BYOB question...

[mdt]

I am coming up to Philly this weekend (Dali on Friday morning) and have been trying to decide which BYOB to try on Friday night. After going through the posts here and elsewhere I have narrowed down my list to:

Django (on the waitlist, so I want to have other options in mind)

Chloe

Matyson

Pumpkin

Any info on how hard it would be for a duece to get a table on Friday night?

It has been a couple of years since I have been up Philly and am looking forward to it. I wonder how many cheesesteaks I can eat in a weekend?

[Capaneus]

I am coming up to Philly this weekend (Dali on Friday morning) and have been trying to decide which BYOB to try on Friday night.  After going through the posts here and elsewhere I have narrowed down my list to:

Django (on the waitlist, so I want to have other options in mind)

Chloe

Matyson

Pumpkin

Any info on how hard it would be for a duece to get a table on Friday night?

It has been a couple of years since I have been up Philly and am looking forward to it.  I wonder how many cheesesteaks I can eat in a weekend? 

←

Chloe has a no-reservations policy, so it's a good backup - since it's also, in my opinion, the weakest of the lot, though still good. I'd try Marigold Kitchen, then Matyson, then Pumpkin. You may well not get a reservation at any of them, at this point...

[phungi]

A guy willing to eat a few cheesesteaks in a single weekend might enjoy the experience of Dimitri's. They are BYOB and have no reservations, so consider it if you are willing to spend an hour or two across the street having a few beverages while you wait.

[shacke]

I personally like Tre Scalini (italian - duh) in South Philly and you may get a table if you call today. Haven't heard much of it on this board but I have been there too many times to count. It is BYO but not in the heart of the center city if you want to walk somewhere.

Evan

[Capaneus]

A couple of relative newcomers, Mandoline and Bistro7, might also be worth considering.

[sockii]

Matyson is the only one from your list I've been to--several times--and I have always enjoyed it a lot. But weekends can be a little tricky unless you're flexible with your timing (as in a very early/very late seating). Wouldn't hurt to give them a try though.

Melograno is very nice as well, but takes no reservations. Again, if you get there right at opening or late in the evening, you shouldn't have any/much of a wait.

And I never see much talk about it here, but I've been to Caffe Casta Diva twice and had some really fabulous Italian food there. They do take reservations and I did get a Friday night seating at 6 at the last minute a couple weeks ago.

[Osnav]

I was in Philly last weekend. I went to Django, Matyson, and Melagrano. Django is a definite must reservation. Matyson, I had a reservation, but at 8:30PM there were three open tables around me, so you might try them. Melagrano doesn't take reservations. We arrived at 7:45PM and were seated by 8:05PM.

All three restaurants were excellent.

And by the way, the Dali show is killer!

[Andrew Fenton]

I personally like Tre Scalini (italian - duh) in South Philly and you may get a table if you call today.  Haven't heard much of it on this board but I have been there too many times to count.  It is BYO but not in the heart of the center city if you want to walk somewhere.

On Friday, I just ate at Tre Scalini for the first time in a couple of years, and it was still excellent. We called on Thursday for a Friday reservation and had no troubles.

Also outside of Center City, but first-rate (and easy to get to from the museum) is Rx, in University City.

I know that I'm in a minority on this one, but I find Matyson to be a little over-rated. It's not bad or anything, but I've always walked away vaguely dissatisfied.

[philadining]

A guy willing to eat a few cheesesteaks in a single weekend might enjoy the experience of Dimitri's.  They are BYOB and have no reservations, so consider it if you are willing to spend an hour or two across the street having a few beverages while you wait.

←

The original Dmitri's on Third Street is indeed a really cool little BYOB serving a pretty different kind of food than the other spots around town. It's minimal, very simple, straight-ahead grilled seafood and the like, and quite good if you like that kind of thing. But it is tiny and popular, and takes no reservations, so as a result, you're pretty-much guaranteed a long wait on a weekend. But it's worth it if you feel like having the best grilled octopus anywhere. If you get on the list early enough, at least you can count on getting a table eventually.

