Went to this place last night for dinner and LOVED IT! the inside is warm and welcoming. Great music playing. Hosts and servers immediately came over to us and showed us to our dining table. We had delicious food (burger and caesar salad). They gave us complimentary corn bread at the beginning and cookies at the end! We were blown away by the high level of service and the amazing quality of the food. The menu also has tons of good options on it. We will definitely be back. Thanks for making our night a memorable experience! read more

Ever been to the Sahara Desert or needed desperately a drink of water ?? Well, come here then. I had the Southern Style Pull Pork Sandwich and it was disappointing. The meat did not taste too Barbeque-ie nor did the bread win me over. It was really dry. Thank goodness they gave us water because I had to take sips between bites or my mouth would have been dried out by the sandwich. My friend, who ordered the pecan covered catfish sandwich , had a similar situation and asked for extra ketchup. He was served with dirty or used cutlery and while we being shown our seats, which was in their outdoor seating area, the host just told us where it was without leading the way. It made it a little hard to find which was our table. Overall, I was not impressed nor do I plan to come here by my free will or Accord. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Southern Style Pull Pork Sandwich. P.S not worth it. - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My mom and I decided to try out Jack's Firehouse for lunch today. It was a nice November day, so we were able to sit outside and eat. For appetizers, my mom had the New England Clam Chowder, which she really enjoyed. I had the Brussel Sprouts which were absolutely delicious, especially with the horseradish sauce. Mom had the Granny Smith Apple Salad with Spiced Pecans with Salmon on top. She said it was good. I had the Honey & Garlic Glazed Atlantic Salmon with Citrus Rice and Asparagus. The citrus rice had a lovely taste and the asparagus was also good. The salmon was cooked a little too well, but I still enjoyed it. We also had the nice hot cornbread muffins and I tried one of the cherries on it and really liked it. I had one of my favorite drinks, Sangria. Now, that was just ok. I have had much better elsewhere. After that totally delicious meal, we decided to have dessert. Our server told us about the desserts vs. us reading it off the menu. I had the Chocolate Chip Brownie with Chocolate Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream, which was just described to me as a 'brownie with ice cream on top' and mom tried the Cheesecake. We both returned our desserts. They were not good. The brownie was really a rich chocolaty cake (not soft and moist). It was really heavy on the chocolate, way too much chocolate chip and it came cold. I thought they would have at least served it warm with the ice cream on top. Our server did offer to warm it up, but I just didn't care for the taste. That wasn't what I considered to be a 'brownie'. As for the cheesecake, basically it was cake with the 'cheese' mixture spread on top. Mom did not like it at all. The cheesecakes she is familiar with, the ingredients is all mixed in, not sitting on top. Unfortunately, the desserts were a miss for us. Our service was really good, so we were pleased with that. Other than that, I would still go back again and I would recommend it to others. read more

My boyfriend and I went to Jack's for dinner on a Saturday night. It's a really cool building , but the tables and chairs look straight out of the 80s. We waited a full hour for our drink orders. I ordered spiked cider and it came cold. As for food, my partner had to repeatedly ask the waiter to check on his food allergy and was dismissed. Finally the waiter said he'd check. We didn't see the waiter for about 45 minutes until another waiter delivered our food. He had never checked on the allergy. I got the ribs and fries. The ribs were over cooked and fries soggy. While eating, we noticed a mouse eating crumbs off the floor. At the end of the night, I asked for the check and we waited another 30 mins. To top it off-- 20% gratuity is automatic (this usually never bothers me). Long story short: we won't be back. Eat at Fare or Urban Saloon just down the street. read more

Good sucks But bar service is nice Drinks are decent Staff is friendly Area is clean read more

