Pros: quick seating, servers were friendly and polite. Cons: the dining room smelled like straight up piss, it smelled like a bathroom! My lamb burger smelled and tasted like gas, like they used lighter fluid on the grill or something. read more

We had specifically gone to this area for tacos at the new/old taco spot up the street. Sadly they only serve breakfast until 3p. So we toddled down the street to see what was there. Came to Local 44 but it looked closed. Tried the door & it was open. Note to mgmt: clean your windows. Dusty. Not a good look. There is a long bar & tall tables with high top seats. Fluffy folks you'll need a hoist. But if you go around the corner of the wall, there are booths and regular tables with armless chairs! WINNER. Again with only a brunch menu, maybe beef it up a bit to counter the competition. We ordered the appetizer of sriracha eggs - which never came. 2 bloody Mary's- weak, watered down and zero flavor. Just bland. And 2 burgers. Medium. Which came just this side of tartare. I like rare. My son likes medium. These were neither. I ate mine being the ravenous Phat girl I am. My son got his to go. As we were getting ready to leave we realized this place had been subject of a recent boycott. Social justice issues, aside, it's the food, that wont bring us back. Why 3*** you ask? Service was good, attentive and fast. Although if it had been my table I might of asked why both one of the bloody Mary's & burger were untouched. Total bill sans non-delivered eggs and including tip: $55 Fat friendly: 2 double chins for seating options. read more

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Great spot for a drink. Good vibes, indoor and outdoor seating. Bar food worth getting

Good local bar with local vibe. Good selection of beers. Prices are reasonable for the area.

Had the fish and chips. Wasn't impressed. Small piece of fish smothered in thick batter with an over abundance of fries. So if you like fries that's the plate to order.. read more

The first time we tried going to this place it was packed and hard to get served. So we tried again and now I'm able to review it! Deviled eggs and the squash onion rings are both awesome. The sauce that was on it really made it and both dishes had the same sauce. Our actual entries weren't that good. I got a salad and the chicken was kind of weird. It felt like it was boiled and then chilled. I normally expect grilled chicken on my salad I guess. My wife got the Ruben and wasn't impressed. Waitress was very friendly and accommodating. We just weren't into anything but the appetizers. read more

They messed up my burger and fries. I ordered a medium burger. It was well done and the bacon on it was rubbery and hard to chew. My fries were also overcooked. I'm very disappointed , as we have been regular customers from the neighborhood. No offer of a discount or anything when I mentioned it. I don't trust sending it back and having it done wrong again by an angry cook. I don't understand. It wasn't even that busy. It was a rainy Thursday night. Maybe BC the owner wasn't there? Terrible. read more

This place is a hit or miss. I've been here many times. It's affordable and they have a great beer selection, fun quizzo nights, and a nice TV at the bar where you can watch sports games. Once, I ordered buffalo chicken wings, and they were some of the best chicken wings I've ever had, but the service I got from the bearded bartender was terrible. At other times, the food is lackluster, but the service is amazing - most recently from server Ashley, if I recall her name correctly. While I had great shrimp and grits for brunch at one point and the French toast is pretty decent, their fried Brussels sprouts are greasy and their cheeseburger is average. The fries that come with some dishes are either very crispy or very soggy, depending on the day. To its credit, Local 44 does not pretend to be anything more than what it is. If there was a bit more consistency in food quality, I'd give this place 4 solid stars because it's a good local bar to hang out with friends. read more

Local 44 - The 44 Cheeseburger - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

If you're craving a burger you have to stop by. Fries are great, apps are awesome, beer is great. Great service. A local go to spot for sure. read more

This place is a great place, love the food and the vibe here. Every time we have been here we have been taken care of with the hostesses and/or waitstaff. I am impressed with the vegan options. The Buffalo seitan dish is dee-lish! And if you eat meat, then the burger will totally satisfy that desire. And if you eat both, you will be hobbling out the door full beyond belief, almost in a food coma! Slowly trying the other dishes but it has been really good so far. Recommend! read more

Amazing neighborhood joint with great food (small menu, everything is 10/10) and great local draft list with good liquor selection. Wings are great, burger is great and unique. Staff is great and all work together to make sure everyone has what they need. read more

The food had tiny portion sizes, was extremely average, and was expensive. The service was slow and the waiter acted like he was annoyed to take my order, which was a burger that apparently takes almost an hour to make. The ambiance is being harassed by homeless people three times during the dining experience. Stay away. read more

