While on layover at our country's maiden capital city awaiting the overnight transatlantic flight that'll ferry Leti and I to scenic Lisbon, Portugal, my always gorgeous bride and I were bemused by the Independence Prime, a hip but quirky place who endeavors to "make the airport experience less dreary." Lovely Leti and I were hungrier than jackals after American Airlines dared to nourish our 5.5hr flight from LA to PHL w/ a mere Biscotti wafer paired w/ a 4oz pour of soda- We also had nearly four hours to extinguish til we boarded our connecting flight to Portugal...so we took the bait- "Prime US, Independence Prime" we challenged. Our server was a delightful young Ethiopian lady w/ a dazzling smile and great presence of mind despite her singlehandedly serving the bulk of the restaurant herself. Her relaxed manner amd quick smile paired with good enough service to satisfy us. "But what about the food?!" you holler. The starter, Brussel Sprouts Wok'd with bacon, diced pear and candied walnuts, was a flat non-starter for us. For one, the appetizer was brought out several minutes after our entrees were, a culinary faux pax I thought the Chinese restaurants had monopolized. Second, at $15 the dish was a little overpriced, most notably when you factor in the lack of coherence in the dish. The brussel sprouts were day old, previously fried then reheated. The bacon was a bit underdone and pieces of pear weren't completely cleaved from other pieces. Leti's Chicken Sando was highlighted by a peppery lemon vinaigrette that made the flavors soar like one of the Eagles recent "Super Bowl Champion" banners do at Lincoln Field. Me, humbled to be known in the greater Los Amgeles area as "your favorite Yelp correspondent..." decided that I could not visit Philadelphia Airport and avert ordering a CHEESESTEAK. My cheesesteak was pretty fly! Obligatory amoroso long loaf baguette heaped with tendrils of flaky flat-topped rib eye, oozy Provolone and mushrooms + onions. The fries were hot, not overly-salinated and performed admirably in service of the star, that unctuous homage to Philly herself, the noble cheesesteak! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was good- The venue fairly thronged with futbol fanatics cheering lustily as Spain delivered the coup de grace, winning shot in the 89th minute to eclipse Belgium in the World Cup quarterfinal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our bill, for two entrees, one starter, a soda, taxes and tip was $79.73. In the end, Independence Prime may not deliver Prime Time appetizers but the rest of the meal rose to the challenge. read more

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Unfortunate. Over priced, served cold, terrible portion size. Keep walking, plenty of other options in the terminals. read more

Independence Prime - $27 - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Had a long layover here in Philadelphia and wanted to have a decent meal, since it was gonna be the only hot meal of the day! We walked around the terminal and settled to have a lunch/dinner here since they had Philly Cheesesteaks and when in Philadelphia.... Had to try one. We also checked prices before coming in, and we liked that the seating area here is huge, nice decor, lots of tables, more relaxing spot if you need to kill time and room for luggagge. We placed the order: 2 portions of Philly Cheesesteaks sando-s with fries and 2 Amber Ale-s on draft (from New York). We were shocked that they wanted us to pay upfront and the bill was higher than we calculated. Then I checked everything: there was a 3% Employee Wage and Benefits Fee added to the total and the server picked a tip, on the high end! Not OK! If you want to give benefits for your staff, pay out from your profit from the high prices you charge! I am OK with benefits for people, but I am not responsible for your workers! In my field of work, I get none so I pay for things! Tips- I like to give my tip at the end, based on the quality of service and the quality of food! Not upfront! I actually changed the tip to a smaller amount since: 1. I paid into benefits already 2. I got burned recently a lot with upfront tips and then you get crappy service 3. I am on a budget! Food was decent, the beer - didn't love it, a tad thick, sweet, not your typical crisp Amber ale. Service - very minimal, so my tip was more than fine! [[HIGHLIGHT]]I liked the decor, the tables, more relaxed vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The food was pretty good. The rest - left a bitter taste in my mouth! I wouldn't come here again, wouldn't recommend and I wish I would have read reviews ahead, but don't always have time! read more

