Rum Bar

PROS: ?
CONS: Everything!
My goodness! We started with the seafood salad appetizer, which was okay… We were hungry. From then on, everything went down hill. The service was crappy. We were mostly ignored. The staff were yelling curse words everywhere. The main entrees were disgustingly lumpy, overcooked, and bland. The food was waaaay below average!

My boyfriend and I went here on a Wednesday night with our living social voucher.
It is smaller than expected. Really small. Despite the smallness, it gets loud too, but it has a large bar area for the space so it makes sense. Despite all that, the space between the tables is acceptable.
The staff are all extremely nice and attentive without being overbearing.
I love rum, my boyfriend isn’t a huge fan, but said the chocolate vanilla mojito he had was the best ever. We also ordered a few daiquiris which were all very good.
For food we got the empanadas which were spicy but came out quickly which was appreciated. He had the Cubano sandwich; the bread was crisp and the Roasted pork inside was so good, and it had a mustardy pickly flavor throughout that I adored. I had the mango tilapia with the coconut rice. Unlike another reviewer, my fish came out perfectly done, glazed well with lots of mango chunks. It was a little spicy but the coconut rice, which was so creamy and delicious, paired perfectly with it. There were two empanadas with the appetizer, so we were expecting smaller sized entrees too, but they were twice as big as we expected. So filling that I couldn’t finish mine and we skipped dessert.
The only weird thing was right after nine pm the lights were dimmed down and the room was dark to begin with. That was a little strange, but overall we had a good experience.

It’s called the Rum Bar and they live up to their name. They have an outstanding assortment of rums available and a list of drinks to match. First time I went was on a Wed night, not too much going on, pretty quiet. The second time I went was a Sat night, completely different experience! Loud and rowdy, the clientele were in a great mood.
Don’t go here is you’r looking for anything like the place next door, The Irish Pub. I accidentally made the mistake of walking in there thinking it was the Rum Bar. It’s not a white washed crappy college kid bar that serves watered down drinks. You should expect a diverse crowd, being from Puerto Rico, I fit right in.
I give it a thumbs up!

One of my favorite places to take my fiancée in all of Philly, Rum Bar really has it going on. The atmosphere is amazing, the rum quality and selection is unmatched, and the food is just right. We usually go on Thursday nights (we were there tonight) for the $ 6 «tiki drink» specials and the discounted small plate menu, but every other night (especially Monday and Friday) is just as awesome. The waitstaff and bartenders are superb and always know just what to recommend, seriously it’s absurd how good they are, and the owner (who is often there) is just as great. Tonight we decided to let loose a little bit and get a «flight» of rum which is three different types of rum, either all from the same distillery or three which are of the same type, and the waitress picked out the perfect ones for us. After already each having two of the «tiki specials» we figured our taste buds would be in a sugar-​coma and that we wouldn’t enjoy the flights as much, but boy were we wrong. All three of our offerings was superb and well worth the price, plus it was about $ 8 cheaper than had we ordered them all separately.
The food is good, not out of this world fantastic and not bad, but definitely solid. Tonight we had the pork belly small plate special, which was to die for, and the calamari which was out of this world. While this food was well above par, other trips to Rum Bar have produced food which was not as good so I don’t feel comfortable saying the food is always amazing, but it is always «good» (at minimum). On weekend nights this place can get EXTREMELY crowded, so beware, but most of the time it is the perfect balance. It’s not too loud or too intimate and the music is always set to the perfect volume, but when they have live DJ’s it can get a tad loud (but not unbearably so). Tonight they had a very eclectic mix of background music and it was a pleasant respite from all the small talk going on around us, but as I said before, when they have a DJ it will get loud and it will be a bit hard to focus on conversations. Overall the atmosphere is great and is perfect for date nights.
Our waitress tonight (Katie) was super friendly and did a great job keeping track of all of her tables even though it looked like she was the only one in the entire place serving and waiting from outside the bar. Each one of her suggestions was spot on, she always came to our table with a smile, and whenever we had a question she went out of her way to get the answer. In the past the waitstaff has fit this same mold (friendly, personable, and knowledgeable) so it really came as no surprise to see how good she was at her job.
If you’re in the area, are in need of a spot to take a date, or love rum and don’t mind traveling, stop by Rum Bar for a night you’ll remember for quite some time, it really is worth every penny!

Equipped with a Groupon, we went to check out the food at Rum Bar. To get to the seating area, we had to squeeze by noisy patrons filling the bar and then hear them from our table. We started by splitting the Crab Cakes… which were more filler and with some strings of crab meat rather than nice large chunks. For my entrée, I ordered the Mango Glazed Tilapia and it came out smothered in a congealed sauce that looked a lot like cheddar cheese with a couple of lumps that were tiny pieces of mango. The sauce was so overpowering that it was hard to get much flavor of the fish, which didn’t taste that fresh, so perhaps it was for the best. The best part of my dish was the coconut rice. Overall, very disappointing in both atmosphere and food as a dinner spot… if I go back, it will be a liquid-​only type of meal.

