What a unique, curated, and enriching experience. The bar is upstairs of Sassafras, with a cozy…read moreclose stairwell leading upstairs. You'd be unlikely to find this unless you knew to look for it. The main feature of this bar is the cocktail menu; it's creative and ambitious and yet very approachable, with helpful adjectives for each cocktail. The Mango Sticky Rice made my jaw drop; not only did the juicy mango come through, but also somehow a sense of starchiness, while being entirely balanced with the liquor. Definitely some of the best cocktails in Philly. And the music and vibe is so cozy but lively; the live records spinning create a warm atmosphere that is not sleepy nor dancey, instead you'll find yourself tapping your feet and swaying in your seat while in deep conversation or just enjoyable contemplation. I have to shout out Carl and Brianna, who made our evening especially unforgettable. They guided us seamlessly through the menu, were so knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. They really made 48 Record Bar feel like a second home we can't wait to return to. Last thing- the bathroom setup was such a fun surprise, you have to check it out!!

Located upstairs from Sassafras, this is place is cozy. The music is played from records which just…read moregives it an amazing vibe. They have very unique drinks and the two we ordered were absolutely delicious. This is a great space with great service and a wonderful ambiance.

I wish Jen and I had shown up in matching flapper dresses because Sassafras feels like stepping…read morestraight into the 1920s. Huge bar, giant wall of liquor bottles, dim lighting, and a cool old-school vibe. I told the bartender that ordering a beer in a place like this felt like I was insulting him. He laughed and told me not to worry about it. The drink special was called "Naked and Famous," which honestly sounded like the perfect cocktail to order in honor of Jen. But then I spotted a dark beer on the menu that sounded too good to pass up. If you follow me, you know I'm slowly becoming a dark beer guy. I liked it a lot. The sandwich special was a cheesesteak. Sorry, I should've taken a picture of the menu. But I really enjoyed it, and for $18 it came with a mountain of seasoned fries, which feels like a bargain these days. Bomb Shell: the two people working absolutely crushed it. I don't know if they were understaffed or if Monday night got busier than expected, but they were working their tails off the entire time. Even with that, they stayed polite, friendly, helpful, and incredibly accommodating to the guy carrying around a mannequin. Great visit to Sassafras!

We love visiting Irish Pubs everywhere we travel!!! This place has been a bar dating back to the…read moreearly 1900's and located in the Historic District. Great vibe and service is great too.

This was worth every bit of the 5 star rating I gave!…read more I've been wanting to try this place for a couple years and finally had the opportunity to do so. The organization and seating was clear and optically pleasing, the fruits were fresh and tasty, and the support staff was awesome! While I'm traditionally not a cocktail person, my new go to is a mezcal margarita for a cocktail option. While this time I experienced the fruit cocktail class, I would certainly want to try their other classes.

I booked a reservation for myself and my daughter who is going to school in Philadelphia. I live in…read moreIndiana. However I had to cancel (actually I just wanted to reschedule to a different time) because my mother passed away and I could not leave town. And my daughter needed to come home. I left many messages to contact me to do this. However no one called me and when I tried to reschedule online it was going to make me pay again! This is terrible customer service! I will definitely NEVER go to their classes in the future!! TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!

Staff was great and the food was excellent. Chicken Enchiladas Verde were delicious and the chips…read moreand guac was top notch.

We literally put our bags down in our airbnb & headed right for this place across the street bcuz…read morewe needed a drink! I had the red sangria, which was delicious. It was quiet there around 3 with a few patrons. We got a quick app of epen empanadas which were even more delicious, and it came with this slightly spicy mini salad to gsrnish...yummo!!!!! Very nice, people were nice, good stop

My husband and I went here as a little birthday celebration/fourth of July vacation treat…read more My husband's food ranking: Yuzu Miso Glazed Wings - Addictive Cucumber - Spicy Miso Mazeman Ramen - Ocean Trout Crudo My food ranking: Addictive Cucumber - Yuzu Miso Glazed Wings - Spicy Miso Mazeman Ramen - Ocean Trout Crudo We agreed that the Miso Ramen was easily the best bang for your buck and the Ocean Trout Crudo was the only thing we wouldn't order again; it wasn't horrible it just had waaaay too many almonds which took away from the fish itself. Unlike others, we felt the portions were not too small. Overall a very respectable dinner showing from Almanac. I kind of regret ordering a pre fixed cocktail because his Omakase was so on point to what he asked for and was delicious. I love rhubarb and Gin is my usual spirt of choice, so I didn't want to pass up the Hanamachi Rikki, but while I found the tart rhubarb refreshing, it fell flat when placed next to the Omakase. While I enjoyed the music choices, he did not and it was also INCREDIBLY dark/moody which isn't our preference, but makes sense for the intimate vibe they are clearly going for.

Drinks were outstanding, and so was the food! This actually came as a surprise since Almanac is…read moremarketed as more of a cocktail bar/speakeasy. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since they are located right about Ogawa (also amazing)! We tried the omakase cocktail, which was really fun and creative. Although if I'm paying $25 for a drink, I do expect a bit more of a presentation... The scallop crispy rice was absolutely a favorite, we had to order two! The toro was also a standout, although how can you go wrong with toro, uni, and caviar? The wagyu dog itself was great, but the roll it was on was dry. In my opinion, the bread makes or breaks a sandwich, so points off for that one. The ambiance was cozy, if a little dark at times. Our waitress was knowledgeable and attentive and gave us good recommendations on what to order. I will absolutely be back for the crispy rice alone!

