Opening night at Stateside was delightful. Despite an inevitable air of over-enthusiasm, jitteriness and confusion, the staff and kitchen held it together beautifully. Great job from the Green Eggs team. The space itself is lovely - 1930's americana/industrial themed, I suppose. Poured concrete bar makes for a great centerpiece, and the faux exposed bricks look stellar. View from the corner seat at the bar makes Passyunk Square seem almost epic. In the summer there will be seating at an outside bar running the length of the windows. Real game changer for the Square. In accordance with their theme, all drinks are domestic. Makes for some fun cocktail improv when you go to order a Tanqueray and Tonic. The beer list is small but perfectly crafted. It's unbelievably clear here that the chef is of the 13th Street family. My boyfriend actually said to me not knowing this: "Stateside is like the South Philly Barbuzzo!" So as you may imagine, the menu centers around a diverse array of small plates, offering something for everyone. The Foie Gras with Butternut Mousse was, for me personally, delightful. The richness of foie tempered by the sweet, delicate squash made for a decadent but not at all overwhelming treat. But at $12 for a tiny jam jar half full, it's probably not going to be a regular indulgence. A mound of Steak Tartare, though, might be. Prepared untraditionally, it touted small tender flakes of steak instead of a minced or ground paste. The outstanding texture of the beef was, unfortunately, thrown off by the misguided addition of hazelnuts - but none of that mattered when distracted by the slight crunch of truffle from the devilishly good vinaigrette. Brussel Sprouts were out-shined by their oyster mushroom neighbors, and the Skate Wing, while well cooked, was ruined by a lack of flavor and excess of chewy barley. That said, it was an overall wonderful meal in a charming space on one of my favorite corners. Not a cheap one (at $80 for 2), but a really nice ritzy one. In fact, we only left out of respect to the establishment to give others a chance to enjoy the "South Philly Barbuzzo" experience. We certainly could have sat there all night. And we probably will. Watch out, wallet. JUST AN ASIDE: Groups beware - it's cozy! read more

Great!! Sat at the very cool bar, great huge windows with an amazing view of the east passyunk area. This place is small, so either make a reservation if you want a table, or just know that you might wait, but really... The bar is awesome. We had cocktails ( beautifully crafted), top shelf whiskey (all American whiskey), and the beer was a great selection. Everything there is produced STATESIDE. Don't go in looking for tequila. We ate the rabbit roulette, Brussels sprouts, pork belly, steak tartare, oysters,. Goat cheese, and maybe something else. They were all small plates. There were three of us, we were stuffed and the food was just crazy good. I highly suggest you just go in, let one of the very friendly bartenders choose all of your food ( thanks Lenny!), and enjoy yourself. This place was wonderful, not cheap, but very worth it for the money. Same folks who own Green Eggs own this spot. Very well done, just another reason to love Philly!!! read more

The lobster salad fresh and dressed well, the lobster was cooked perfectly. It was very earthy and pleasant. The Parmesan croquettes were good, but the pickled vegetables underneath elevated it to great. The skirt steak was okay, but after the server explained why the steak shouldn't be cooked above medium, it was disappointing that it came out well done and kind of tough. The beets and grilled watermelon were good and the tomato salad was interesting with chili powder and fennel seeds. The cocktails were very good and the beer selection was well thought out. I don't have any major complaints; for the most part the food was well executed and good, but it was ultimately forgettable. For the price we paid, I probably would go back for a drink, or the $1 oysters, but wouldn't sit down to dinner. read more

I'm a fan of Green Eggs so naturally, I was very excited to check this place out. The four of us went out on Friday around 9:30pm and the place was pretty packed. As you may have read, its not entirely spacious inside but we were lucky enough to get seated for 4. The apps are very tasty, especially the duck sausage. The others are also small plates but they contain much more than tapas style food. The only reason that I did not rate this 5 star is the price per pour of the whiskeys. When compared to a place like Time, the prices are similar but Time has much larger pours from what I've found. Regardless, I look forward to going back again read more

We had appetizers which were very good. The Steak Tartar was a 3.8 out of 5. Tough to get Tartar (much like Bloody Mary's) to be excellent in my book. The staff was terrific. The dining area and bar were rather cold on the wintery day we visited. But the real BEEF I have is a $7.00 up-charge for a $11.00 cocktail, so a Manhattan cost $18.00!!. Who charges that? Not even the bar at the Ritz. And know that this upcharge was not for some precious liqueur! But Rittenhouse Rye. A Rye that retails for $21.99 at most retailers. Just a few dollars more then Jim Beam sells for!! So, in addition to being unbelievably offensive to be gouged to such an extreme. It makes one wonder where else this establishment is gouging their customers. read more

