I've never had the chance to eat here, but we always stop here when we are in the area, the bar seats are the prime stop of this bar. I love looking out onto the square and people watch with a nice cocktail. The bartenders mix a mean cocktail and are quite chatty and give great advice on places to patron in the area. I noticed that the plates coming out of the kitchen are nicely presented and the aroma of the grill octopus the last time we were there made us want to try it, had we not already had dinner reservations that evening. This is definitely a must try if you are ever in the area. read more

I'm perplexed writing this review. It was one of the better meals I will have for under $40 and we ordered a ton of plates if not over ordered, but nothing sang to me to the point where I want to always come back. We had most the menu, the Broccolini was special served cold w/ a curry mayo flavor, assorted pickle plate one of my favorite dishes to snack on, steak tar tar was the absolute winner of the night. On to main plates; the pork slider was pork belly and some dried potato crisps had alot of flavor but maybe under salted? Short rib (they didn't have cheek) was tender and soft, but nothing to die for. The sausage for me was very special and tasted like an elevated version of a ballpark worst with sour kraut, but again borderline felt like something I could possibly make at home. Pork rillettes were smoky flavor and a ham -like taste as it went down very very hard to put down, not something I could ever possibly make at home. The mussels and clams were more like clams, butter soup, bread and a mussel. there were actually 5 mussels in the dish. I'd rather not have any mussels than 1.25 of a mussel for everyone at the table btw $21 dish... I've been to flex mussels and for roughly the space premium they don't fu@k around you'll get a Costco serving worth of mussels for the same price. Would I take a friend from home visiting, absolutely. Would I come back and try more food sadly no. I'm good, it was a one time only thing. They get a 4 because the service was impeccable, the whisky sour will be dreamed about and to taste so many different foods in one sitting is absolutely rare. Go, but I think you'll agree it may be one and done. read more

I really wanted to love it. It was ... okay. Brussel sprouts and cauliflower were amazing. Pate du jour was somewhat tasteless - except for that tiny crystal of salt that made it onto the plate. No mention that it is "de campagne". Major failure. Would not have ordered it - and no, I don't feel I should have to ask. Fois gras was a half-dollar sized portion of a mousseline-like substance. $15 is outrageous for this. Tagliatelle with mushrooms and rabbit risotto were both delicious, but small portion. Smoked duck medallions were a bit dry, again, small portion. Service: waitress said the bartender could not make a pomegranate martini. Not sure why. She suggested a different drink from the menu that would be "fruity". It was made with gin. C'mon - recommending a gin drink to replace a vodka drink? We asked her if 4 appetizers and 2 entrees would be enough. She agreed. Portions are very small - even the entrees - so when the rabbit risotto came out, we ordered the tagliatelle. We were still hungry at the conclusion of the meal. read more

When I heard the chef that made Stateside the number one restaurant in Philly for 2012 was leaving and than realize the week of I still hadn't made it there my friends and I on the second to last night took a chance at getting a spot at the bar. We lucked out and after waiting in the not really meant for standing bar area with a beer we lucked out and snagged a seat. And it was well worth it. Stateside is small but the bar was pretty cool, we tired some of the cocktails in addition to the beer. If your in a small group of 2 or 3 its a great place to hang out but definitely not good for large group there just not a ton of space. I want to make it back here now that is warmer out for the bar opens up and you can sit outside which expands its size. Plus I need to see how the food is under the new chef. read more

Will people who are complaining about the smallness of the plates please just go to olive garden. To begin, I lived here 22 years ago when it was a few storefronts and the Ac-a-me supermarket. Now the East Passyunk strip is trasformed into a tastefully trendy food mecca. This was our fav place so far. Friendly service is a bit slow. Outdoor tables with tablecloths on a quiet side street and largish bar on the corner walls open to pashunk ave. The food was fantastic under the new chef. Meatballs spicy and unique, octopus tender, mushroom variety and presentation out of this world even if a bit too crispy. And the gnocchi with broccoli perfect. We only got to check out two places with outdoor (i.e. dog friendly) joints but there are loads around. Oh and there is an independent valet parking service on the square! I didn't see that coming to these parts of south Philly. read more

Stateside - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The chef's board was a delicious way to start the meal with its charcuterie and pickled vegetables. The chicory salad was a delightful palate cleanser. The rigatoni was hearty and filling while the coq au vin was sublime. Worth the trip. It wasn't too loud or bright and was a nice spot for a first date. The waiter was a little pushy with the alcohol sales--when I ordered sparkling water he replied, "No alcohol from the bar?" A minor gaffe with what was otherwise impeccable service. read more

Started off on the wrong foot when the hand off between the hostess and waitress left us without service for the first several minutes. But with the right attitude, which they have, I can accept an innocent mistake. Service was very good drinks were excellent, doing new things with vodka and Bourbon ( not together). The food was truly outstanding. Everything was superior. This was a truly enjoyable dining experience on all levels. Looks like a converted former bar. Small and intimate with sidewalk tables. You have to try really hard not to like this place. read more

Stateside - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The only reason I give Stateside five stars are for their Bartenders and the close proximity to my house. Oh and hey, one of the best bourbon selections in the city!! Tonight I arrived at 9:30. The server told me immediately to sit where ever I wanted because table service and food service were over. I was disappointed because I was hungry and wanted to eat before I sampled the amazing bourbon selection Stateside has. My friend and I sat at a table and were confused if we had to order with the server or go through the Bartenders to get a drink. After flagging down The server, he came over and was quickly swept away and we were just as quickly ignored by another table closing out their check. Shortly after some bar guests left so my friend and I quickly moved from a table to the bar. The two Bartenders made us suddenly feel comfortable and at home. We asked numerous questions about the specialty cocktails they were making and they answered proud of what they were doing. They helped us decide on a Maple bourbon martini and a Sazarac. Both out of this world delicious. While at the bar we witnessed the server be quite rude and passive aggressive to new guests arriving at the restaurant so much so we were glad we scored seats at the bar. I thought I was walking into an upscale Passyunk restaurant. The server doubted that for a few but the two Bartenders really made up for it. I will be back but I'll make sure to score a seat at the bar. P.S. Thank you for having such a great bourbon selection. I lived in KY so it's rare to see that up north!! read more

Ok the service was really good Steve was great. The food was a little over priced for the portions. I ordered the St. Louis ribs $12 I got two pieces all bone at least give four pieces the slack of ribs only cost $24 at the supermarket. The short rib arancini $12 needs some love it has no flavor and poor Steve recommended this dish to us. The grilled chicken wings was good, but not oh my god tho. It cost $11 for seven wings. Now the grilled octopus $14 was good. I didn't mind spending money on that, I got two orders. The Dessert ahaha.....it was a size of the dollar coin and not that great neither. The soup plate was way to big for the dessert lol. The oysters was good, fresh, clean and they was on happy hour for a $1 each the drinks was good and on happy hour 5-7pm Old fashion $5, wine...red or white $5 and half off beers. This was my first time here most likely my last. Cute bar tho!! read more

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It's a shame that this business is in such a great location and has terrible service and rude staff. I recall coming here for drinks and the staff refused to serve us because they thought my co-worker was drunk when she is in fact from Puerto Rico and has such a strong accent. Such ignorance... read more

Normally, cocktails and dessert wouldn't bring me to five-star territory, or even review territory, but my experience at Stateside tonight was just that good. We nabbed two seats at the bar before the restaurant got crowded. Over the next couple hours, free seats were sparse, and people came and went when there was nothing available, with a few that got lucky at the right time. As we watched the bartender (Jen) whisk drinks together, the smells were simply intoxicating. The Hot Butter Rye was too aromatic to pass up, so the boyfriend went for it. Literally made with butter, brown sugar, rye, whipped cream and other delicious ingredients, I stole sips whenever possible, praying the calories per sip weren't too horrendous. Meanwhile, my Gasparilla was like a wintry version of a rum-infused creamsicle. Delicious. We also tried the smoked chocolate ganache dessert, topped with sea salt and served over creamy marshmallow and graham crackers. The warm sugared doughnut with maple bacon syrup was equally fantastic. La Colombe coffee is served at Stateside. We couldn't bring ourselves to call it quits, so we went for one more round. Clover Clubs had just the right bite of gin but enough other flavors to round out the sharpness. Drinks are very reasonably priced, and I'd even go so far to say one of the best deals on quality cocktails in the city. And with pleasant, smart service like Jen's, a trip to Stateside's bar will be a no-brainer in the future. My only regret? Calling it a night and asking for our check moments before David Ansill sat down next to us. Surely that would have made the evening even more interesting. read more

brussels craving = satisfied! after penning my previous review, said craving set in hard, and i found myself back at stateside for dinner. but before indulging in my most favorite of sprouts, i nibbled on some pickles (cauliflower = whoa good!), shaved veggie salad (kale + crunchy toasted chickpeas = win!), and house made (!!) goat cheese over a bed of escarole and pine nuts. and then....the brussels. pan roasted in a chestnut brown butter sauce with mushrooms (can you say decadent?), those bad boys had me literally squealing with delight. LITERALLY. i intentionally didn't finish so i could enjoy as leftovers again the next day, and enjoy i did. ...and by not eating all my veggies, i had room for dessert! in this case, the maple panna cotta. mmm...a perfect end to another perfect meal. read more

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The best dinner I've had in years (ever?). Really. Since so much of their menu is small plates, the prices can add up quickly if you want to try everything, but listen. Save your money from going out to three mediocre cheaper places and just wait and go to Stateside - the meal you'll get there will be better than any of those other mediocre places combined. Well worth it. This is what we got: Pickled carrots with ginger & cumin, pan roasted brussel sprouts, house made duck sausage, grilled coulette steak, grilled shrimp (on special that night), crispy maple glazed pork belly, and then for dessert (although I'm surprised we even had room for dessert at this point) the chocolate tart and the apple donut. Oh.. and the cocktails, let's not leave those out. Our bartender was awesome, she was so friendly and gave suggestions and would ask what we wanted next when our drinks were getting low rather than wait until they were completely empty. A little thing like that goes a long way. The restaurant is pretty tiny and there's not much standing room if you have to wait. Might not be the best place to go if you have a large group. They don't take reservations on Fridays or Saturdays, which I actually think is a good thing, because you can just decide to go last minute and try your luck. We sat at the bar at first, waiting for a table to open up.. but the bar was so comfortable anyway we decided to just stay and eat there. The manager went around to everyone asking how their dinner was going, definitely made us feel welcome. Chef George Sabatino, please come home and cook for me every night. I could eat those brussel sprouts for every meal of the day. read more

I'm a really big fan of Passyunk Square and all of the surrounding bars and restaurants, and am really glad about how the neighborhood has progressed in the past few years. Stateside is no exception and I had a really good time here. When I first asked about whether I should visit Stateside for dinner, my friends seemed very polarized about their experiences: some said that they had an amazing time, and others downright hated it. As a result, my friend and I decided on getting dinner elsewhere and drinks at Stateside afterwards. We came in for drinks on a warm spring night, and were promptly greeted by the bartender about the specials and recommended cocktails. The great thing about Stateside is that the bar has windows and you can actually sit "outside" the restaurant, but still at the bar. We ended up sitting inside, so we could get a good view of the square. I ended up ordering my usual Old-Fashioned multiple times, before switching over to some of the draft beers afterwards. The bartender really made a great Old-Fashioned, and didn't skimp on the bourbon, which was very appreciated. She was actually also a really good sport throughout the night, because my friend and I keep talking about our disdain for a certain acquaintance named Emily, which happened to also be her name. We joked around and had a good laugh about it. We ended up staying at the bar for about 4 hours since the weather was perfect and in general, it was such an enjoyable night. The service at the bar was very prompt and attentive, and we could see the amount of time and care they put into the drinks, which was a good sign. I saw all the people sitting around in the small dining area, and they all seemed to really be enjoying their food and drinks. To my knowledge, the staff working at the time working at the time were all pretty attentive, just like the bartenders, and they kept churning through the dinner and post-dinner crowd pretty efficiently. Perhaps I'm being a bit hasty with this review without trying the food, but after seeing people really enjoy their time at Stateside, I'm very inclined to come back for the dining experience. Until then, I can safely say that you can come here for a great cocktail and enjoy the relaxed ambiance. read more

Stateside - open windows on a beautiful night - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lessons in how to go from a 4 star rating to 1 in a single experience. Stateside, yes the same Stateside visited by Anthony Bourdain on his long awaited Philadelphia episode. Yes the same Stateside that was voted #1 in 2013 by Philadelphia magazine, and yes the same Stateside that I have preached to all of my friends that live just outside the city that the journey and parking problems are well worth the trip. Stateside you have fallen. Their new approach to dining seems to centered around 3 new dining principles. Cut the menu by a third, cut the portion size in half and increased in price. The Menu: Once a full tapas menu with delights and wonder as far as the foodie eye can taste has been chiseled down to a single list of items with little to no thought regarding the gastro journey that it once was. Even the menu presentation seems to have been given a Wal Mart touch. A single white 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper fresh off a kinkos copier thoughtlessly fastened to a plastic menu board whose original intent doesn't even match the size. Portion: I understand "small plates" but Stateside seems to have gone the way of a 1980's high concept far less is more approach. Allow me to paint a picture. Think high end wedding finger food only you can't hunt down the serving staff to double up on that tasty foie gras bite. Needless to say after 5 plates and 2 desserts we left hungry. The Food: Compared to the Stateside I once knew the food was just so so. Price: One of the best things about Stateside was after an amazing meal that would run well into the 3 digits if you were in Rittenhouse would come in at around $70.00-$80.00. I guess the rent went up, to our surprise we ended up spending double. Too much fame too soon? Who knows but I am forced to resend all of my Stateside recommendations. Oh did I mention they charged us for bread. read more

Beauty in words should be reserved for only maximal dining experiences. That said, if there were such a thing as poetic injustice, trying to write a baroque review of Stateside would certainly qualify. ...Because when your meal begins with a toasty drink - a hot buttered rye - that's so amicable to your esophagus and piquant to your papillae that it makes you forget the vile, scathing, burning sensation of shooting cold rye, you musn't try to protract the experience. ...Because when the crispy cauliflower is as golden as the palatial pillars of the Taj Mahal, and buttery enough to beguile any toddler into eating his whites, you ought not attempt to convince your colleagues that cauliflower really does have a slight nutty flavor if roasted well. ...Because when the crispy maple glazed pork belly with a fat to meat ratio of 1:4 and a moisture to dryness ratio of 100:0 promotes a silent fork battle between you and your mate interspersed with the occasional clamor of (affable?) silver, you know you've found the perfect dish to "shut the f*ck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence" (thanks Mia and Vincent). ...Because when the desserts are petite and ordering two is still innocuous to any diet, and the ginger snap is soft and topped with a chilled caramel mousse the texture of a fluffy budino, and the chocolate tart with homespun marshmallow fluff tastes like a freshly toasted s'more birthed by the smokey flames of a tumbleweed ignited campfire on the plans of Kansas, you know you've found a new home on Passyunk. read more

Stateside was a disappointment. We started with the cheese plate, which is a total rip-off. For $20 you get 4 tiny pieces of cheese, a few walnuts (seriously like 3), a smear of jam, and a few pieces of bread. I spent $25 on cheese at DiBruno earlier in the day and got about 10 times more cheese, and DiBruno is overpriced as it is. We each had a 'small plate' and an entree. The best small plates were the mushroom tagliatelle, which I got, and the cauliflower. Both were tasty. One of my friends had the 'scallop' (he was concerned that the menu said 'scallop' and not scallops' and he was right) - it was basically one scallop cut up into little pieces and mixed with other stuff. My fiance had the beets & venison, which was okay. For dinner I had the soft shell crab, which was tasty, but I've had better at both Fare & Dmitri's. My fiance had the duck, which was good but small. Someone else had some kind of meat, I forget which one, and he said he could barely cut through it. We all left hungry, after spending $130 a couple. My fiance came home and had a taco. The wine was fine, but nothing to write home about, especially for $10-14 a glass. The service was slow, and it was a Tuesday night, not overly busy. Certainly not the #1 restaurant in Philly. read more

You're paying for Georgia but getting Delaware. We ordered drinks before the meal. for $8.50, I expected my average beer to be served in a standard pint glass, not a glorified shot glass. The food is very good, but unless there's a famine going on, there's no reason for a $17 scallop dinner to be served with just 2 scallops and some edible decor. The $15 beef plate was served with a side of bok choy - a single leaf of bok choy. But hey, what do I know. By the time we finished our meals, the place was packed. Our table was a hot commodity and people were staring us down. No plans to return. read more

Well, it's hard to review this place for a meal because I couldn't have one. No open tables on a Thursday night for several hours. The hostess didn't offer to take my name or put me on a waiting list or even tell me I could eat at the bar. (you can eat at the bar) The bar stools were all taken so I started the second, standing room only row. Another person arrived and another. Finally a seat opened up. No one seemed to be in a hurry to leave or drink or serve. I grabbed the seat and waited. And mind you, I am outgoing, I am not a wallflower. Great drink menu, and all alcohol is made in the USA. Nice touch. Cool food menu. Yeah, it felt like everyone was chillin'. Including the help. The bartendress, who was engaged to Chef Sabatino, was more interested in chatting with her friends about Twitter than serving. The other bartender dude was slow, non-communicative, and non-friendly. The bartendress, when I asked how much a certain Rye was, said "I don't know it by heart, here's a menu." Instead of looking it up herself. And she wasn't busy. Felt like everyone was so "mellow" that this place couldn't possibly be making any money on alcoholic beverages. I stayed for 40 minutes, and had two drinks. No seat opened up, and very few drinks were served. Bizarre. I could have eaten, but the person who was meeting me could not have. Anthony Bourdain visited here recently and filmed his segment on Philly. Did they get an ego or something after he came? Anyways, the whiskey sour was well done, a nice whiskey I have never had and the sour was fresh and not too sweet, and it had an egg white. When they actually feel like working, they make good drinks. I may try again for the food which is recommended, but the people here seem to have an attitude problem. read more

Hot buttered rye - Butter improves everything. Don't believe me? Next time you hear a crazy crying baby in an airplane, rub some warm butter on its big crying face. The baby will instantly shut up and you will be a hero. Bam - Baby improved by butter. In a similar manner, rye is also improved by butter. What would otherwise be a downright fetid spirit is transformed by skillful preparation, heat, and butter. This drink is fucking delicious. It is perfect for a cold, rainy evening. Stateside is now my favorite restaurant on Passyunk. It took me one visit and nothing has impressed me more in this area. Usually I associate Passyunk with miserable parking and people begging me to take them for a cheese steak. Now, I will associate it only with Stateside. At first glance, you may think that Stateside is trying to be the next Village Whiskey. They've got old-timey type on their menu, rye, and a tantalizing choice of pickles as appetizers. However, that is where the similarities end. Stateside has its own well-defined identity and I applaud their creativity. Here are a few of the other things I've managed to consume: Sunchoke and leek soup - Very good. This is thick and hearty with nice chunks of lobster in it. salt roasted beets - excellent. maple glazed pork belly - This is excellent and it comes with a side of fried grits that perfectly complements the dish. I'm serious about pork belly in Philly and this has got to be amongst the best. Shaved Vegetable Salad - This has toasted chickpeas in it, which is pretty cool. This is a good dish, although it did not impress me as the others. As far as dessert goes, there is a caveat - these things are tiny as hell. If you're going to do dessert here, get a dessert per person. Even though they are small, they pack a great, big punch. Smoked Chocolate Tart - Awesome. It is like Bruce Lee was resurrected by a mad necromancer at his full strength and he kicked you in the mouth with a foot made of s'more. Ice Cream Sandwich - Awesome. This dessert is painfully unique. I've made this review too long already to go into it. Just get it. on the action-movie-parallel-satisfaction-scale, Stateside is Shoot 'Em Up but Clive Owen has been replaced by a CG The Predator, who is on fire throughout the entire film. read more

I was here before and liked it much better than this most recent experience. I like the atmosphere. Chalk boards are always a nice touch for me. High top tables are available. Very limited food choices. Very limited staff. I ordered a Kir Royale which they did not have. Always a strike out in my book. I ordered a glass of champagne instead. It was the WORST champagne I've ever had in my life. My boyfriend said it tasted like the bottle was old. Gross! I also ordered a sparkling water. I was anticipating a bottle of Pellegrino but instead what I got was a glass of club soda. Club soda is NOT sparkling water and can not be substituted without asking if that's what I want...we were not asked. I also got a drink with gin, champagne, elderberry and lemon. Also, horrible. So out of three drinks that I received, I liked zero of them. There are two single stall bathrooms. One is for men and women. The other one is only for men. Why do us gals need to share with the men but they don't need to share with us? The service station is so awkwardly set up. The poor bartender need to basically do the limbo every time they want to come out from behind the bar because they literally have to crawl under each time. Even when there are things in their hands. It looks very uncomfortable and inconvenient. If I was the bar owner, I would fix this. Upon walking in, I told the bartender that we had roughly 15 people and asked if we could take the tables to my left. He said yes but that "the 15 people are going to have to each walk up to order their drinks." Ok, man. Slow your roll. No need for the negativity. Do you want to make money or do you want to relax with no crowd which is what seems to be going on whenever I come in or walk by this place?!?! If I was a bartender, I would go the making money route. Maybe they don't have the gumption because of all of the crawling in and out from behind the bar??? read more

As a longtime resident of Passy Ave, I was very excited to see that someone bought and renovated the space on Cross and Passyunk right on the regionally-famous Singing Fountain. The building was absolutely ripe for remodeling with large windows that open onto the street and a great location just south of POPE (aka the medieval dungeon). Occasionally I would check in on their progress. I was elated to see their layout, which places the bar in the corner so that tenders can serve both indoor patrons as they gaze out on the hipster street parade and outdoor ones enjoying the sweet South Philadelphia air. When their menu went up, I was even more excited... pickles, rillettes, pork belly ( yes, yes, and YES). But then I saw their beer taps... Bells 2 Hearted, Yards Love Stout, Victory Prima Pils (yyyyyaaaawwwnnn) and after eating there I can safely say that I have deeply divided views about this place. We started with the Rabbit Rillettes w/ plum preserves which were absolutely amazing. The only thing I could fault is the lack of toast points they serve along with it. I really wanted to savor that fatty goodness longer. Since Stateside has an entire menu section dedicated to pickles, I figured we should try some. Our server recommended the Kohlrabi And Cucumbers with pickling spice & dill... simple but a good litmus test I thought. These were a total disappointment, not so much due to the taste but more to the serving size. For $4 you get about 1/4 of a cucumber all tucked into a tiny pickling jar... umm what? Why would you do that? Cucumbers grow like crazy AND the pickling process is so easy my cat could do it. Next up, small plates. We got the Spotted Skate Wing barley, wild mushroom broth, smoked mussels and Crispy Maple Glazed Pork Belly fried nora mills grits, gala apples, spiced cider jus. FAN-freakin-TASTIC. I mean, so very good. The broth for the Skate was out of this world, my date ate every last drop. The grits for the Pork Belly were pressed into a crispy little cake and perfectly fried. I was floored at how well each component added to the next. After they killed it on the small plates, we decided to get dessert (something I rarely do). The server described the offerings and we settled on a Gala Pear Tart with some kinda sour ice cream. This was actually more like a chopped pear fruit cup with a penny-sized dollop of cream... so sad. Overall the atmosphere was ok, the interior defines the term "urban industrial'," but the bar is sturdy and marble and curvy ... almost kinda sexy. Next time I plan to stay away from the pickles, get a specialty drink, skip dessert, and sit at the bar. read more

Went to stateside at 8pm with a large group. Everything was fantastic, the food was very delicious, and the service was very attentive and great. The food was delicious, but for the small plate portions, I think it was just too expensive, which is the only reason I'm deducting a star from this review. $10-$15 per plate for tapas style. But, the food was delicious, and maybe if we didn't over-order, we could have kept our bill under a reasonable amount. But, we kind of had to over-order, because the plates were so small. We seriously ordered almost everything, so here's my run-down: - Scallop: soo delicious, but sliced thin scallop, not plump like you're used to seeing. $12 was too much for this small dish, although it was lip smacking good. - Brussel Sprouts were amazing - Mushroom tarte was amazing, but $12 is way overpriced for this. It's small! - Flatbread special was one of my favorites, it had a delicate sliced cured meat and gorgonzola cheese. Perfect flavor, and actually a good size portion. - Rabbit was OK, more pastry puff than rabbit. Not the best for $14. - Lobster & pine nut tortellini was really good, but for $14, you only get 2 tortellinis and they were pretty small. I was shocked at this portion size for the price. Although it was very delicious, my table ordered a second one! - DUCK Breast was the best dish for your money. $14 it was hearty, plenty of meat, great sauces, and veggies. We ordered 2 of these it was so good! - OCTOPUS was also one of our favorites. Perfectly cooked, great flavor, with fennel. Yumm! - TROUT was another favorite of mine, it was a thick cut, and cooked perfectly. I really enjoyed this one. Overall, fantastic food, small portions, but high prices for the portion size. So, come here, its totally worth it, but don't come on an empty stomach or you'll end up spending way too much money to fill yourself up! PS- drinks are crafty, good gastropub type cocktails, with fancy mixology! read more

I've been to Stateside multiple times when George Sabatino was the chef. The food was amazing, the drinks were amazing, the service was superb. The restaurant was well-deserving of the number one restaurant in Philly designation. Unfortunately, since that time, there have been two changes of the guard at Stateside. I went after the most recent. My sister bought a house in East Passyunk, and I wanted to take her somewhere delicious in her new neighborhood to celebrate. We were able to get a reservation at Stateside at the last minute (which I should have taken for the omen that it was). The decor and ambiance of Stateside are romantic and cozy, if you get a table in the back and away from the bar. It's a small, dimly-lit space and the bar is usually packed. There are two high top tables abutting the bar. This means that if you are at one of those tables, people waiting for their tables are very, very close to you while you try to enjoy your meal. I recommend that you ask for a low-top table in the back when you make your reservation. To start, we split the cheese plate, which was good, but when served (not by our server), did not have much accompanying explanation as to which cheese was which and what accompaniment it went with. For our entrees, I got the gnocchi, my sister got the Petite Filet. The food took a long time to get to us (as my sister ordered her steak medium well). She loved her steak, and it was well cooked. I got the gnocchi. The flavor was very good, but it was SEVERELY under-cooked. I would have sent it back, if I wasn't starving. I forced myself to eat the sticky gnocchi (at least it tasted decent), but was very disappointed by this serious misstep. The cocktails and wine list still provide an excellent selection. I had the Jack Rose, an Applejack, Lime, and House Grenadine cocktail, served chilled and up. I really enjoyed the sweetness contrasted with Jack Rose. My sister enjoyed her glass of wine. Our main server was wonderful. I overheard that she was formerly of Le Bec Fin, so no big surprise. read more

I am both updating and downgrading my original rating based on my inability to have another meal here! Chef Sabatino was most accommodating to my food allergies on our first visit and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. A few weeks later, on a whim, we decided to walk over to Stateside to have a drink and see if we could have a bite as well. I realized on our way over that the odds of me getting food were slim since we hadn't provided notice, but I figured nothing ventured nothing gained. As I had feared, the menu was off-limits for me that night but the host said Chef Sabatino would help me out if I gave him advance notice in the future like I had before. We stayed for a drink and decided that night that we would attempt to dine there again on the following Sunday, so I promptly emailed the chef accordingly. No response. On the day of I tried again, and still no response. A week or two later, still craving the grilled shrimp and thinking perhaps the chef went on vacation, I tried emailing again. Still, no reply. Maybe I should call, but now I'm feeling like that desperate girl that the guy doesn't want to date anymore. Email worked before, why should a change in communication medium be necessary? To this day I haven't heard back from Chef Sabatino since the original email exchange before our first meal. I am saddened to say that this is no longer a place I would recommend to a food-allergy-sufferer, and it's a real bummer because their food and drinks were really fantastic on the one occasion I was privileged enough to enjoy them. read more

This is my go to fancy cocktail bar in the neighborhood. HH here is great! $5 manhattans, $5 house wine and buck a shuck. I've never been here to eat eat, because it is a bit expensive, but coming for $1 oysters with some cheese and wine is still a good for me. Best thing about this place is the ambience. It gives this place such a homey, yet fancy feel. Definitely stop by if you haven't already. read more

It pains me to do this because in the past I have had so many great experiences here. When George was chef I was consistently blown away by the food here! Things seem to have changed since he left. Our most recent meal was marred by inconsistent food and service. I hope this was simply an off night. Everyone can have one from time to time. But based on this last experience it will be awhile before I return. read more

OK so we'd been wanted to checkout Stateside for a while, but we got the motivation after it won Best of Philly. Going into it, we knew it wasn't the best move since it would likely be a madhouse, but we were able to get a res so we figured we'd give it a whirl. So we were directed to our table via a 'point' which may be a modern twist at being taken over and having the chair pulled out for you... but that seems stuffy and formal, so I sat down, took off my coat, and took to the drink menu. I had seen a drink- Gangsta's PEARadise, on their online menu that sounded delish!!! It wasn't on their drink menu though, so we asked. Turns out the online menu is out of date. No offers to make the drink anyway, since they likely had everything on hand. So we went for wine- a Cab Sav. At $9/glass, it was a quasi-light pour... but ok.... Then we opened our menus. They were out of the beets, which bummed me out, but they had a pickle plate to fill in for it. Being a pickle-a-holic, I was stoked! We coordinated our choices and then ordered. We were going to start off with appetisers so we could think about our entree choices for a bit, but apparently this restaurant has rules, and you have to order everything together. Maybe a modern twist on ordering? I found the rigidity a bit confining, and frustrating. For starters we had the cauliflower, and the pickled stuff, and for our entree my friend had the steak special, and i had the tagliatelli. Cauliflower was to die for. Every bite was different and delicious. I had no idea that this basic basic vegetable could have so much potential! The peanuts really took it to the next level. I was enamoured. Then came the pickles. Couldn't even finish them. Most of the pickled items were carrots, or what we deducted to be fennel. There were sweeter pickles, peppered pickles, but none were particularly awesome. The carrots were particularly icky. I preferred the fennel the most... but even that was more hunger than anything. Then came our entrees. My friend said her steak was alright, but nothing she'd come running back for. My tagliatelli was pretty awesome. Very small portion though, which i know is what you get at this place, but for $11, i really would have loved just a few more bites. We were planning on ordering desert, but were told we'd have to get our order in before we were done our entrees since the kitchen was closing... at 10p. You think after you get Best of Philly, you take advantage of that and push for maybe an extra hour? The place was still packed. Modern dining? We got dessert- decided to share the carrot cake with blue cheese frosting. It sounded really interesting. Intersting it was... the cake was delicious, but the blue cheese in the frosting was just too overpowering. We ended up scraping it off, and just splitting the little piece of cake. All in all, our experience at Stateside was consistent with what I'd expect of a place that just won Best of Philly. The food was hit or miss, but if you hit... it was amazing. The misses just didn't quite work the same way. I'd like to give this Best of Philly some breathing room, then head back. The drop-in little neighborhood gem that this restaurant used to be has had some attitudnal shifts... and I'd like to go back to my fond memories of a cute little spot with good booze and good food. read more

First time coming last year: This place has amazing cocktails and great food with an impressive happy hour Next time a few months after that: this place has great whiskey but could get the same whiskey but just not as expensive at other bars. The food is subpar from what it used to be Last time: This is our last time coming here - food is just not as creative or good as it was before and with so many new places opening around passyunk, we'd rather go somewhere that we can enjoy ourselves. Side note: service pretty much made us definitively not want to go back. Our waitress barely checked on us and I had to flag her down several times. Happy hour is still a good deal if you want to try that out but I don't recommend staying for dinner read more

I was very impressed with Stateside! We started off strong with 8 oysters in a delicious pomegranate mingnionette (during happy hour they're only $1 each!!!) and the pickled cucumbers & celery root. We then had the foie gras and butternut squash mousse, which was truly outstanding. The housemade goat cheese could have used a touch of salt and the brussel sprouts were good, but not particularly exciting (I still maintain that Sampan has the best brussels in the city). We also got the vegetable salad and beef cheek--both of which were very good. The only big disappointment of the night was the donut for dessert. It could have been greatly improved with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and the candied bacon felt very gimmick-y. Overall, we will certainly be back. Happy hour is a great deal with half-priced drafts and $1 oysters. It's a cozy, intimiate environment and a great addition to the Passyunk neighborhood! read more

Artistic Tapas + Local Beers + Good Company = Edible Art Dinner Our server seemed distracted and off putting. Flatbread Crab, Queso Fresco, Gooseberry - $13 - surprisingly amazing, flatbread to toppings ratio was great Rabbit Terrine Foie Gras, Nectarine, Beet - $12 - interesting but too creamy, would benefit with some sort of house-made vegetable crisp to absorb the richness Fluke Crudo Pineapple, Avocado, Yuzu - $11 - quite fishy, just ok Pork Cheek BBQ, Bluefoot, Carrot - $15 Octopus Pork Belly, Salsa Verde, Hoisin - $17 Lamb Merguez, Sunchoke, Fava Bean - $18 - all the components worked well together creating a complex/satisfying flavor Flat Iron Au Poivre, Potato Terrine, Shallot - $18 - who would have thought potato terrine could be sooo delicious and that a small shallot would be so wonderfully potent! read more

Stateside is one of the few restaurants I've eaten at where I felt refreshed and energized after the meal, instead of stuffed and wanting to take a nap. There was little, if any, carbohydrates on the menu; the food is primarily vegetables with three larger meat dishes for the carnivores (plus a few smaller meat dishes). Although it's not a vegetarian restaurant when I told our waitress that my girlfriend was vegetarian she said all the vegetable dishes (some have bacon, pancetta, etc.) could be altered for her needs. In another restaurant the 'small plates' part of the menu would be appetizers but often times I have been in restaurants where I just wanted to make my dinner out of a collection of appetizer-sized dishes. Here I can do that. The vegetables were very fresh and clearly carefully prepared. Everything was delicious. My favorites were the chilled cucumber & yoghurt soup with lump crab salad. I was going to take a picture of it but I snarfed it up so fast that most of it was gone before I got to it. Also the crispy cauliflower, mentioned in other reviews, is a mildly addicting item. I think a lot more kids would eat cauliflower if parents knew about this dish. Another delicious item was corn & string beans with a little parmesan cheese. Simple and really delicious. Since it was early and the Saturday rush hadn't started, one of the chefs came out, Casey Watson, and chatted with us about the different food items and about the neighborhood in general. The waitresses were very friendly but not over-solicitous (which is sometimes as annoying as bad service) so they struck just the right balance between letting us enjoy ourselves and making sure we were ok. For desert my girlfriend and I both had the warm vanilla donut with blueberry puree and lemon curd. Absurdely good and very light. I can't wait to go back and I want to try everything else on the menu. read more

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I am very sad to report a three star experience at Stateside. I have wanted to go to Stateside for at least 6 months, and finally, a group of 5 of us went a few Fridays ago for a birthday. We couldn't get in until 9:30, which was fine, we were excited to get in at all on relatively short notice. We arrived and saw why. The place is teeny tiny. And adorable. LOVE the space. Brick wall, very dark, definitely my kind of atmosphere. We were sat immediately and settled in. One of the people in our party had been pumped about the Bourbon menu. He chose an unusual one, and was disappointed to hear that both his first and second choice were unavailable. He chose something a little more standard, but felt a bit tricked by the long list of Bourbons that may not really exist. Because there were 5 of us, we chose many things to share and were able to taste about 80% of the menu... to be honest, I only remember a few things that we ordered (brussel sprouts, chef's board, scallops, steak tartar) because everything was just fine. Nothing was GREAT, nothing was bad. Everything was just OK. But Stateside does not give OK portions, nor do they have OK prices, so their food needs to be much better than that for me to feel anything other than "OK" about the experience. One thing I will say, the chef's board was a terrible deal. For $20+ it was 2-3 SMALL croquettes, a 1inch by 1inch block of cheese, and 2-3 other small items. I would say it was barely enough for 2 people to each get a bite, much less a chef's board for the table. Would definitely not get that again. read more

This was the most overpriced mediocre food I've ever had. The heirloom tomato was simply not made with a good, flavorful tomato, it was watery and tasteless. The beef cheek was okay, the cheeses were okay (we only really liked one), the flatbread was okay, everything else was okay too but there was no dish I would order again. The service was friendly and the interior is nice but at night it's pretty chilly inside due to the open doors/windows from the bar. I wouldn't come back read more

Overall we had a great time, but for some reason, the one male server we were greeted by, was extremely aggressive and rude and pushed us to sit/stand at the crowded bar even though the dining room was completely empty . The two bartenders were welcoming and nice and made our experience amazing, but the server who we had must have been an oversight on management. The rest of the staff seemed polished, personable, and wonderful. I highly recommend this place for anybody in south Philadelphia! Great happy hour specials including $5 old fashions and $1 oysters read more

It is sad that after being rated #1 in Phillymag, the chef left and the new chef has to meet high expectations. The food was good but not great. Nothing I ate there was a"wow". I did enjoy their chocolate mousse. The service was good and the waitress was very attentive n sweet. If you are looking for just regular food then this would be your place. read more

Very cool place, good location, and contrary to some of the other reviews, very good service. we started off with the chef's board and steak tartare app, as recommended by our server. both were very good. we then tried the scallops, beef cheek, and sausage. i particularly enjoyed the beef cheek. cocktail menu was extensive. if you plan on drinking, it can get expensive as most cocktails are about $10. all in all a great time and i look forward to returning. read more

The food is delicious, and it's all tapas and small plates. I knew that going in but I was surprised at exactly how small a small plate is here. We ordered their Chef's Board and I was very let down with what we received for $25. Very very impressive bourbon list. We had a 5 o'clock reservation and when we walk in at 4:55 they tell us that they weren't open yet and to come back in a few minutes. Mind you it's 35 degrees outside and my fiance has a cold. Then when we do get back in there drink service is a crawl. Slow service and not a good start. Glad I tried it but I won't be back. read more

Went last Saturday with a party of 4 for drinks around 11pm. Place was relatively crowded (not packed) and there was virtually no wait staff on the floor. We stayed for 20-30 mins and were never once approached by anyone. We ordered a beer, two Old Fashions, and one Gin Tonic from the bar - I honestly don't think there was any liquor in any of the drinks - the G&T tasted like sprite and the Old Fashions tasted like sugar/bitters. I'm hardly a cocktail snob, but c'mon, it's easy to detect liquor in an Old Fashioned or Gin Tonic. My friend ordered another Old Fashioned, mentioning the last one was weak to the bartender, and watched him make it up with no alcohol. We promptly left (had already paid for the drinks we did consume at the bar). Maybe it was "Zero-Fcks-Given Night" at Stateside and we didn't see the sign, but it was disheartening, especially since there are cheaper/more attentive bars within a 2-block radius. Have been there multiple times before and always thought highly of them - but this really stood out as a totally apathetic experience on the part of Stateside. Worst part is, this was the first time for two members of our group - i highly doubt they'll ever be back, even tho I'll give Stateside the benefit of the doubt in that it was an off-night. read more

I often only write reviews when I feel like a place is amazing (or horrible), but I felt like Stateside was only mediocre. My spouse and I recently went there for a dinner date with a friend and her fiancee and weren't thrilled with the experience. First, the food was delicious. A small, great menu that definitely satisfied -- we ordered a selection of plates and the chef's board, which wasn't quite enough to share between all of us. Regardless, we enjoyed everything we tasted. We didn't stay for dessert, but the selection of after dinner treats and drinks looked like a great topper to the meal. Our issue was with the service. Stateside was very well-staffed for only having a dozen tables and a small bar. We arrived shortly after our friends, who had already been seated. We took our seats and looked through the drink menu -- when our server arrived, she dropped off their drinks and immediately walked away. No greeting, no drink orders. The bar was nearly empty, and there were only two other tables seated at the time. It took another ten minutes to come back and take our drink order -- another long wait for our drinks. Finally, we ordered our dinner with the chef's board to share. They brought out our plates at odd times. We received a lone cold dish and waited twenty more minutes before our hot dishes came out. This seemed a little strange to us, since we didn't want to stagger our eating. We tried to order more drinks, but our server never bothered to ask when we had empty glasses. We've been to small plate and tapas restaurants before -- Stateside just felt like a let-down because of the service. Would we go back? Likely not, with the number of other, similar restaurants in the city. read more