Nineteen 26

Atmosphere is nice dinner maybe different but lunch uuugghh. I ordered spinach and crab dip it’s was more like spinach and bacon dip all I taste is bacon. I ordered a soda called ginger beer (non-​alcoholic) they charged me $ 6 poured some in a to-​go cup and tried to put the rest back in the fridge to save to mix others drinks… I looked a the receipt and I was charged for a alcoholic cider not ginger beer. I asked the host why so much? She says it’s an import. So they charged what they wanted since they couldn’t find the correct price. Word to wise check your bill here.

I went there tonight and had a Fantastic waitress she was so nice and when I accidentally didn’t order extra crispy chicken they replaced it for me free of charge. I highly recommend this place!

My wife and I arrived at our hotel, the Courtyard on Juniper, and had a late lunch after checking in. I had the cheese steak sandwich and my wife had the chicken quesadillas. The setting feels like eating in a hotel lobby, which is basically what one is doing. Very little was done to design this restaurant in a way that it is set apart from the Courtyard hotel. The food was acceptable, the service was generally friendly, and the prices were a little bit high considering.
Nineteen 26 is a fine place to eat if you are staying at the hotel and cures hunger in a pinch. Given this location in central Philadelphia and at a nice hotel, Nineteen 26 has a lot of potential. Right now, I don’t think management is even trying though. This operation is coasting. We’ll probably skip it in the future.

During my stay at the Courtyard Marriott back in August, I decided to «stay in» and visit Nineteen 26 for lunch. I found this restaurant to be incredibly … strange.
I went down to the restaurant around 1:30pm & stood by the «Please Wait to be Seated» sign for five long, awkward minutes. No one was at the hostess stand. There were employees behind the bar who looked up at me, but said nothing. I eventually walked over to the bar, where it looked like a manager & two employees were going over some paperwork. They looked up at me, and back down to their papers. Not a word. After a minute or two, another employee walked by and asked what I wanted.
«Are you still serving food?» I asked.
«Oh sure. Just go sit anywhere. We’ll find you.»
So much for that «Please Wait to be Seated» sign, amirite?
I was one of maybe three tables at the restaurant. A waitress followed me as I sat down, and took my food order (Turkey Club & a diet Coke) right away. My food came out quickly, and it was good, so no complaints there. BUT — isn’t there always a but? — literally five minutes after I started eating, the waitress came by with the check. Strange, right? I paid, then continued eating.
I was full by the time I finished half the sandwich. I wanted to have the rest of the sandwich wrapped. NO ONE SHOWED UP FOR TWENTY MINUTES. I was not the only person in the restaurant, and I saw my waitress was still working. Twenty minutes, I sat with an empty soda, my napkin on the table, & staring at a half-​eaten sandwich.
And? … I ended up leaving the sandwich on the table. No one ever came by, and no one even acknowledged my exit. Maybe that’s why I was asked to pay early — I tipped before she checked out of the service! I was given the absolute bare minimum of service, and it ended before I even finished my meal. And I paid for a full sandwich, when I was pretty much forced to waste half of it.
For a sit-​down lunch, I may as well have gone to a drive-​thru restaurant for the quality of service I received. But, at least at a drive-​thru, you’re greeted when you drive up. So what does that say?
It probably says you should eat elsewhere. I know I will.

I Have nothing to compare it to, but the Philly Steak was ok. Staff was nice, a variety of seating, and a TV. Not to mention it was at the lobby of my hotel…