1518 Bar & Grill

Excellent customer service and food. Happened to walk by with our two kids and the manger came out and set up a table for us. Awesome food and atmosphere. Looks like it’s a fun city night spot. Zagat rated too. Crazy Eddie was awesome!

My boyfriend and I just had a great experience here for lunch. His «meat and potatoes» palate was satisfied with chicken tenders and fries and I was able to choose from a variety of wholesome, unique, and/​or healthy dishes.
The crab cake appetizer (lump crab meat over guacamole and a spicy sauce) is perfection. I also had the escarole soup-​of-​the-​day, which was filling and fresh.
The atmosphere was casual and the walls were adorned with artwork of Philly. Will definitely come back.

We were sat right away, which i thought was a great start to the dinner. The server was rude nor explained any specials, did not smile either. I have a gluten allergy and the restaurant did not have a gluten free menu. The server checked with the kitchen and explained that the meal i was interested did not have gluten. completely wrong!!! Will not be going there again especially if servers are not giving correct information about the food. People with food allergy be careful what you order.

First let me start by saying I’ve NEVER reviewed on Unilocal.Our hotel recommended this cute bar and grill. I ordered the Caesar salad to split with my husband n it was great! Not to tangy or cheesy. I then had the crab cake sandwich which was incredibly fresh! As good as I have ever had!!! Plenty of food and the prices where very good:). Our waiter «crazy Eddie «was very friendly and we had awesome service. This was my first trip to philly and I will def. recommend this place to others.

This place was wonderful. We stopped in on a Monday around 4pm. It was very slow at the time, but the service was great, restaurant was clean, and food was delicious. Had an order of wings, crab cake sandwich, and cheeseburger. They offer a nice happy hour starting at 5pm, but we took advantage of the $ 3.50 Yuengling drafts all day deal. We both used the restrooms that were nearly immaculate, which I found to be comforting. Will definitely remember this place for next time.

First of all, our waiter was outstanding! He was funny, awesome and patient as we had my two year old niece with us. He was attentive without being annoying. The food was delicious. My mom ordered a ham omelet with cheddar cheese, and potatoes, and the Bloody Mary. She thoroughly enjoyed the omelet especially the potatoes and mentioned that while delicious the drink was very spicy. My sister ordered the 1518 burger, and said that the bun with garlic sauce made the burger outstanding, she raved. My boyfriend enjoyed the tuna melt and I ordered the Caprese salad with Salmon. The tomato was juicy and fresh, and the Salmon was cooked to absolute perfection. The reason for 4 stars was that it was a little pricey for the type of fare offered, but the food and service was great.

I was in Philadelphia for work and needed to get lunch. My coworker and I picked a great spot. We were able to sit by the window and people watch while the slightly quirky waiter helped us attentively. I had the short ribs sandwich, which was good except that the roll got a bit too soggy. I would definitely go back if I found myself in the area again.

Full disclosure: my group and I decided to move on before eating or drinking here, though one person did go back for beer later.
I was part of a group of 10 people on a Halloween bar crawl and this was one of the stops. We got here probably shortly after 9 and unfortunately there wasn’t much space (its a small spot, we were a large group, it was a bar crawl, AND the Temple game was playing) BUT -*and this is why I’m reviewing*- the obviously overwhelmed waitress did her absolute best to rearrange things and try to seat us. Most places smirk and expect you to fend for yourself and that’s IF you can even find someone that works there at all. I did not expect anyone to go above and beyond, which is what this waitress did.
Because of this, I will definitely be returning, and when I do I will update my review based on more than just service.

I had the braised short rib with risotto and it was EXCELLENT. The short rib was cooked and seasoned to perfection. Man I love slow cooked meat. The risotto was pretty good too, though a bit indifferent about the fruit inside. I was able to try some of my friends’ food such as the pulled pork sandwich and it was very savory and delicious. The bread was not too crusty and it was a well constructed sandwich.
Service was also very attentive and accommodating. I will definitely consider returning!

I visited this restaurant last night during happy hour with some coworkers. I have dairy and gluten sensitivities, which are usually challenging to deal with when eating out. The server was very attentive with checking the content of various items — I ended up going with the mushroom risotto without the cheese (only had traces of gluten from the chicken broth). Service was prompt and everyone else enjoyed their food. Nice, fun ambience as well.