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The level of incompetence at this place is absurd. 4 people "working" ignored us at the bar, waiting for our food to go that was supposed to be delivered to us. Had to go get it from them, ask multiple people for help. Terrible. The worst service people. Rude and lazy read more

Guest Review by The Wife: Rounding up from 3.5 stars. Independence Prime is located in the B terminal of Philadelphia International Airport. I had plenty of time before my delayed flight, so I decided to sit down and order some dinner. The grilled chicken sandwich came on a brioche bun, with lemon aioli, roasted red peppers, and arugula, and came with a side of fries. I ordered my sandwich without bacon. The edges of the chicken were a bit overcharred, but the chicken was otherwise good. The lemon aioli was tasty. The biggest issue was that between the aioli and the roasted red peppers, the bun got quite soggy. The fries were tasty and reasonably crispy as well. I liked that they were prepped with the skins still on. [[HIGHLIGHT]]If you sit in the right spot, there are 4 tv screens, and they're not all playing sports![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]If you find yourself with extra time on your hands in the B terminal of PHL, it's not a bad place to hang out.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Independence Prime - grilled chicken sandwich with a side of fries - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

On a long layover in Philly Terminal B, I figured when in Rome, you have to get a cheesesteak, so I went to Independence Prime for the bar and TVs for football. The cheesesteak was just okay, and $49 for it and a glass of prosecco felt steep, even for airport prices. The bartender was nice and took my order directly instead of relying on the QR code, which I appreciated. [[HIGHLIGHT]]They have a big menu, so maybe I picked the wrong thing, but if you want a bar with TVs, this works.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Just don't expect the cheesesteak to wow you. read more

Independence Prime - When in "Rome" lol - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I'm very disappointed in the food . My wife and I wanted to try a cheesesteak during our layover. Ordered a cheesesteak for my wife and I and it was really dry, very little cheese and the bread was dry, brittle and not even toasted.,and had no flavor.l. I would like to acknowledge a staff member by the name of Cindy. She had a great attitude. I'm a firm believer if you are in customer service you should display an attitude of service. Cooks were trash! Go to another spot.. read more

Very good for airport food. Big Wine and beer selection, including a decent slate of local beers. Good quality food. They must have heard the complaints/reviews because,, as of my visit last week, in addition to the QR code ordering setup, they do have wait staff working tables, handing out actual real menus, and taking orders. or waiter was attentive, friendly and accommodating of us even though we were looking to kill a couple hours. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The space is one of the remodeled ones in a notoriously rough airport, and they make nice use of it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Lots of seating, a big bar, charging ports, and outlets everywhere.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Furniture designed to fit bags under it to save space.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]For a restaurant in the real world, it would be a bit odd, but for an airport,t it accommodates travelers perfectly[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Next time through Philly, I would stop here. read more

Skip the Independence Prime. There are other bars and restaurants in the airport that, I think/assume, are better than this one. Here's how PHL describes this spot: "A steakhouse and tavern at the center of the terminal, you can see the excitement of the kitchen from every seat in this restaurant. With a menu focusing on pairing the most flavorful ingredients available with the perfect beverages, Independence Prime delights its guests with an ever-changing array of taste experiences." Well done to the person who wrote this copy, but - let's be honest - [[HIGHLIGHT]]this is an airport bar blasting CNN, overcharging for mediocre food in extremely tiny portions, where you order through a QR code and never talk to a real person once.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The Chips With Salsa & Guacamole for nearly $20 was comical. There was - at the very most - two tablespoons of chopped tomato and two tablespoons of guac, while the maybe fifteen (yes, I counted -- photos for proof) small "crispy tortilla chips" were very stale. The man next to us got a raw chicken burger. He tried many, many times to get the attention of the bartender who would not look up at any of us. When he finally was able to talk to an employee walking behind him, their response was: "But that's impossible." The man held up his (very clearly raw) chicken burger, pointed to the inside of it, and asked "Is pink okay to you?!" The employee said they'd immediately make him a new one. Then, I assume, a manager went over to him: "How's your day going, sir? Can we get you a soft drink? A side salad while you wait? We're terribly sorry." The man rolled his eyes and said, "I just want a cooked chicken burger." And I just wanted a nice snack. I should have followed my gut and gone to Chickie's & Pete's for crabfries and a couple of beers (or glasses of wine): that would have been HALF the cost than the app and two drinks we got here. read more

