This place is located in the heart of Old City in Philadelphia. Â It's a great spot to go with a 3 or 4 friends because the portions are big enough to share. Â I get the same thing every time: Cheese Steak Egg Rolls (Amazing), Vietnamese summer rolls (So Fresh) and the lettuce wraps (Delicious)!
Usually I eat in the front because the back is used as a martini bar for happy hour. The vibe is great! It looks like a diner on the outside but the inside, especially the martini bar, is a lot more scenic. Â
I always go during the day around lunch and it's never been busy, we get seated right away. Â Parking is fine in the daytime. Â I probably wouldn't try this place at night being that its location is one of the biggest night scenes in Philly.
High-end, pricey Smalls are something that Starr excels at, so let's give credit where credit is do. Â I mean, the French Onion Soup Dumplings are awesome! Â Even with the prices in mind, this place could easily be four or five stars based on the food alone.
Unfortunately, I don't understand their serving methodology.  Food is brought out in the order it is finished.  First In First Out (FIFO) is a great supply chain principle.  However, when it means that I may have my entrée beat out my apps or my entrée and apps beat out my dining companion's anything, it seems a bit misplaced.
The best way to get over this madding food serving approach is to come with a small group prepared to share eat dish as it arrives. Â Drink them down with their solid martinis and you're bound to have a great time!
I like this place - possibly a little overpriced..but still very nice. I ordered the pita and hummus which came with creamy hummus and perfectly warm grilled pita. My friend and I also shared a plate of shoestring fries, which were drizzled in a chinese hot mustard. Not a combo I would ever think of - but seriously, amazing.
Review Source:A lot of locals don't like Continental because it's sort of touristy/commercial. Â I say who cares?! Â I work right by the one in old city, and every time I go in I get extremely kind service, and my food comes out very quickly. Â
If you're on a quick lunch break, you'd be hard pressed to find another spot nearby that will be as in and out. Â I sit right at the bar, and it's always enjoyable. Â I wish they had some more vegetarian options, but Starr restaurants never really are big on those options. Â The calamari salad is amazing (great dressing!)
I am not a cocktail person, but even watching people drink them always makes me want to have them.
This isn't a spot that I seek out, or that I'm THRILLED to ever go to. Â It is however; great service, good food, nice atmosphere, and ALWAYS consistenet.
Every time my husband and I walk around Philly, we always end up here.
Drinks are excellent! I recommend the Wake and Bacon Bloody Mary. Who knew you could infuse vodka with Bacon! Also good, the Rosemary Gimlet. Very refreshing.
We generally have brunch when we go. The goat cheese and asparagus omelet was really great and BIG. Couldn't finish it. Hubby had the eggs Benedict with smoked salmon.
Staff is also really nice. Even when I spilled my water on EVERYTHING, they just brought napkins and said it was no trouble.
Can't wait to go back.
I love the Old City Continental. The price is right and the food is great. The Cheesesteak Eggroll is a must. Some decent food/drink happy hour specials too.
Must Have's: Cheesesteak Eggroll, Lobster Mashed Potatoes, Lobster Mac & Cheese, Calamari Salad, Hummus and Pita (in that order)
Stay away from the Korean Pork Taco, Mexican Pizza.
I went for lunch today, having really only had drinks at both this and the midtown location. Â I was not really sure what to expect, but it was essentially a different take on a classic diner menu. Â Our food was really good (I had the Chicken Curry Naanwich, which was excellent) and the service was prompt... pretty much all you can ask for during a weekday lunch. Â
Since it was a business lunch I wasn't too concerned about the price, but it did seem a bit high for lunch.
