Devil’s Alley Bar & Grille

Isn’t it strange how we interpret the devil? How we use it as a mascot to sell, a marketable effort to take from other’s pockets to put in our own? In ancient times, whole villages of people would sacrifice one another and worship these immortal figures. And today, we laugh and poke fun at something that has been feared by millions for hundreds of years. But who’s right? How can we know? Are we less cynical as humans because of evolution? Or are we missing something? Time was only created by death to grow the things that it would kill. But there’s no understanding or knowledge we can obtain from knowing death, knowing the afterlife. Only fear. 4 stars for your business, the beers were cold.
–RC

The negatives first, because without them this would be a four star location. The bathrooms are downstairs and they play heavily on the devil theme, with a scary, graffiti motif. Fine, except the smell was what was frightening.
The service was slow and inept. If you bring a bottled beer, bring a glass, preferably a cold one. Please give me utensils, without me asking. Know who gets which drink/​entrée instead of shouting it out while looking around expectantly. Don’t bring one drink menu to a table of eight, after I ask for it. The trouble is they think the service is fine. No one apologized or said half the staff called out, they just seemed to think this was good service.
The cuban sandwich and garden burger were very good. A salad or fries option would be nice. The coleslaw was inedible and the fish tacos are appetizer size, while also delicious. Not many beers are on tap and the mixed drinks were well done.

Absolutely dead!!! They were closing up hours before closing time in the city and seemed disinterested in us… Didnt eat, so cannot comment on that

Devil’s Alley is in a wonderful location in Center City. They offer a solid menu with a lot of options to choose from at an affordable price. I am a fan of the Raspberry Mojito — it is a tasty. well-​sized drink with a good amount of alcohol in it. This is a great place to catch up with a group of friends and walk out without having too big a bill. It is a good idea to have a reservation — especially on the weekend when there are lots of people around. Order drinks too at a time if you are thirsty — the bar service is super slow which is the number one thing that management should look to fix. People sitting at a restaurant bar should never be sitting around waiting for a server to order their next drink — yet that is what we were doing for most of the night.

I love this place! They have a great selection of beer, and if you come during lunch you can get good beer specials. The food is delicious. I have visited with my family and friends and the pulled pork sandwich has received rave reviews. I am partial to the Philly Cuban, which makes use of a REAL pretzel as the bread, not just a pretzel bun. Delicious! It’s a great spot to grab a drink (or a few) and some tasty (not at all pricey) grub. The only down side is the bathroom is a bit scary, and if you sit next to the front windows/​doors in the winter, it can be a bit drafty. Regardless, I will be back many more times!

I’ve dined here 3 times– once for Restaurant Week (a solid 3, as there was nothing spectacular and the menu was inconsistent in theme), once for a beer/​food pairing (a 5, as everything was spot on and the beer pairings actually made perfect sense with each course), and once (last night) for regular dinner and drinks on a Saturday night (a 4, as everything tasted great but with some minor service issues). I also drank here 2 times without eating. So I’m giving this an average rating of 4 stars. Plus, you can’t go wrong with outdoor seating and open-​air dining upstairs during the warmer months.
I’ll go with my most recent experience here. The place was packed but we managed to snag a table right away downstairs for 4. Took a little time for a server to come around and took even more time to get our drinks from the bar (there’s only 1 and it’s upstairs, which can get kinda weird when servers need to walk up and down steps to get them for us). That’s probably the only downside I experienced last night– service was just okay. The waitress seemed disinterested and introduced the specials so quietly I could barely hear her. Requests for some oil and lemon as salad dressing went unnoticed and when she disappeared for quite some time, we had to flag down a busser or other server to accommodate us. The food runner mistakenly identified a beef burger we ordered as veggie, so there was a little confusion there.
The food, however, was really good. The fried green tomato appetizer was so good and covered in a delicious marinara/​mozzarella sauce that I could have mistaken it for mozzarella sticks. We’re all kicking ourselves for not ordering the gigantic, heaping platter of nachos– they looked so good. My cousin ordered the beef brisket sandwich and said it was good, nothing great. She really enjoyed the cucumber salad on the side in place of fries– come to think of it, there’s a ton of great BBQ sides here like that– corn muffins, baked beans, etc. My mom and aunt ordered plain burgers with different toppings and the cucumber salads as sides in place of fries, as well. Both enjoyed their burgers. I got the surf and turf burger (cooked to a perfect medium, which never happens) which came with an amazing, delicious heap of jumbo lump crabmeat on top and covered in an imperial sauce which my server couldn’t really explain. Really, it just tasted like a super tasty tartar sauce with hints of crab in it. The old bay fries served with it were perfect– crunchy and salty and just right.
My rum punch was super tasty and strong, but my cousin’s Bloody Mary was way too watery. It had a great amount of spice, but was not thick enough.
For 4 people with 1 appetizer, 4 entrees and 3 drinks, it came to only $ 85 total, which is awesome.
Overall, the bar food and ambiance of the place is too good to just give it a 3. Stick to the regular menu instead of during Restaurant Week and you’ll be good.