Independence Prime - The $20 chips and guacamole. - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Although I was going to be eating on the flight, I had a couple hours to go and wanted something to hold me over. Quite frankly, a lot of these places were very similar, so I just scanned the QR code at the table where I was sitting and ordered from there. This was pretty convenient even though the actual establishment was about 30 feet away, I admit I was lazy and didn't feel like dragging my luggage. A nice girl dropped my food off within 10 minutes, and everything was fine. Chicken fingers, fries, ginger ale admittedly from the kids menu. I saw an adjacent table order and get their order shortly after mine, and the salads looked pretty good. The sole irritation I had with this was at the bottom of the menu, it read 'A 3% Employee Wage and Benefits Fee has been added'; I thought this was only in California (and unfortunately, some larger cities such as New York) but not at the Philadelphia airport of all places. Either people just spend without reading/noticing the additional fee or they don't care but I'm giving the heads up. Mine was minimal, but for a family of 4+ buying for everyone, this surely will be more noticeable, especially for those who come from out of town and don't have such a fee in their home states. Otherwise, a fairly acceptable option for airport food. read more

Horrible. They rip you off. They make you pre-pay for your meal and require a 18% tip! Service is horrible. AVOID! Get better service at Wendy's or subway. only have it a 1 star because it wouldn't let me give a negative star. read more

Im not saying I'll never come back but I'll try another place next time. Place was hopping and you can see the cooks doing there thing which we thought was cool. You order from your phone and they bring you your order. The service is pretty fast. We got fish and chips, pastrami sandwich with fries and a grilled cheese with tomato soup. I'll start with the best: fish and chips, fried foods for the win! In second place the pastrami sandwich with fries. It was decent but the fries weren't hot. In last place was the grilled cheese and tomato soup. How does that go wrong?? Let me tell you! The soup, very mmm just tomato. Basil? Salt? Idk? The grilled cheese looked good but seemed blah also. Salt , better cheese? read more

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While ordering my burger, I told the server three times how I wanted it and she kept wanting to add tomato for some reason. I ordered it medium and it came out on the rare side of medium rare. Bright pink and cold throughout, with tomato on it. The servers didn't refill our water. My wife had to get up and go looking for her own refill after asking for a refill. They wanted payment and tip before the order was delivered so I regret my decision to leave 20%. We should have made sure to wait before specifying a tip amount. If the servers would spend less time socializing and pay more attention, these are all easy things to fix. read more

After passing more crowded sit-down options in Terminal B, [[HIGHLIGHT]]Independence Prime has generous room to spread out in an appealing space, outlets at most tables, and most important -- multiple beers on draft/wine/cocktails and carefully prepared, tasty food![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] EZ online ordering -- just grab an open table. Plus the service on this Wednesday afternoon was fantastic! Highly recommend; great place to decompress while waiting to fly home. read more

Yes, they are expensive but that's what you pay for for good service and excellent food on the fly. The entire staff is courteous and generous, understanding with smiles on their faces. The food is fresh, perfectly seasoned and flavorful. From the chicken salad to the fruit cup every ingredient is fresh as it can get. I don't know who is in charge of quality control, but they deserve a raise. Every single blueberry, and the honeydew, and the cantaloupe we're all perfectly ripe. I've been to many restaurants sometimes some of the fruit is less than stellar and I've never been served a handful of blueberries of which 100% are perfect balance between sweet and tart. Bravo !!!!! The only downside is that they are expensive. They charge $6.49 for a side of two strips of bacon that would cost them $.12. Pretty insane, but the kids portions are satisfactory. Make sure to scan the QR code where you sit to order... I messed that part up, but as I said, everyone was generous and forgiving. Did I mention they have a full bar? read more

