A friend and I went to Grace after reading several bad reviews about the service. Â However, we were starving and it was close - you throw your standards out the window in situations like that, ya know?
Anyhow, we walked in and were immediately greeted by one of the bar tenders. Â We sat ourselves and another bar tender was over quickly to take our drink orders. Â After all was said and done, we shared an order of fries, and I had the Grace burger w/ green beans. Â It. was. mind-blowingly delicious. Â And the service continued to be awesome!
My only complaint was that there was a long hair in our fries.. Eww.. But you know that moment when you swallow your dignity, finish off your drink and carry on with the delicious food? Â Yeah.. That happened.. Â And I'm only a little ashamed.
Grace Tavern is not meant for medium to large groups and every time I've been here its been with my dodgeball team not everyone comes out be the smallest we've had is 5 or 6 and that seems to be to large for this place. Â The bar is always full, there isn't a ton of standing room and they don't seem to like it if you move the tables around. Â So its not an ideal after dodgeball spot but it is the closet bar to where we play so I've frequented it often. Â The beer list is usually good. Â And I can see why this would make the Top 50 Bar list but I've personally its just ok to me. Â Maybe if I try going in a smaller group of 2 or 3 max I might enjoy this place more.
Review Source:I've been meaning to write something nice about Grace Tavern for a long time. When my boyfriend and I moved to Philly two years ago, we wandered around our neighborhood looking for a bar that could be our "home" bar. We found it in Grace for a number of reasons. First and foremost, the service. We love the bartenders, especially Rees and Mike. They were some of the first people we met in Philly and I'm always happy to walk in Grace and see them, even if it's too busy to chat. Second, the burgers are the best. Get them with the beans or the fries. It doesn't even matter which burger you order, it's going to be the best. Third, it's a comfortable atmosphere. Come here after work. Come before a night out. Stagger in afterwards. It's always welcoming and you're not going to be surrounded by idiot college kids. We don't make it to Grace as often as we used to, but it will always be our "home" bar for these reasons.
A side rant: Â Why are so many adults walking around without their ID's? Â What if something would happen to you? Â Please lay off the staff for carding you, IT'S THEIR JOB no matter how old you look. Â Most people wouldn't go to your place of work, ask you to bend the rules, and then get upset when you don't. Â Let's say you are an accountant and I came to your office and simply told you, I made 30k this past year. Would you do my taxes? Â No. Because it's illegal and you would be liable, right? Â Give them a break, they're liable too.
Yeah, this is going to come across as bitter. Â I do not care.
I've been to Grace a bunch of times. Â I will go to Grace a bunch more. Â It's unavoidable in a sense if you or anyone you're fond of lives in the area. Â Grace or Doobies (still unsure how to review that place)?
The food at Grace is decent. Â Just decent. Â Relax on the green beans people, y'all act like they're the second coming when really it's something you can make in 5 minutes at home. Â Fortunately for Grace 70% of green bean consumption comes when already intoxicated (official statistic). Â Otherwise, all I've had there is certainly not bad, just straightforward bar food.
So it's run of the mill. A-OK, right? Â Why the Meh? Â I'll tell you why. Â As others have mentioned, they can be dicks about their ID policy. Â I mean come on, do college kids really trek to a dark neighborhood bar to sneak beers? Â Came here on a Tuesday night after volleyball with 6 people of which I am the oldest member and was told I couldn't eat a burger with my friends since my license had expired a week prior. Â I'm 27 dammit. Â I look 35 and am balding for goodness sake! Â Doobies!
Hahaha I have to laugh at all these negative posts because the staff did their job carding. Â Sorry but the law is the law. Â They are required to card people who appear to be under a certain age - and it is not 21 - it is either 30 or 35. Â It is the law that if you do not have ID, they cannot serve you. Â To come on Yelp and trash a place for upholding their legal responsible is a joke. Â Your friend forgot his ID - he should be well aware at his age of the laws and should have respected that. Â The LCB periodically goes to establishments and checks - if they do serve someone under the age they need to card for, not just under 21, they are fined $1,000. Â The server is fined, the establishment is fined and the door person (if there is one) is now also fined. Â
Sad that Yelp has become a vehicle for snotty brats to just trash a place without real merit. Â Seema F you seem to be a jerk. Â I'm over 40 but look much younger and I know I need to have my ID when I go out.