We really enjoyed this place. Great vibe. Great drinks. Good food. The only reasons it's not five stars are: 1- Need some sound deadening acoustics inside. WAY loud for such a small place. 2- the menu....while excellent..is tiny. Otherwise great time. We will go again. Terrific indoor/outdoor space. read more

It's easy to get sucked in to this place. I just wanted to check the place out for a drink, and before I knew it I had stayed for more than two hours. The setting was upscale but unpretentious. Alone, I was able to strike up friendly conversations at the bar (this is far from a pick-up-joint, however). I got comfortable at the bar with a Big Eye IPA. The rest of their beer list is just as great. After watching plate after plate whizzing by for the first 20 minutes, I decided to try two of the cheeses. A cheddar from Lancaster was out-of-this-world, and the blue , from VT, was milder than I typically like but still very good. The portions and prices for the cheese were very fair. In fact, I would say the portions were bigger than some comparable plates I've had recently at Vintage, Tria, and Talula's Garden. While I downed my second beer, I checked out the wine list. I wouldn't call it extensive, but it seems to be carefully selected and very reasonable (nearly every selection was $6 or $7 per glass). One particular red, the Firesteed Pinot Noir from Oregon, I had tried only a week earlier at Vintage, and it was excellent. I'm pretty sure it was $11 per glass at Vintage, so at $7 a glass at Stateside, I'd say the prices are more than fair. It's also only $35 per bottle, so it would be a suitable companion to dinner. After talking to the bartender for a while about lots of the menu items (she was warm and friendly, by the way), I decided to try the duck sausage and brussel sprouts. Both were amazing--I don't even know where to start. I'll just say that I'll order them during every future visit. The bartender and I also talked about some of the cocktails, which seemed to be prepared with the same care and preparation as everything on the food menu. On future visits, I look forward to trying some of the cocktails, as well as some of the large plates. I'm excited to have this place in my neighborhood, whether for a drink or a full meal. You won't be disappointed, either, if you decide to take it for a spin. read more

This place was charmingly casual and delicious! I loved everything we ordered and had a great dinner experience on a random Wednesday night. I went with my brother, who is a chef for Jose Garces, and he is very particular and opinionated. He was very impressed with the variety of the menu and the flavor composition. The smoked pork rillettes were probably my favorite - such an interesting application (served in a jar and meant to be wrapped in bibb lettuce). The cauliflower was surprisingly spicey which I loved. Another one of the people I was with is a vegetarian and there were plenty of options for her (parsnip soup and shaved vegetable salad - both dishes were fresh and had sharp, clean flavors). The chef at Stateside just won a national sausage contest a few months ago, so we had to order the duck sausage which was by far the most delicious meat we had. The pork belly a close second. The portions were perfect for sharing and I left feeling satisfied but not stuffed or comatose. Go here! It's a great neighborhood hang out but could also be a good choice for out of town guests wanting something different yet very "Philly". The beer and wine list was also very good! read more

Unbelievable loud. We were at a table for four and could only speak to the person directly opposite us. Diagonal conversations weren't possible. Screaming, maybe. My ears were ringing the next day and my voice was hoarse. Surly and condescending service. Frankly, I don't the guy cared at all. Food was average. Tip for business: Sound baffles! Curtains, soft panels, anything! read more

Last time I came here for happy hour my friends and I were sitting outside and nobody else was. Our server asked us to leave because more people would be coming. It was rude and I honestly think the manager should be embarrassed. Your oysters aren't even that good too read more

This glass is half empty... I guess I had a radically different experience from others here. I went for the first time this weekend- and will not be going back. I love a good Old Fashioned. That is not what I received. The glass was crammed with liquor-soaked fruit, and very little liquor. I kind of wanted a drink with my drink, you know? I mentioned that none of our glasses were full, I was just told that the components were measured- full stop. The portions on the small plates were ridiculously small - and in the beets and white asparagus pickle, there were exactly two whisps of shaved asparagus. It's like they're trying to be Jose Garces' Trading Company, and failing miserably. Sad- because I really wanted to like it- great atmosphere. If the food can't deliver though, forget it. read more

