Big Woody's Sports Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in Allentown

Been to Woodys 5x and with the closing of Lupos, PJ Omalleys, Teppan, and Stooges it is a welcome and needed addition to West Allentowns meager food and bar scene. With a few easy to add adjustments it can avoid following to the fates of above.

The bartenders are very friendly, and you can bet you most likely to be interviewed by the latest restaurant manager to find out how you are enjoying your service. It features a huge bar, and generous dining room area.

So why is it almost nearly empty every time we visit? One of the managers assures us it's because there is a Lafayette Bank under construction between it and the heavily trafficked Hamilton Blvd. That begs the question when the bank is complete, how will punters see the restaurant then?

Another possibility might be the crowd: on one visit a hostess asked a ne'er do well outside the entrance to vacate the premises upon which the vagrant challenged her to call the police, since the APD OWED him money. The same night an obviously mentally ill regular peacefully exited the building.These are security issues that need to be addressed by experienced security personnel which Woody has so far failed to provide to protect almost all female staff.

But true villain is the menu. The generous burgers taste like they have been marinated In salt mines. The steak sandwich rolls break apart, inexcusable considering the availability of quality bread within an hour delivery. The pizza is watery and will keep the local plumbing industry in business. The best value would have been the hot wings, which are simple and tasty but even on "wing night" we were overcharged for.

As I said, a few improvements would make Woodys new location work: better security, an expanded menu to include perhaps fish n chips or more seafood, better bread, and perhaps an evaluation of the pizza ingredients.

The restaurant space is HUGE: would a Karaouke, Open Mike, or Trivia Night help attract more customers? Also this is yet another sports bar where the owners have chosen to cheap out with satellite TV requiring patrons to negotiate with barkeeps to put Philadelphia and Allentown teams to search for their games on perimieter TVs.

Woodys new location has a chance to take over a part of Allentown desperately looking for a new hangout. But a review of the menu, security and TV options are what will seperate this good looking bar from being the next new Traylors, Philly Steaks or Bennigans on Lehigh Street unless changes...

My Saturday visit to BW's West End/Hamilton St was BY FAR my worst experience ever at an establishment. Sadly, Woody Marcks would have been rolling in his grave witnessing the same. Enter myself, 2 daughters, and my son-in-law at about 5:05 pm. Told by staff to seat ourselves in the dining area which was totally empty. Drink order taken and served. Food order taken by "Mariah" at about 5:25 pm...2 cheesesteaks, 1 Calif cheeseburger, 10 wings, and 1 slice of pizza. By this time, at least 3 other parties were occupying booths/tables in the dining area. Now 6 pm...NO FOOD on the table...apologies from "Mariah" for being short-staffed, one cook on duty...yet, every party in room ordered AND received food! 6:15 pm now...still NO FOOD...daughters and S-I-L now leave for scheduled commitment...Dad agrees to stay n wait for food..."Mariah" told order is now to be takeout...$60 bill paid w/card. "Mariah" again apologizes...Dad expresses disappointment with, not only the delay of service, but with the constant waft of weed entering the dining area from the outdoor seating area...apparently condoned by management here??? 6:45 pm now...NO FOOD...bill paid...told they were just waiting on the 1 slice n 10 wings... 6:50 pm...Dad leaves dining area, heads to bar area (with paid bill)...asks for manager. Dad expresses displeasure with lack of service...manager asks for card...credits total bill...finally get takeout bag...WITHOUT WINGS N SLICE...and apologies from manager till "next time"... Sorry, won't be a next time. My only regret..."Mariah" never got the tip I would have added... Chad Marcks, my condolences/apologies for referencing your dad earlier...always loved the BW's food...but this experience was TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! I hope you still have a hand in addressing this location's...

One word... PATHETIC! Arrived around 5pm on 1/25/19. The place had maybe 2 dozen patrons spread out, at the most. Not busy by any means. Pretty sure there were only 3 employees. The bartender; her first day I think. The server; may as well have been her first day, and I assume someone in the kitchen trying to cook. Sat there for about 10 minutes until the server came over. Ordered a Shock Top and a Sprite for the wife. 10 minutes later she delivers the Sprite, no beer, and says nothing. Another 10 minutes later, I went to the bar out of impatience. Asked for a Shock Top. "All out." (Really?) "Ok. Blue Moon then." "All out of that too." (SERIOUSLY?) Ended up with a Bronx NYCL, which was the only good part of the evening, about a half hour after we sat down. Cheese pizza was ordered and shows up about a half hour later. Then the server comes back to tell me they're out of Shock Top. STELLAR WORK! I told her they were out of Blue Moon too. Cue the crickets. I also had to go find my own crushed red pepper flakes up at the bar because the server was nowhere to be found. To boot, it was so damn cold in there we may as well have sat outside. I swear I thought I saw my breath at one point. And because it was so cold, the pizza that took forever to get served got cold in about 2.37 seconds. I'm thinking a name change from Big Woody's to Dumb Dick's is in order. There's a slim chance in Hell we'll be...