Complete waste of money. The server forgot to bring out the cornbread muffins until my woman mentioned it to her. They were pretty decent and the best part of the meal. We got a virgin apple cider which was pretty decent but not worth 8 bucks for a cup. I would have expected 4 or 5 bucks and would have been kicking myself even then. That's always the risk you run getting virgin drinks though. Pictures I had seen online of the lobster mac and cheese looked like it was enough for a whole meal itself. Got it and it was a tiny skillet a bit bigger than my hand. Worst of all there was almost no lobster and it was incredibly bland. I would prefer to eat one of those kraft cups to this. Especially for 20 bucks. I shared the catfish po'boy with my woman, and they brought it out on two separate plates cut in half and with fries on each which was very nice of them. The po'boy was also bland and there was barely any jalapeño jam which was the only thing giving flavor. Overall it was expensive for a meal completely devoid of flavor. I'm curious whose tastebuds are keeping this place in business. I assume people must be coming once because of the location and then never again. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Bland catfish po'boy with jalapeño jam and arugula - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Cool bar. Old firehouse vibe hence the name. Decent Bloody Mary and prices are reasonable. No longer allowed to climb the fireman pole, a guy broke both his knee caps read more

I guess I was expecting more. The food and service were OK, but not exceptional. Also, they billed gratuity into the cost for service. That time is negative for me. Gratuity is based on the level of service receipt, not automatically assumed. read more

I was here twice in my life. Once when I was really little and once last night. Both times were awesome. When I was little I came with my family before going to the Halloween event at eastern state penitentiary. I remember the food was amazing. It was the first time I ever had chicken wings. I don't remember what else I ate but I remember it being really astonishingly good. Last night I went back. We didn't have any food. It was all kind of expensive. We did have drinks though. I asked for a whiskey recommendation and was served a really delicious bourbon. I forget what it was called. The service was really nice, calm, quick, and professional. The venue is luxurious. I could definitely get used to it there. Hard wood surfaces and a big giant canoe hanging from the ceiling. The crowd was a bit older than me, notably good looking people, mostly ladies. I'm not sure if that was typical but I thought it was cool. I'd definitely go back. read more

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I have been going to Jack's firehouse for years now since 2017 and it never disappoints except this time my friend did have some piece of plastic in her food which was very odd. However, I have been there so many times that I've never been disappointed that I'm not going to leave a bad review. I think that was just a unlucky time that we all went and we had a weird experience. I love the ambience. I'm literally obsessed with this restaurant. I think it's beautiful and I love how it's right outside the penitentiary. I also think the food is pretty good and has a great menu of various options that are quite different from others in the city. I have been going here because of the penitentiary and we go there before entering into the haunted houses. we usually go for dinner, but this time was brunch and it was good and I loved the potatoes. The service was also fantastic. He made sure that the plastic was very odd and even gave us another platter and gave us a discount off of the check. read more

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Had a fun time with friends last evening at Jacks Firehouse, a great neighborhood mainstay. Our meals were good, but otherwise unremarkable - no standouts that anyone commented about. Food aside, our server, Will, has to be one of the cities best waiters and finest young men. He is charming, caring, personable and professional. Everyone in our party was like, "where did they find this guy?" Jack, hang on to this guy read more

This is a cool spot in Fairmount, and for having been around for over 30 years - you know they are doing something right. Great place to recommend for folks looking for a place to eat in that area of the city. The building itself is cool, being in a converted firehouse - so they have the decorations and history to fill it out. Their focus is southern/bbq - which can be refreshing in the city, because it is not a more popular sought out cuisine. Their portions are massive, so go prepared and order appropriately. The food itself, felt safe. Nothing over the top spectacular, but it was all just good. The menu felt a little limiting for vegetarians. You can also sit outside, and they usually have a nice open air concept at the restaurant. Great place for drinks as well! read more

