Northeast Philly’s Grey Lodge Pub

After stumbling across a few mentions of the Grey Lodge Pub recently, Patti and I trekked to Philly’s Great Northeast to check it out. Maybe “trekked” isn’t the right choice of words. After seeing strong recommendations like Esquire’s One of the Best Bars in America, The Beer Advocate’s Top 50 Beer Bars in America (2005) and Philly Weekly’s Top 50 Bars in Philadelphia , maybe “Pilgrimage” is more appropriate?

We arrived to find an active tavern and a decent crowd. The spacious downstairs area holds a long, curvy bar perfect for large groups or singles. After swimming through the crowd, I discovered two regulation dart boards located at the back of the bar. Sweet! I love darts, but a dart board can be tough to find. I guess Alchohol + Pointy Objects - Lack of Personal Responsibility = No Darts. God forbid someone takes responsibility for hurting themselves or others. I guess by this point you realize that I’m talking about a real dartboard and not those plastic, idiot-proof versions.

Unable to find a seat downstairs, Patti and I climbed the stairs to find a spot in the more intimate second floor bar. Nestling down at a table for two, we were immediately greeted and offered drinks. Thankfully, my sinister plan of bringing Patti over to the “dark side” is working perfectly. She’s transitioned from Bud, to Yuengling to more flavorful beers. Grey Lodge offers a great selection of 25 draft and over 50 types of bottled beer; take a look at The Grey Lodge Pub’s beers. Ironically, the group seated next to us was entirely made up of Coors Light drinkers…

Settling on a couple of tasty choices, we relaxed and checked out the menu. Offering primarily pub grub, the menu appeared somewhat limited so we settled on an appetizer of Duck Spring Rolls. I would have hoped for a bit more diversity, but the sandwiches and entrees are perfectly matched to Grey Lodge’s strength, which is beer. Waiting for our food, we watched the activity in the bar and it’s clear that service is a priority. The bar and wait staff were on their game providing prompt, attentive service which is often difficult to find.

Our appetizer was delivered quickly and we found it to be delicious. The Duck Spring Rolls lightly crisp and hit the spot perfectly; I’ll definitely get them again. Since our visit was just intended to be a quick stop, I’m sorry I can’t furnish a more exhaustive menu review…

After reading all the previously mentioned accolades, we think The Grey Lodge Pub is definitely worthy. Granted, we didn’t stay all evening or even order an entire meal, but this spot has the makins for some good times. The downstairs and upstairs bars cater to different needs and even offer varying choices of their broad Whiskey selection. Also, Grey Lodge gets style points for devoting a section of their website to the mosaic tile installed in their restrooms. So if you’re for a great local with a lot of character(s), go to the Northeast’s Grey Lodge Pub.

The Grey Lodge Pub is located at 6235 Frankford Ave. in Philadelphia, PA
(215) 825-5357 www.greylodge.com

Tags: Grey Lodge Pub, Mayfair, Northeast, Philadelphia, Philly