Hop Sing Laundromat — Restaurant in Philadelphia

3/5

This bar has been on my list for a while and I finally had a chance to visit. That said, I don’t need to go back. My thoughts:

The location really sells up the “mystery” aspect. There’s also a bit of a wait as the owner/host checks each party’s IDs in batches, but once you’ve entered, there’s a waiting area where you’re asked to sit while the owner/host explains the rules. I note that he’s entertaining and has a sense of humor once you’re on the other side of the metal door. The rules are essentially: no videos, no pictures, no phone calls—an influencer’s nightmare. Fine with me.

The outdoor waiting game now seems like a ruse to offer a sense of exclusivity because we never saw anyone leave and we all got in.

I noted some reviews about the dress code, which I find funny because the guests were mostly casual. At the expense of not being judgmental, I’ll say anyone who “comes as they are with discretion” is good to go. I felt overdressed in heels.

Once you make it to the main area, all patrons are seated at tables. Though there’s a huge bar, they don’t provide seating there. This is important in case you’d like to visit solo.

I found the interior decor to be lacking a bit. It was decent, but for all the preceding pomp and circumstance, you’d expect a more lush, true-to-speakeasy fashionable interior with better lighting design to highlight all the framed wall art and reliquaries. Instead, it feels more campy. All the tables are very spaced out so it doesn’t feel cramped. Perhaps this is a post-COVID modification? (Definitely not a dealbreaker.)

There was miscommunication among the staff throughout the night and they appeared quite anxious. I expected them to share some of the owner’s host over-the-top charisma (which I found amusing); that was not the case. Not a dealbreaker, though.

Where this place shines: the drink quality. 8/10. They are pricey (10-30 for a cocktail) but you get what you pay for and they’re well-made.

Where this place falls flat: awkward moments and customer service. By 10:25 PM one of the servers came to our table and asked if we wanted to order another drink because it was Last Call. We asked what time the bar was closing, and they replied midnight, adding that there was no rush at all. It seemed a bit weird for Last Call to occur 1.5 hours before closing time, especially since it was not packed and they were well-staffed. Whatever. Folks started to leave shortly after, but I’m not a fast drinker (we’d only been there about 45 min) so we took our time. Big mistake?? The lights started to come on at 10:55 as the last patrons departed, leaving just my friend and me. It felt so very rushed; the ambiance went from 80 to 0 very quickly as the staff scurried to (noisily) break everything down and stack tables. When we finally decided to leave, the once charming host hastily ushered us outside into the rainy night. A true Cinderella experience. It’s funny now but was jarring then.

I’d say this bar is more like a tourist delight. The aura of mystery is its truest draw, but after all is said and done, it’s like having a drink with the...

Oh where to start!

My friends and I had a rather disappointing experience when we attempted to visit this establishment during our trip to Philadelphia. Unfortunately, our visit was marred by a series of unfortunate incidents that left us feeling unwelcome and disheartened.

Upon our arrival, we found ourselves puzzled by the lack of clear instructions on how to access the place. After a few moments of uncertainty, we noticed a bell outside the gate and decided to use it to announce our presence. Regrettably, this simple action seemed to have irritated an elderly gentleman who appeared to be in charge. He approached us in an agitated manner, expressing his frustration at the bell being rung twice.

To our dismay, instead of offering assistance or guidance, he chose to belittle my friends and me in front of other patrons who were also awaiting entry. He even went so far as to make unwarranted accusations about our sobriety, despite the fact that this was our first stop, and we were completely sober. We promptly offered a polite apology for any unintentional disturbance.

Despite our attempts to defuse the situation, the gentleman informed us that there was no room for us and proceeded to attend to another couple. Interestingly, a group of four people who were also waiting sympathized with us, acknowledging how poorly we had been treated. They made the decision to forego entering what they described as a "pretentious joke" of a speakeasy.

At this point, the gentleman instructed us to have our IDs ready, as his manager apparently wanted to speak with us. We complied, handing over our IDs as requested. He went inside with our IDs, away from our sight. Subsequently, a blonde woman wearing a mask emerged and returned our IDs, regretfully informing us that we would not be permitted to enter on this particular day. Naturally, my friends inquired about the reason for this decision, but before the woman could respond, the irate gentleman interjected, once again obsessing over the bell incident.

We politely redirected our inquiry to the woman, who seemed visibly uncomfortable and as though she was conveying orders rather than making an independent decision. She reiterated that she had to relay what the man was saying and was clearly not in a managerial position.

We understand that establishments have rules and policies, but our experience at this place left us with a sense of unwarranted hostility and unprofessionalism. It's disappointing to encounter such behavior, especially when we consider ourselves to be respectful, well-traveled individuals with extensive experience in various settings.

I'm sure I'll get some poorly written response back, which further proves how sad and pathetic this man and this establishment are. Avoid...

As a life-long rule-follower, things that annoy me are: Drivers cruising in the left-hand lane. Keep right, pass left! People who stand up the second the plane stops taxiing, or try and de-board before people in rows ahead of them. You're not going anywhere for awhile! People who don't know how to walk in a city. Keep moving AND get out of the way. etc.

Stay with me, now... I promise this has a relevant point. If you're like me, then HSL is an oasis of correct behavior.

Yes, there are rules. No, they are not a high bar to clear AT ALL. For the negative reviews, I can pretty much guarantee that the people leaving those negative reviews did something (or multiple somethings) to warrant whatever perceived slight or injustice they think they were handed.

Dress like you're going somewhere special, because you are. Not taking a call at your table. Not taking pictures in a place that is striving to protect YOU and your anonymity.

And then there's just general bad behavior... like not being a tw*t and ringing the bell multiple times or demanding to be let in. Not leaving a proper tip for the hard-working folks that are all focused on making sure you have a perfect night. I think Lê might possibly have the best job in the world; turning away rude and entitled people for not following the rules. It's like watching a bully get beat up in a movie, or the guy that passed you on the shoulder in stopped traffic getting pulled over 1/4 mile down the road.

If you can't do the tiniest amount of research beforehand into the rules (there's no way you heard about this place and didn't hear that they've got house rules) and follow them, then maybe HSL isn't the place for you. And I'm glad for it.

The menu of normal cocktails has been written about in plenty of other places; suffice to say they're still as amazing as when I first went years ago. They seem to be continually getting tweaked, one spirit swapped for another, or otherwise improved in some way. Some new additions too. You'll have to see for yourself.

But the reason my partner and I went on Saturday was for the drinks "omakase" with Toby Maloney. We were amazed with Toby's knowledge, enthusiasm for his craft, and of course the end result of his work: custom cocktails that followed a specific trajectory, tasted absolutely amazing, and demonstrated the different ways that a spirit can be showcased and elevated by someone at the peak of their power. It really was a singular experience. We're looking forward to going back and giving a different spirit to Toby as a starting point and seeing what magic he can...