfortable bar. There was a bachelor party beginning as we left, and a DJ making unimpressive music.
Like many Philly food stops, Mechanics has a nice beer selection. Not necessarily extensive (maybe 6 on tap, 15 more bottles... don't quote me on that), but diverse. I had one of my favorites, I think a Lagunitas but I forget which one. We got fish and chips, corn dogs, and wings that did not disappoint. As you may know, Buffalo wings are basically butter and hot sauce, add some spices, and that's it. Cook on low heat for a long time or deep fry. I'm not sure what National Mechanics does, but here's my guess. Soak them overnight in some kind of water-based herb marinade, maybe boil or poach them in the same marinade, and then pan cook in the buffalo sauce. Delicious. You should try them with a corn dog and oddity beer fav. The fish and chips were good too.
I've become accustomed to paying a lot for good food, but there's no price on getting exactly what you want. And this all added up to about $40 I think.
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Hoptemus Prime! great glasses, if there are any left last time i was there only saw bill cosby.
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I decided to give another Old City bar a try and after hearing many good things about the mechanics it was a go!. The bar itself has excellent atmosphere. It's not posh, not scummy, not too hipster - pretty much just right. The beer prices are excellent, particularly for old city. I just had an appetizer, the summer rolls, which were solid. Not like I was in Laos but not too shabby. The pints were clean and tasty. I always appreciate a place that cleans their taps regularly.
Our waitress was really busy - she had a lot of tables to take care of - but amazingly managed to get us another pint or pitcher almost as soon as we needed it. Well done miss! ... well done.
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there are so few places to go in old city. the khyber is dirty and small. sugar mom's is smoky. skinners has nasty food. national mechanics, though, is big and open, has excellent food and i almost always love the music playing. (with the exception of what was playing between 6:42 and 7:18 this past wednesday -- it was sinatra's duets? followed by laurie anderson, maybe?) also: low douchebag quotient.
but mechanics is not just the lesser of old city evils. if it was located anywhere else, i'd also stop by regularly. the staff is friendly, the food is always good, and they never give you any sidelong glares when you ask for extra napkins or blue cheese on the side.
OH! and they recently started serving brunch, which is EXCELLENT. i tried the straight-up eggs, toast and bacon; the spinach and strawberry salad; the best blueberry pancakes i've had in a while; and the crab and shrimp bloody mary thing (more like a whole lot of seafood with a bit of bloody mary mix served in a martini glass with some fried plantains -- kind of ceviche-like). i'll definitely be back for brunch. shit, i'm just going to go there now.
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This is definitely one of my favorite bars in Philadelphia. There is something happening every night of the week, the drinks are cheap, and the food is awesome! The crowd is always a good mix of old and young and the music caters to all tastes. The Faux Pas party every First Friday is always a blast. And as someone has already mentioned, the bathrooms are clean AND private! They've even recently added "Occupied" signs when the door locks, eliminating the awkward knock and doorknob jiggle you often must engage in at lesser bars.
The veggie burger is one of the best I've ever had, and I consider myself a veggie burger connoisseur.
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I had a really good time when I first came here for a yelp event. The waitstaff was friendly and nice, and the burger I ordered was made just right. Very tasty indeed. The place has a very cool Vibe about it. My buddy that promotes Faux Pas finally convinced me to make it out to one of his events at this location. After the yelp event it didn't seem like the place for a dj night, but with the tables moved aside they really had the dance floor hoppin'. I had a really fun time. When I went they also had a decorated christmas tree hanging from the ceiling. Pretty neat
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