1601

1601 just might be closed or going through a renovation phase-​something-​for the past three weeks their gates have been down, no patrons. –Turns out it has something to do with the LCB. Here’s to 1601 sorting it out soon.

Went in on a Friday for dinner. Pleasant, quiet atmosphere with some soft electronica music, dim lighting and local art on the walls. Very easy to get a table. They have about 6 drafts ($ 4-​$ 7). The list that night was IPA heavy (3 or 4 of the taps were IPA) but phenomenal. We had Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald porter (one of the best), Ballast Point Sculpin IPA (excellent) and Draft Horse amber (tasty). We both had sandwiches ($ 9) that came with side salads. I had the seared tuna steak sandwich. The tuna came in small slices, was rare and good. The bread was European in style, crispy on the outside and absolutely delicious. My girlfriend had the BLAT sandwich: bacon, lettuce, avocado and fried green tomato (without the B as she’s a veggie!). She said it was delicious. Only disappointment were the frites ($ 6) which had come so highly recommended by Unilocal.The dipping sauce was good but they came out cold. Also, when I hear «frites» in America I expect very thin cut fries. (Is this an incorrect assumption?) These seemed like regular «fries» to me. Service was friendly and relatively quick considering there was one bartender/​server. Fries, 2 sandwiches and 4 beers came to $ 47.50. Overall, I really liked the food and enjoyed the atmosphere. I think this is a great alternative to some of the busy Pass. Ave. joints when you want a quieter, more chill drink/​meal.

This is probably the only bar in south philly where I feel just fine on a night out by myself. The lady bartender, Candace, seems tough as nails initially; however she is actually very nice and welcoming if you take the time to chat with her a little. I usually prefer my bartenders to be a little rough around the edges anyway. It doesn’t hurt that she makes a good strong drink, too.

After extensive contemplation I’ve decided to offer 1601 two stars. Call me stingy but I think there is a lot of room for improvement and 1601 is up to the challenge.
To start, I like the looks of the place. The front bar is cozy and the dining area in the back is nice — a little sparsely decorated, like someone said «I’ll get back to this later» and never did — but the local art on the walls is interesting.
When we arrived for a late lunch there were only a few other patrons. We were seated in the back and the service was extremely prompt. I ordered the fried tomato BLT with avocado and without bacon. It’s a big sandwich and a small salad comes alongside of it. I liked all the ingredients, but overall it was a touch bland — it needs a special mayo or aoli or something to tie it all together. Now that I think about it, it’s supposed to come with a spicy mayo but maybe mine got left off. My biggest problem was with the bun — I can’t stand untoasted bread. It’s too doughy. I like crispy food. I recommend asking to have the bun toasted or substitute another less substantial toasted bread.
I also ordered the fries to share with my dining pal. The sweet potato fries had a lot of promise, but many places are doing sweet potato fries these days there is a standard to uphold. I wasn’t impressed. I like crispy foods and by definition I think (?) fries are supposed to be crispy. They were soggy and a little cool, like they’d been sitting out. Blah.
Bonus points? They have a lot of beers on tap — a LOT — including some I’ve been wanting to try, so that’s a good thing.
Now, as time went on more people came into the bar and it got pretty busy. The bartender forgot about us. At least 40 minutes went by when he did not come back to check on us. We were right within his line of sight, and I know he was very busy apparently being the only person working at the time, but come on. At least twice I told my friend we should just leave a pile of cash on the table and walk out. It was a little frustrating.
I’m sure I’ll be back eventually, but it’s not a first choice. We’ll see 1601, we’ll see.

Ok, I definitely love this place a whole bunch. I’m seriously here at least once a week for Quizzo, but I come here otherwise as well. They’ve stepped up their game A LOT in the past year and keep things interesting. Their food is delicioussss and I’ve never had a bad meal.
In terms of food, their frites are still the best in the city. Tossed in truffle oil and locatelli cheese with a horseradish aioli for dipping, they are seriously divine. I’m also a huge fan of their massive burgers. You can build your own for your perfect meal and even have some upscale cheeses like brie to add on. Their desserts, like the pumpkin cheesecake, are also heavenly. With a good size menu and consistantly good food specials you really can’t go wrong.
Their taps are also always good now. I’m never lacking for a decision and their bottles are fair too! Furthermore Fallen Apple? Yes please! Chris remains to be awesome and I’ve never had bad service from him.
They are also big supporters of local artists and DJs which really awesome. Once a month, on First Friday, they feature local and talented artists in a party called in||between. Definitely check it out and keep the Philly art scene alive!
Finally, they have the best quizzo ever here on Tuesdays and good drink specials to go along with with it. They usually feature one tap for $ 3, and the normal deal is $ 4 for a domestic and a shot of any top-​shelf liquor. I’ll take a High Life and a Jameson, please!
In short — this is the most underrated bar in Philly. Go here often and invite me too: D

Tough crowd! I’m a little surprised to see so many 1601 haters. I live at 6^th and Tasker, and this place is only four blocks away. In fact, it’s the closest decent bar/​restaurant to me. I guess maybe because of my dearth of choices, I like it more than others?
It has a cozy yet modern vibe, with work done by local artists on the walls on a rotating basis. The small bar area is separate from the dining area, which has less than 10 tables, and the place is pretty dark. The crowd is young and hit-​or-​miss hipster, and I’d guess just about everyone is from the immediate neighborhood.
They used to have a fancy grilled cheese on the menu, but it wasn’t there the last time I went. Instead I ordered a fancy BLT but without the bacon. It had a generous portion of avacado on it, as well as spicy mayo, fried tomatoes and chopped lettuce. It was served on a wheat bun. It was really huge, and I couldn’t eat the whole thing, but I used a fork and ate the avacado and tomato. It was good! My friend got the same thing, but she got the bacon and she liked it too.
I’d say 1601 isn’t a real «destination» type of place. I don’t see anyone from outside the neighborhood bothering to make the effort to come here. Not that it’s a bad place, but it’s just not a super duper wow place. Whenever I have someone visiting from the ‘burbs, like a friend or family member and they say they’re hungry, I suggest 1601 because it’s a quick walk, and they always like it. So for a suburban dweller, it’s awesome, but for a city dweller, well, there are so many other choices!

We came here last night on a recommendation from somebody in the neighborhood. It’s a no-​frills bar, dark but somewhat modern, and one TV tuned to the Phillies. The beer selection was small but had some interesting drafts I haven’t encountered anywhere else. The food menu, also small, had a few interesting combinations but two of us settled on the blackened fish tacos while the other on a steak salad and tuna sandwich. The tacos were just spicy enough and filled with cheese, pico de gallo, and avocado. I even got a chance to sample a small piece of steak and was surprised at the level of taste put out by such a simple salad. Being the fatties that we are, we topped all this off with sweet potato fries which could have been better but still managed to keep our gluttony going. A surprise, and yet another corner bar in South Philly that I am a fan of.

I’m glad I’m not tempted to go to this place more often, despite how ridiculously close it is to my dwelling. I suppose most of the time I’d just as soon have a couple beers while watching TV and save a lot of money. Still, though, I wouldn’t hesitate to take a friend here if they wanted to go somewhere close.
1601 has a pretty laid-​back atmosphere and is appropriately hip without being obnoxious. The one food item I’ve had, an ahi-​tuna sandwich (with a side salad) was very good and reasonably priced at $ 9. The beer selection is pretty decent although I think they could do better in this regard.
This brings us to some of the comments we’re reading about this place, basically that it’s just so-​so and there’s nothing terribly distinct about it. And there is some truth in this, but that also adds to the general lack of pretentiousness. However there’s no reason they can’t improve the beer/​wine selection, and that would certainly make it a five star joint.

For me the beer is the main attraction. They have one of my all time favorites on tap. Hazed and infused by Bolder Brewing Co. The food was good enough for me to give it another shot, plus they had «normal» beer for the non snobby folk. its casual laid back and not over priced. definitely check it out.

The BLACKENED FISH TACOS. Filled with big pieces of spicy fish, queso fresco, citrus crema, lettuce, pico de gallo, and some avocado slices, these babies are wonderful.
Between this, the affordable craft brews, and the outdoor seating, I’m falling in love.

Fun corner location, Lots of interesting people watching. Last time we were there, some girl dressed up as wonderwoman was filming a movie with a bunch of hipsters and an extremely large dog across the street. can’t beat that. Food is pretty good, tend to have less mainstream beer selections which is nice. Mussels are OK. The bar itself is cool to look at.

The menu is tantalizing enough to make me want to try everything on it. The scallop appetizer with seaweed salad was sublime. The prices were reasonable for the inventive gastropub fare.
Unfortunately, there are a few kinks that need to be worked out. The kitchen was out of a few things. I ordered my steak frites medium rare but the steak came out rare. The frites were superb.
The server was also the bartender. He was attentive. The place is tiny with no proper four-​top tables.

What just happened there? Used to be a wine bar and good bistro fare.
Last night when I asked for the wine list, there wasn’t one, it was «Chardonnay» or «Pinot Grigio!» A bit surprised, I didn’t let it get to me.
I understand their wish or need to serve more microbrews to keep up with all the cool bars nearby but that doesn’t mean you need to get rid of the wine list.
The peeps at the bar seemed to enjoy conversation; one had his laptop on the bar, having a beer; and the bartender was chatting up with clients/​friends. The paintings exhibit on the walls was beautiful and sexy and the music selection was just perfect for the atmosphere. All that seemed very promising.
Got a table, ordered food, our friend arrived. The fish and chips sucked, tasteless, no seasoning at all; while the fries were too salty! Gotta stick with the steak frites which was very tender just as I remembered.
The back room now has a red pool table; actually kind of works as a chill spot. But now there is very limited seating in the bar section.
Something has definitely changed, but the new direction or management is not working for me. Keep the wine list so non-​beer drinkers can have a spot in the neighborhood and bring back the chef. I’m definitely going to watch this place and hope it doesn’t get worse.
I used to enjoy the outdoor tables in the summer…

Unfortunately, my first review is a negative one. And I’m jumping on the hate bandwagon already but the truth hurts.
For me the location is perfect, right on 10^th at Tasker. But I can’t go in there anymore. I’ve tried a few times and with each successive visit I get more frustrated.
The menu has such promise but the service has always been absolutely terrible. Usually it’s one particular bartender who stomps around like it’s the worst day on earth. The food takes forever and you’re lucky if you get offered a second round of drinks or water.
Luckily, rumor has it that the place is under new management. They can only go up from here.

We were looking for somewhere to go out, and were looking for a change of scenery from the POPE (where we ended up later anyway). The last time I was there, they had seating in the back, but that was ages ago, and they now have a pool table instead. They only have one table that could seat more than 2 people from what I saw, so this probably isn’t a place to take a a group for dinner.
The bartender was also our server, and waited on us well enough for having a split role. We ordered food, and it came out in the right amount of time. I frequently order a burger when I go somewhere new, because its something thats pretty safe wherever you go. The burger itself was good, but it has 2 strikes against it. Most places will have an 8 dollar burger, thats fine, but include 2 toppings with that. 1601 charges extra for each topping, making a cheesburger with any topping a 9 dollar burger. The second strike was that the 9 dollar burger didn’t come with fries, just a wimpy salad that was a step above garnish. Thats a real shame, because we split an order of fries for the table, and they were very good. Theres some decent selection on the menu, and a credible tap, but it would have been nice to have a beer list or specials board.
I doubt I’d go back specifically to eat, but it would be a good place to drink, and maybe shoot some pool. I kind of wish I could give it 2.5 stars, because its just kind of an average place, theres nothing keeping me away, but nothing pulling me there either. As an echo to some previous reviews, it is kind of off the beaten path by a block or two, in a more residential setting than most bars. And specifically @ James B, You can’t really fault the bar itself for rowdy Phillies fans the night they won the NLCS, the whole city was going nuts that night, the cars didn’t stop honking on my block until 4 am.

So many problems with this place it seems like they don’t want any return business. The web site said two dollar Walt Wit’s on Wednesday’s, they don’t even have that beer. Six beers on tap with a list on the bar, I ordered one of the beers on the list. They didn’t have it, my friend ordered a beer on the list, they didn’t have it.
Now we look at menu’s I get a cup of mac and cheese that the menu said was four dollars, and would have been a good deal, if I didn’t get the check and they charged me NINE dollars. The management and the staff don’t care about keeping this place open, why should I care if it stays open. All of this crap happened on a Wednesday, I hate to see what a clusterfuck Friday or Saturday night looks like.

I was hoping for better, I really was. Maybe an isolated incident, but I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back.
They didn’t have at least 2 of the maybe 7 beers on tap that were on the menu. The place was empty except for the bartender chick and what seemed to be 6 – 7 of her friends, so she was chatting it up and ignoring us… for an empty bar with 10 people in it, you’d think you’d get some attention (do you wanna make tips?) No. We had to call on her to get service more than once.
the food… I had Moroccan Burrito for 9 bucks… was good, actually really tasty but at 9 bucks it was a third the size of the burritos at Veracruzana which are only 7 bucks. My friend got a bowl of mac and cheese that he swears said 4 on the menu but read 9 on the bill! 9 bucks for a little bowl of mac and cheese. Fvck Off with that.
And here is the worst… A couple came in… saw it looked like a friends only scene, went into back room (which was totally empty) and the bartender girl actually said to her friends at the bar that she wasn’t going to serve them! And she didn’t, they sat there for a few minutes and the guy finally came up and ordered with her at the bar. Christ. I feel like killing myself for giving this girl 15%… and that was me trying to be cheap. She should have gotten 1 dollar. We never got to this place before because the POPE is one block closer… and probably won’t go back unless by some miracle circumstance.