Overpriced with small portions. Bartenders seem too busy chatting with regulars to take a drink order, even at the bar. I would suggest sticking with some of the local ethnic restaurants which seem to provide better service and more bang for your hard earned buck. read more

I live in South Jersey, work in North Philly, and often visit other areas of the city. Somehow, though, University City always remained blurry in my mind as a distant place that was just brimming with rowdy college kids and dive bars. Local 44 turned out to a pleasant surprise, with a casual atmosphere and decent prices. It was a Wednesday night and I wasn't in the mood for a more intense drink, so despite my beer-phobia, I selected the Hitachino ginger, and, well, finished it -- which is saying something. The bartender also heard me ask why they had a little man-like-thing hovering between their different liquors, and handed it over. Apparently, it's like a Russian doll (and, crap, I can't remember what he actually called it. A something-doll. It was fun.) If ever back in the area, I'd definitely stop in again! read more

Local 44 - Hitachino ginger. - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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great neighborhood spot with good food good ambiance good times helpful servers few nearby options for an elevated drink and dine experience--neighborhood would be lost without it read more

We just recently moved to Philly and this is our favorite local spot. Service is always great, very friendly and professional staff no matter what time of day you pop in. Good deals on food during happy hour(5-7). Highly recommend the Korean fried chicken and the french fries. Recently went during happy hour and they had a special for the night, hush puppies. If you can get your hands on them you have to try them, they were incredible. read more

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Local 44 is a neighborhood gem. This place was introduced to me by a good friend who also enjoys a nice craft beer. I enjoy the friendliness of the staff along with the surprisingly good food. I like when I stop by for lunch or after work - all times of the day you are greeted with warm staff and good service. I guess you would call me a beer snob and I have never had to turn up my nose at any of their beer selections. Local 44 will often invite brewers to come and promote their beer. I happened to come on my Fav Beer Night - DogFish Head - sampled some beers that were out of rotation previous years. it was real cool. If you haven't been - check it out for yourself. read more

I am a 68 year old scientist who retired from a successful career in the Pharmaceutical Industry. I was treated disrespect fully at Local 44 tonight. I have been a regular customer but that is no more. When I am seated at a bar and have already been served an alcoholic beverage or a food item I do not expect to be told by any patron that I am sitting in their seat with the expectation that I should move. That happened to me tonight and I will therefore never visit this restaurant/bar again. It's a great place to be treated poorly. read more

My partner and I went to Local 44 last night and left feeling completely unwelcome. My partner is very petite and was told that she couldn't sit at the bar - the insinuation was that she, a 40 year old woman, is a child. Worse still, after we cleared up the miscommunication, there was little acknowledgment that they had made a mistake and humiliated her. read more

Happy Hour Review! Overall Value: This place rocks for happy hour (5-7pm weekdays). A bunch of really great beers on draft for $3 + great bar food specials. One of my favorite, low key happy hour spots in Philly. The Food: These are all happy hour prices, so I definitely factored the great deal into my overall satisfaction :-) Buffalo Wings ($5): These were great. Five really big wings that had a nice smokey flavor underneath the buffalo sauce. Also available as BBQ or seitan wings. I can't resist getting these every time I come here. Fries ($4): Really large portion of shoe string fries that are fried well and have good flavor. Also a fantastic happy hour option. The 44 Cheeseburger ($9): This is normally $14, so solid savings here. It's a good burger - not $14 worth, but at $9 I have no complaints. Slightly small burger patty, but overall good flavor and juicy, and the sauce/cheese combo on it was on point. It also came with a kale salad, which was actually really solid and made me feel slightly better about my life choices. It makes up for the burger/wings/fries, right? Mac N' Cheese ($5): This one was a little disappointing. Just lacking in flavor. I added in some of the leftover wing sauce and that helped a bit, but I probably would not get this one again. This is a lot cheaper than their loaded mac n' cheese ($14), but that one comes with bacon, jalapenos, etc. I haven't tried the loaded version, so I can't say if those other additions make that version worth it. Space and Pace: Slightly divey with a distinctly West Philly vibe - in other words, I like it. It can fill up for happy hour ($3 drafts will do that), but there is a restaurant section in the back in addition to the bar section in the front. Potential to be my local watering hole for years to come. Service: We sat at the bar, and the bartenders are pretty friendly. It can be a little packed for happy hour, but we had no problem flagging them down when we needed them. read more

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Fantastic service, very friendly , great food and beers. Highly recommended. The hood side of west Philly without the sloppiness

DO NOT EAT HERE!!! They DENY service to IMMIGRANTS! You would think Philadelphia being the city of brotherly love would welcome everyone but this is not the case!! Being a West Philly local I have been coming here on the regular for year's.... Today I was denied service. I was not allowed to eat or drink because of racism. I have a foreign passport and was REPEATEDLY told I was not allowed to be served because I did not have a United States passport or license... "Americans ONLY". With everything West Philly stands for and represents I am just disappointed... It's 2021!!! Disgusting. read more

I came for brunch on a Sunday and was really underwhelmed by this place. The food was a bit greasy and took more than 30 mins to arrive. It could be a good concept but it really doesn't feel like it fits with this part of West Philly. It's trying to be a high end gastro pub and not quite succeeding in a neighborhood that doesn't need a high end gastropub. read more

Just ordered takeout tonight, literally haven't eaten there since the start of the pandemic. Tonight I got the lamb burger and it was next level. The smoked ricotta was amazing on there. It's nice to come back after a while and realize that the quality of the food has not changed. read more

I'm not a big seitan guy - but Local 44 really nailed it. Even on a cold day, they have great outdoor (and heated) outdoor seating with an incredible beer selection. They have these items called "hard times hoagies", which are a hoagies for a steal of 10$.I had their Living Legend, which is essentially their seitan cheesesteak (for 10$) and it was delicious. It was piled high, was very flavorful, filling, and just what I needed after a long shift. The staff are very friendly, eager to offer advice, and prompt. i definitely would recommend coming back. read more

I've been here a few times now and each time I like it more! The service is always superb, strangers are always conversational and the lighting is just the right amount of dim for me to feel cute! The vegetarian options are countless which is a win for everyone and also the animals! I've had the chicken wings years ago when I was still eating meat (delicious) and the other night I had the vegan seitan wings which were very good! The vegan ranch dressing was b o m b . I look forward to a future visit where I can explore more of the menu, gnocchi/ramen/pickled eggs/beignets etc and will update this review accordingly. Local 44 definitely feels like a perfect little west philly neighborhood bar where everyone no matter how different they might be, equally fits in. It just seems to work and I'm bout it bout it. read more

Started coming here right when I moved to Philly a few years back and have continued to return. I can't think of any other bar/restaurant in West Philadelphia that is like Local 44 - casual, good beer selection, and a solid menu that is slightly elevated bar food without being pretentious. It's a perfect "local bar" but isn't usually full of Boomers watching football that you see at other pubs in the area. Recommended in particular for a quiet solo dinner (with pickled deviled eggs) and a beer at the bar. read more

And now for another REAL review of Local 44 to counterbalance some of the fake ones that are still up for whatever reason. I stopped in on it's 3rd night of business and despite the obvious crowd it had me easily impressed. Service was still sporadic due to the fuster cluck of people inside. But it dished out a fantastic assortment of beers (Dark Wheat's, Framboise, and Coffee Porters oh my!) to compensate. It also had a great mix on the juke box that went from Weezer and Dinosaur Jr. to The Kinks and They Might Be Giants, to Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. And not only was the bathroom clean, it hand a hand dryer that was so powerful that it nearly blew my skin off. This place definitely has it's prospects that made it well worth the wait. But the best thing about Local 44 by far was the food. It might just be one of the better bars in Philly to go to for just eating. Even though they didn't offer any variations in Spiciness, the Chicken Wings are ranked among my top 3 in Philly. The hand cut fries were super delish. And they hook up veggie options like a Mushroom Po Boy, Broccoli Croquettes, and a loaded veggie burger. And any meat lover may swoon over the Cuban Sandwich. I know I'm sold! read more

Local 44 could very well be the Grace Tavern of West Philly. It's a little darker and a little more low key than other bars. Probably the kind of spot where you'd be a regular if you lived nearby. You'd feel comfortable grabbing a bite and a beer by yourself at the bar, knowing that a friendly team of bartenders and servers would provide the perfect company. All these things said, I'm not in West Philly super often so I have pretty limited experience with Local 44. I've always liked the place for a beer or two, though the food is more hit or miss for me. Most recently, for brunch, I thought the shrimp and grits with a poached egg were a home run but the breakfast sandwich with Canadian bacon, egg and cheese was a letdown (give me thick-cut, crispy bacon over that other stuff any day!). The bloody Mary was good - very heavy on the horseradish, if that's your thing - but the beermosa was a little too heavy on the OJ, in my opinion. No champs at the bar ruled out a mimosa. Since this was only my first time eating a full meal there, I'd definitely be interested in checking out lunch or dinner sometime. I know I've had a snack or two in the past but it's been so long I can't remember details. So I'll just have to get back there next time I'm in the neighborhood. read more

