I frequently stay at the Doubletree next door when I go down to Wilmington for work. I saw this place on a Restaurant Impossible repeat and the thought what the heck, let me give it a shot. BIG MISTAKE as this was singlehandedly the worst meal I've ever had at a restaurant.
I ordered the steak quesadilla. It took about 1/2 hour despite the fact the bar was empty. Â Quesadilla was cold and the steak was chewy. Flour tortilla was hard, like a cracker and broke in pieces. The worst part of the meal was the rice - it was hard like little pebbles.
On the positive side, the beer was cheap and the bartender friendly. May stop again there for a beer, but not the food.
Just had drinks here with the future hubs to support my friends with Faithful Friends/Pit Stop.
I Tried to use my yelp offer for chips so I'd have need to drink more (for charities sake) but they weren't having it.
They did not have a defined drink menu so I had to instruct the waiter on how to mix a woo woo. Let's just say 1 was enough woo for me.
We sat with friends that did order food and neither seemed too enthused about their meal. My one friend has a spice sensitivity and was assured they were not spicy. She ended up having to scrape the sauce off the ribs. My other friend had the opposite problem with a bland grey taco salad. She asked for hot sauce and received a small plastic cup with watered down sauce. So cheap.
I gave 2 stars because I like that they work with local charities and will probably have to come back for that reason.
There's a reason why there was twenty reviews and no photographs before me. There nothing worth taking pictures of. Â Except I was going to ask the bar tender serving usd to take a picture. She had a big black eye like she was scrapping the night before. Big shiner and some stitches. Talk about making you feel right at home at a dive bar. Way to go with the whole black eye ambience.
It went just perfect with the over cook soggy armadillo eggs things served. Dripping with oil. See photo. This joint is hidden in the back the a shopping center for a reason. To limit the espouser to the people and that's a good thing.
She was in the back most of the time. We walked in and the vending machine vendor had cash spread all out over a pool table like it was his office. One of the managers are is having a meeting in one of the booths and the owner is sitting at the bar  telling  us how he inherited the shit hole. "And is trying to clean it up. After checking in I ask about the free chips and salsa app that popped up on my phone. Right away he went off what you talking about I know nothing about this no way.  I'm like OK buddy chill I was not even asking for it just wanted to know it you know about it. He called someone a name and said so and so must have did that shit !!!
Really I did not want the chips but for the $1:50 it would have cost you. You should have at least offered them. Well we where the only two people in the place and after that we left. So for 1:50 in chips you could have sold at least 30 dollars more in beer and food. Â We will not be back!!
Horrible food. Soggy chicken fingers on a plate with wilted lettuce  Actually asked server if plate was dirty or if lettuce was supposed to be there. Server was nice but clueless about everything. Used to look forward to hitting this place when in town for a beer and a bite,  but food has gone downhill and now I won't bother
Review Source:Nothing gets me going more than a dive bar!  No serious, I love 'em.  During a stay in Delaware (and after eating at that TERRIBLE place, Sweet Mango... ewww!), my boyfriend and I went to Scrimmage's for a drink before catching the shuttle to the said wedding.  Apparently, this place was on Restaurant:  Impossible. It must have been REALLY bad because I couldn't tell.  Anyway. The service was bad.  It took us close to 10 minutes for someone to come to the bar to serve us (we were still at the bar with 2 other couples mind you) but when we he did, he was awesome. I ordered my ever popular and very exotic Miller Lite while  my boyfriend got a Bloody Mary.  Now, before this experience, I was a Bloody Mary HATER. I know, I know... I'm weird.  I curiously took a sip of my BF's and then managed to sneak half of it and ordered my own.  Ahhhmazing.  Extremely flavorful and packs a punch. I never expected anything from it because it was in a simple container and threw some vodka in with a lime and voila!  So wrong... Get one!
Drink prices are cheap and they serve some good, heavy pours!
The wedding party and family came back after the wedding for shots and drinks and there was a new bartender; still not great service but the atmosphere was awesome. Great people.