I'm sure if I read your I will find out you take your Yelp Elite status as some ridiculous power trip. Â
As for my personal review of Grace Tavern - I have been there a handful of times when friends are bartending or hanging out. Â Although I've only eaten fries, the beer is good and cold and the atmosphere has always been warm and comfortable like a neighborhood bar should be. Â
It is sad how whiners have ruined the credibility of many Yelp reviews.
Lisa
Grace is one of my favorite bars in Philly. The burgers, fries, beans, and beer are excellent. I have never had a bad experience there, and I am surprised to read of others having bad experiences. As a bartender I appreciate the staff's knowledge of imported and craft beer. I always hear great music playing, and they serve food right up until closing time. I think the problem that some customers might  have had is not understanding proper bar etiquette. Leaving your identification at home when you enter a bar is always a no-no. Bringing children into a bar a night is a no-no. Yelling "yoooo" at a bartender or server is so NOT COOL. If people became more educated on how to treat service staff, no matter what kind of establishment they are in, they would get better service, and not have to go on Yelp to complain about reaping the effects of their bad behavior.
Review Source:If I could give this bar negative stars I would. We drove around for 20 minutes looking for parking because we heard that this place has really good burgers. We found parking...10 blocks away...and walked. We got there around 9pm (it was a quiet Monday night). There's a little area towards the back where there are tables, and we sat down. We didn't necessarily go there to drink, though I intended to get a beer if they had anything good on tap. They didn't. It seemed like the tables in the back were taken up by couples and families there to eat. It certainly wasn't crowded or rowdy at all, which is what we were looking for. After sitting there for 15 minutes without any attention, the bartender told us to get up and sit in the bar instead (not very politely, mind you). So we moved to the cramped and uncomfortable table at the bar. The bartender came back 5 minutes later and asked for IDs. Fine. My friend (who is almost 40, and looks over 30) forgot his ID at home. He asked if he could just order food and not a drink. The bartender (with a mohawk) swore at us and told us to get out. "It's the f---- law." He didn't even want to order a drink. just a burger. Apparently you can't eat a burger at a restaurant if you're 36. You can vote without an ID, but not eat a burger.
Awful excuse for any establishment that actually has to deal with customers. If you're going to require everyone in the place to show ID (except the teenager eating there with his family at one of the back tables, and everyone else that walked in around the same time as us), you should do it at the door, not make people sit there for 20 minutes, treat them rudely, and then swear at them. They could even put it on their web site, so I don't have to walk pretty far just to be insulted by their ridiculous excuse for a bartender.
Needless to say, I will never even venture near this place again, and I will make sure all of my friends know not to either. We ended up at another bar/restaurant, where we were treated nicely and were able to eat without being sworn at.
Grace Tavern is a small, dark bar that seems to only employ 2 very rude people at a time. It was Monday, and the 5 of us were starving. We sat at a table in the back area and waited for someone to approach us. After several minutes, a guy came by and told us to move to a different table near the bar. It was uncomfortable and we were all crammed into a corner bench seat next to the bathroom, but we were hungry so we didn't make a huge fuss.
My husband decided there was nothing good on tap so he only wanted a burger. When the waiter came by again, he immediately asked us all for ID. It didn't matter that we were all well past 20 or that not everyone was drinking. That's when my husband (who is in his mid 30s with grey hair and was the oldest in the group) realized that he forgot his ID. Most bars/restaurants would not care, especially since he wasn't drinking anyway. Our waiter, however, told us that we couldn't even be in the bar. (Though I suspect that if I was there with a child, it wouldn't have been an issue.) If that was the case, why wasn't there someone at the door checking IDs?
I've never been to a place that serves food and alcohol and been told that I can't even be in there to eat. The whole process was dealt with in a very rough, unapologetic manner. If places are going to get all "nanny-state" on customers, they should at least pretend to be reasonable about it.
Grace Tavern is a solid bar for locals looking for a traditional feel. Â It definitely has a bit of a dark, musty atmosphere, but it suits the place! Â
The food is typical bar fare, but usually well cooked (especially the burgers!); they have a decent selection of bottled beer, but the tap leaves something to be desired: only a few beers are on tap at any given point. Â
The pricing is good: relatively inexpensive for a bar so close to center city.
The staff is hit or miss: sometimes they are very sociable and accommodating, other times quiet and slow to serve (but never rude).
All in all I will definitely be going back, it's within walking distance for me which makes it the perfect local watering hole.
Burgers and Beer.
Apparently this is the place to go for those two things.
Short review:
Well, I went, and I had.
It wasn't the most life changing burger I've had, and the beer was decent. I'd come back for sure.
Less short review:
Being a fan of burgers and beer my new Philly friends directed me towards Grace Tavern. It's local, and who doesn't want their first dinner of the new year to be something comforting and delicious?
(Jerks! Thats who! ;) )
I digress...So I order the Kennett Square burger (cheddar and mushrooms). It came on a brioche bun with fries and the Monks bourbon mayo.
My first impression that the burger itself was on the smaller side. But being short myself I know that good things come in small packages.
And I am on the belief that all you need to know about a burger you get in that first bite.
Well- this first bite was pretty solid. Cheese was tasty, the mushrooms were good but cold, so it kind of threw off the balance. The brioche was perfect and held up to the juicy, and flavorful patty. A solid burger.
The fries were good, the beer was good-.
The points were deducted b/c there was something missing- a fresh element to the plate. When you've got a burger, and fries- there should be some crisp, cool element to the plate. A pickle? Some coleslaw? Lettuce and tomato? It was missing and I noticed.
Overall a great place for a good burger and beer.
Grace Tavern was called the best bar in the city by PW. And I have numerous friends who might call it their favorite bar in the city as well. There's something about Grace Tavern that demands attention. It's not just that it has a good beer list (promising Monk's Flemish Sour on tap everytime--in pints!), or that it might have the best appetizer in Philadelphia, blackened green beans (I think Prohibition's beer-battered green beans give them a run for their money). This place has a presence about it. A certain "barness" to it that makes it special. I always leave satisfied--sometimes it's crowded, but not often, and usually there's a place to sit.
It's a manufactured neighborhood bar. In a gentrified neighborhood it's hard to have that authentic local feeling, but at the very least, I think Grace tries to do it well. I think it succeeds. And I don't think this is a moment for the bar to gloat and march as if it's done something marvelous. Grace feels sure of itself, but still humble. Not as loud or obnoxious as Ten Stone, nor is it as ritzy as Pub & Kitchen, and it's a safer place to go for those unsure of their beer taste than Sidecar. The bar has a great feel.
And can I do that? Can I say it's my favorite bar because it feels right? Because it feels good? I think so. It's really delightful. And tell Reese I said hello.
God help anyone who enters this hole!!
It's run by rude and, quite frankly, ugly toothless people!
We went in on a Friday night and stood at the bar for 15 mins. Being a bartender I'm very patient but nobody even looked toward the bar. Why? Because the 2 people working were working the bar and tabled and, apparently, the tables were more important.
It got so infuriating that, eventually, I shouted out at the top of my voice....yoooo!!
When I was noticed he asked, very condescendingly, have you approached the bar??? No!!! I was just standing here for fun you toothless goon!!
Cut a long story short the staff here were rude, slow and, quite frankly, disgusting!!!
Never, ever ever give these tramps your hard earned money because they dint appreciate it!!
Grace Tavern is a great neighborhoody little bar. It has a more casual feel than some of the more blatantly gastropubby bars in the area, and occupies a pleasant spot in between the divey-ness of Doobies and the more high-end feel of Pub & Kitchen. Just a simple place to get a good beer and a good bar food without any pretension. I love their blackened green beans, which make for a brilliant bar snack, as well as their fries. I have yet to try their burger, but it looks amazing and is a great price compared to some of the other burgers in the neighborhood. The beer selection is very good for the most part, though they do have a few macro-ish beers on draft. They have a great location, and I love the things they do for the neighborhood, including participating in the low-key Plazapalooza festival. I'm glad to have this as one of our beer options in the neighborhood!
Review Source:We started off our afternoon at Grace Tavern on a Saturday. Its a small place, isn't overly clean, but has a great charm to it.
The beer selection isn't too special but has some grade A beers. The food was pretty good and the bartender wasn't too chatty but tried to be helpful. I will be back, maybe next time on a weekend night.
Went to Grace Tavern on a lazy Saturday afternoon after we heard it was owned (or at least "looked after") by Tom Peters of Monk's Cafe.
Definitely impressed, there are about 12 rotating crafts. Nothing overly impressive but definitely nice for the neighborhood. The scene was fun. Cool people. Cool bartender. The food was also very affordable and quite good, which was a definite plus. My girlfriend had the jambalaya and I had a Spinach and Feta Sausage Sandwich which we both definitely enjoyed.
I will absolutely be coming here again in the future. I would give this place a shot.
Graduate Hospital... what an odd name for a neighborhood. But you know what's not odd? The amazingness that is Grace Tavern.
I'm a sucker for a good rathskeller, and this is like a dive bar that still wears a dirty pair of Levi 501 jeans and a ripped band t-shirt... but one that showers and shaves more than once a month. A dive with a bit of class, if you will. The type of bar where you can get all of the grittiness you need, but without the fear of contracting bed bugs in the booths or an STD after using the loo.
Reese, the bartender, is as sweet as a honeycomb and really makes the experience what is is. He'll talk you though your thoughts to get you the exact beer your craving, and he does it with a smile. Couple that with some seriously fantastic bar bites (blackened green beans, and surprisingly above average chicken fingers + french fries) makes it a neighborhood favorite for everyone within earshot. If I lived here, I'd no doubt be a regular.
The beer fridge dressed up as Frankenstein for Halloween, and word had it he transmorphs into Sandy Claus come the winter time... I might have to return and tell ol' St. Nick what I expect under the dead pine tree on December 25th.
I really wanted to like this place. Went in with a group of girlfriends on a Saturday and ate at the bar. Bartender was friendly and mostly attentive. And, the burger I ordered was delicious.
Well, it was delicious until I woke up violently ill with food poisoning the next morning, and checked in with my friends who were also feeling sick. When I finally was able to crawl off of my couch and get back into the office, my coworkers informed me that this place is notorious for experiences like this. I wouldn't know - it was only my first (and likely last) time.
If you're headed here, best stick to the booze.
Can't believe it took 4 years to get back here. We've been thinking of the charred, spicy green beans since that 1st visit. Love this place. The food and service was as perfect as it was 4 yrs. ago.
Had 2 of the the Ithaca, Apricot Wheat draft - very enjoyable. To eat we had: the charred green beans, frites w/ Monks great dipping sauce, Nicosia salad with tuna and the Jambalaya. Great prices, good portions, great tasting food. What's not to like.
This is one of our go-to neighborhood spots. Â The only downside about the place is that it is kind of small so sometimes it's hard to get a seat but that just goes to show how good the place is.
The service is great, the guys that work the bar and dining room area are awesome and super friendly. Â They have solid food. Â The burger is terrific, the fries with the Monk's dipping sauce is amazing, and I personally really enjoy the jambalaya too. Â They have really affordable drinks and a good drink menu in a cool, laid back atmosphere. Â The place is kind of a dive but since the neighborhood has changed, it doesn't really feel like it as much anymore. Â It's a great place!
This is my favorite dive bar in Philadelphia. Â The tap list is always solid. Â Not the most extensive, but always just right. Â There are always several choice items, plus a good bottle selection (they always have a bottle of Redbarn!). Â They have a full bar too, but why bother with such great draft options?
The atmosphere is fantastic. Â It feels like a bar that has been a neighborhood joint for many decades, if not centuries (prohibition excepted). Â It's cozy and casual. Â Tin ceilings and walls. Â A classic wooden bar, with one television (which I find obtrusive in bars, but is eminently appropriate in this setting). Â In addition to the main bar space, there is a dining room with roughly 15 tables. Â I have never waited more than a few minutes for a table or a seat at the bar; another reason this place is a gem.
The food menu is also simple but solid. Â Best oyster po' boys in the city! Â The blackened green beans are also a treat. Â The veggie burger was a little dry the last time I had it, but it's a dive bar! You can definitely come here for a meal as well as a great beer.
Finally, Grace Tavern hosts one of the greatest bartenders in the city: Reese. Â Go on a Friday night when he's working. Â You can't miss his cheery smile and inviting folksiness that belies his beer knowledge.
I have been there a few times, solid burger, fantastic blackened green beans, and an exceptionally large and affordable beer collection.
I recommend the Kennett Square Burger and a Dale's Pale Ale for a heavy lunch or a very filling dinner. Â Fries are fantastic.
As far as the Atmosphere of the bar its very very dark and not the spot you want to go to on a nice summer night for al fresco dining. Â They have a bit of a dungeony feel going on and it would be my choice spot if 22nd and South streets were snowed in and no one can go to work. Â Enjoy!
If you could rate a place strictly on the food and beer, this place would be 4-5 stars. Sadly, I cannot do this.
I've been to Grace Tavern a handful of times and always enjoyed the Kelly Burger (bacon cheeseburger) and their blackened green beans are killer. The beer selection is rather decent as well. Some great crafts on there.
In my previous visits, the service never floored me, but it hadn't really deterred me from going back. My friends and I have had nights where it'd take almost 20 minutes to get a beverage when there was only one other table seated. Tonight might keep me from going back as the waiter gave us a "you should be so lucky to eat here" attitude.
I walked in with two other friends, both men. The waiter directed us to a two-top table that couldn't have been larger than 20" x 30" and was crammed in a corner. We intended on having dinner and drinks and couldn't fathom how we would fit everything on the table and be comfortable.
After unsuccessfully trying to find our waiter for a few minutes to ask about another table, we decided to just move to one of the 2 open four-top tables considering there were only 8 other patrons in the restaurant (most of which were at the bar). The waiter comes over to tell us that we could not have that table because "this place fills up quickly and we can't have three people using that large of a table". We tried to tell him how we couldn't all fit there, but he wouldn't hear it. Really, man? You want us to bump knees and elbows in the corner while we eat after coming in from 95 degree weather?
No. Instead, he opted for having three existing customers leave angry and hungry because he might get a big rush at 8:30 on a Tuesday night. He also informed us that "Go ahead! Every other place in the city is gonna tell you where you can sit as well" as we walked out the door. Eight minutes later, I walked into The Sidecar Bar & Grille for my first time ever and was told "grab a seat wherever you'd like."
I have having to give this review, but the waiter really rubbed me the wrong way and soured my opinion of a place I really liked. There was no reason for him to be so spiteful in us not wanting to sit at a small corner table when there was plenty of space elsewhere. I guess I would suggest there if you're eating alone.
A creature of habit, some peculiar, my latest gimmick is that every time I come home after some train or mega bus travel, our next stop straight from the station is Grace Tavern... cause we did that one time, and I liked it, and so now a visit to this chill, neighborhood spot is the ritual hankerin. And it goes a little somethin like this:
Perfectly poured pints of Guinness, Grace Tavern's great fries, an order of those blackened green beans w/ remoulade to share, in a small, dimly lit bar...annnd commence the harrowing tales of characters I met on the bus...
I don't know what's going on, but the fries at Grace are getting worse. Â Last few times I've been here, I've been getting a lot of tiny burnt-to-a-crisp leftover pieces of fries, instead of real full-length, or even medium-length, fries. Â Are they just re-frying whatever's fallen into the vat of oil from previous orders of fries?
This makes me very sad.
I used to love Grace, but when most of the fries are shorter than 1" long (with many shorter than 0.5" long), this is a serious problem.
In other news, the oyster po boy was solid. Â Beer's still cold.
3.5 stars
After our dodgeball games. the team and I have been sampling the local bars in the neighborhood. Â After a semi-victorious run in the playoffs (we beat the #17 seed and were competitive with the #1 seed before losing), we decided to give Grace Tavern a shot.
I was initially hesitant as I remember this place being packed. For a Wednesday night, we were able to score a table for 7. Â Plus-friendly bartender who made sure to go out of his way to strike up conversation with us. Beer selection was amazing too. Â I had their spinach and sausage sandwich, which was quite tasty. Â We definitely lucked out as folks were raving about their fries and the beers there. Â I was about 4 deep in before we called it a night-so it was definitely a good spot for us to hit up after dodgeball on a Wednesday night.
As others have stated, this is a place that I frequent when I'm doing a night out in my neighborhood. It's one of those small neighborhood finds that I somehow want to keep it under cover so it doesn't get too crowded. The beer selection is always rotating and everything I've tried on the menu has been excellent.
The only thing to add is that during Philly Beer Week, this place hosts some cool events. I went to a Sam Adams/Naked Chocolate event a couple years back. I got some beer, chocolate and a pretty cool t-shirt for free. They have a few events like this during the week and I think having these events in an intimate setting like Grace makes it all the better.
It's a unique place to go, the staff is excellent but please don't tell too many people about it! ;)
I went to Grace Tavern for the first time the other night. What an amazing experience. I wish I could give this place more than 5 stars. The decor is adorable, original wall panels and ceiling tiles. The bathroom was tiny but very old school.
We went to Grace because we were hungry and were sick of all of the other gastro pubs.
The draught list was pretty nice, but we opted for Guiness (the only stout option).
I can judge a restaurant or bartender on how they pour a Guiness, and this guy knew what he was doing.
We both ordered burgers, holy shit. The meat was fresh, came out much quicker than I expected, and was absolutely delicious. Also the fries are to die for, probably best fries in Philadelphia.
The only downfall was that there was a table full of yuppie assholes spilling their drinks and being rude to the waiter. So all I have to say to them is welcome to Philadelphia, now go the fuck back to where you came from.
The people that work at Grace are awesome and super friendly. I will definitely be going back there VERY soon.
This is the kind of place to go hang out with a friend, drink some good beer and not be hassled.
Sometimes you want glitz and glamour, or you want to dine at a place that features products created by the hardworking indigenous peoples of wherever. Â This is not Grace Tavern. Â Grace satisfies that "it's Monday night, I just went for a run, I want beer and a sausage sandwich" feeling.
I met up with the Duke here and we just shot the schiesse while drinking beer. Â I arrived early and as I sat at the bar, trying samples and sipping on a Monk's Cafe Ale, I read the Philly Beer Scene magazine and it was just cool. Â When my drinking/dining partner arrived, we saddled up to the bar and just talked about stuff and things while we drank Mongo from Port Brewing (very delicious double IPA). Â The atmosphere was relaxed and we ended up staying for almost 3 hours because we had no rush to leave and we just hung out and talked with the bartender. Â No rush, no fuss.
That's what this place is, completely chill. Â I'll be back.
Keepin' it local
Can't decide on a spot? Grace.
Never overrun
Grace is where I go when I don't feel at all adventurous (read: don't want to go anywhere new) but don't want to leave anything to chance. It's a few blocks away from my place, and it's the de-facto choice when it's 10pm and I don't want to 'go out' for the evening but still want to grab a beer.
It's definitely a neighborhood bar, and it's never really crowded no matter when you're there. The kitchen's open late, and you'll pretty much always find a seat. If there's an Eagles or Phillies game on people come out, but mostly it's just a group of regulars and folks who've ventured outside of Center City. The staff is generally friendly, and most of the time you'll catch at least one staff person who's not working chilling on a stool at the bar anyway.
While they're mostly great, if you're rude to them, expect some pretty harsh retribution. They don't take kindly to people ruining the generally casual atmosphere, and if you're in the mind to be a moron, they definitely make an example out of you.
On the menu tip, all of the burger options are delicious. They really do them up right, perfectly medium-rare for me, and will put whatever you want on them. They're not so huge as to induce a food coma, which thankfully leaves more room for beer. If you're looking for the best burger on the menu, go with the Kellys or South St. Burger. The Kellys has bacon and cheddar, and the South St. has sauteed onions and bleu cheese. They're both pretty stellar.
They also have a sausage sandwich menu, as well as some salads. Overall the menu isn't in any way extensive, but perfectly satisfying for the neighborhood and my expectations of the place.
If you're looking for something to share, grab a large order of the blackened green beans. I always get them with the burger instead of fries, they're that good.
They always have some great beer options, including at least one sour. I believe they have 9 taps, and a selection of bottles as well. They try to keep it pretty mixed (IPA's, whites, stouts, pilsners etc.), so it's definitely a good place for both picky and adventurous beer drinkers.
The only real detraction for Grace is that there's only one television. I would love to see a screen somewhere in the back by the tables. Standing in the main bar area to watch a game can get tedious when there's no stools available, and you can't see the TV from the back tables.
This bar is the final destination on approximately four out of five nights when I'm out with my boyfriend. Â It's his neighborhood bar and it's about to become mine, too, so I'm glad Grace and I get along.
The menu is limited but the selections are solid. Â Plus, the kitchen is open late, which is both a very good (drunken munchies) and very bad (morning food regret) thing. Â People rave about the burgers although I haven't yet tried one. Â At 1 a.m. I'm usually getting down with the blackened green beans, chicken fingers or fries, which come with a garlic dipping sauce. Â I am also a fan of the chicken waldorf salad. The rolls used for the sausage sandwiches are absolutely massive, which takes away from the otherwise awesome sausage, but I'd still recommend the sammies, regardless.
The beer selection is always great, and the bartenders definitely know their stuff. Â When I inquired about the 21st Amendment Hop Crisis on tap last weekend, Leo warned me it was an 11% brew. Â Then he said he would not carry me home if I chose to drink it. Â Fair enough! Â I had two, but only because I had gone easy on the boozies earlier in the night.
Overall, I feel like Grace has everything a neighborhood bar should have  (including the inevitable neighborhood drunkard makin' a fool at the end of any given night). Cheers!
I waited more than 24 hours to write this review about my (probably unique) experience at Grace Tavern:
Make sure you're ok with getting in a fight if you go to this crap hole. Â After trying to square up the bill for around 20 minutes the bartender eventually got close enough to me while still ignoring, I get his attention by tapping him on the shoulder. Â Then he promptly swung around and yells "IF THERE'S ONE THING YOU DO IT'S DON'T FUCKING POKE ME! Â I'LL BREAK YOUR FUCKING FINGERS!" Â I didn't poke him and didn't deserved to be threatened. Â It's really too bad because I'm sure he's talented. Â He found a beer that I really liked based on my description. Â We all have our days, but I cannot rationalize an employee yelling at anyone and remaining professional.
Everyone who rated Grace's less than 4 stars didn't go there for the right reasons. Â To avoid any confusion, here is when you should head to Grace's:
- You are covered in paint or sweat from the gym and don't care what you look like (they don't either)
- It is after midnight, but you still haven't eaten and the pizza joint isn't picking up the phone
- You don't feel like dealing with frat-packed Tenstone
- You like whiskey (they have a surprisingly good selection)
- Your goal is to get blackout drunk (to say that the pours are generous is an understatement... as they come neat in a 1/2 filled rocks glass)
- You are embarassed by your date and don't want to see anyone you know for fear they will find out (refer to the point above)
In summary, just because a place serves food, does not mean you should eat it.
Best bar in Philadelphia? That's a stretch. It's dark and there are always a few hipsters brooding at the bar. Â 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. Â My favorite is the kelly burger. Â 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. Â 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. Â 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. Â The other bartenders are not quite as...friendly.
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. Â 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. Â 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.
Craving fries and beer, my friend and I stumbled around the block from her apartment to Grace, which was overflowing on this Saturday night. Â 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. Â 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. Â
In the end, the 45 minute wait for a server to acknowledge my friend and me was a major put-off. Â The surly waiter stomped back and forth past our table without even saying hi. Â It was probably the worst service I've received in Philadelphia, and it just made me feel sad.
I LOVE the Grace Tavern. Â Good food. Â 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. Â 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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