We had a large party (6).the attendant at door, got us in quickly, on a Saturday night!…read more We enjoyed exploring the vast drink menu. The visit was a great experience.

Next of Kin is a special vibe. It's got the energy of a neighborhood dive with the aesthetic and…read moremixology prowess of a swanky cocktail haven. It is intimate, friendly, down-to-earth, and totally unique. I don't visit Philly as often as I'd like (I live in NYC but grew up here) and while I'm always keeping up with dining scene, it's rare and thus special when I get to put a space to the name, so the speak. Next of Kin has a quirky, playful, impressively creative menu with drinks that are memorable. We came here at around 10:30pm on a Saturday night after dinner. There was a bit of a line outside which moved slowly, but we were given cute champagne jello shot things for our patience which were delightful and a fun little preview of what to expect on the inside. The seating options consist of tables, bar, and what I believe they call "love pods", all of which are beautifully designed. We were seated at the bar, which is our preference anyway. I always like chatting with the bartenders and hearing about the craft, and it is particularly enjoyable when they're as friendly and generous as the folks who work here. We were talking to them about some of their infusions and they let us try a taste of the coconut mezcal and the bruleed banana infused rum and both were unreal on their own. We ended up getting the Coco Bello (coconut mezcal, apertif, aromatized wine) which is a white negroni variation and the Swamp Thang (green chartreuse, herbal liqueur, pineapple and poblano tepache), which was served in some particularly memorable glassware (pictured). Both drinks were exceptional and complex, the former more sophisticated and the latter wacky and wholly unique.

Perfect vibe. On point sound track - including volume…read more Excellent service. Best damn bar nachos I've ever had in 56 years. Only complaint? They are in Philadelphia, and I live in Michigan!!!

A friend of mine was in town for the weekend and we spent Saturday afternoon walking around Old…read moreCity. Around midday, we became hungry and looked for something to eat. With the help of Yelp, we found this place. First off, the building that houses National Mechanics is absolutely beautiful inside and out, and for good reason. The pub/restaurant occupies the old Mechanics National Bank, a majestic Greek Revival building, built in 1836. Inside the restaurant, the surroundings contrasted greatly with the outside. The large, primarily wooden interior has the feel of a vintage pub. It is equally as beautiful as the front. The service at National Mechanics was great. Though the staff was clearly running shorthanded, every employee we came into contact with served us with a smile and couldn't be friendlier. The food, at least on that day, was mediocre at best, unfortunately. While the menu was filled with all sorts of tempting dishes that already made us thinking of future visits, we opted for the Mexican Burger and the Ribeye Cheesesteak, two twists on old pub standbys. Sadly, we were both disappointed in our meals. We did start off on a bright spot, food-wise. My friend and I opted to share the Batter-Fried Pickled Green Beans, which were fabulous! Too bad the good food ended there... The description of the Mexican Burger sounded amazing, with avocado, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños, Monterrey Jack cheese, and chipotle mayo. My friend said it was kind of bland and it was quite greasy. My ribeye cheesesteak did not match well with its "Amoroso" roll and the steak itself was dry. In the end, we were both disappointed in our choice in a lunch spot. Perhaps it was the large crowd of diners and little staff that made it all come out a little...off. In the end, I'd try National Mechanics again if I were in the area, as the atmosphere and service made it a cool spot to dine in. Hopefully the food will be better next time.

Get the lomo saltado with the green sauce and the ceviche vista Peru! I think those two dishes are…read moredeliciously! The first time I came here I got those two dishes as well and thought it was delicious! Then went to Miami and kept thinking of this place!! Had to come back to verify that this place was better than most of the places in Miami! Granted it is much more expensive but it's worth it!

We had a great time, this was our first time coming here. We hadn't noticed it before but are so…read morehappy we took the time to go. The drinks were delicious! So much so we had to take one to go. The food was also delicious, lots of seafood on the menu (although we only ordered Calamari) - have a few non seafood options for shellfish allergy like myself. We also go the Limo Saltado and the Seco.... (I forgot the name, but goat). It tasted delicious almost home made at a nice restaurant, very pleased. Worth every penny for a date night. Modern decorations, music was low enough to have a conversation (almost a little too low, but better than it being too loud). Also shout out to Andres our server who treated us amazing!

I love it here! My…read morehusband and I came down to the bar area and had a drink or two while we waited for a ride to head to the Philly and Bears game. The vibe is always high! They have TVs available so you can catch whatever games are playing on whether it be football basketball or whatever to your liking... the lobby is pretty steady but we always find a seat at the bar and the bartender's there are always on point. This particular black Friday late morning, we had cocktails. Myself a Margarita made from scratch and my husband had the Crown Royal with the splash of sprite 10 out of 10! We highly recommend you stop and give this bar a shot even if you are not staying at the hotel you can just drop in have a bite to eat have something to drink and be on your Merry way. Always love it here... have fun and enjoy life :)

One of the best places in Philadelphia for good vibes. Good atmosphere…read more Malek one of the best bartenders I know in town Best old fashion I drink thank you amigo

This spot isn't my scene, but it's super fun and a cool vibe. The bank vibe goes out the window on…read morethe weekends when it turns into a full club space. More of a college aged crowd with some seating areas in the middle but the main dance floor is truly giving club - which is fun, if that's your style! The music is good and the bartenders are on it!