We didn't dine but instead, 'drank our dinner' but regardless, I'd go again in a heartbeat. Â Thank you to dive bars for holding your own and staying in the mix! Yes, this is one of those rare times when sub-par service still gets 4 stars!
I frequent Scrimmages and absolutely love the place. The staff is super friendly, the pool tables, karaoke(Thursdays I think), tunes are entertaining, and the atmosphere is very much laid back and enjoyable.
Scrimmages was also recently featured on the TV show Restaurant Impossible, but the show itself is weak sauce (host is a douche) and I wouldn't incorporate it (above mention) in this review. Nonetheless, kinda cool.
Above all- solid bar food. Definitely try the voodoo shrimp (if a fan of spicy), the jerk chicken sandwich (epic), or even the sliders and chicken tenders. Another popular favorite is the 7-Layer Dip, a must. No jk, the food is generally pretty good.
Lastly, Scrimmages isn't a super edgy or flashy restaurant, and it doesn't pretend to be. It's a Sports Bar~ one that plays its role well. Check it out, watch a game, grab a brew and a meal- I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
I've been to Scrimmages at least a couple of times a year over the last 9 years and was surprised to see it on Restaurant Impossible since it had always been a consistent go-to sports bar if that's what we were in the mood for. Â Went today for a late lunch during football and I agree with the other reviewers that not much has changed (except a cheesy logo call-out on the menu next to items added after the show). Â Service has always been spotty in the past but as bar food goes, it was always decent. Â Today, we sat at the downstairs bar and ordered wings and fish tacos. Â The tacos were pretty good, and presentation was excellent with vibrantly colored peppers and pink pickled onions and a yummy sauce served on 3 open corn tortillas. Â Re-fried beans and rice were adequate but nothing special but it was a LOT more food than I expected for the price. Â The wings were back to what I remember years ago.. the BEST I've had in the Wilmington area, hands down. Â They were HUGE with so much meat on them. Â The sauce was perfectly classic buffalo flavor with just enough heat. Â The female bartender was attentive and the food came out within 15 min. Â Overall, it reminded me of good memories of Scrimmages past. Â I just wish the management would pay attention to details (like other reviewers, I noticed it could use a good scrubbing) and be more professional about their business. Â For wings sake, I hope they make it.
Review Source:Scrimmages should be the last resort if you absolutely need to go to a bar. Â It is just a depressing place. Â The same group of patrons is always there, and nobody seems very happy, including the bartenders. Â
There is one bartender there, in particular, who is completely unpleasant (he always wears a cap, and I believe his name is Kevin). Â He never serves me and is always scowling. Â Very off-putting.
Finally, the beer is too expensive. Â Last time I went, they had a special deal on Miller Light... $10 pitchers. Â If that's a special deal, then I can't even fathom what Scrimmages thinks Miller should normally sell for.
If you want to go to a bar in that area, I'd recommend going a little further down Rt 202 to Famous Jacks. Â It has a very relaxed atmosphere, all the Goldfish you can eat, and best of all, every drink is only $3.
This place went straight to the dogs. To heck with it being on the food network....this place was decent prior to...and well they just put crap in a pretty dress with renovations.
OK, so we went when we saw the ad in the paper about how they changed up...but...it was a mess. They had a new staff of very stuck up, attractive girls...not women...girls. who could care less about being happy but more about making tips. And as for the crowd of people who were THRILLED TO EAT THE NEW FOOD on food network...clearly paid actors. Lol
My boyfriend and I came in for the wings, they kept our favorite bartender, let's call him "mike" who clearly said..."we have the same cooks, and well the menu is causing less people to come in. So why change?"