IAte dinner at Stateside tonight as part of Passyunk Avenue Restaurant week. It was utterly incredible. First of all, the restaurant is small, which keeps the sound level low and the bustle under control. My friend and I had a three course meal, but we were allowed to talk and linger and spent two hours eating our dinner. The restaurant is quite dark, and the presentations of the food are quite unusual, so you really have to focus on the tastes in each dish. What they do with vegetables is amazing. The flavors are intense....and the combinations unusual....bringing out unusual flavor accents. The selection of bourbon is incredible. I had a bourbon pairing with each course and was astounded by the difference in taste, smell, and smoothness of each drink. I think this is a restaurant that requires food sophistication. The servings are small, and require attention to appreciate the presentation and taste of each element. It was a wonderful experience and I definitely want to go back many times! read more

My good friend and fellow yelper Adrienne R. cajoled me into a Friday night, post-work, post-happy hour dinner at Stateside with her good friend Daniel B., and my fiance. I agreed to go only if we didn't stop at home to change out of work clothes, because otherwise I probably wouldn't have gotten back out my apartment door. I'm glad she assented to my terms, because otherwise I would have missed out like whoa. Stateside completely wow'ed me. We tried a bunch of yum yums, including: pickled carrots, parmesan croquettes, warm summer bean salad, crispy cauliflower, marinated broccolini, crispy pork belly, and scallops. First off, can I get me some of those carrots to go please? Maybe I would stop eating candy all day at work if I could munch on those savory sticks. They were so good. Great palate cleanser. The parmesan croquettes were really delightful. A warm ooze of cheese emerged from the extra crispy shell. The bean salad was fresh, the scallops flavorful and cooked to perfection, and the pork belly done just right. There came with the pork belly a ball-like item, maybe fried terrine of some sort? I wasn't in love with it, but I'm also not into terrines. The crispy cauliflower and broccolini were the table's faves. One of them came with fried capers. Whoda thought that was a genius idea? Only chef George. The broccolini had a duck fat aioli of some sort that made it finger lickin' good. I cannot remember which dish the following relates to. But one dish had a few cherry tomatoes on it. I bit into one and exclaimed, "what is that!!" It was unlike any cherry tomato I'd ever tasted. Sweet, tangy, citrusy, amazing. Completely unique. Just like the rest of my meal at Stateside. Ok, so there were 4 of us, and we got all 4 desserts. Each was amazing, but the poached peaches were super fresh, the butterscotch mousse on the ice cream sandwich was not too sweet, right amount of salt. But the rice milk panna cotta stole the show for me. The cayenne in the chocolate really came to life a few seconds after you first put the chocolate in your mouth. The avocado was a unique and fun addition, and the panna cotta itself was great. Love love love Stateside. So glad I got here! PS thanks to Daniel B. and his hookups at Stateside for some comp'ed items! read more

This is going to make me sound like a total brat but let's get this out of the way: I like to be the first to review a place whenever possible. I will go out of my way to make that happen. So it's really annoying when two people have reviewed Stateside even though they didn't eat at the restaurant, but rather the chef's trial runs at Green Eggs. Note that Green Eggs is a different restaurant than Stateside. If Morimoto himself came to your kitchen to cook you a private dinner that doesn't mean you can review Morimoto's restaurant. Point taken? So tonight I actually WENT to Stateside because this was their first night in operation. I felt a little awkward there by my lonesome. But I had just gotten back from a night of gay men's chorus-ing and wanted to just head there right afterwards as I live a mere two blocks away. I was prepared to only order the foie gras and butternut squash mousse and two glasses of wine. This plan snowballed into a larger, nearly $70 (after tip) extravaganza of decadence. Wow--they are really not fucking around with the food here. Some of the best food I've had in the city, no doubt about it, and everything exceeded my expectations. Said mousse ($12) was delightful and the blood orange and parsley salad provided a lovely relief from the richness. The accompanying crostini were also very good. I had this with a glass of sauvignon blanc ($6) which was OK. They could probably swankify their wine list a bit more to match their food, and all the wines were American which I thought was a little odd. This was followed by two delectable cubes of maple-glazed pork belly with fried grits (also in cube form, and it looked just like the pork), apples and cider jus, all very artfully presented and topped with microgreens ($12). This was quite phenomenal--very tender pork and amazing grits. My chosen accompaniment of Founder's breakfast stout ($8) was also very enjoyable and my first time trying that beer. I know people always make a big fuss about it so it was nice to actually have one. For dessert, another Founder's (why not) and another strong offering from the kitchen: smoked chocolate tart (I wouldn't have called it a tart--it was more like a cube of pot de creme) with crumbled graham crackers and house-made marshmallows (the texture of this was more like a creme anglaise--in any case it was way, way better than what one normally thinks of as a marshmallow). Quite a small portion but big on taste and richness. Reasonably priced for $6. The space is pretty small and tastefully designed in an industrial chic manner--very cool brick work, NYC-loft-esque lighting and modern feel. Many of the people there were trying their best to be chic with it. Center City dwellers who deigned to venture south of Washington for one night, some locals and a few errant hipsters--they were all there. Think of Stateside as Passyunk's answer to Tria, albeit a different sort of concept. It will be interesting to see what effect (if any) this place has on other bars and restaurants in close proximity. Food-wise it blows most everything around it out of the water. Generally speaking the food is the sort of stuff you'd find at Fond--not Watkins Drinkery, the POPE, Cantina or the like. You will pay a pretty penny for what you get at Stateside but the food is of the highest quality. They do have a few larger plates and I would like to see them have a few more. The one faux pas of the evening was that I was charged a dollar for extra crostini which were brought to me but I didn't order (even though I was going to ask for more to finish the mousse) but this was taken care of by the waitress without a problem. I hope I can restrain myself having this place so close to me, but I also eagerly await my next visit. read more

