McGillin's Olde Ale House

McGillin's gets three stars because of the price, location and ambiance.  I had to knock off two stars for the food because plain and simple it just wasn't good.  Came in Saturday at noon with a party of eighteen girls for brunch.  We were separated into two tables which I'm sure was easier for the waitress but annoying for us because we all wanted to interact with each other.  We soon got over it when our waitress told us that bloody mary's and mimosas were three bucks a pop.  I repeat, $3 each!  This place is apparently the oldest bar in Philly and the inside was very cool.  Rustic, pub feel with a long bar and plenty of seating.  They were offering free gazpacho with crackers which was cool.  The bloody marys were good.  It is so easy to mess a bloody mary up but this was spicy goodness.  For food I went halfsies with a friend splitting the fritatta and chicken sandwich.  The fritatta had baby shrimp, roasted peppers and provolone cheese and it tasted funky.  It tasted minty, I don't know why.  The presentation for the chicken sandwich was pretty embarrassing.  Tiny piece of burnt chicken slapped on a bun with lettuce, tomato that looked like it had seen better days and that was it.  It was bare and boring and blah.  I do however still recommend this place even though I didn't like my food because it's cheap and is a cool place to hang out in.

McGillin's is one of my old stomping grounds. Especially on karaoke night. I made my epic karaoke return after a few year hiatus last night.

One of our initial concerns was grabbing a table for our group- we expected anywhere from 5-10 people. As luck would have it, a group was leaving as we were walking in. The place was already pretty crowded as its a good post-Sips location. I was actually blown away by the service. For a crowded place with lots going on, our server was unbelievable attentive. She anticipated our every liquid need and kept the water and pitchers flowing. A special shout out to the 2 for $1 tacos. I had eaten dinner prior to going out but I figured I'd give it a shot for $1. Given my expectations were very low to start for this cheap bar food, however I was pleasantly surprised. The tacos were hard shell and had a beef filling with cheese and lettuce and came with the option of salsa or sour cream. They even had slight kick to them. They had the spot for a snack, but if I wanted to make a meal out of them I would probably need to order 3-4 plates worth. Still a good deal.

Now as for the karaoke, this place is a blast!  The regulars were just as I had remembered. Talented and quirky. At least last night, everyone who participated picked crowd pleasers. My friend and I probably didn't get our moment of fame until after 12:30- way past my normal Wednesday bed time. It was worth it though. A great night out re-living some good times and creating some new memories.

This is an update of my 2 stars review of last week.
I was told that they DO have Soda Stereo and a wide selection of international bands.
So Im sorry about my last comment.
Maybe you should promote that list a little more.
Nice place :)