Long story short...the food is no better....and the variety is a mess. The "owners" who walk around checking on people......don't really fix too much if you have an issue. And as for the staff......maybe they could have a defibrillator on hand to liven the joint up! (Btw they never re did the bar upstairs. Â Same crappy tv's , bad speakers, and the few times we went they had the old chairs and tables stacked in the corner next to the old kegs)....better luck next time scrimmages
What a disappointment. Â I'd driven past Scrimmages several times but had never stopped in until I saw it featured on Restaurant Impossible. Â The problems most people complained about before the renovation were slow service and mediocre food. Â I don't think much has changed. Â It took our server several minutes show up to get our drink orders and several more before they were served. Â The food took more than 20 minutes to arrive and was average at best. Â Maybe if we'd ordered something featured on the show it would have been better? Â Who knows. Â The sever never checked to see if we were alright and didn't come to see if we wanted dessert until we'd been there almost an hour. Â She then promptly forgot about us. Â Fortunately the server at the next table picked up her slack when we asked her about the dessert. Â It's not like we couldn't see our server. Â She was laughing and joking with the 8-top she had near the bar. Â
I wanted to give the review two stars but decided to give the third because we could see the two table next to us get good service. Â One of the owners even came up to see how they were doing. Â
Even with three stars this place isn't good enough for a return visit. Â Well, I might go back at lunch time since they have a "Feast or Free" deal where your meal is free if it isn't ready within 30 minutes. Â I'm always up for free food!
I moved to the area 2 years ago and have been trying and trying to find a great local sports bar. Â This is NOT it. Â I've tried the place three times. Â Service is terrible. Â During a football game there wasn't enough staff and I had to keep repeatedly asking for a beer. Â The bartender seemed more interested in talking to a group of what looked to be his buddies instead of asking anyone at the bar if they needed anything. Â Total disappointment. Â I guess they are NOT taking the advice of Restaurant Impossible. Â Say goodbye to your houses.
Review Source:My 10 year old daughter and I just had to try this place after watching the Restaurant Impossible episode... Â The place was packed and sure didn't look like it was hurting for business!!! Â We had a great experience - the food was really good and didn't take too long to come out... I had the Pork Roll BLT and freshly cut fries - the sandwich was good (it was created by Robert Irvine/Restaurant Impossible) and it hit the spot... The dessert nachos were pretty dang good too - also created by Robert Irvine - they were a great deal for $6 - definitely enough for a family of four to share... Â It was fun to go to a place that we had seen on TV - we will definitely go back sometime soon!
Review Source:OK. I have been an on and off again patron of Scrimmages ever since they opened. Years ago, when I was a bartender across the street at John Harvards, some of the staff and I would end our shifts with a few games of pool, and a couple of beers at Scrimmages. The place always had a strange collection of people- law students from Widener, bikers, blue collar burn outs, oddballs, and families. I never quite understood the place, but the beer specials were good, the pool tables were usually open, the staff were friendly, and due to convenience it was an acceptable spot to end the night.
Well, 10 years later I have matured (most of the time), and I have to admit so has Scrimmages. My buddy and I over the past couple of years would meet here for lunch (at my buddy's request). But my last lunch was WAY different. I walked in here a couple of weeks ago, and almost had to check to see if I had walked in the right door. The downstairs has been completely renovated (more on that to come), the menu is (and I can't believe it) REALLY good, and there was not one freaky weirdo in sight. This is now a place that deftly straddles the line of family restaurant, and cool sports bar. Not an easy thing to do. What the hell happened??!!!
My inside sources have told me that the owners wanted a more family atmosphere, but not give up the decent regulars that make this place their home. Well kudos, because they remodeled the old sleazy tables and look of the restaurant. It now has a modern sports bar vibe to it, and rumor has that The Food Network was even involved. It seems like Robert Irvine, and crew rolled through here, and Scrimmages is going to be on Restaurant Impossible. How cool is that? Definitely setting my DVR. Anyway, well done, mate. That big muscly bastard seems to know what he is doing.
It appears that the remake included the menu as well. On my last visit I had an incredibly fresh Mahi Mahi sandwich with house cut fries. My buddy had a jerk chicken sandwich which he said was a stay over from the previous menu. Â Both were awesome. Â Seriously, most of the food I had here previously was nothing but Cisco sourced, deep fried, frozen crap. Garbage bar food for the most part. There were only a couple of nice dishes, and surprisingly it seems like they have held on to those good items.