I literally just ate lunch. There is still french-​fry grease on my lips, and I couldn’t wait to write this review. Devi’s Alley is my jam!!!
I met my bestie here for lunch, as we lunch around the area a good deal. We got kind of an awkward table, but as usual, we were lost in conversation rather quickly, and didn’t even notice for long.
The atmosphere I would describe as an upscale dive. It’s intentionally casual, but otherwise, it’d be upscale. Does that make sense? I equate it to the same aesthetic as Alla Spina. Grafitti’d walls with cloth napkins.
The service is insane! They read my mind. All I had to do was *think* about wanting something and it appeared. They were prompt, without being too aggressive and in-​your-​face. I was there to talk with my friend, and they struck the perfect balance between friendly and overbearing. I loved it!
The food. OMG the food. I can only speak for what I ordered, which was the salmon burger, but holy cannoli… the fish that gave his (or her) fins for that burger was a martyr– and said salmon should be as far away from the actual devil himself as possible.
It was plump and juicy and PACKED with flavor and the sriracha aioli was a great complement. The bun was the perfect finger-​protector but it wasn’t too much bread… and last but not least– the side car of crispy french fries fried to perfection… I’m back at work, fighting to stay awake, and plotting my return! Perhaps fish tacos? Or nachos? And maybe even making it a happy hour with some beers to wash it all down.

Went here a couple days ago for quick dinner with tha boo thang whilst in the city for holiday festivities. The hostess greeted us promptly and was very nice. I actually ran into her again in front of the bathroom when we realized someone had locked the door behind them… I was standing there like a moron thinking someone was in there the whole time hah! Anyways, we were seated bottom level near the kitchen which was not as distracting as I had anticipated it would be. Waiter was mellow, extremely nice and very attentive throughout never had to ask for water refill once.
Ordered fried green tomatoes as an appetizer. The order is 4 fairly large green tomato slices breaded and fried correctly. The marinara sauce was delish too which I can be a stickler for. At the end of this plus my beer I was questioning how I’d ever begin yet finish my meal. On the topic of beer fairly good rotating selection of drafts I had a strong cherry wood aged ale.
For the meal I ordered catfish blt which was on special the evening. The sammy was very good. Catfish cooked well not dry or overseasoned, sriracha aioli which was the right amount of tang not too much heat, and this delicious light and grainy wheat bread. The only change I would recommend is evening the ratio of fish to bread I found there was much more bread than fish. My dinner date got the bbq chicken which was literally half a small chicken we were not expecting that definitely a plus! It was very succulent and well seasoned. All in all good meal will definitely be back! Average pricing which you can expect for philly… cool atmosphere and ambiance!