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, quality food on the pricier side. A date and I stopped by here as we were looking for a place for lunch. Sadly they only serve lunch until three, which is when we arrived so we ordered from the dinner menu, which to me had much less options for my taste ( I really wanted to try that catfish po' boy!) We ended up ordering the Jack house spicy burger with jalapenos and "Hot lava" sauce, and I got the Southern Pulled Pork sandwich. They were both over $15- that is a tad pricey for any sandwich or burger (the burger was about $19). They both came with fries, which I thought was the redeeming quality of it all, as the fries were very tasty. The pulled pork however, was very lack luster- especially for as pricey as it was- it was mostly bread. My date seemed to enjoy his burger a lot- it was a thick piece of meat cooked to his liking "perfectly" as he stated. They offer an extensive menu of drinks, all of which looked very tasty, but once again a tad on the pricier side. Before our food had arrived, a waiter came around with a sampling of tiny muffins - jalapeno and some other kind- with what seemed like a savory chutney and a cinnamon butter, and gave it to us compliments of the house! I will say, this was the best part of the meal - they were absolutely delicious!! I do not even know if they were on the menu, but if you see them, I 100% recommend! Atmosphere was great as well, the interior was decorated so nicely, and it is in an old firehouse- how cool! There is a bar in the middle that was fairly busy on that Saturday, but it was still a nice and quiet environment! Very open air- with options for outdoor seating! The staff was all very nice , and quick service considering it was a busy day. Overall, this is a great place to take a date if you want to splurge a little bit. The atmosphere is classy but cool, and the food is adequate. I certainly must recommend those tiny muffins!! read more

After a brief hiatus during COVID-19, Jack's is back open! With decent space between tables on their side patio (also furnished with heat lamps along the perimeter and a decorative waterfall in the rear), the vibe is equally pleasant and safe. My girlfriend and I took advantage of a quiet Monday evening to dine out. We ordered a couple of appetizers, entrees, and several drinks. The portions are super generous (the menu says half rack of ribs but it's really 2/3 rack). We had to take most of it home. And in a nice touch to its patrons, Jacks continues to provide complimentary corn bread bites upon placing your order, and mini chocolate chip cookies after you pay the bill. I also want to give a quick shout out to the spectacular service. It's hard times for the restaurant industry, but Jack's hasn't lost its sense of community and charm. read more

Jack's Firehouse - St. Louis Ribs - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Came here for a quick lunch with my family. The kids chicken nuggets and fries were over cooked and rubbery. The salmon was overcooked as well. Not worth it for the steep prices. The servers were friendly but the service was slow. read more

"WEEEEEE-WOOOOOOOO.....WEEESEEEE-WOOOOOO" That's the sound my brain made when I discovered and entered this place! Just like a fire engine! Indeed, Jack's is an old local firehouse and still maintains all the old school vibes! Atmosphere? 10!...Service? 10? Great music, fantastic and attentive bartenders, and it wasn't even crowded on a Friday night! What a neighborhood gem! Even the beer taps look like old fire hydrants! Great local spot for a beer! Although I didn't try the food, I would go back 10/10 times! read more

Jack's Firehouse - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I don't know Jack. Which is something I've been told time and time again. However, I do know that I'm a big fan of Jack's Firehouse. Conveniently located across the street from Eastern State Penitentiary, Jack's is a cool, laid back place with an interesting menu and great beers. Sat at the bar and a lovely bartender I'll call "Barbara Ann*" served me. I call her that because she commented on my t-shirt from California and seeing her blonde hair and glowing tan, I knew she must be a California girl, and she was. She was delightful from start to finish. Had a glass of the Philly Pale Ale first...the taps look like old fire extinguishers. Could that be any cuter? Then, since it was brunch time, I got a complimentary serving of banana bread, biscuit and cornbread with a side of sour cherries. That was excellent and adorably plated (see picture). For food I had a crab cake sandwich with lava sauce and fries. Everything was delicious and I cleaned my plate. For doing so, I was rewarded with a complimentary cookie. What's better than a free cookie? Not much, in my book (yeah, I don't get out much). Located right off the 7 bus line, this is a great place to end your visit to the prison across the street. ____________________________ * for my younger Yelp friends, that's a Beach Boys song. If you need to find out who the Beach Boys are, ask your parents. read more