Melograno's food is different, they do really excellent simple Italian, but the seating policy is much the same, although the waits usually aren't quite as brutal. If you can get there right at opening at 5pm, you have a decent chance of sitting down soon.

As for places that do take reservations, you'll have a tough time on a friday night this close with some of the hot places like Django or Marigold, but it's worth a try. Marigold is all the rage right now, but Rx is just around the corner, and Nan is in that same University-City neighborhood, doing an elegant Thai-French thing, if that floats your boat.

There have been a couple of recommendations in South Philly, but I notice that Shacke and Capaneus have conveniently neglected to mention Pif. They're trying to keep it to themselves. Go ahead, steal their tables if you're in the mood for French.

We really do have an embarrassment of riches here, with lots of good, small BYOBs. But getting into one on a friday is getting increasingly difficult.

The good news is that the cheesesteak joints are never booked up. How many can one eat? They're pretty dense, but be careful, they can be addictive.... pace yourself.

Edited May 25, 2005 by philadining (log)

[herbacidal]

Everything said thus far I assume to be correct, especially since my BYOB dining is far less than it used to be.

I do agree with the idea of trying for either Marigold or Rx, because even if they fall through, you still have Ethiopian places (Dahlak, Goijo(?), Le Dakar) and Vientiane down a few block on Baltimore Ave.

In general the Ethiopian places aren't as spiffed up decor-wise as places like Marigold or Rx. I understand Abysinia at 45th and Locust is the nicest looking of the Ethiopian places, but I've never been.

Then, to extend the area farther, there's probably space at the Walnut Hill College/ Restaurant School's dining rooms @ 42nd and Walnut, although you should check if they serve on Friday.

[herbacidal]

.

As for places that do take reservations, you'll have a tough time on a friday night this close with some of the hot places like Django or Marigold, but it's worth a try. 

We really do have an embarrassment of riches here, with lots of good, small BYOBs. But getting into one on a friday is getting increasingly difficult.

yourself.

←

I would have thought that the only places particular hard to get into and thus requiring reservations right now would have been Django, Matyson, and Pumpkin, noting the no-reservations policy at Melograno and Chloe.

That said, my general attitude when dining has been to plan on being out most of the night and be easy going. Therefore, I dont't generally mind a wait of an hour or less as long as there's something interesting to do nearby, such as have a drink someplace. Or wander around the neighborhood, which may only interest me.

The recently Laban reviewed Bistro 7 (check my media digest up top) is good.

I liked it when I was there with Katie. The quality of the food and service at Ristorante del Ghiottone (?) has not dropped off noticably since the death of their owner.

If you like, you can always fall back on the South Philly BYOBs.

Buon Appetito just changed hands, although they may not be re-opened yet.

I liked Tre Scalini and Little Fish the one time I've been to each place years ago.

L'Angolo is generally well received.

Mr. Martino's is a cult favorite among a certain group.

Io e Tu, Salt and Pepper, August are some others that I haven't heard bad news about. Io e Tu has been there a long time, and I think it flies under the radar for a lot of people.

Think about giving Samba some business. From all accounts the restaurant at 8th and Girard does rodizio very well, is never crowded, and is inexpensive.

I'd consider it my backup to everything else, with parking not being a problem there.

It's not BYOB.

Edited May 25, 2005 by herbacidal (log)

[Capaneus]

There have been a couple of recommendations in South Philly, but I notice that Shacke and Capaneus have conveniently neglected to mention Pif. They're trying to keep it to themselves. Go ahead, steal their tables if you're in the mood for French.

←

Fool! Have you no respect for the Code of Silence (or Quiet Chewing, at any rate)? You have broken the Thin Greasy Line!

Actually, I just went with the fact that the OP seemed to be looking for Contemporary American, so I didn't mention Italian (Melograno, Tre Scalini, L'Angolo) or Pif, which is French.