PhillyFoodGuys: Hittin’ the Streets for Underground Eats

 

 Grace Tavern and The Dive Bar [6:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

After our visit to the soul food church fell through on Sunday, some of us sinners decided to visit a couple local bars. Still reeling from southern cuisine deprivation, we set our sights on a couple of local taverns: Grace Tavern and The Dive Bar.

Grace Tavern finds its home just off of South Street in the city’s Fitler Square neighborhood. Reputed to have a good Oyster Po’ Boy (Wikipedia’s thoughts on the Po’ Boy here), I’ve driven past this tavern many times wanting to stop in for a look. Inside, the bar is completely renovated with tin ceilings, a long mahogany bar and a small dining room in the rear. The atmosphere is a dark, yet inviting.

We entered to find a couple patrons and the bartender transfixed by the golf tournament du jour on the TV. Armed with menus, we sat down and found a pub grub menu with an assortment of standards, not to mention a nice beer selection (Yards, Stoudt’s, Yuengling, Nodding Head, et al). We ordered a broad selection of items and found the standout items to be the Blackened Green Beans and the Double Dipped French Fries with Bourbon Mayo. The Green Beans were sauteed with Cajun spices that added some welcomed heat; while the French Fries were extra crunchy and included the sinfully tasty Bourbon Mayo also found at Monk’s and the Nodding Head. Good beer food.

Our next stop was The Dive Bar in Bella Vista. Guess what? It’s a dive bar! but in a good way. Just steps from the Italian Market, we wandered in to find a fun bar with an eclectic mix of people. From the woman with the sequined blouse to the girl sipping a Schlitz to the bartender with his full-on mutton chops, it was just the type of environment we love. Is it a “clean,” mainstream (i.e. generic) type of bar - No.

Finding a spot at the back of the bar, we were immediately served and offered free pizza (after all, it was “Happy Hour.” Apparently there are several levels to this row-house bar, but the top two floors are closed for renovation. In addition, their kitchen is a microwave and a toaster oven - I’ve heard that they serve Hungry Man Frozen dinners at the bar (but I didn’t see any when we were there). The atmosphere is definitely cave-like and reminds me of so many college bars that I’ve patronized in the past. Good times.

After our soul food slip-up, Grace Tavern and The Dive Bar proved to be well worth the trip. Grace offers a great spot for drinks and pub grub. The atmosphere, beer selection and service were definitely standouts. The Dive Bar offered a much more vibrant atmosphere and great people-watching. Furthermore, the beer selection was good and our Bartender was fast and personable. We’d go back to both.

Check out The Dive Bar’s MySpace Page Here

TAGS: Philadelphia, Fitler Square, Bella Vista, Grace Tavern, The Dive Bar, Podcast