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I've been here a couple times and At this place it's really all about what you order. It could be a hit or a miss. And I feel like they recently redid the menu and in my option it's definitely an upgrade but I feel like this place is still a work in progress. Most recently I went here for brunch. Drinks: mimosa and Bellini. The mimosa was good. I felt like the strawberry purée in my Bellini wasn't as fresh as it could been but it was okay. My friend got a sangria and some of the fruit (apples and pears) had started to brown a little. Overall the fruit could have been a little fresher. For food we got 2 appetizers and an entree to share. The portions here are pretty big. We really didn't need to order all 3 things but we couldn't decide. An appetizer could easily be a meal here. And in my opinion the appetizers are better than the entrees. We got the lobster Mac and cheese, the calamari, and the breakfast quesadillas. The Mac and cheese was amazing and had a good amount of lobster in it. This is a must order. Perfect if you go with a big group. It's a very generous serving size. The calamari was okay. It comes with like tempura carrots and jalapeños. They added a lot of jalapeños and I wasn't too crazy about the dipping sauce. It's like a semi spicy white sauce. I'm more of a marinara person when it comes to calamari. The breakfast quesadilla was okay too. A little greasy. Very large. Easily split between 2 people. The salsa it came with was pretty good also. Service/atmosphere: Our waitress was fantastic. Friendly and On top of drink refills. The place itself I would really love to redecorate. Most of the decor just doesn't make sense to me. On the outside it's a pretty neat looking firehouse. I love when the weather is nice and they open up the doors. It's a really nice dining experience if you get a seat right out front. But when the weather isn't as nice and it's closed up and you start looking around at what they have hanging on the walls you kind of forget it's supposed to be a fire house. The drapes just need to go. Also they have like a row boat hanging from the ceiling above the bar and a giant crown on the wall in the back along with some other mismatch artwork. Overall I would go back. Maybe not order any drinks with fruit and make sure you go on a nice day and try and get some outside seating. They do also have tables outside along the side of the restaurant with some lights which also looked cute but the real experience is the tables right out front at the open fire house doors if you can get one. Also they are on open table but a reservation isn't usually needed. Maybe for a Saturday night but we had no problem getting a table for Sunday brunch. read more

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Yum! Interesting menu, delicious food, friendly service. Fun atmosphere. Felt festive for our family gathering.

Great ambiance and delicious food. The wedge salad is a half a portion I split and it was so fresh and tasty. The chicken fell off the bone and was mouth watering. Highly recommend coming here read more

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I had a really great experience here. I never get steak unless I'm at a steakhouse because I am very particular with how my steak is cooked. I had one of the best New York strips from his place. It had Gorgonzola butter and melted in your mouth. The server was very nice and on point. I will be back !! The shrimp was really good too. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Cajun butter basted shrimp - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I've walked by this restaurant a bunch of times and finally decided to stop in. Good service, generous portions, open during that weird time between lunch and dinner. The decor is a little old school but I won't dock a star for that. Overall I would definitely come back and eat here, especially in the summer when they have the side patio open read more

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We came for brunch when we walked in we were greeted right away and then seated. Tables are well spaced. Our server was friendly and brought our drinks right away. The complimentary mini muffins and cherries were very good. I ordered the French toast and bacon which was very filling and delicious. My husband had the pulled pork sandwich and fries which he enjoyed. My friend ordered the chicken and waffles which she had at another time and was delicious then and today. That chicken was fried perfectly. Her husband had the fried chicken with Mac and cheese and succotash which he said was very good. To end the meal they gave us complimentary chocolate chip with pecans cookies. They were good too. Definitely will be back! I told my family Jacks will be our next family outing. read more

absolutely delicious! Love the cheesesteak and fries. The bartender was lovely. They also sent us warm wulnut and chocolate cookies from the oven. read more

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Wait staff is incredibly attentive. Atmosphere is nice & pub style. Restaurant was formerly a firehouse with pole in tact. Ordered beverages of Kentucky Peach cocktail & Walt Whit Belgian Wheat which we're both good. Meals included a chicken portobello panini & bbq brisket sandwich. Brisket was zesty & a little fatty. Chicken sandwich was plentiful & very good. Ordered nutritious house Soup special of gazpacho soup with watermelon, Onions & heirloom tomato. Also we're served warm biscuits with butter & cherry compote. We're also served pecan chocolate chip cookies to top off the 3-4 course menu for $25-36/per meal read more