We've had dinner at the Continental in Atlantic City before so when we were doing some running around CC Philly, we decided to stop in here for a quick lunch. I was looking for some of the items that the AC restaurant had, but didn't see them on this menu. I'm not sure if the menus vary from location to location or maybe a different lunch menu from their dinner maybe maybe? Not sure. So, I ordered the Continental Burger and my gf ordered the Crispy Calamari Salad. When the served brought food, I picked up the bun to add some ketchup and noticed that they left off my bacon. It wasn't a big deal so I decided not to say anything. Then, I picked up my burger to take a bite and the bottom bun had a TON of grease on the bottom of it. I'm talking a LOT. I used a napkin to try to dab some of the grease off. I looked at my gf disapprovingly but braved a bite against my better judgment. It was super greasy. I took another bite just to try and get over it and make our lunch together a decent experience. I only took a total of 3 small bites before I threw in the towel. it was just too much. Thank GOD they forgot the bacon. I can't imagine how much more greasy this sandwich could have gotten. My gf was equally as disappointed in her salad. She said the Calamari tasted like it came from a frozen bag and the "greens" in her salad were clearly wilted. They were more yellow than green. How do you serve people food like this? Steven Starr is going downhill. This isn't the first unpleasant experience that we've had at one of his restaurants, but it may be the last. The only good thing is that the manager took everything off the bill for us. So, we didn't have to pay for the food we didn't eat or enjoy. We still left the server a decent tip because it wasn't her fault. I don't think she should have had to suffer for that bad meal. I hope they improve soon, or no more SS places for me.
Review Source:I really used to like this place and have eaten here a number of times over the years. Â Unfortunately, recent outing was less than memorable. Â The food was mediocre at best and the noise level so high you had to scream at your dining partner to be heard. Â I hope the Continental's best days are not behind it.
Review Source:Do the mexican pizza and the strawberry fields, lots and lots of strawberry fields and mexican pizzas. Bring in massive groups of people and only order strawberry fields and mexican pizzas. The strawberry fields and mexican pizzas pair really well together. Order several at a time, because one isn't enough. You work hard, treat yourself to the Mexican Pizza and 5 Strawberry Fields martinis.
Review Source:So I finally came here with some friends last night and my experience was pretty good. I ordered the spinach ravioli and the Thai chicken lettuce wraps, which were pretty tasty. I like how it has that adorable modern 60's diner look about it. It sits in a great location in the heart of Old City. One day, I would love to try their brunch menu to see what it's like. My only complaint is it's a bit pricy. Bottom line, I would come back again if I'm in the area and in the mood for various global cuisines offered here.
Review Source:I do admit I was quite drunk when I came in for food. Â My lady friend & I went for a wine tasting around the block then came here for dinner. Â There was a half hour wait so we decided to go some where else for a drink & come back. Â They texted us when the table was ready which I thought was cool. Â I've never seen a restaurant do that. Â Maybe I need to get out more often. Â
We had the lobster mac & cheese - amazing.
Ravioli - amazing.
french onion dumplings - amazing.
Dessert did not impress me what so ever which explains my 4 stars.
Service was fast & friendly.
Stopped by here with a group of friends again. Â The service is still superior. Â And the food is still in that tasty-enough-to-eat but not tasty-enough-to-think-much-about-afterwards zone. Â So...if you're in the area with a group of varying tastes, this is a fine spot for a satisfying meal -- which will only be memorable if *you* do something to make it memorable.
Review Source:The Stephen Starr legend began here, and when you think how bright that star's become, you'd have to imagine he began with a success. The Continental is that success. Our dining experience at The Continental in Old City Philadelphia was one for the record books. The retro vibe ushers you into a little corner booth, a 60s-themed diner with postmodern design; and the service keeps you seated in style and comfort. Compared to the incredibly rude wait staff at the adjacent Revolution House (see my review), The Continental was a whole new world.
I understand that some of the disappointed reviews stem from the hype. I don't mean to build this up to a standard to which it can't live up; however, Continental is one of the most unique restaurants in Philly, not just in terms of setting but also in terms of food. The Szechuan shoestring fries and the French Onion soup dumplings with gruyere served as our starters. Both were phenomenal and highly recommended.
For the main course, the four people in our group split several medium and large size entrees, including the Cheesesteak Eggrolls and the Shrimp Po' Boys. The Shrimp Po' Boys were ordered on the recommendation of our waitress and to be honest, they were the biggest disappointment of the meal. If you avoid the Po' Boys and some other mediocre options - like the Rad Na Thai Chicken, based on the look of it - I think you'll have a wonderful time at Continental.
On a final note, the mixed drinks were all-around...famous. They have earned the word-of-mouth lore that surrounds the martinis, bourbons, and mojitos. I had an Old Fashioned with top shelf bourbon, bitters, and extracted orange juice. It may not be the best Old Fashioned I've ever had, but it's definitely up there.