Independence Prime - The bar seating area where you can watch them make your food. - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The food is very good, especially for an airport restaurant but of course the prices are very high. Bar seats are fixed and very tight on space while tables are not too bad. They can make a pretty good cocktail and have okay wine, but many get frustrated with the QR code menu and ordering requirement. There are options in the airport without this, but it's becoming more standard and impersonal these days. It's not for everyone, but if you're at the Pholly airport this is one of the better quality restaurants you'll find. In an area that literally used to be an American Airlines gate! Do as you wish. read more

Quick service at PHL Terminal B. Easy order from the app (just capture the QR with your camera). Yes it's expensive. It's the airport! My $16 beer was worth it. A huge strip steak is $50, not a bad deal, I paid $44 last week at a regular restaurant. One of the largest beer selections in Terminal B. Quick service. Sat and watched the crew at the grill. It's loud but, again, ITS THE AIRPORT. Great job! read more

Independence Prime - $16 beer at the airport. Yes it was worth it. - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ordered food here while waiting for my flight. The food is pricey of course!!! One grilled chicken sandwich, with mixed green salad (substitute of fries with extra $3), and a lemonade cost me $31... The salad was good, fresh and filling. I didn't see anywhere saying about the dressing though... it came with balsamic, which is good. The sandwich was just okay... the chicken patty was small and dry... the sandwich is very flavorful. The waitress was nice to answer my questions. read more

Independence Prime - Grilled Chicken Sandwich with mixed green - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

[[HIGHLIGHT]]I was drawn in by the charging ports and the salad options.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I thought the portions for the main dishes were really large however, I could not eat an entire salad here. I got the beet salad and the ingredients were good quality. Crispy and crunchy. I kept the dressing on the side and also hardly used any of it. Order with a QR code which a lot of older folks seemed to have issues with. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It seems some people going here are wanting a personal experience and connection as opposed to just desiring to sit, eat, and not talk.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I think it serves, I liked it. I thought it was simple but the idea of using tech seems to frustrate some. I've also never known life without smart phones so keep that in mind. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I liked watching the people cook the food and the outlets that are available at pretty much all the seats.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] That's mostly why I chose this place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a little more out of the way while also being distant enough from others where we aren't bumping into each other.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I like keeping to myself at certain airports, especially here.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

We had just checked into our terminal around 6am and were debating if we should eat breakfast but neither my husband nor I were hungry. We decided we would follow tradition and get a couple of drinks anyway since it was the start of our vacation. We ended up ordering a breakfast entrée to share, since neither of us were hungry. The two wines we ordered were not good. The breakfast entrée -- kitchen sink that we ordered to share turned out okay, like what you would get from a Denny's. The portion size did surprise me though, it was larger than expected, and enough to feed the two of us. Our flight was 6 hours long, and for some reason, my husband thought the airlines would be providing a meal, and they didn't, so we were super glad we ate. The kitchen sink was very substantial and saved us on our long flight. read more

Independence Prime - a plate of food on a table - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I have absolutely nothing against restaurants in airports; in fact, I've had some pretty excellent meals at a handful of them. I understand the expectation for travelers is that they just want a place to kill some time before their flight, get a quick bite, and charge their phone. Totally reasonable. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Independence Prime lured me in because it looks very sleek and futuristic. They had big-screen TVs and comfy booths, and the menu contained plenty of interesting selections.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Perhaps I'm a coffee snob, but what is with 99% percent of the coffee I order burned and acidic? This was no exception. The fish and chips only had two pieces of fish, which leads me to why I'm giving this place two stars. The service was awful, the food was boring, and outside of the design of this establishment, I feel like I could've had a better time at any other eatery in Terminal B of the Philadelphia International Airport. Bon voyage, but sadly, not bon appétit. read more