My girlfriend and I went here last night for dinner, and we enjoyed ourselves. The place has a very laid back feel to it, and has almost the aesthetic of a dive bar. Our waiter was a nice guy, very friendly and attentive toward us. Their drink list has a lot of good craft beers as well as a few usual beers (like Yuengling). I ordered the walnut breaded chicken tenders with spicy fries and it was really good. The chicken was crunchy and I enjoyed the apple jalapeño jelly it came it as a sweet, but spicy kick. Fries were not bad, but not that spicy. This is a cool place to have a bite of comfort food with a good brew.

One of my favorite bars /​restaurants that I make a point to come to each time I’m in Philly. The ambiance is fun, a little divey but not too, and the food is reallyyyy good.
Things to get:
+Grilled cheese — the moz, pesto and bell peppers are delish and you get a huge plate of fries with it… yes please
+The reason I keep coming back — the veggie burger. This isn’t just a regular frozen veggie burger they fry up and add lettuce/​condiments to. It’s a fresh burger they make — I think it’s beet based, but I may be wrong (?). Either way, it’s fresh, crispy on the outsides and warm and soft on the inside, and it’s easily the best veggie burger I’ve had. Even my carnivorous boyfriend couldn’t help himself from eating half my burger (grrr). Add the caramelized onions and jalapenos!
+Get the spicy fries — they upgrade your huge plate of fries with salt/​pepper/​paprika (?) to make your fries a lot more flavorful
Drinks are also great — I’ve had the cranberry /​regular mojitos, and some wine. All are reasonably priced and worth getting.
They also play local games (but no warriors, wahh) upstairs. The upstairs is more of a bar area, with some seating and downstairs is for a nicer sit down ambiance.
Verdict: will be back asap

Amazing nachos… One of the best I’ve ever had. It’s packed on the weekend so you might want to call ahead for a larger group. Decent happy hour specials… Bathroom is appalling, don’t expect much in terms of space or cleanliness or décor.

This establishment was very janky. The food was tasteful. I got the burger which was juicy and scrumptious. My brother got the buffalo chicken sandwich, he said «it was spicy but yet cool». The reason I am rating 4 stars is because I was terrified by their restroom facilities. Attached is the scariest part of the aforementioned restroom.

Good food, good drinks, good service — you can’t ask for a more reliable happy hour experience.
There are just some bars/​restaurants that are a crowd-​pleaser, with something for everyone. Devil’s Alley Bar & Grill is one of those places, with two floors, always plenty of seating, excellent service, and above average bar fare. I met some people for happy hour here and was impressed by the drink selection — on draft, you have several domestic microbrews such as Dogfish, Sly Fox, and good old reliable Yuengling. In addition, they have a very robust bottle list. The bar food is also sure to please — fries, wings, nachos, etc. that work for everyone.
In sum, when in doubt for your office happy hour, head to Devil’s Alley Bar & Grill.

The loft like upstairs bar area provided a cool atmosphere, however the drink selection was underwhelming. I couldn’t find a drink that wasn’t fruit punch-​y sounding. The bartender wasn’t really attentive either, even though it was a slow time.
You can find a better place, but it’s alright for a beer.

I came here for brunch on Saturday and the service was awful. I came here with my BF and not one waiter came to get our order and we had to wave down someone to order. We then waited 40 minutes to receive our meal. Maybe we were sitting in the wrong section because other people seem to get their food pretty quickly, even the people who came after us. Perhaps they don’t have enough waiter working on Saturdays or we were in the wrong section of the restaurant. The bartender ended up bringing our food and apologizing for the wait.
I did enjoy my pancakes with a side of sausage though. It was delicious – the pancakes were perfectly crispy and fluffy at the same time. The sausages were pretty sizable and juicy. In addition, I got the grapefruit fizz – to me it was mostly juice and no fizz.
I would have given the place four stars had we gotten our food earlier.