The Continental is one of the Philadelphia Standards, a worthy high note in the melody-line of the Philadelphia food scene. That melody is loud at times and even cacophonous, but there are times when the tune is distilled down to a memorable series of notes and chords. From Amada to Han Dynasty to Continental, that tune carries on unimpeded and wonderfully fulfilling. A roundup of the necessary restaurant stops on a 3-day tour to Philadelphia would undoubtedly include The Continental, for its originality, quality, and service.
WOWWWWW. i have been here three times and have always been very impressed with the food and service. today i had THE BEST TUNA MELT I HAVE EVER HAD.....and the"side salad" that everywhere else you go is boring bc its a fries substitute......was soooooooo good i could have been happy if it was my meal. my friend got the curry chicken sandwich he also considered it one of the best things he has ever eaten. what a treat!
Review Source:So I ended up in Philly for the day to visit the fam....downtown Philly is clean yet a bit sterile, filled with the ubiquitous chain stores and restaurants. We choose Continental for our supper, a place with shared plates and communal cocktails. Global menu items included crab pad Thai, Italian spinach ravioli, a Middle Eastern hummus plate, Greek salad, cheesesteak egg rolls, and more. The food was mediocre at best, speedily tossed on the table and all served room temperature-ish (or less). Go for the super comfortable and kitschy booth dining for a pre-dinner aperitif/martini and find another place in Philly to satiate your tummy.
Sorry Continental. Perhaps being a bit more "continental" and trying to do less, you could do a hell of a lot more.
Fun Fact: This is Steven Starr's first establishment. Â
I came here yesterday evening for a few drinks and possibly food depending on how we felt. Â There was a gang of people standing and blocking the door but a hostess manages to find us and greets us. Â We were looking for a seat at the bar when we were pointed to go to the back bar because it had just opened for the night. Â The bartender was nice and prompt. Â We ordered martinis and an old fashioned. Â Her martini was a nice serving size but I gotta say the size of my old fashioned was not what I was expecting. Â It looked like the size of shot glass. Â I mean seriously!! I can't get a decent sized tumblr glass. Â It was like a fat thimble!! Â With that being said that was my only complaint. Â Was the serving size of my glass. Â I've been to other places that have given me bigger serving options. Â
We stay and ordered the mexican pizza and I gotta say it was delicious!! Â It was just what we need to fill up our bellies. Â
I really don't have much to say. The service was good the food was good just the size of my drinks were below my standards. Â It was my first time at this Continental I usually go to the one in Midtown.
I'm leaving this review several months after the fact because my husband and I often talk about what a terrible experience it was. Â
It was the worst birthday dinner I've ever had, and I don't diink so I couldn't block it out. Â We ordered the Calamari Salad that Anne Burrell recommended on one of her shows. Â The calamari was soggy, and served atop wilted lettuce. Â Just gross! Â OMG, the Pad Thai was worse. Â There was a pickled flavor in there. Â It was like eating somebody's first attempt at following an exotic recipe but they threw ignorant American all over it. Â Disgusting. Â My husband, who NEVER WASTES FOOD, threw it away. Â Not to mention the Philly attitude we got from the kitchen because we complained about waiting 45 minutes for crap. Â Anne Burrell totally lost credibility with us that day. Â Get drunk before you go.
We ate like kings and queens. Spent 200 and had wonderful service. After our friend collapsed an already broken chair that a new employee gave us. Â The waiting and managing staff gave us comp for two starters and a glass of $9 wine. The chair incident was a rough start, but she was a good sport. The booth was cozy and the tapas was perfect so we all shared, sea bass, skirt steak, lob Mac n cheese, bacon burger, salmon, brussel spts, and more, dessert and all. Yum. We got fat. Will come again.
They could lower the price on a 10oz soda, but free refills... So... 5 stars anyway.
Love it!
Love the craft beer list, love the signature cocktails, love the pita & hummus. Â Love the service from everyone I've interacted with there. Â My boyfriend and I have been to Continental several times. Â Sometimes alone, sometimes with another couple. Â All 4-5 times, we've had excellent service and have enjoyed good drinks. Â Can't complain!
Appetizers -
Cheese steak Egg rolls
Asian Lettuce Wraps
Main Course -
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake
Sides -
Wasabi Mash Potato
Dessert -
Gingersnap Ice cream
Food 6/10 - The reason why I gave it more than a one star is because of the quantity of food that they game you. Quite honestly its quantity over quality. I had enough food for 3 small dinners on their own for the price of 35$ (at restaurant week). So as you can tell, I was quite full at the end. The taste of the food wasn't outstanding or really memorable but it was good.
Atmosphere 6/10 - It was pretty crowded and the decor is not too bad. But once again not outstanding. It ties in with its theme. We had no idea it opened to a second part of the restaurant and it was nice when we first got sat there, but I soon realized I would have loved to be placed somewhere else (see next)
Service 1/10 - Poor service place and simple. Our party of 5 placed in a complete order (app, main, and desert) at the beginning and we were there for over 3 hours and some change. I know it was a busy night due to restaurant week but 3 hours is a little excessive. The only time the server was there was well after we finished our courses and to pay.
Conclusion - I was honestly looking forward to the restaurant experience because of the Steven Starr name. I love many other Steven Starr restaurants and have had wonderful experiences at the (see other reviews). But it was a let down, and my recommendation to my friends to choose this restaurant for its name was a disappointment to them. Maybe we were the unlucky ones, but I don't believe service should ever be like that in a restaurant.
Went for restaurant week last weekend with several friends.
Appetizers -
PhillyCheesesteak eggrols
udon
thai chicken wraps
pita and hummus
Main Course -
steak
salmon
crab cakes
Sides -
mash potatoes
Dessert -
tangerine sorbet
Food 4/10 - Everything here you have probably experienced before. There is nothing fancy or new here. Salmon was extremely bland and lacking in flavor. crab cakes were salty, etc. Everything tasted like it was store bought. Don't expect much of the steak either. It's tiny and tastes like korean bbq(which I eat a lot so I was dissapointed)
Atmosphere 6/10 - if it wasn't so loud and full of drunk young people it'll be pretty nice but I didn't have that luxury
Service 1/10 - Extremely poor service. Waitress seemed tired and saw her maybe 3 times in the THREE HOURS we were there. I've been a server before and always give servers the benefit of the doubt but i'm pretty sure the kitchen wasn't THAT backed up that day she just entered our next course 10 min AFTER we finished our previous course.
Conclusion - If you're there for food look somewhere else. If you're there for drinks don't come here either...go to a real bar. The food tastes like store bought and service is horrendous. If you do want to give this place a shot be prepared to wait for a while for your food and poor service.
For brunch, the GF and I decided to go to the Continental Martini Bar, a Stephen Starr joint that offers an eclectic menu, set in an even more eclectic Jetson's-esque atmosphere. Is it a diner? Is it a bar? Why not both?
There are actually two locations for the Continental - the Martini Bar is in Old City on 2nd and Market. The other, which we've also been to, is the Continental Midtown, on 18th and Chestnut.
Crispy Calamari Salad ($13)
Beer battered calamari, chopped greens, carrots, tomatoes, sprouts & sesame-soy dressing
The start to our meal came with crispy calamari sprinkled with black and white sesame seeds, which added a toasted sweetness to the dish. Fresh romaine lettuce was tossed with a perfect amount of Asian sesame dressing. Sprouts added a bitter freshness, and strips of tomato and carrots added respective sweetness and crunch to the salad as well. Kudos to the kitchen for not firing the mains until later, since this hefty salad took awhile to down. Stephen Starr at his best - the service is simple unparalleled.
Lobster Mac n' Cheese ($18)
Orzo, gruyère, fontina cheese
Case in point - they changed our settings between courses. And we're talking about brunch in a casual diner setting. This lobster mac n cheese was a nice change of pace. They used orzo, which was cooked to a perfect al dente. There was a nice crunch on top, along with a sprinkling of scallions.
The creamy gruyère and fontina melded together nicely. But it wasn't overly cheesy, which seems to be perfect for all the naysayers who are against seafood and cheese being in the same dish.
Korean Pork Tacos ($8.75)
Berkshire Farms pork with Korean bbq sauce
For two tacos, the dish seemed a bit pricey. Three would offer a better price point. Being that we are talking about Berkshire pork though, I suppose you are paying for quality. Unfortunately, the unadulterated marbling of the pig was overwhelmed by a sweetness that was perhaps attempting to assuage the power of the kochujang Korean paste. Too sweet for my taste in any case. There was a nice heat on the finish, which was complemented by the countervailing fresh Kimchi and cucumbers.
Overall, the Continental Martini Bar offers an interesting take on various every-day dishes such as salad, Mac n Cheese, and tacos, with quite a few Asian fusion dishes tossed in between. And of course, when you're talking about a Stephen Starr establishment, you know that service will be friendly, courteous, and accommodating. In fact, they were able to get us out of there within the requested 45 minutes, without rushing us. Perfectly timed.
I've been wanting to come to Continental since before I moved to Philly. I was hoping I'd be able to prove all the Yelpers wrong and give it four stars, but it turns out I like it three stars worth.
First off, we went for happy hour (5-7pm Monday-Friday) with the intention of having dinner after, and we were told that happy hour is only in the back bar. The back area was pretty empty with only two tables full, and they sat us right next to another table. Why? The guys at that table were bro-ing it up LOUD so, happy hour prices or no, we moved to a booth in the main room. Ahhh much better.
The decor is cute and the booths are cozy. The beer list is kind of standard/meh except for the higher prices. $6.50 for a bottle of Walt Wit brewed right up the street in Kensington? For reals?
We got four small plates:
Kofta: The least favorite, three beef skewers that were more like ground beef with spices mixed in instead of "chunks" of beef like I was expecting. The flavor was not great.
Steamed chicken dumplings: Good, but I was comparing them to Han Dynasty (big mistake to do so). Plated nicely with thin sliced carrots and a soy sauce. Four dumplings on the plate.
Koren pork tacos: Yum, best of the night. Thin sliced cucumber plus the sauce=delicious. Two to a plate. I could have eaten double or triple that amount, easy.
Crispy Brussels sprouts: Also delicious, with nice crispy bits and a yummy roasted garlic yogurt and coriander dressing (though they might have gone a little heavy on it?).
Four plates later and we could have ordered more to be really full, but oh well. These four plus two beers each came to $60, which I was a little surprised about (basically, ordering "small plates" here can add up quickly). The service here is on it with constant refills, plates being cleared, etc. When the tables are out front in the summer time this would be a great place to go for light bites.
I heard great things about the martinis here, so I had to go check it out.
I went with some friends for dinner, and the decor was really cute.
The Szechuan shoestring fries were really good and easy to share. And I really enjoyed the chickpea salad.
The food is served tapas style, so the portions are fairly small.
However I was disappointed with my martini. I got the Real Deal Original Martini, and it only tasted like lemon.
Overall, I wouldn't go out of my way to go here again.
New Years... our friends party gets canceled due a sick family member. Â We already have a sitter lined up. Where shall we go??? Philly of course. Â 90 Â minute drive
Pack our bags and a we are in Philly by 5:15...but I soon realize that I left my party clothes hanging on the door knob at home. I have on black leggings and black yoga hoodie.
Well luckily my babe is good adjusting plans. We hit the movies theater and then were off to find something to eat. He was tryng to remember the name of the Continental . Well I was gogling the Penn's Landing area to places to eat. And found this place, I called to see how long the wait was and it was a miracle 9:30 on New Years eve it was only a 20 minutes wait.
Luck on our side we found parking 2 blocks away.
Go in was seated and happily seated. I'll admit.. it tight the are booths along the window... single seats at the bar and table in the middle of it all. very tight with coats, purses, hip and booties. But I guess you make it work.
We were greeted by out waitress very quickly.. she was very friendly and informative on the meals and drinks. It a tapas place... so she was encouraging sharing plates.
Seriously the best fries ever.. they were super crispy skinny fries piles sky high... with some sort of sauce. yuuuuuummmmmyyyy!
Had few mojitos... nothing to write home about, but it was a good Mojito... not over sweet or too much seltzer water.
Bottom Line.. any time Im in Philly, I will be back .
PS... there looked like there was something going on in th back. I'd like see what's back there.