Great atmosphere and great food. I had the mussels in white wine sauce. Only $ 9 and you get a lot! The two people I was with both got the Ted sandwich and said it was great. I will be going back.

Great sandwiches. I’ve tried the TED, the pulled pork and the short rib. All are good. The rib was probably the best. Beer selection could include more local brews, but it’s not bad for a place that is primarily a sandwich joint (or so it would appear).

Always great service and good food at 1518. Our waiter was very nice and fast. I got the apple walnut salad but opt out of the option for additional protein. It was delicious!!! Perfect amount of dressing and a lot of toppings. The drinks are averagely priced for center city location. It is a good place to eat and drink or just have some fun on the dance floor. I go to 1518 a lot and will continue going back.

This is a bit of a hidden gem. Smallish bar with a few TVs and some great art along the wall showcasing the city of Philadelphia. The menu was a step above your typical bar food without being to fancy. It was delicious and came in healthy portions. Staff was attentive and offered to split checks for our large group before we even thought about the bill. I was there for lunch but it looks like a great place to grab a drink and I definitely plan on returning.

This place has the potential to be another gem among the great restaurants that reside on Sansom. 1518 was looking like a sure-​fire 4 star establishment or better until… the attack of the fruit flies commenced!
Positive Observations:
— A cool and intimate bar/​restaurant in a pristine location. Ninety percent of the decorations have a Philadelphia theme. The walls are covered in oil paintings of the Philly skyline.
— The service was good. Our waitress was very pleasant and didn’t rush us on making drink or meal selections. She also offered up her personal favorites in regards to the dinner menu.
— The crab cake appetizer was outstanding. Filled with lump crab and contained minimal fillers.
— The short rib sandwich was excellent. A juicy sandwich complimented by a very mild horseradish sauce. I also enjoyed the side salad that accompanied the sandwich.
— The menu offered some great options and very reasonably priced for a city restaurant.
Areas of Opportunities:
— The chairs that are pitted with the high tops are a tad too short for the tables.
— The beer list was decent however the list on the table didn’t include some of the seasonals on tap.
— Pest control (see below)
Back to the fruit flies, they were unbearable! We saw one annoying fly as we enjoyed a pre-​dinner beverage, but once the food arrived it was game-​on! We actually notified our server and moved to the bar counter. While seated at the bar, the patrons next to us informed us that we weren’t safe there either. Right on cue a fly landed on my wife’s pint glass.
1518 has some great potential and I will cheer them on. With some minor but very important tweaks and care 1518 could thrive!

It’s a funny thing: I visited 1518 Bar & Grill and cannot for the life of me recall what I had to eat there. It might have been a burger, it might have been a sandwich, but whatever it was, my memories already trick me.
So why give a review of this bar/​restaurant if I can’t remember what I had to eat? Well, I do remember that whatever I ate, I loved it. What I loved even more, was the service and atmosphere at the place. Our waitress was extremely good witted, joked around with us and even commented in good humor about me dragging the lady friend out to watch the Thursday night NFL with me when we only had four days in town. She even gave me really good advice on which beers to try and convinced my girlfriend to try the Blue Moon beer, similar to the Belgian Hoehgarden. It was a great night and I wish we could have stayed all the way through the game, but while we were there, we were thrilled that we had gone to a place full of locals and not that many tourists. I didn’t even search for this place on Unilocal,we just went in because it looked like a nice place.
I would come again for sure.

Brunch! I love going to bars for brunch, because they usually are reasonably priced for good quality, if basic, breakfast food. Perhaps even more importantly, they’re less likely to have a crowd, or a wait for a table. This place is my go-​to for brunch most Sunday mornings. The prices are great (you can get eggs, potatoes, and toast for under $ 5, or about $ 8 for a massive two-​plate combination of french toast, eggs, potatoes, and toast). The food is always good, though preparation can vary a bit from week to week (sometimes there is whipped cream on the french toast, other times powdered sugar, and more recently cinnamon). The lunch food is a bit more expensive, but still reasonable, and very good (that’s what my wife always gets). We’re usually here around 11:00 or 11:30, and never have to wait.
While I like the prices and the food, I keep coming back for the service. Mike is amazing, and we feel like we’re seeing a friend every time we see him. He’s always on top of the order, coffee, water, etc. He splits checks without being asked, by couple, if you come in with a group (which is great because we love to bring friends here, and we never need to have awkward conversations about splitting it — we can always just grab both if we’re treating).
One thing to keep in mind is that it can be tough for larger groups — the biggest table seats six, which is probably fine for most people having brunch, but we occasionally come in with a larger group, and need to split between two rows of tables. It still works, because it’s harder to have a single conversation with more than that anyway, but it’s worth noting.
I initially gave it 4 stars, because I sometimes like the really fancy french toast or pancakes you can get at some of the «cooler» places in town. But this place is 5 stars for what it is. And they do sometimes have the fancy stuff as specials — right now they have cranberry pancakes with raspberry maple syrup, and apple-​walnut french toast.
Note: another review noted that the potatoes could be crispier, and the toast could be toastier. The potatoes have gotten crispier lately, and I like the toast how it usually comes (medium toasty). If we’re making suggestions though, the butter could come a little softer — sometimes it feels like it’s kept in a fridge, which makes it hard to spread.

So surprisingly no one has really been to this spot for lunch, so we figured it would be good to try something new. My crabcake with a side salad was really really good! I wasn’t a fan of the calamari or fried shrimp because there was too much breading on it, but each did come with two good sauces. There was no one there at 11:30 but by 12:30 the place was filled. I think this is a good lunch option because they have so many varieties of sandwiches, and even a few vegetarian ones. Reminds me of Marathon Grill and Nodding Head, casual American food with an upscale twist.
PS. I LOVED all of the art work of Philly skyline on the walls. Recommend trying it for lunch if you’ve already went everywhere else in the city with your co workers!

Okay… most ridiculous random night ever. Came here with my friend Friday night around midnight for my birthday. We were planning on going to Ladder but the line stretching the length of Sansom, nah.
The bouncer offered us a drink on the house when we were walking on Sansom, so we thought, hey why not? He promptly handed us a «second drink on the house» card. Which, by the way, is only valid for well drinks/​beers or equal value to your first purchase. Thought I could snag some top shelf drink :/​
But the music was top 40 stuff, the DJ was HILARIOUS. The craziest DJ ever! What drugs was he on! He was jumping around the street, inside the bar, screaming, anything and everything. But I enjoyed it! He was happily willing to play any song someone requested. Interactive DJ is an understatement. I wouldn’t come here if you were just trying to chill though.
The bartenders were very nice and available as well. $ 6 well drinks/​soco lime shots. Not bad.
I also met the owner, Willie, at the end of the night and he was very nice also!
The crowd was a mix… groups of 3 – 4 friends. Plenty of space at the bar. People in their 20’s mostly. Decent amount of dancing space.
Seriously, you guys should just come here one night for shits and giggles! You will surprisingly have way more fun than you would have imagined!

I’m a big fan of the 1518 Bar & Grill, the owner Willie and what he’s done with this place. I come to Philly infrequently on business and when I’m here I stay for a week or more. The second time I visited this establishment the waitperson headed towards me and said «Yuengling Draft, right?»
I knew I’d be back whenever I’m in town.
I thoroughly enjoy this place — when I’m over a thousand miles from home and I come staggering in to the 1518 after a 14 hour work day I know what I’m gonna get:
Reasonable prices
Cold, fresh beer served quickly
Excellent food prepared quickly and accurately with consistency
Might get a visit from Willie thanking you for your business
Every menu item I’ve ever had has been at least a B+ to an A
Last night I had the mussels in white wine, garlic & lemon — quite possibly the BEST I’ve ever had — after slobbering down the meaty protein I went after the «soup» with never-​ending garlic crostini (sp ?) provided by my lovely server — paid the tab and said my goodbyes and staggered back to my hotel in beer & «mussels garlic soup» induced heaven — I _​tried_​to do some work on my laptop but decided I should just put my head down. .. .…
mussells + 2 beers + tip = $ 20 /​how can you go wrong ?
Take the reviews for what they are. .. .. nobody likes everywhere.