As suggested by my central philly tour guide, «Bad Bee» Dee, we stopped by this place for lunch before our 39 mile walk. First thing i noticed when i came in here was that it smelled a bit like hipster — definitely a good way to ease you in to central philly culture.
I was a little too focused and entertained catching up with an old friend to get much else out of this place. I ordered the guacamole burger which was heavy on the guac. Luckily they supplied me with utensils and i could’ve scraped some of it off (but i didn’t). I originally asked for it well done but the waitress told me that it would basically be crispy. So i kicked it down medium-​well and what i got is what ‘I’ would normally consider well done, so, it was perfect.
Before leaving, i went to the bathroom down stairs to wash my hands and i’m glad i did. As i walked down the steps i almost felt as if I was in one of those «Saw» movies. Devil’s alley finally made sense… there was some interesting wall art down there.
Good casual place that isn’t very noisy during lunch hours. Apparently burgers are the way to go here.

$ 5 – 6 for decent beer (IPAs, stella, amstel light, etc)
I got the buffalo chicken (came with bacon and plenty of blue cheese) and a side of fries. I thought it was pretty good. They have basically bar-​type of food. I tried my friend’s pretzel bun sandwich– it was mustardy but decent. My other friend got the salad, she said it was ok but it didn’t look that appetizing.
Nice atmosphere, bathrooms look like you’re going into the subway and never resurfacing again but otherwise the place itself is not bad. Good place to catch up with friends!

Came here for CC Sips, with the intention of also snacking on some of their ½ priced apps for a ‘tapas’ style dinner with my bf. We chose this place as they’re one of the few Sips locations which offer more than just nachos or guac as their ½ priced apps, and other Unilocal reviews looked decent. How sadly disappointed we were.
First, either the AC was broken or they just don’t have it, but it was as hot as the bar’s name implies. Sat upstairs on the balcony, and were quickly served drinks by the waitress (maybe she realized how hot we were when I was fanning myself with the menu). I ordered the pomegranate sangria which was delicious, and not too sweet.
For apps we shared the fried green tomatoes (unimpressive, and the red sauce on top was really spicy), wings (I thought were good, but my bf did not), and a pesto pizza (just average). Overall we were unimpressed with the food, and I feel a bit shafted on the wings. They claim to have ½ priced appetizers, which one would think are the same appetizers on the regular menu, just ½ the cost. Well the wings came at ½ the cost, and for only ½ the amount.
Service was hit & miss. The waitress was nice, and brought us our drinks & food fast, yet it took us a while after the food came out to get silverware, only one of us received a plate (I guess we were supposed to share?) and the menus were never removed from our table (food was just delivered and placed on top of them).
I’m disappointed because I really wanted to like it here, but my overall though is it’s nothing more than a dive bar trying to be a gastropub.

If I could, I would give this place 3.5 stars. While our food was generally good, Devil’s Alley is strict about substitutions for brunch.
Since I’m vegetarian, I asked for my Mixed Griddle to include something else instead of the bacon. Our server was pretty resistant to offering me another option and said that they can’t do that. Rather, they would just leave the bacon out (but would charge me the same amount for the dish). I asked if I could substitute something instead of the potatoes, which she said was fine so I asked for toast. The toast came out pretty cold and the eggs had a weird smell. The French toast and pancake however were decent. Overall though, I don’t think it was really worth paying $ 12 for that dish when one component of it was missing and the rest was just okay. The two floors and the décor are pretty cool though!
I wish I could like this place more but there are plenty of other brunch options in Philly with better quality food at the same, if not lower, price!

Came for brunch today with a friend and left feeling a bit unsatisfied. My friend and I looked up pictures and reviews of this place before and decided we definitely wanted to try the Mac and cheese and buffalo chicken sandwich. And of course they don’t serve either at brunch which was a huge letdown.
She ended up getting the shrimp bacon grits dish which I tasted and thought had good flavor; decent size pieces of shrimp and bacon in it. Egg on top was somewhat unnecessary as it didn’t really add much to the dish. I got this mixed plate that had a corn pancake, piece of French toast, bacon and eggs. Everything was just average; French toast was probably the best thing followed by my scrambled eggs which I had added cheese and scallions to. Bacon was greasy and limp and my pancake was soggy.
Décor was cool though and service was okay. Would come back to try more dinner options but definitely not for brunch.