Hal's Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Ross Township

Hal's Bar & Grill on Babcock Blvd in Ross Twp. has always been one of my favorite places to eat, get a drink, hang out with friends, and watch a sports game. Pricing is very fair in my book. For how well the quality of the food and how well it is presented I would expect higher prices but it still is just a bar & grill. I've tried most of the menu items through the years and I haven't found one I wouldn't order again. The food is just excellent, the beer & alcohol selection is extensive (the pickiest person can find a drink they like here). The wait staff is the friendliest, quickest, and attentive I've ever seen. It's not the largest place but the layout works nicely. It's one room with a divider in the middle to break up the bar area from the restaurant table area. The bar is fairly large and offers high-top tables. It being one room and with TV's the whole way around the room, you are sure to be able to catch a game from sitting down in the restaurant area and of course the bar area. Also with it being one room and when it's busy which it always is, there is a decent bit of crowd noise just from everyone talking. So don't expect a quiet romantic dinner night. Their parking lot is huge and even when busy I've always found a spot to park. Right next door which was the old Chalkys billiards hall is Hals six packs to go that offers a wide selection of beer and some that I've never heard of before. A lot of specialty beers to purchase in the six-pack store as well as in the bar. And I can't say enough good words about Hal the owner, he's very friendly and is always willing to accommodate in any way he can....

Refused Service: My boyfriend and I went here for dinner after a movie. After a short wait, we were seated. We each ordered a beer and dinner and as per normal protocol the waitress checked our ID's without issue (I'm 27 he's 28). About 15-20min after we were served our beers (I was about 2/3 through mine) another female employee approached the table and indicated she was double checking ID's. We each produced our valid PA Drivers License and she walked away from the table. After several minutes I asked her if there was a problem (we had seen her running the ID's by several people). She indicated that our ID's were questionable and that they would not serve us any more. It's important to note that there were many young people in the bar, but no other people we experiencing this type of scrutiny. We both produced other other forms of ID (my University staff ID, my boyfriends pharmacist license) along with credit cards bearing our respective names. All of these were deemed inadequate. I offered (repeatedly) to have them call the police for my supposedly fake ID since that would prove its validity but they flat out refused.

We ended up leaving but not before they made us pay for the beers we supposedly should not have been served in the first place (I'm sure PLCB would love to hear about that).

This is the only time either of us have ever been refused service.

The involved staff were rude and condescending through the...

The music is at a level you would find at a club or concert so you have to yell over it making sitting inside unbearable. The music is completely vulgar as elderly and children come to eat. Outside SERVICE IS HORRIBLE. After receiving our food our waitress took our water to "refill" and we never saw her again. After eating our meals and waiting a half hour after we had to track the waitress down for checks and boxes. The waitress didn't split the check so she took it back in. TWENTY minutes later we still didn't have our checks. Went inside for a SECOND time and asked to speak with a manager. The waitress brought us our checks and didn't apologize or even speak a single word. We paid and went to leave still not seeing a manager when another female approached us. The female said she was a bartender and speaking on behalf and of the owner "Hal". The owner was present and not busy as we spotted him and watched him do nothing.

There was also another table outside this female was "waiting on" that she had completely neglected to check on.

Some things on the menu are okay but not for the price and all sauces seem to be watery.

Based on the fact of horrible service, rude wait staff and the owner unwilling to address issues or speak with paying customers we will not be returning. Better food and service could be found at 100s of other places in the...