Now, the staff tells me they have fresh sushi grade ahi tuna flown in from Hawaii. In house hand cut fries. Pulled pork. WTF? An unbelievable change. I think they also got rid of some of the idiot staff that in my eyes  brought the place down. Previously, I had had my food orders screwed up many times by the same moronic burnout waitress. Thankfully, I have not seen her in my more recent visits. Instead I have had great service from (and I can't believe I am saying this) an attractive, intelligent server. Wow. Did Irvine beat some sense into the owners or what?
Anyway, I will be returning for lunch with my buddy (now at my request), and will even bring my wife here to try out dinner. Did I just say that? Yes, I did.
My husband and I are die-hard Food Network fans. We started following Restaurant: Impossible on facebook recently and have been able to find out about tapings and attend two of them. Scrimmages was the second. We weren't entirely stoked about a place that got two stars on Yelp and was described as having sub-par bar food. But, we wanted another chance to meet Chef Robert, so we called and got on the waitlist.
We never were able to get seated (the place was mobbed and they only opened the one dining room out of two), but we did manage to get in and sit at the bar and later ordered food from a bar-table. Â The owners are a fun bunch. They walked around talking to the patrons all night. Â As we sat, we met a few of the regulars and asked them if the place looked different. It did. All of the regulars seemed to like the new looks which included a gorgeous bamboo floor, some fun baseball bat wall partitions, and some interesting bar chairs with baseballs stuck inside their backs. The regulars were not too impressed with the new much smaller menu. Apparently, they missed the kids menu, the crab dip and the seven-layer dip. I would have loved to try the crab dip, personally. One woman groused that they didn't have the arcade games that her kids used to play while her husband and she would enjoy a cold one at the bar. I do wonder if the owners will bring back some things for their regulars (they really should, if they want to keep them coming back, as there are plenty of other options in the area).
The servers were running around all night and our waitress was particularly attentive and good at her job. Although she had a lot of people to handle, she checked on us multiple times. We ordered the crab ciabatta to start. The "ciabatta" bread wasn't fantastic, just a piece of white toast. However the fresh lump crab and diced fresh vegetables and apples on top was quite delectable, as was the sauce on the plate. I'd eat it again, if I happen to be back. I ordered the jambalaya which was tomato-y and tasty. My husband ordered the seared tuna salad and was served the entree instead but didn't want to complain. The entree looked a little plain, a plate with just a couple pieces of seared tuna and a spoonful of seaweed salad, but he liked it quite a bit.
I don't make it out to Delaware often, and if I make it back, there are tons of other Yelped restaurants I want to try out. But if you're in the mood for good bar food at good prices (we paid 30 bucks total), check this place out.
It's an good local bar to watch a game, grab a quick bite, or have some drinks with friends. Â The food has some good items, some marginal - the half price wings on Thursdays are a pretty good option though. Â Not high class food, not always great food or service, but it's a local sports bar not fine dining. Â Take it for what it is and you can enjoy a game or a bite here.
Review Source:Went to watch the Jet vs Pats on MNF. Place was dead. Female Bartender seemed overwhelmed, though there were maybe 6 people max. Ordered taco special and waited and waited and waited. Finally ask for check and departed. Place is tucked away behind
mattress store, going to have to do better to attract customers. Not impressed.
Great food (Was much better before new owner) and prices (Again, better with the other owner). Â Salads very good. Â Best Mexican food in the area (not as good as mine, though). Â Decent wait staff. Â Not crazy about the stuck-up Widner Law School (Lawyer wannabes) crowd when they come in mass. Â It's a bar...what do you want?!? Â Beer and wine selection is not that great. Â Again, the previous owner had a better handle on what non-drunks, and adults want. Â Even better when it was the Cactus!!!
Review Source:First, I supposed reading this one should keep in mind that I did take out, so things like ambiance did not matter to me. The food was so-so. There were some good things and some okay things. The burgers were very well done, they were indeed juicy as advertised and had just the right amount of char flavoring for me (a hint, but not overpowering). Specifically I got the Kennett burger, which had perfectly caramelized onions (well done, but still with a bit of a crunch) and delicious fresh mushrooms. The chips were decent, but not as good as the ones from the Blue Parrot. The fries were not good at all, although I cut them a break because fries don't travel well. The Flatbread melt was very decent too.
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