South Philadelphia Tap Room — Restaurant in Philadelphia

I finally made it here after wondering since it opened years ago. This place left me confused. People sitting in the dark bar area with their kids when there is an adjacent restaurant section. Who brings little kids into a bar around people getting drunk? I can't sit, chill, and drink with a friend while a little kid is chomping away and crying next to me as their slightly nurotic helicopter mom won't shut up. Weird mix of people, many that look like they should move out to the mainline or some other suburban area. It felt like it was trying to be something it's not - cool. Drink prices are like in Manhattan or Rittenhouse but no alcohol in it. I know how much that booze cost - stop being stingy. Food tastes good but was expensive and small, like trying to be a 5star multi-course dining experience. Again, it confused me - are you a dark bar, fine dining, family restaurant, local hangout? Too many conflicting messages for my simple tastes. I guess it's to be expected from the people who tried to carve "Newbold" out of Point Breeze, and now everyone knows it and says Point Breeze. Claims they are about the community, but really only about a particular slice of So Philly willing to pay the price. Saw no people of color - not one! So many cool local places to go with much more diversity. Hard pass on going back. I felt broke and not full after dinner and a...

Just not good food overall. I called and asked for American cheese on my burger and the cook(I'd call him a chef if he produced half decent food) gave me shit and said peperjack was the only cheese they had. Okay.... I saw garlic aoli on the menu and asked for that instead of the chorizo mayo on the menu. They said that was fine. I got my order and they just didn't put any mayo on the burger. It seemed pretty petty but based on the quality of their product the kraft mayo I put on it was better than anything the "chef" could muster up. The deviled eggs were bland and lacked any acid to balance the fat from the eggs. The fries with the burger were unsalted and soggy, my dog wouldn't eat them. I saved the wings for better and as anticipated they were crap. They were dry and flavorless and it took a glass of water to get one down. 7-11 wings basting under a heat lamp for 24 hours would best that any day. The "chef" obviously has an ego, and should get that in check because the food sucks, especially at their...

The burgers at this place are excellent. They're cooked on a flame grill rather than flat-top and served on a sturdy but soft bun. The bun to meat ratio is good which keeps the burger manageable without being too messy. Rather than loading up the burger with exotic ingredients and sauces like at so many other places, the Taproom keeps it simple to allow the true burger goodness to shine. The fries that come with the burgers are some of the best in the city; they're crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside without any burnt or old-oil overtones. The other menu items define the Taproom as a true gastro-pub, and many of the options are quite tempting. However, I haven't tried them because I'm always drawn to the burger and fries. A friend who has tried other items swears I need to branch out; maybe next time. Some random things to know: outside tables available; service is spot on; Sunday brunch menu; very good beer and cocktail options;...