I'm really down with Stateside. A good happy hour is one of the quickest ways to my heart, and Stateside has one of the best. 5-7 M-F the decent beer list, which is already reasonably priced, is half off. To top it off, dollar oysters are served up by the plateful. The atmosphere here is pretty cool, they're going for the classy 1950s era where cocktails were king. The bartenders are dressed smartly, and the whole concept just seems to work. For the food, none of the small plates are large enough or tasty enough to leave a memorable impression. It's good at the time; but that's about the best I can say. I won't be back for a meal any time soon. The staff is working out some kinks to this new place, and the space is small, but I'm down. The new American tapas is an interesting concept, albeit a bit pricey. At the very least, check it out for happy hour before this place gets mobbed. read more

I'm not sure what to make of Stateside. I'm not sure if it's the small, slightly awkward space with the bar seating facing the windows. That actually has a bit of a charm to it, enabling people watching on the avenue. The menu is ambitious, with prices to match, and maybe it's just the escalation of the neighbourhood, but it feels pricier than it is. It's almost like someone transplanted a Rittenhouse or Washington West gastropub into affordable, down to earth Passyunk. It seems like they've realised their beer prices were on the high side, as since my visit their menu seems to have adjusted anything that would be a dollar more than at neighboring bars. Their exclusively American whiskey list on the other hand is more reasonable then center city peers but still shockingly expensive at the low end ($9 for a shot of Jack Daniels?), while their cocktail list thankfully doesn't break the $10 barrier. For food, we split a cheese plate with the 3 daily options, all delicious and well paired, but as is par for the course there were too few slices of bread to go around, resulting in some dagwoodesque piling of the remaining cheese on the last slices. A housemade duck sausage hit the spot, despite being somewhat underspiced. I am looking forward to getting back there in the spring, when the windows open to the avenue and the street is alive with people exploring one of this city's best neighborhoods, as it continues to grow, with new options like Stateside. read more

Still my favorite place in town after another stellar meal. I had to try the new fall menu and it didn't disappoint. The only drawback the entire meal was the huge windows were open the entire time - it was super chilly and from me, that's saying something. The food, however, was flawless with the parsnip soup with vanilla poached lobster being the highlight along with the chef's board. I could have eaten my weight in chicken liver mousse...so romantic...I know... The duck sausage with sweet potato puree was also outstanding. Honestly, everything was great down to the pickled carrots and the beer. The service was also good and attentive; I'm not sure what people are fussing about, if you want to have a conversation with someone, go to a coffee shop... read more

My visit to Stateside was during beer week and at a time when the place was completely full of folks trying to get out of the rain, so that calls for cutting some slack, especially since one tirelessly running waiter seemed to have to do everything by himself (he showed grace under pressure). As for serving expensive beers in plastic cups: not cool. I will accept that at a street fair but not in a restaurant. The reduced menu offered a barbecue sandwich and we ordered it: the sandwich was basically soft cooked pork in an insipid tomato sauce - not a whiff of barbecue and very underwhelming. I might go back for a more "regular" visit, the reviews are very good, but my first time at Stateside was definitely no more than "a-ok." read more