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Our Group dined at this location in Philadelphia as part of our traditional Christmas group event. I give kudos to Jack's for being able to accommodate a busload of people for dinner during the holidays. We were all seated together and we were all able to dine successfully without Any issues. This is a place that I definitely will return to eat. read more

My aunt took me to Jack's for my birthday dinner on a Tuesday night in August. I'm a firemen so she thought it was a good choice. We walked in around 7:15pm and almost all the outdoor seating was taken. If you sit out front your view is of the large stone wall of Eastern State Penitentiary. There is seating outside along the side of the building also. We wanted to sit at a table inside because it was a bit noisy out front. The host seated us immediately. We walked past the bar to the seating area in the back. The inside of the engine bay ( main dining room) has very high ceilings and most of the place is finished in hardwood. All I could think of was what type of trucks had been housed in this building back when it was a real fire house. Our server came over quickly and took our drink orders. They don't have a diverse beer selections but there were a few good choices. I had a Troegs Sunshine Pils and my Aunt had the Walt Whit. Our server grabbed our drinks quickly and she also gave us some home made biscuts & jam. The jam was really tasty. To start off I ordered the Calamari with Jalapeno Chips, Carrots & Hot Lava $9.95. This app came out so fast. The portion size was very big. The Calamari was breaded and fried to a perfect light golden brown. The Jalapeno's were spicy and went well with the dish. For dinner I ordered the NY Strip medium rare and my Aunt got the crab cakes. After we finished the Calamari I was starting to get full. Our dinners arrived and I was shocked at how large my steak was. It was over 1" thick and almost as long as the plate. The crab cakes were a nice size and didn't have much filler. I finished the steak much to our servers surprise. We finished our meals and grabbed one more round of drinks. As we asked for the check we were given (2) chocolate chip cookies that had just come out of the oven. I was too full to try them but my aunt gave them the thumbs up. All in all Jack's was a nice place. The menu was small but the food was fresh. They try to buy a lot of their ingrediants from farms in Pennsylvania. The service was the best I have had in a while A+. This is not a foodie's spot by any means but I will come back again. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Calamari & Jalapeños - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Jack's is a solid establishment. This has been a local favorite for many years and I have always relied in this as my 'go-to' first date place & just 'chill-out' place after movies or plays. The bartenders are usually friendly enough & the waitstaff are attentive and response to requests. The food is average--nothing jumps out as spectacular, but that's ok because it consistently delivers on most menu items. If you haven't gone--give Jack's a try, I'm sure you'll come away a satisfied customer. read more

We went last night for dinner, the food and service was good. We had lobster mac & cheese as our appetizer, delicious! For the entree we had bbq ribs and potato crusted salmon which was stuffed with crab meat; both entrees were very tasty and nice size portions. U are given greens and mashed potatoes to share, firehouse style :-) I am disappointed that they only offer burgers at the bar, their dinner menu does not include burgers. We asked our wait staff and she confirmed that their dinner menu does not include burgers and if we wanted one we would need to dine at the bar, it is a nod firehouse restaurant- they should at least have 2 burgers on their dinner menu. My boyfriend is a firefighter and trust me, they eat burgers for dinner at he firehouse! read more

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Great brunch place. It was quiet when we got there, but quite busy by the time we left. Great selection of brunch/lunch options. We were all pleased with what we ordered. service was fast and friendly. read more

Service is great and helpful but I wish the food could shine like that. Not very flavorful and sorta lacking freshness. I think maybe if one comes for a drink and an appetizer or two you'll be fine but for an actual 2 course meal...I'd pass. read more

We booked a large table and they were extremely accommodating and friendly to make sure all fit and had plenty of room. It was a hot day and they did not have the air on since they have open doors and windows. Very cool space with lots to look at and easy to get to since there is a parking lot across the street, The food was mediocre at best. 1) If you are going to have a cheese steak on your menu in Philly it better be good. It was not, no flavor, bread was not a good choice. 2) Fried chicken was dry on all of our entrees. 3) Biscuits on the eggs benedicts were dry and they skimped on the sauce. 4) the pulled pork was good but the choice of rolls was not. Food seemed bland... BUT, The pancakes are awesome! read more

Server was SO friendly. Food was ok. They started us off with corn muffins which were awesome. For my meal I got crab cake eggs benedict. The crab cake was good but the eggs were over cooked and needed more sauce. The potatoes were a little bland. My boyfriend enjoyed the steak and eggs and the sauce that came on top of it. At the end they gave us complimentary cookies from next door which were delicious! read more

Jack's Firehouse - Crab cake eggs Benedict and steak and eggs - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We had a group luncheon here a few weeks ago. We were disappointed that they gave us 2 tables. It could easily been horseshoe shape and accommodated all at one table. I ordered a hamburger Medium-Rare and it arrived black. I only ate a few bites and should have sent it back but we were too busy talking. I don't think we'll be going back .. read more

I just spent almost $200 on a terrible meal that went mostly into the garbage. We're here on vacation and visited Eastern State. Was looking for something close to eat for a late lunch. Party of 6. They looked at us like we were insane for not having reservations in a mostly empty restaurant. Service was subpar at best. We wouldn't have spent more on drinks if the waitress would have been around or asked. The food was not good. Six plates barely touched and no to go boxes. Not a question if there was a problem, just kind of ignored us. For all of the competition in the area, they really need to step up their game. read more

Very limited seating & menu. Overly priced. We were squeezed into a very small section of the bar & it was not a very pleasant place unless youre there just for happy hour read more

I've tried jack's twice, once for brunch and once for dinner and both were mediocre experiences. The servers are nice but the food is not good. The cheesesteak omelette was not good and neither was the burger. The burger had a weird bun that was way too large compared to the meat patty. The drinks were okay. I don't think I'll be going to jacks again, would rather go somewhere else on Fairmount. read more

Stopped in on a whim and very pleased. Really cool place and was decorated nicely for the holidays - helped put us in the holiday mood. Food was delicious. Pulled pork seemed North Carolina style and was great - both on chips and sandwich. Pancakes were delicious. And the complimentary warm cornbread muffins and complimentary cookies to end the meal were delicious surprises. Bloody Mary was really yummy too. Bathrooms were clean with fresh flowers which is always a good sign. And the staff was welcoming and warm. Our waiter - Ayomi (think I got that right?) was excellent - very polite, attentive and friendly. Really nice time all around. Wish the menu had a few more choices but what they have is great so I can't complain that much. read more

The place is pretty, but the food and the service were subpar. I ordered a fried chicken sandwich, which was fine. My dad order their chicken caesar salad and asked to have fried chicken on the salad instead of the regular chicken. The waitress said that would be impossible. Whatever her explanation was for why that would be impossible made it sound like their food is premade/frozen/not able to be customized. Sadly it also tasted that way. The salad was horrible. read more

After visiting the Eastern State Penitentiary across the street we were trying to find a late lunch (About 3:40ish) and it seemed like everywhere we stopped nearby before Jack's was in a state between "brunch" and "dinner" where they were not serving food. This was a lost concept on me. I didn't care about brunch or dinner. We just wanted food because we were starving! Finally we came across Jack's while searching on Yelp. Being from the south, when I saw BBQ I expected a menu consisting of different varieties of meat platters like brisket, ribs, etc. It was a bit different and fancier (tablecloths and all!) but it was nicely decorated and smelled good. When we walked in to get a table they asked if we had reservations. (Oh crap we thought) But there was an open table and they sat us down. The soup of the day was a shrimp bisque. That was delicious! Before our delicious (and perfectly cooked) fried calamari came out, they brought us a complimentary biscuit and cornbread with butter and cherry preserves(?). My wife got the potato crusted salmon which was really good. I (regrettably did not get the chicken breast with bacon Mac and cheese) got the burger and fries. About an average burger if I'm being honest but I mean that's my fault since there was a full menu of better things. The fries were really good though. We were too full for dessert, but the server brought us a couple of complimentary chocolate chip-pecan cookies with our check. Very great service and was highly appreciated. read more

Jack's Firehouse - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania