PhillyFoodGuys: Hittin’ the Streets for Underground Eats

I don’t like to declare any menu item as the “best,” but Good Dog in Center City has a candidate for Philadelphia’s Best Cheeseburger. No, I’m not a hardcore cheeseburger freak, but I know an awesome burger when I have one. And I had one last Friday night.

To celebrate the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, Patti and I headed into Center City for a couple of beers and a sandwich. In considering our options, I stumbled on an article about Philadelphia Inquirer Food Critic Craig LaBan’s Favorite Burgers. Apparently he is a cheeseburger freak; if you don’t think so, check out Craig’s music video “Cheeseburger, I Hold”. So we called some friends and headed to Good Dog.

Entering the bar, Patti and I picked our way through the crowd to find the only two available barstools in the back. Sitting down, our Bartender offered us drinks right away, and was not put off when we needed a minute to make our choices. With a Hoegaarden and Yuengling Lager in hand, we watched the staff dart back and forth behind the bar helping other patrons. Moreover, we couldn’t help but notice how quickly and efficiently the food servers were serving their guests too.

After our friends arrived and grabbed a beer, the four of us jumped into one of the booths in the first floor bar. Good Dog has a smaller bar on the second floor with restaurant seating as well as a third floor game room complete with pool table and dart board. Our server greeted us right away, distributed menus and quickly returned with some fresh drinks. Once we took a quick look at Good Dog’s menu, we chose the Good Dog Burger, Mediterranean Wrap and Good Dog Salad. Sipping our beers, we looked forward to some good grub while enjoying each other’s company.

The meal arrived quickly, which was surprising due to the crowd. I didn’t have any great expectations regarding the Good Dog Burger. Hey, it’s just a cheeseburger, right?  After one bite, I realized I owe Craig LaBan and apology. I guess I underestimated his Cheeseburger Freak Factor. It was fantastic. The ½ lb burger filled with blue cheese was perfectly done (medium rare), with a thin, crispy exterior, caramelized onions and a center of cheesy goodness. It was so good, that I forced everyone at the table take a bite. So I guess technically I ate only ½ of a Good Dog Burger…, but when you find something you really like, you gotta share.

After being seduced by my cheeseburger, it was tough getting the details on the other food items we ordered. So I’m not going to attempt an after the fact review, except to say everyone was happy and satisfied with their meal.

In short, we had a great experience at Good Dog. We enjoyed the small local bar atmosphere while the service was both timely and attentive. The menu offers bar and comfort food with a few twists: I loved the Good Dog Burger.  The beer and cocktail selection is also very good. This is a perfect stop if you’re looking for lunch in Center City (it’s just 5 blocks South of City Hall) or just a casual meal. We recommend it highly.

UPDATE: It’s been a few months since our first review, but we returned to Good Dog recently. Our second visit was just as good as the first. The food was really good and the service was excellent. And yes, I had another Good Dog Burger and it is still “the Bomb.”

TAGS: Philadelphia, Philly, Center City, Good Dog Bar,  American Food, Craign LaBan