Local 44 - lobster pot pie for Labor Day - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I stopped in here on a Saturday afternoon after meeting my parents who were in UCity with my sister. We needed a place that was comfortable, had plenty of beer and wasn't near the Erin Express/Disaster. Local 44 did the trick, as expected. Pros: Service was fast and friendly. Regular water fillups, quick ordering and beers were returned/delivered quickly. We surprisingly all got the burgers. They had an impossible burger which I regretted not trying. However, my 44 CheeseBurger was great, with a well melted American slice on top and a BBQ sauce which approached but tasted more flavorful than something like a Big Mac "Special Sauce." The fries were enjoyable but slightly on the thin size and the ketchup provided seemed to have been done so ironically (like it was barely there). Extra ketchup wasn't hard to come by though! Cons: Apparently, one burger was served under the preferred medium temp - I wasn't really paying attention, but apparently one of my parents was unhappy. They ate it anyway when I offered to say something. I guess it wasn't that big of a deal. YMMV. The beer prices were in line with normal local/micro brews, but the food seems a little high for West Philly (14 dollars for a burger and fries). The happy hour deals are pretty solid, so it all evens out. Conclusion: Comfy, cozy, relaxing and enjoyable - Local 44 does the trick without or at least less of the college rif raf. The neighborhood is shifting which I suppose supports the prices, but it can be a little high. None-the-less, quality and experience is there. I can and do return. read more

It's hard to have a bad time at Local 44! While the lights are dim and the place is a little loud, people are always enjoying themselves, eating tasty vegetarian appetizers or drinking from the extensive list of beers and wines. This place is definitely one that encourages its neighbors to consistently come for multiple dates, drinks, food, or whatever else you use a bar for. The neighborhood isn't the easiest for bar hopping, but you can definitely spend an evening here and not be disappointed. Bartenders are nice, striking some good conversations and giving good recommendations, but I've also come and had an overworked, rude-ish server so it just depends on the night and the mood. read more

We've been coming here over the past couple years and it has become quite apparent that the quality of the food they serve has consistently improved. Aside from offering a really good selection of draft beers/ales, they really do have some fantastic bar food. Roasted Brussels sprouts. Trust me. These are Brussels sprouts that kids would eat. In fact, you might even fight some kids for these. Balsamic glaze, roasted perfectly. Amazing with beer. Git 'em done. 5/5 Red hot eye wings. Ummm. I think my favorite flavored wings in the city. Now I imagine there are many I haven't tried yet but seriously. What an amazing blend of flavor - coffee, cola, and sriracha - ummm. Amazingness. Fish & chips - pretty good - heavily battered but crispy on the outside, protecting the flaky fish inside. However, what really blew us away was the "mushy peas." Try it once and you'll know what I'm talking about! Scallion hush puppies. What's not to like about this? It's pretty much a staple here. Very well done. You got some sweet and savory in this one with the mustard maple sauce. read more

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My boyfriend and I came here tonight and were seated outdoors by one of the heaters. The ambiance was very cute and we felt safe the entire time (Covid). We ordered the brussel sprouts for our starter and I ordered the fish fry while my boyfriend had the burger. We really enjoyed our entrees! They have beer and wine here. They don't have any fancy cocktails but do have a bar so you can still order gin & tonic or other basic drinks. All of the staff were nice! We will definitely be back to try more. read more

My friends and I swung in here post the event at City Tap House and had a pretty alright time. The waiter was on the ball and attentive for the most part and I probably scared him away after telling him we enjoy reviewing restaurants on Yelp but oh well. They apparently changed up the menu since the last time my friends were here so out goes the banh mi selection. I settled on splitting a order of disco fries which was essentially fries covered in gravy and cheese. It was pretty OK but to be honest, I would've much rather had my fries drenched in gravy and cheese because I love heart attacks on a plate. Though I didn't order any beer, the selection here was sweet so I'm definitely looking forward to a round 2. I really liked the lighting and set-up of the place- overall, a great atmosphere for food and drinks. read more

My hiatus didn't last long. It's just so convenient. I realized within a quarter of a block that I had forgotten my ID. Luckily the bouncer recognized me and let me partake in Bill M and my juvenile Olympic Ceremony drinking games. We were drinking to mustaches... Also, after weeks and weeks of asking they finally got a few wheat beers on tap. I'm still a fan... of the bar, not the ratio (m:f). read more