I really wanted to like this place as a better option in the airport to fast food. The ordering process is very convenient. There is little in the way of interaction with the wait staff, which I got a refill only after finishing my salad which I took my time to eat. The best thing about the fried chicken was that it was cooked well, after that it fell flat because the breading had no flavor and the dressing did not either which surprised me. I don't think I will try this place again given the price and flavor of the food. read more

Independence Prime - Fried chicken salad - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This was a great break in the middle of a long travel day. The bartender was personable and attentive, and helped us find local beers that fit our palettes - exactly what we were looking for. We also dedided to order a Philly Cheesesteak after seeing that the cooks were actually freshly preparing everything- vs all the other airport restaurants we passed that all had the exact same menus of pizzas and cheese plates, and who knows where their shared kitchen was- and it was delicious! read more

Food was great. My server Jay was very attentive and his service was impressive. Very nice guy. Would definitely recommend this restaurant. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Loved the ambiance was really chill as well.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

This was my first Philly cheese steak ever. I visited this restaurant while stuck in Philly because of a 6 hour layover. It was a great place to put all our stuff down and sit to eat. There were outlets everywhere and space to spread out. But when it comes to the food, the sandwich itself was subpar. But honestly this is probs one of the best places to go to in the airport. read more

Independence Prime - This is half the Philly cheese steak sandwich with peppers and onions - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great service, quick turnaround, and solid cheesesteak...even if it was not inside the airport. I'll be back! read more

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I like that you can order through the QR code on the table so you don't have to talk to anyone. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The outlets at the table don't work.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

So here we are in terminal B in Philadelphia international airport. Since we had some time before boarding, we decided to order some food and have it delivered. Overall food quality is fine but not excellent. The steak sandwich roll is not very fresh but the fries are very good and the steak we ordered was cooked properly. Delivery time was about 20 minutes which isn't bad. Yes it's airport food so yes, it is expensive -- not the worst option here. read more

Independence Prime - steak sandwich - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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What a mess. Online system is slow and confusing. Took forever to get it to finalize the transaction. Seating areas are not clean, floor is sticky like a bad gas station bathroom. Pricing is outrageously expensive even for an airport. This place is everything expected of PHL which I believe to be the worst airport in the United States. read more

Next time I order a margarita, I have to remind them to put the tequila inside the glass not wherever they put my tequila.

What a cool name for an establishment with several locations inside the airport in Philadelphia. They even have what I might describe as work station seating, where you can set up and plug in your devices to get some work done and order from your seat. All of this sounds pretty great, right? Problem is not even that the menu is crazy pricey, the problem is that the menu is extremely limited and after a lot of thinking, what I ended up ordering, was....not great. I got to Independence Prime just before 11am and was hoping for something resembling a late breakfast, even a bagel would have worked. The menu was a burger, cheesesteak sandwiches and such and the apps were fried, fried and...wait...a mushroom skillet with ricotta and garlic bread. Being the flexible soul that I am, I ordered the mushroom skillet. It arrived about 20 minutes later and it was not great. The mushrooms were sauteed with non existent seasonings, there was a small dollop of ricotta on top and the garlic bread seemed like two toasted sub roll halves. It was all really underwhelming, which is a huge bummer as I was hoping to find a solid hang in the airport. read more

The talented cook (John if I recall correctly) and my waitress went above and beyond to make me an off-menu, amazing meal in line with avoiding my food allergies. Quality, presentation, and flavor were exceptional! John absolutely knocked it out of the park. Very highly recommended and so appreciated! read more

You know, the place looks amazing and welcoming when you come in they have a menu that looks really wholesome and healthy. $32 for chicken Pillard quite a bit of money but I was hungry and I wanted to eat healthy so I was shocked when the chicken was formed deep fried chicken patties and deep fried that taste very good BUT My goal was to eat healthy and that's what I thought I was doing at the price of $32. I could've easily went to Chick-fil-A for a fraction of the cost a company like this should be ashamed of themselves. read more

I will never go back. I ordered using the QR code on the table. There is no other way to order. Initially, I ordered drinks for myself and my colleague, and they took forever to arrive. Because it took so long for the drinks to arrive, I told the server that one of the drinks needed to be canceled as my colleague had already left for his flight. I was forced to request a refund by filling out an online form. I never received my receipt for the meal. I need that for my travel expense reimbursement. I reached out to the restaurant asking for the receipt, I gave them all the information and they did not send me the receipt. This is a basic requirement. To order a meal in an airport, receive your drinks within 5-10 minutes and to be able to get a receipt. The service was slow. The receipt never came, and the food was meh. I won't go back. read more

Have to fly today, and decided to grab some lunch with my wife at the airport. Checked out the Yelp reviews, and Independence Prime seemed to be the winner in Terminal B. Pretty much was spot on in terms of stars. I would have gone with three and one-half stars but had to downgrade due to some issues with the wife's food. Our onion rings were crunchy and not oily but one ring decided to jump ship and was just bad. It came with some horseradish sauce which the wife was not prepared for and headed for her drink. This was one of the problems. Her lemonade tasted off and had a hint of orange with it like it was run through the hoses that once carried orange soda. Not a good lemonade. Wife's pulled chicken sandwich had good promise, but was overcooked and dry. It also was about half the size of the roll it came in. The peppers and provolone helped somewhat, but she felt that a chicken sandwich from even a fast food place would have been better. I had a beet salad which was pretty good with goat cheese, mandarin oranges, and pistachios with mixed greens. The balsamic dressing was on the side which also was nice. I enjoyed my salad along with my Franks Black Cherry! Ordering is done at the table through an iPad-like device which once you scanned your boarding pass allowed you to access "entertainment" for your viewing pleasure. The tables also had credit card readers to make payments. Independence Prime automatically adds a gratuity to the bill so watch this. It's the airport so things are on the expensive side. $66 for two non-alcoholic drinks, side of onion rings, salad, and sandwich including automatic gratuity. Not bad, not great. Yelp got it right again! read more

Independence Prime - Roasted Beet Salad - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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So me, my mom & brother stopped here on our way back to New York from our cruise thank God for that hour layover because we were hungry and the food definitely hit the spot! I personally couldn't choose between the hot wings and I was craving a burger so the sliders were perfect. To be honest the wings were actually some of the best hot wings I've ever had I was very impressed. I also loved how easy it was to order the food through the tablet and how quick everything came. What really set the bar was when one of the managers came over and added that special touch of customer service asking us if we wanted anything else. It was our first time trying hanks sodas and it was amazing that it wasn't caffeinated although the server told me it was =/....I had to check for myself happily I did because I truly enjoyed the vanilla cream soda. We had to rush to catch our flight so even sharing the wings I had like 6 wings left over and 2 sliders which was definitely enjoyed the next day. I would highly suggest when you do get a hanks soda ask for a glass of ice it tastes even better and sets a whole different experience. Can't forget the festive straws which made me feel like I was sipping my drink out of candy canes =) Nice touch ! Will definitely stop back here if at Philly airport and happily it was suggested to go here instead of smash burger which is more well known but honestly this was a dealbreaker for me plus we had comfy seats I would suggest not sitting next to the loading for a flight that was the only annoying part people on top of you and staring at your food like monguls lol not cool. All in all was happy with our experience. Great food, easily accessible, okay service and full bellies. read more

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This is my 500th Review for Yelp. That's kind of amazing in itself as when I started writing reviews I never dreamed that I would be a part of such a fantastic community. I've gotten to experience so much as a member of the Yelp Community, and as a Yelp Elite, and so I wanted to mark 500 with something special. That, my friends, would be Independence Prime. I have been fortunate to have traveled quite a bit in my life - for education, for vacation, for work. That means I've spent a LOT of time in airports all over the world, and at all times of day. Breakfast, by far, is generally the weakest meal to find in a concourse, as places that normally serve hamburgers and Chinese food roll out sad bagel sandwiches and rubbery eggs. I generally stick with the 'national' chains, the well known brands, as while their food is just OK it's predictable. Last week the NMT and I were flying to visit family, a trip we do every year, and as is the case with Murphy's Law of Airport Security, we got there 2.5 hours in advance and there was basically no line to get through security. That meant we had a lot of time to kill. Time spent with a bored 17 year old. Yay. At 7 AM. Even better. We chose Independence Prime simply because it was right next to our boarding gate. It's pretty cool to look at, sleek but warm, very mid-century feel but comfy. I l liked how it blended in with the overall look and feel of the concourse and adjacent gates. We slid into a booth close to our gate. Ordering by iPad was new, and while not overly difficult it took some navigation. I like menus, and I like to be able to talk with a server, but hey, it's airport food so not a whole lot of a point. This was more something to do and food before the plane than seeking a dining experience. The NMT decided he was 'not hungry' (he was still half asleep) so I ordered some pancakes, bacon and a chocolate milk. Yes, chocolate milk, it's my secret vice, I love it. My drink came out quickly, and yep, it was delicious, a solid start. About 15 minutes later my pancakes and bacon came out. Nicely plated, butter and syrup included. I am not much of a sugar syrup person, if it's not real maple syrup I generally take a pass unless the pancakes are particularly bad. I admit before I took the first bite I peeled back the syrup in preparation for heavy dousing. I was so wrong. These pancakes were delicious. Seriously. Slightly crisp outside, soft and fluffy, a nice nutty buttery taste to them. No syrup needed, they were divine. The bacon was done at medium-crisp, more chewy which I generally take a pass on but again, the flavor was amazing, nice smoke and meat and salt. I didn't care about chewy, they were really good. This food was as good as any I've had in more traditional settings, and the fact that they're executing in an environment that has low expectations and a quick-serve orientation is impressive. Service was fine, it's a weird model with the iPad ordering, I think it's probably efficient but creates a disconnect in the more established table service model where the server is greeter, recommender, monitoring, addressing issues, etc. I did get to chat with her as she checked on us and told her how impressed I was. She said she hears that, this is a higher-end, think $60 steaks and so they focus on delivering good value. I am actually a little sad that I cannot just go to Independence Prime for breakfast without having to buy a plane ticket. I've caught myself wondering if perhaps I could volunteer, like at the USO or something, so I could go get breakfast there. It may yet happen. In the end, the best I can say is that if you are looking for a good breakfast while waiting for a flight at the Philadelphia Airport, going to Terminal B and checking out Independence Prime is a very good idea. I know I will. read more

Forced to order electronically, which didn't work. Waited 15 minutes for a drink never came. You guys know you are in an airport right, where people are sometimes in a rush? Absurd. Won't be back. read more

So they have the absolute worst freaking ordering system in the known universe. Just horrid, I watched two people leave the place because they couldn't navigate it. My guess is the place is owned by some loafer wearing Bay Area tech company. Whatever. Food was so so. Drinks are drinks. The servers were oddly good despite the ordering system. I did like the servers. read more

Terrible model at the airport!!!!!! Order from an iPad and forced tip prior to receiving food or beverage. This equal's poor service and an entitled staff east tips they absolutely don't deserve. No interaction whatsoever. Avoid this place unless you want to over pay and over tip in advance of evaluating the food and really poor staff. The women bartenders are robots with not even a smile as they receive orders from a machine and deliver them to a queue - refer back to the robot concept but without a personality. Then, I did notice beers were not filled completely and other staff uses stir sticks to foam up the beer a few inches to make look like a full point. Even though this was business trip expense, I will be calling them to remove the pre tip. read more

Independence Prime - Kiosk at table and set up of no interaction with entitles bartenders. - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania