Roberts Block Food & Drink

Thank goodness! Finally some great food and drinks in Glenside. Excellent wine list and cocktails, and the new menu is delish. Would like to see more kids options. Great addition to Cheltenham township!

Lived nearby for many years and always wondered what could come of this beautiful old building on the tracks at Glenside. I’m incredibly pleased to see and taste such a cute, rustic, and hip restaurant/​bar in Glenside. Starting with a tasty twist on hummus, my wife and I enjoyed their burger and brat choices, as well as a delicious cheesecake dessert, all leading up to our event at nearby Keswick Theatre. Service from Katrina was delightful, prompt, and, what more can we say but, we’ll be back!

We have returned to Roberts Block 3 times and we thank you for listening to reviews. New menu improvements with a good number of more vegetarian and seafood additions. Had my entire family with me twice and had a great time both times ! Hubby: best fried chicken and burger he’s had! (duck burger). (my daughter agreed after she stole a bite) Daughter and me: amazing mushroom risotto. Other daughter: crab cake… Delish! My salad and crab cake appetizer were perfect light meal after hummus appetizer (it was good… Could have used a little ‘something’). Rest of the table LOVED the fried pickles! Block tail drinks were great! And half price at happy hour! Mule, Glenside– car and a Block party. Service was fantastic (always has been) and vibe is ideal… Modern, fun, young, festive, happy, and local! 3 minute drive from home in Wyncote ! Can’t beat it!

Have been here twice. Once a busy Friday shortly after they opened and then a recent quiet Tuesday.
Pros:
–friendly service and cute décor. Also lots of tables.
–Cute ketchup bottles for your fries.
–Ok food with some interesting menu items.
Cons:
–not cheap eats but not that expensive either. Drinks are a little pricey.
–Nothing healthy or non-​meat based on the menu. This is what they are going for but it might not be readily apparent if you are visiting for the first time.
–Execution is a little lacking on some of the food. They get it80% right but not perfect. I am sure some things are better than others and I will have to come back to learn what to pick and what to avoid.

Came here a few Friday ago for dinner. Instead of ordering entrees my husband and I decided to a sampling of the small plates menu. We had the following:
1. Escargot — YUM (buttery, tender)
2. Brussels Sprouts– Hot sauce topping drowned out the dish, arrived lukewarm.
3. Whipped Brie/​Beets– Very dessert like, especially with the honey topping.
4. Beef Cheek Pretzel– Great, good mix of flavors. Didn’t feel like our pretzel was all the way done, but I would rather that then brunt.
Dessert:
1. Husband had their version of a lava cake. He enjoyed it, top was a chocolate shell with salted caramel.
2. I had a fruit tart with custard which was very good, except for the same salted caramel sauce as my husbands dessert being on top. Didn’t make sense, I suspect it might have been in error.
Cocktails were well made. Also enjoyed the bread/​spread before the meal.
Atmosphere was a bit loud, but not too crazy. Waitress made a point to state before ordering that everything was fresh and therefore would take longer (thought this was somewhat unnecessary).
Will come back soon to try entrees and burgers which looked yummy!

I was a huge fan of Chef Derek’s former restaurant, Hungry Bear Café. When I heard he moved to a larger place I was pretty excited. We had the Large Board and Chicken Wings (amazing) as apps. We all split the shepherds pie, duck burger, and fried chicken. Unfortunately, I was too full to try the chicken but it was the best shepherds pie I’ve ever tried. Will be back soon. A++

What a treat! Our daughter recommended Robert’s Block when we planned our Mother’s Day get-​together. Our server was upbeat and efficient, and the restaurant was bright and cheery. Our cocktails were delightful, and everything that our group of four ordered was excellent! My braised beef was tender and succulent, in a delicious gravy. My husband and daughter both ordered the shepherd’s pie, which was generously portioned, with ample amounts of delicious, tender lamb. Fresh-​brewed coffee and a delectable chocolate dessert topped off our dinner! We’ll definitely be returning to this gem of an eatery.

We had a reservation on Friday night and arrived early and were able to be seated right away. Ambiance was very industrial chic. Bar was very loud, but we were seated in the dining area which was much quieter. Waitstaff were awesome — refilling water, clearing dishes, making recommendations.
They had a nice drink menu and I selected their twist on the classic old fashioned which they call gentleman under the bleachers — delicious. For food we ordered a bunch of plates and split them…
Root beer wings
Lamb stuffed pretzel
Escargot
Duck burger
Fresh berry tart
Chocolate covered cheesecake
Root beer wings were a win although I didn’t get a lot of the root beer taste — more like an alternative BBQ sauce. Lamb stuffed pretzel was SO GOOD — order this. Escargot were prepared perfectly. Duck burger was served with fries — both were tasty but that lamb pretzel stole the show.
The cheesecake was more of a cake than an actual cheesecake but it was decent. Fresh berry tart was way better.
My one small complaint was that all the appetizers came out in odd numbers (I.e. 9 wings, 5 escargot) which makes sharing a little difficult.
Very positive experience, definitely coming back!

What a surprise! This restaurant is at the Glenside train station and it is beautiful, spacious and has really delicious modern american cuisine and full bar. It is a little pricey, but a really nice restaurant for special occasions without the drive into the city. We came for a girlfriend’s birthday and before we left we were asking when the next special occasion was. They also have happy hour specials 4:30−6:30 (I think). Would like to check that out.

This was our second time. I REALLY want this place to succeed! Our first time there during the week was great and why we went back. This time around it was chaotic. Took two friends and ordered three appetizers. They came out at different times and the first was lukewarm. Servers would drop meals and leave with no explanation, collected our water glasses after the meal and asked us to hand them our used plates. There were only four of us and seating was not tight. Why would you collect water glasses right after the entrée? The place was so noisy that we had to almost yell to be heard and we were in the dining room. Deserts were small and not impressive. Not going back.

We had a *fantastic* dinner here tonight! I started with the fisherman’s stew, which was full of unexpectedly bright, fresh, spring-​y accent notes. I had the duck burger with smoked apple, truffle aioli, and gruyère for my main course — the duck/​beef combo was juicy and delicious, and the toppings were perfect, plus the field greens on the side were nicely dressed. My husband raved about his shepherd’s pie. Both of us were too full for dessert!
The waitstaff was very friendly and took excellent care of us, with perfect timing — our waitress wasn’t pushy, but never left us sitting too long without checking in.
Wonderful experience, and we’ll definitely be coming back!

Tried to send an email to the establishment but low and behold there is no email listed on thier website, not a great idea.
Tried to make reservation prior to a concert @ the Keswick, could only get 5:15 but took it anyway. The guy who posted that this place is a short 10 walk from the Keswick must be an Olympic speedwalker.
I arrived @ 5:15 but the remainder of my party was not yet there as they had traffic issues on the commute. I mentioned this to the hostess who was very accommodating and said that they would be able to take care of us when they arrived. Good work by her.
While I waited I had a couple of draft beers @ happy hour prices and the duck pastrami app. It was excellent. Never had Gruyère grilled before, it imparted an interesting flavor. Lots of food for a ¹⁵⁄₁₆ $ app almost enough to not want dinner, nahhh just kidding.
We were seated at a 4 top near a window that overlooked the train station, I thought it was the best seat in the house. Waitress was very cute and friendly asked us about drinks, we had already bought some at the bar before we sat down but did not offer us waters or bread for the table. For starters we ordered the SHRIMP MAC N CHEESE 11, Soup of the day which was a seafood blend with escargot & GRILLED OCTOPUS 12. All were terrific. A bus boy tried to grab our app plates before we were done and had to be redirected to leave us alone.
Waitress brought the wine list and tried to discuss with her the wine selections and while she was familiar with some of the wines the restaurant had not provided her with the opportunity to taste all of them so she was not able to discuss a wine with a specific menu choice. That is a mistake guys, let the servers taste the wines, yes, even the expensive ones. We ordered a Torbrek «Woodcutters» Shiraz 2012 (Barossa Valley, Australia). However, they didn’t have the 2012 and she arrived with the 2013. Keep the wines updated on your list guys and for goodness sake don’t laminate the wine lists so they can’t be updated easily. 2012 in Barossa was an excellent vintage and I was a bit disappointed when they didn’t have it but the 2013 drank well even though it was a tannin filled baby.
For entrees the table ordered: MAGRET DUCK BREAST 28, (my choice I was they only hethen that ate meat on a Friday during lent), ROASTED SALMON 24 & 2 BLACK TRUFFLE RISOTTOS 17. Duck was killer, cooked to perfection as was the Salmon. The risotto was as advertised al dente and it was very al dente. Didn’t seem to bother my wife but it was under cooked for me. The accompaniments for my dish were very good especially the baby carrots. Everyone was more than satisfied with thier entrée and I got to eat mine all by myself because of the good Catholic non sinners at the table.
We settled up and headed to the Keswick for a great show by Techesci/​Truck band.
Since we had left one of our vehicles in thier lot, they were very accommodating on this front as well, we stopped in for a drink after the show. You would have thought that with all of the food consumed above that we would have had enough to eat, not the gluttons in this group. It was 10:00/10:15 and while they were serving drink they had not late night menu nor a dessert menu available. Mistake guys, lost opportunity for some revenue. We ordered two coffees, a drink and an Irish coffee. The Irish coffee arrived with no whipped cream and when questioned about it the waitress told us they did not have any. Come on guys, how much space in the fridge does a can of Redi-​whip take up. She should have informed us up front so that we could have made a different drink decision if we chose to.
In all, loved the space and the place. Some minor points with the service can be improved but overall they made a convert every time we go see a show in Glenside.
One more note, if they don’t have a reservation for you before the show utilize the communal table in the bar area. Some sticks in the mud turned down eating in this wonderful restaurant because they didn’t want to break bread with strangers. REALLY

The menu for this new restaurant was small, but really good. I’d never had Poutine before, so my sister and I ordered it as a starter. It was fantastic! I thought about it for days afterwards.
The prices were a bit high, but it did have a more upscale feel to it. I’d go back!

The fried calamari was very tender. We each ordered burgers and were very happy with the taste and how they were done. The fries were crisp and not soggy. There’s a nice selection of beers on tap, but I tried the ‘Block Party’ from the cocktails menu which packed a whollop but was very good. We’ll be back to try other things on the menu.

Date of dining 12÷20÷15
Décor was very nice. Noticed it was quite loud inside right away. I ordered the Tony Negroni, a gin based drink, and it was incredibly bitter… very difficult to drink, I did not finish it. My party ended up ordering several appetizers. The highlight flavor wise was the poutine. The lowlight would have to be the Mac n Cheese. It tasted kind of funny/​off. We ended up sending it back and when we asked our waitress about it she said the kitchen makes it with whatever cheese they have on hand. Why would you have a dish on your menu that’s contents could, and probably do, change almost daily?
Our party also ordered one main, the short ribs. I did not have any but the person who ordered it enjoyed it. What puzzled me was that it came out at the same time as the rest of the food. It seemed as though we had barely finished ordering before the first plates, and by that I mean every single thing we ordered, arrived at the table. This tells me that more than likely at least some dishes are already prepared and simply warmed up upon ordering. A short rib should probably not arrive so quickly and at the same time as a few sautéed shrimp and roasted veggies. The pacing of our meal was non existent, I was surprised at how quickly the food arrived.
I can’t say I would be back.

Décor: 5 stars, industrial yet rustic. Really chic,
Ambiance: 5 stars, cool and hip but nice laid back atmosphere. However, it’s extremely loud in the bar area.
Service: 4 stars, honestly, a little too attentive. The bussers were so eager to have something to do, that they kept asking if we were finished with our full plates of food (fork in hand and mouth full… No, I’m not finished yet, thanks!) One busboy actually took our desserts after we were only 2 bites in without even asking if we were finished. That being said, our server, Patti, was a sweetheart, very knowledgeable and kind.
Food: 5 stars! Amazing. Everything was delicious, from bread to apps to entrees and dessert. Prices are a little high, but you get what you pay for, and the food was worth with every penny. I don’t understand why people think the prices are so astronomical just because it’s located in Glenside. I know plenty of other restaurants outside of the city that are more expensive but don’t deliver. Roberts Block definitely delivers! They clearly have some talented chefs in the kitchen, can’t wait to go back!

Wow, this is just what Glenside needs! The ambiance is captivating. My colleague and I decided to check out Roberts Block after a long work day. When we arrived the kitchen was closed but our server told us not to worry. The chefs gave us a choice between a few menu options they could still prepare. We were delighted to know Roberts Block staff cared enough to go the extra mile. There’s nothing like being hungry and tired after a long day of work. My colleague and I enjoyed delicious cocktails and tasty food. The presentation was amazing! Thanks Roberts Block for allowing us to stay after closing. We really enjoyed our experience! #classact #greatdrinkmenu #welcometoglenside #wewillreturn #satisfiedcustomers

As a Glenside resident, we were excited to see this restaurant finally open! We went to celebrate my husband’s birthday and it was great. The atmosphere is delightful (a bit loud) and the décor is beautiful.
The service was outstanding and the food tasted wonderful. We’ll be back!

Went here last week to meet up with some family and wanted to try something new… and WOW! This place is awesome. Just what Glenside needs… something a little more upscale and fresh than the places we normally hit… (aka the Keswick, Glenside Pub, Blue Comet).
The place looks really cool and it’s sort of «old meets new»… rustic walls with new wood ceilings and bar. Some things look restored but mostly its new and cleaned up. The light fixtures are the coolest I’ve seen and want to get matching ones for my house.
(Only minor complaint… It’s loud! There is not a soft surface in the building and voices echo throughout. There was a large bar crowd and they are loud. I personally didn’t mind it too much as I am used to going to busy bars in the city… but my poor mother couldn’t hear a word we were saying.)
The menu is… just crazy amazing. I wanted to try everything, but I couldn’t… it’s not the cheapest place either, but not too bad. The prices seemed on par with the quality of the food that was delivered. The menu is what is making me take the time to write this review! We decided to just get appetizers so we could try more without stuffing ourselves and breaking the bank… Where to begin:
Fois Gras — was some of the best I’ve ever had… it was over a fennel purée and had beets and pistachios. The flavor combination was terrific.
Carrot Pierogies — Melted in your mouth… A little different than traditional pierogies (which might upset you if that is what your expecting) but in a good way.
Chorizo Mac n Cheese — Was tasty. The cheese was a little separated however from sitting under too much heat I think though. They were also LAVA HOT.
Beef Tongue — Yes… Tongue. (I like to order the weird stuff on the menu that I’ve never tried before) And this was really good… It was a little like a reuben sandwich with slaw.
Clams — Were my favorite… I’m not even sure what they put on them (bacon or pancetta) but they were really good… One other minor complaint — GIVE ME MORE OF THE JUICE! Dipping the bread was the best part. The juice is like liquid gold.
Dessert — We had the pistachio olive oil cake and the pumpkin panna cotta and both were also amazing.
The beer list was good… Lagunitas IPA on draft!
The menu has so much more and I can’t wait to go back this week!

Got lucky and found this on Open Table before a show at the Keswick Theater. It’s about ½ mile from that venue, so we drove. But you could park at the Keswick and stroll over if you wanted.
The building is high ceilinged and industrial. It is really cool. Nice vibe. Most of the crowd was in their 30−50s, I’d guess.
The menu has something for everyone, from burgers for non-​foodies to pigs ear for full on foodies. The shrimp terrine was mostly shrimp. The spicy sauce was a perfect compliment. The bacon stuffed scallops were cooked perfectly (for me) — probably a tad over for most people. The beer and wine selection was vast.
My biggest complaint about this place? GPS took me a block away (Roberts Block doesn’t show up, but Roberts Ave does). When you have a choice between turning towards the church or towards the train, go to the train. I mean, go to the church if you want… no judgment (I guess maybe in the church there is… but I digress) Anyway… go to the train. This place is immediately to your left when you do.