Great fruity cocktails. Nicely concocted! Â We had the sweet martini drinks: Twizzle and Hawaii 5-0. The Twizzle tasted like the cherry twizzler candy and is actually acccompanied by the candy. Â The Hawaii 5-0 drink is very nice and refreshing! We had the Kofta Indian spiced beef kabobs which were nicely seasoned, Grilled octopus (not too chewy), Continental salad with grilled chicken (large salad, not overpowered with salad dressing) and the Korean pork tacos (which had a nice kick to them). Â We finished off with their homemade smore :)
Ambience is very lively, trendy with a nice modern string of lights chandelier. Â It is noisy inside...but the food worth the wait! Â
Expect a long wait without a reservation as this place is highly recommended and popular.
This place is super cool and absolutely amazing. I went to the restaurant after some friends ran the marathon and was blown away. From the outside the restaurant looks like your typical old diners. Inside the restaurant is very hip and trendy with colored lighting and house music. I felt like I was in a dance club, but it was very relaxing. I was still expecting to see an old fashioned and boring menu before I sat down. Once I sat down, I was excited to see an eclectic but simple tapas menu.
We decided there were way to many good looking things on the menu to order just for ourselves. So we got a bunch of things off of the menu to share with each other. Here is a list of things we got.
Grilled octopus- amazing
Cheese steak eggrols- out of this world
Kofta- best beef kabobs I have ever had
Scallops- perfectly cooked and well seasoned
Korean pork tacos- great balance of flavors, amazing
My cousin and I came here the night before our ill-fated (but unexpectedly positively outcomed) half marathon. Â Perhaps we can credit Continental for our moderate success? Â Maybe the true plan for running distance is:
1) Not training (Ok, maybe run a bit - but never over 6 miles)
2) Splitting small plates: Sesame Spinach (good generic Asian flavor, I wouldn't count it towards my daily veggie requirement though); Shrimp sliders (on steamed buns - spicy mayo threw us off but who doesn't like fried shrimp and dough?); pork soft tacos (spicy and simple, our favorite)
2) Drinking $4 cocktails & trying new IPA's. Â Hydration is key. Â
3) Not skipping dessert: We split a blondie sundae of sorts. Â Reminded me that I used to bake them all the time and should look for a new, moist recipe to mimic these. Â All they were missing were some dark chocolate chips/chunks. Â Thankfully no walnuts.
4) Extremely reasonable prices.
The bartender (Receipt name: Axel) was friendly and gave us honest recommendations. Â He also suggested other places to go out and see in Philadelphia. Â
Even though this is kind of a chain, I think it's safe to say that I would return before another race!
This is a place I would normally hate. Like hate to the core of my being hate. Hate in a completely illogical, irrational hate hate....
But not this evening....I had a wonderful time and it must be told...So on to the tell.
One of my closest friends described me in a way that cut to the core of my being today, and it happened at Continental.
He said I was like a violin prodigy playing for a room full of deaf people, playing louder and louder, believing they'll hear me, despite there being an audience waiting next door who actually want to listen to me play...
This Yelp was supposed to be the Second Part of a Three Part Yelp, that was actually the FInal Act of a Three Act story, but because the Three Yelps began in the Second Act, it was really supposed to be the middle, because the story was going to end with the FIrst Act, which was the final Yelp in the sequence...
But this Yelp is completely irrelevant to the above paragraph. It is a fresh Yelp, a Yelp unto itself...With nothing to do with the Unfinished Three Part Yelp, with a modified Three Act Structure that was referenced....So...Anyway...
Steven Starr places have generally annoyed the hell of out me....pretentious, unimaginative, and trendy in the pejorative sense would usually be the adjectives spewing from my nefarious id...
But this evening, things were different. After a full day of shooting, first something purely business, then something purely pleasure, some martinis and munchies were in order. The bartender was a smooth criminal in the purely meliorative sense...
Christine, all respect due. Nothing makes me happier than people who are good at what they do...and you were simply a wonderful person to be taking care of us on such an enjoyable evening. Thanks much.
It wasn't crowded. Our mood was so happy that no one else mattered, so there was no chance they could annoy us...And the service was professional and unobtrusive and efficient. The food was tasty and, all things considered, pretty damn healthy.
The hummus plate was fresh. The octopus was zesty. The spring rolls were delicious. The edamame was perfectly salty. The martinis as dry as the Gobi.
If this were Friday and it was crowded inside, there'd be NO chance of me even considering this place. But it wasn't, and I'm happy about it. That's all.