Ate here tonight with my wife and our little baby, and felt at ease among the diverse patrons. A good draft beer list looked great when I learned most were $3 until the 7 PM happy hour ends. The cheese appetizers were excellent, but the fried homemade goat cheese over sautéed escarole had me feeling giddy. The scallops were another highlight, and the selection of pickles keeps a steady flow of salt and acid complementing the alcohol. The old hardwood floors and an inspired use of an expansive window by the front bar create an organic feeling that this place belongs here, even though I learned the building languished for a long time as a defunct former laundromat. The service was sincere, and the background jazz worked. Looking forward to going back for another weeknight early dinner. read more

Hometown bar feel without the bad bar food! This tiny gem is one of those places you'll always go back to. Inventive and classic cocktails and great small plates (no wings or poppers!) All the dishes are thoughtful, unique and flavorful, whether you're at a table or bellied up to the stone bar. I'd love to see the wine list expanded beyond the "one of each flavor " range. Service was stellar, though, and that makes up for a lot. read more

Does this place even have a manager? Can't speak to their food of late but I can speak to how their staff treats the community - using residents' stoops and front sidewalks as their own personal smoking areas. Chef whatshisname and prep guy soandso literally sitting on neighbors' steps, smoking and checking their instagram feeds. Um, do you really need someone to tell you explicitly how lame and unthoughtful this is? How about unprofessional? Do you guys remember you were the #1 restaurant in Philadelphia a couple of years ago? If by chance this place still has a general manager, please ask your staff to tuck themselves away on the commercial corridor of Passyunk Avenue and not treat the residential street like they own it. Sure looks like a fun place to work...LOTS of smoke breaks. I only hope they're washing their hands before serving your food and drink - with the sheer volume of staff popping in and out of there, you've got to wonder. Keep it classy, Stateside. read more

Came here for a drink on Saturday 5/12 while waiting for a table at Palizzi Social. Greeted curtly by the host with "do you have a reservation" and told us there was no room to stand inside so come back in 45 min. Meanwhile it as starting to rain. We were about to go somewhere else and there were some open stools outside so we grabbed those and ordered $50 worth of drinks. The rain got worse before we could finish our drinks so we tried coming in again - the host continued to be rude and tell us there was no space for us (even though there was) despite the swirling storm outside. We were forced to chug our drinks and go elsewhere. Will never come back here. All bartenders were nice to us at least ! read more

Had a very pleasant New Year's Eve experience at Stateside. Interesting fixed menu and attentive service. Am hoping to go back on a more normal night to experience the food and drink selections. read more

The highlight of our meal- Cauliflower. Wow did I every think I would be raving about Fried Cauliflower? I have to say I really like this place. They throw the windows open during warmer nights, the service was phenomenal and comparable to much higher end restaurants, and the small plates were delicious. I did leave a bit hungry and sometimes I'm not a big fan of the small plate concept, but overall Statewide is a solid choice and great for a date night... read more

Nice restaurant located in the Passyunk Ave. section of South Philly. Small tables. The table size may not be an issue if you don't order a lot. You have to get really lucky to find a parking spot so I would suggest valet parking. The valet($12) works for most of the restaurants in the area, but not all. If you go to a restaurant that doesn't participate in the valet program then it's roughly $22. This particular day(5/17/15) it was kinda humid, so my guest and I were a little uncomfortable, but I won't blame that on Stateside (although ceiling fans may have helped). The food and service were good. The duck was particularly tasty. A return trip is in order. read more

So happy a good spot like this has opened. More than a gastro-pub, less than a fine dining spot, Stateside is an excellent choice for anyone who loves whiskey, is an adventurous eater, and has some deep pockets. As the title implies, the drink are from the bourbon trail, which is a wonderful theme. I got a perfectly made Old Fashioned- wow it was good. The food was quite good too. Loved the small and large plates. Loved the items, especially the pork belly and the cheddar cheese plate. The pork belly was so mch more decadent that the bacon-impressionist pork bellies I have had at a few other places. Now, there are a few bum notes. Actually, only one. The prices vs.portion-size are all sorts of out of whack. If me and a friend spend $120, we should go home well fed. Just saying. And I am pretty sure they know this, as the waiter specifically asked me how I felt about the plate sizes (after I ordered a SECOND cheddar plate.... it simply wasnt enough). I am confident that this spot will be one of the best eateries in Passyunk, if not all of Philly, very soon. read more

This place is exactly what it should be. Went there on a Sunday night after a Philly Beer Week event so the place was pretty packed, put my name in for a table then walked down East Passyunk while we waited. The hostess said it'd be about 45 minutes, but when I came back around that time she very apologetically said that no tables had freed up. Got a table about 15 minutes later which wasn't a huge issue, but regardless they comped us our first round of drinks for the inconvenience. Great service extended through dinner as well. The food was approachable, yet exciting. Bone marrow & truffle sausage was delicate and accented nicely by the sunchoke pickle. I don't know what a sunchoke is, but it was damn good. Maple glazed pork belly was similarly well done, with the strong maple flavor somehow not being overpowered by the citrus from the apple and vice versa. Tried some scallops and whipped goat cheese as well, both were excellent. Just had one beer but the list was extensive enough for most. read more

Although the small space (which includes a nice long bar and a dining room with 10 or so tables) felt slightly stuffy, Stateside's summer menu was perfect for a hot night out. Comprised of mostly small plates, the menu had plenty of light, fresh options to choose from. I was impressed with the cocktail and beer menu, which included a nice list of drafts (Hell or High Watermelon anyone?) as well as a nice specialty/classic cocktail list and a pretty extensive whisky menu. I tried The Avenue - Ginger infused Jim Beam Rye, sweet vermouth, fresh ginger - which was very refreshing. I saved the cheese/meat/pickle section for next time, but it all sounded awesome. We started with the Chilled Lobster & Bibb Lettuce Salad, which was drenched in a green goddess dressing (a little too much) and the mouthwatering Chilled Cucumber & Yogurt Soup which had tiny cubes of fennel gelatin scattered among nice big chunks of lump crab (highly recommended). Finally we moved onto the delicious Day Boat Scallops (served w/ zuccini puree, corn salad, and oyster mushrooms) and Bone Marrow & Truffle Sausage which was good, but not as amazing as I had hoped. Overall, our dinner was very enjoyable and the service was good. The small plates are a bit overpriced, but pretty well in-line w/ other places like this in the city. I'd definitely go back. read more

Jessica Y's review is spot on so I will borrow from hers: "Artistic Tapas + Local Beers + Good Company = Edible Art Dinner" If you are willing to accept attitude from the wait staff you'll enjoy this place. I came here for a business dinner. I don't have a lot of experience with dining in Philly, or Philadelphians in general, so I'm looking forward to this. It's in kind of an eclectic area and well into the gentrification process - not a place I would normally choose for a business dinner, but then again I didn't choose the place. I arrived around 4 just as the place was opening up and cooled my heels until the others arrived. The vibe is what makes this place worthwhile. Attractive female bartender jumps on top of the bar and begins wrestling to open the shutters (love the can-do Phlilly attitude). Cordial, but not friendly, service. I cannot remember what I ordered, but I do recall enjoying every bite. We cycled through many of the craft beers which I also enjoyed. Overall positive experience and I would return if in the area. read more

I love stateside but where did Jen go??? She was really good at creating a friendly atmosphere and making everyone become friends when sitting at the bar. Like I said, stateside is an awesome casual cocktail bar in the area, and the staff in general is always great. I just always looked forward to Jen's friendly face, as she always seemed to make everyone feel comfortable and welcomed. Either way, it's a great spot with a great neighborhood vibe. Definitely recommend. read more

Monday night is usually a dinner date night for me and Mr. I wanted something good, but as usual, had no idea what I wanted. At first we were going to stick with one of our oldies but goods - Alla Spina, Dmitris, Raddichios, N3. Love them all, but with this non-cooking wife, we've been there and done that soooo many times! Wanting to try something new, I thumbed through Philly Magazine's most recent Top 50 restaurants and there it was at #1 ... STATESIDE! A Monday night, senior citizen (5:15 PM) dinner, secured us our choice of table, even with their newfound #1 status. And just in time for happy hour, double SCORE! Upon entering , I instantly fell in love w/ the exposed brick and pipe work and the old South Philadelphia (prohibition era) photos ... charming! Luckily the food and drinks didn't disappoint either. The bartender made an AMAZING whiskey sour (egg whites and all) ... so nice, that I had to do it twice! For our meal we shared the smoked pork rillettes (not at all what I expected, but delicious), pan seared brussel sprouts (not your grandma's brussel sprouts), crispy pork belly and sausage stuffed chicken breast ... leaving our bellies totally stuffed & satisfied! The food and drinks were totally 5 star worthy... However, there were so many waitresses hovering in the back and discussing their weekend in far too much detail! The restaurant is just so small that having those sorta discussions in the back is equivalent to telling us about how "effing wasted you were this weekend" while giving us the daily specials! I also just read that the head chef is leaving Stateside, which could possibly be a total game changer... See article: http://philadelphia.grubstreet.com/2013/02/george-sabatino-leaving-stateside.html read more

Trying to figure out what to eat on a random weekday night, I drove by Stateside and remembered reading them in Philly Mag. (I forgot what # they were, but after reading reviews, it was #1). I assumed we couldn't get a table without a reservation and I was right. We did happen to score 2 seats at the bar. I was a bit surprised by the sparse menu (and price) considering it was a East Passyunk restaurant. Either way, I thought the items on the menu warranted some positives for their ingredient pairings. The place felt cozy and definitely approachable for being philly mag's #1 restaurant. I had a long day so I looked over the drink menu. I decided to skip the beer and go for a cocktail. I'm not a gin fan, but ordered the Bee Sting (gin, lemon, ginger, absinthe). The drink was strong but a bit pricey for the size, no big deal. Now onto the food. We dithered between the cauliflower and cobb salad for a starter, ended up with the cauliflower. I think the dish was good, but needed more sauce. I'm all for nice presentation with a "dash" and "squeeze" of sauce, but every bite should have sufficient sauce, shouldn't it? Also, its fairly dark in there, so i'm sure we had more broccoli in the dish than cauliflower. Not a deal breaker. Entrees. I love trying non-traditional meats at restaurants. I opted for the rabbit risotto. I thought the rabbit was really tasty. Although the risotto tasted undercooked, it was also delicious. Again, a smear of sauce just doesn't cut it for this dish. Considering how rich risotto is, I couldn't taste the sauce at all. Another entree was the pork belly. I'm not sure how I feel about pork belly prepared American style. Don't call me prejudice, but Chinese crispy pork belly is pretty damn good... you can get huge servings for a fraction of the cost. Stateside's pork belly was good, but nothing to write home about. The sauces were also good. Overall, it was an enjoyable meal. It was unfortunate that the original chef left and how other reviewers are saying things have "Changed". read more

Creative tapas perfect for sharing with a group. I would recommend ordering two per person, or three if you're hungry. Every dish was good, but the lamb deserves a special shout out for those that love rich flavors, and the pallet cleanser was a pretzel bite with one of the top 3 mustards of all time. The bar has large windows so that you can sit outside if it's warm. I loved our waitress! She seemed like she was having a great time waiting on us, and she was absolutely on point for delivering and taking away dishes and drinks. She showed up exactly when we wanted to see her, and made us laugh over the loud Saturday night buzz. read more

I came to Stateside on a Monday night with a college friend. I love East Passyunk and recommended this spot after reading reviews and wanting to check it out myself. The place itself is cozy and dark. Maybe a little too dark to read the menu but it fit the atmosphere of the restaurant. The food overall though was only A-OK in my opinion. Nothing truly stood out that we tried, and there were 5 of us, so we had quite a few dishes. The plates overrall are on the smaller side, so plan on ordering a few per person. I had a few of the whiskey sours to drink, and being a big fan of the egg white addition into my drink and whiskey sours in general, I was a fan. The other folks also seemed to enjoy their drink choices. I would probably recommend this place to someone going out for a few drinks and a snack or two but that's it. read more

Once again - amazing service from the waitstaff. They are seriously top notch. Also the food remains delicious. You should totally get the Old Cuban cocktail!! It's sooo yummy. I like the added garnish of the vanilla bean pod. I could drink these all night. read more

After a loud evening at the Taylor swift concert, I wanted to unwind somewhere quiet. After passing a few noisy passyunk bars I happed upon stateside, which had only just opened when I used to live in philly. I finally got around to taking a seat at the unique walk up bar. Unfortunately, these awful seats clouded my entire experience. Having settled in and ordered my drink, it was obviously too late to move so I spent the next hour crossing and uncrossing my legs and turning around, and awkwardly swiveling every which way. Luckily my drink was delicious, though to be fair it was a bottled beverage. The service was top notch, even as the night was winding down and I'm sure they were exhausted. I didn't get a chance to try their food, though judging from the prices of the drinks I don't think I would consider. read more

I just dined at Stateside this past weekend while visiting friends in Philadelphia. My fiancee and I had ended up in the Passyunk area while doing the Pat's/Geno's thang like total tourists! Coincidentally, my friend Lindsay had been wanting to check out the nearby Stateside Philly. This place is like a lot of places nowadays-- small plates, focus on charcuterie. Luckily, I never get tired of this! C and I split three plates and I was pleased with all of them! If it wasn't the end of our trip (with our funds at their lowest!) and if I'd been a bit hungrier (we'd cheezed it up earlier, remember?), I definitely would've gone hog wild and ordered some more plates... I think the prices were definitely reasonable.. and I was visiting from Austin! Maybe this is due in part that Passyunk is still a bit "up and coming." There was a glass of wine on the menu for $6, so that made me happy... I really hadn't seen anything under $9 all week! And most of the small plates ran between $7-10. If you go into a place like this absolutely famished and get a load of things, sure-- the prices can add up. Really though, I love small plate places because you get a chance to try more things (which is huge for me-- I can never decide on just one entree!) and it just create a more social, "you-have-to-try-this" kinda atmosphere. We got the local corn flan, which was presented in a smooth, buttery cube with some veggies (pickles, hearts of palm, radish). We also had the crispy pork belly, which was just as crisp as promised and delectable (I can be picky about pork belly.. it's hard to find it made just right!). We also had day boat scallops with corn relish, oyster mushrooms, and bone marrow butter (!) They melted in my mouth and left me wanting more, as oysters often do. The service was really laidback, which I enjoyed-- even though it seemed busy, it didn't feel like we were being rushed out of there by any means. This was a great spot to catch up with friends I hadn't seen in years! read more

I was here for Valentines and opted to have their Valentine Tasting Menu which was delicious! We started off with oysters with pomegranate & horseradish foam - simply divine, followed by Beef shortrib & seared scallop - the shortribs were so tender, and then 2 very rich dessert dishes: Rose variations & Black Forest Cake. Last but not least they had homemade salted caramel. I couldn't have asked for a better meal. The one issue I did have was, we were originally seated right in front of the door. As it is February and Valentines, my friend and I had dressed up and did not want to sit bundled up - especially when we took the pain to get dressy. When we requested to have our seat moved, the hostess moved us one table back - still directly in line with the door. Once we voiced our concern, they finally moved us to the back corner. the place was not packed at that point yet so it wouldn't have been an issue to move us at our first request. Nevertheless, after the mishap everything else went smoothly. read more

I really wanted to LOVE this place but this place just didn't live up to my expectations. My friend and I ordered the Chef's Board, Steak Tartare, Scallops, Brussel Sprouts, and Short Ribs. The New Hampshire cheese on a pear puree was my favorite on the Chef's board. The rest was not too memorable. I also really liked the brussel sprouts and scallops. These were delicious. Steak tartare was good. But, I felt that the short rib was under-seasoned. Not a bad experience but I was hoping for more. read more

The great thing about sharing small plates with friends is that you can all enjoy (or in some cases, critique) the food together. It's not just, "here try a bite of this", but rather, "let's all try this together." There's something about that shared experience that makes the table come alive. In my opinion, the only thing more enjoyable than a tasty meal is sharing it with others and having the enjoyment heightened. And at Stateside, they've nailed it. Food was incredible and we had a blast. The pork belly may have been the best thing I have ever had in my mouth. Mushrooms were creative and perfectly paired with fav beans. We also tried lamb ribs (great char and almost as good as the pork belly), an amazing rabbit dish and lettuce wraps with octopus among others. While normally I would sample from the great draft list or the many whiskeys they have (an entire book!), on this night I couldn't pass up the Passyunk East Side cocktail (gin, lemon juice, elderflower, cucumber and bitters). It did not disappoint. One of my friends had the Gershwin (a nice, gingery concoction) and I'd recommend that drink as well. Our server, Nina, was friendly and attentive from start to finish. She cheerfully answered our questions and was fantastic. I'm glad to live so close to such a great spot. I'll be back to try a whiskey flight and some more great food. read more