This bar/​restaurant is about 6 blocks away from where I live in a residential area with a few shops around. The 29 bus is right on the corner. I don’t recommend driving, this isn’t an area where I see lots of available parking.
The interior décor is nice, very dark. We sat by the window right over the heater but by the door and across from the bar. There was seating in the back as well as a giant mirror that gave the illusion that the place was a lot bigger than it was. Just an FYI since tonight is game 5 of the World Series, there IS a nice sized LCD screen hanging on the corner that was tuned to the game.
We sat ourselves, was presented with menus when the waitress was back from her smoke break. I ordered the calamari appetizer and the crab cakes, he ordered the angus burger. I really liked the calamari. Recently, every place I’ve ordered calamari didn’t have tentacles, which is my favorite part, but that’s ok. The dipping sauce was tasty. I really liked my crab cakes except that I didn’t know they would be spicy. The sticky rice was OK, I’m not usually a fan of that but it helped ease my burning mouth.
Overall, the experience was nice. I’m not sure why, but we didn’t really feel very comfortable there. That feeling was compounded when some of the patrons were joined by the guests… guests who were eager to take our seats. I think if they could, they would’ve just shoved us out of there. Anyway, it’s not a bad place, but maybe a few more visits will bump up the rating a bit more. The food was fine, great even, but there’s something in the atmosphere that says maybe it’s not for me.

1601 sits rather randomly plunked down at the corners of Tasker and S. 10^th Streets. It is caddy-​corner to a hair salon, a Mexican bodega and a tobacco shop. The area is hardly a hot spot for emo nightlife but somehow 1601 fronts poseur-​style just enough to draw in a young crowd for their bevy of beers and one of those digital jukeboxes that plays any song your heart desires.
I happen to be privy to witnessing the goings on of 1601 better than nearly anyone because I live directly across the street. In fact the picture of it here was taken from my living room window. As a non-​drinker I am glad to have a pseudo-​gourmet restaurant just a stone’s throw away, but I’m sad to report that the food and service are often uneven.
Just as an example, I recently ordered two of their usually delicious Angus burgers to go. At $ 8/​each plus 50 cents per topping (which includes Lettuce, Onion and Tomato) they can get a bit pricey… I like mine with LTO, goat cheese and bacon. They come with a juicy spring salad in vinegar dressing and it’s not to be missed… when done right. My order also included their Frites, which pose as Frites but even the staff just calls them «fries». My order was for pick-​up that night and I was told it would be ready in 20 minutes, but when I arrived I had to wait another 15 minutes at the bar (the place was devoid of customers so there was no excuse for this); and my burgers, ordered well-​done, were bloody pink in the middle.
But when the food is done right, it’s heavenly. The burrito gordo with its fresh roasted red peppers is something God herself much have handed down to us. And the Asian Stir Fry, at only $ 12, is one of the few I’ve ever had that was truly flavorful and made with fresh veggies.
I’m not much for the bar crowd that tends to gather here on weekends from 11PM-​2AM; they tend to be a bit noisy and rowdy and this is a residential area. But for a quiet evening meal the food can’t be beat — IF it’s done right. (Quick tip: just make your order extremely precise, and don’t be a douche about it. If they make it wrong, smile big and explain what was wrong and ask nicely to have it reprepared or replaced. No big deal!)
UPDATE — 10÷15−2008 — It is 12 midnight and the Phillies have won a game. The patrons of 1601 are outside the front door with some staff members, cheering and screaming at the top of their lungs. As this went on for some time I called them to ask them to please keep it down; the response I got was basically «No, and fuck off.» I will never, EVER dine at this establishment again and I suggest you don’t either.

While this bar may be too far south of Washington for many city folk, there are plenty of new establishments popping up in its neighborhood. 1601 has a cozy, café ambience with art-​clad orange walls, a bunch of tables and a couch. We couldn’t find a seat at the bar (it’s kind of small) but we got a table. The server was a pierced punk kid but he was professional and courteous.
They have a decent beer selection at reasonable prices. $ 4 for a bottle of Spaten Optimator is pretty damn good. I also tried the Old Chubb Scottish Ale ($ 4 as well) which to my surprise came in a can. I have this aversion to drinking beer from cans even though it’s apparently the new big thing for microbrews. It was good, though, after I poured it in a glass. TK had the Stoudts Double IPA which was one of the few things on the menu that seemed disproportinately pricey at $ 6 for an 8 oz wine glass.
The food was really tasty. I ordered the Morrocan Burrito which had beef brisket, hummus and some other Middle Eastern touches. I really liked the vinaigrette on the side salad, too. The menu seems well thought out and there were many options to choose from (some might say too many for someone as pathologically indecisive as I am). The wine list looked pretty spiffy as well, although I didn’t get into el vino.
Bonus points for free wi-​fi connection!