Local 44 - Bill M's fish and chips - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

What can I say? This place never fails me. My absolute favorite bar in philly. Best beers. best French fries. Damn good atmosphere. Love this place. read more

I love Local 44! I would give them 5 stars for their beer selection, which is varied and reasonably priced. (And happy hour is a great deal: local drafts that are normally $5-6 are $3 each.) The atmosphere is nice too: lively, but usually not too busy to get a table (unless it's during Sunday night trivia). The only thing I'm unimpressed with is the food. There's a wide selection of vegetarian and meat options, which is appreciated, but most of the (vegetarian) things I have tried are pretty mediocre. When I come here with friends, I usually get just an appetizer, because their entrees are just not worth it for me. The bottle shop next door is also worth a visit! read more

I've been living in West Philly for 11 years now. Needless to say, Local has been my watering hole for many years and I've been here countless times over the year, and it pains me to give them a non-stellar review but I have to be honest. But let'st start with the good Beer. Come here for the beer. Their beer list is always good, and they are always running nice events, happy hour next door at their bottle shop, participating in the Philly Beer week. Seriously, 5/5 stars on their beer game, fair prices and great selection. Also I'd like to give the bartender/server last night 5/5 stars too -- I wish I knew his name -- but he's stellar. He noticed as soon as we sat down that we weren't serviced by other servers, so he came over promptly with our menus and beer list. His service throughout the night was also perfect, came over appropriate times to see if we wanted another round, to check on the food. honestly some of the best service I've ever received anywhere, so big big kudos! The reason for the less than stellar review, is really their food. It pains me to say, their food has really been sucking over the last few years. It's always been good, standard, OKAY at least. But the food really saddens me now. I've had too many bad experiences now to look the other way. Case 1, their mushroom ramen soup was really underwhelming and extremely overpriced for the quality. There was barely any soup, few toppings and mushrooms, and I was hoping for a nice deep mushroom flavor broth -- it was very bland. Last night, we ordered the $12 ginger scallion Asian noodles. It was pretty bad.. I give it a 2/5 especially for the price. They use regular American spaghetti noodles, and lightly dress it with ginger and scallion, and it was pretty flavorless, again bland. Then comes the opposite offense, the Vietnamese wings were insanely INSANELY oversalted, and way too much fish sauce. I could barely eat because the smell was so overpowering.. and I come from a household that uses fish sauce regularly. And the saltiness, was 10/10 on a salt scale. The mac and cheese I've had before too, and also insanely underwhelming -- kind of bland and just okay. My go to's before were the seitan buffalo nuggets -- which weren't on their menu last night -- but that's one thing I actually really do love there. It's such a bummer Because.. i really love Local. I don't know if it's the nostalgia, or the good service or the beer that brings me back. But the food is so bad that it makes me not want to go sometimes.. because when I drink good beer, I want a really good meal to go with it too! I really wish it was the best of both worlds. If they up their food game , they would EASILY be a 4 or 5 star place because their service and beer list are always on point. Just please, please improve the food / menu or maybe the food is just inconsistent/ inconsistent cooks? From a foodie that really wants to love your establishment, pretty please with a cherry on top. It's just a bummer because I love the ambiance, but I love good food too and I just can't justify continuing to pay for underwhelming food time after time. read more

If you like beer this is your spot! I go in and try a random one every time I visit and while all aren't my fav, it's amazing to have such variety. I wish they would bring the old sides for the fried chicken back, because the chicken is bomb! Just wish it came as a true meal. read more

I was visiting from California and went here for drinks and a super late dinner drinks ...we picked thIs spot bc there aren't many non-dive options in that area and we loved their other restaurant nearby called Clarksville. And Local 44 didn't disappoint! The service was great and food came out quick Plus, they have a full bar! The bartender made me a delicious Manhattan! I got the beet burger (I'm not vegetarian, but prefer veggie pattys) and it was good although- I think maybe a little burnt- but I liked it that way! And I love condiments so their homemade ranch dressing was perfection...The side salad was AMAZING! Could use less dressing though My fiancé got a burger, I think it was a bit undercooked :/ ...the fries weren't bad, but disappointing bc they were tiny, skinny ones that seemed broken from the bottom of the bag ...not like the thicker ones that people posted pics on yelp of so maybe they made a fries change -_- read more