LISTEN TO ME:
Just order those nachos and some $ 6 Tiki Cocktails on a Thursday night. Magic will happen in the form of full belly, satisfaction, and nommy aftertaste.

Intrigued by rumors of mojito Monday, I had to drop by on a Monday. No lie. Mojitos are half priced all night and they have a 2 tacos for $ 3 deal. Their mojito list is extensive. Apparently you can get all of them made ‘skinny’ with splenda syrup. I ended up going with an original guava and it was excellent. Also tried a bit of the rum bar mojito which is made with cucumber rum. Delicious. It would be very refreshing on a hot day.
As for the food, I got two fish tacos. They were outstanding. They put chipotle mashed potatoes in them. Sounds weird, tastes delightful. Tacos are super tiny but I guess that’s the trade-​off for them being 2 for $ 3.
Rum Bar is a tiny little space. It’s pretty cute inside but probably only 10 or 12 tables. I’m not sure I’d go there for full price drinks and dinner, but I’d definitely go back and enjoy mojito Monday again sometime.

Coined after the name of my favorite type of liquor, Rum Bar delivers for those who are in the mood for rum.
The space is cozy, casual, and intimate. The bar may be crowded on a given night, but you can easily find room to move around. It’s a great place for when you want to take it easy, but at the same time get to feeling good if you feel like you want to take two too many shots.
Mission accomplished from my party’s end; apparently there was drunk guy dancing involved (there is a relatively large open floor space, so why let it go to waste, right?)

Ok where do I start with this…
1 — we were there on a night that wasn’t overly busy and there were out of at least 2 of the items that we wanted to order.
2 — our friend had a reservation for her birthday in the front table near the window, and NO waitress… what?! So we had to get up and go to the bar for all of our food and drink, AND we had to bus our teeny tiney side tables the whole night as well.
3 — bathrooms…:gag: were: gag: h o r r i b l e.
4 — the food came in really small portions, for the price, totally not worth it.
the saving grace for the evening…
the drinks tasted good and they have a good selection of rum (shocker since it’s called Rum Bar)!
Either way, I definitely won’t be going back here when the 2 bars to the left I know already are WAYYYY better.

Was in for my second visit last night to redeem my Living Social gift certificate. Even more impressed second time around. We got there an hour before our reservation and hung out at the bar. As usual, the gigantic book of all things rum captures your attention. We spent about five minutes looking through before we were able to make a decision. I went with a mojito and my fiancé chose the Bahama mama, which came in the funky tiki mug. Both were outstanding. That was where we splurged for the evening, moving to the $ 3 rum & cokes and bay breezes for the remainder of our stay. We also grabbed some chips and guacamole to snack on while we waited. The guac was really nice. Had a spice to it that was a nice break from the more mild guac I’m used to. The chips were nice and hot too, which is always a plus.
After an hour we decided to take our seats for the dinner reservation. Got the Cuban eggrolls with mustard aioli for our app. The taste was ridiculous. Definitely sad when it was all gone. For dinner, I got the paella, which had of chorizo, chicken, mussels and calamari. Now I was questioning my decision a little because last time I got paella with calamari I nearly lost my appetite. Don’t get me wrong, I love calamari, but there’s a big difference between fried and not fried calamari. Was ecstatic to see that this paella had small rings, not the gigantic ones I had elsewhere. As for the overall taste, it was delicious. There was a very noticeable taste of curry that I really enjoyed. Wasn’t the biggest meal but the flavor was through the roof. Finished our meal with some tres leches cake that was the perfect way to wrap things up. Great taste and texture.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. Can’t complain about any of the drinks or the food. Everything was great. This may quickly become one of my favorite places to go in the city. Can’t wait to get back here.

I had a $ 20 Rum Bucks coupon from an event I went to last year that I finally put to use last Saturday. The rum list was huge, but I flipped to the cocktail section of the menu to make my decision. Right away I noticed a skinny mojito, made with Splenda syrup instead of simple syrup. Unfortunately, there was no Splenda syrup made. Did I mention it was a Saturday, just after opening? I sucked it up and went with a regular mojito instead. The drink was tasty, I even had two, but I don’t see myself dropping $ 12/​drink there regularly.
The décor feels dated but it’s still a nice looking place. But the tacky pirate in the lounge area up front has got to go.
If you aren’t in the mood for a fancy drink, the happy hour specials are pretty recession-​friendly and are offered seven days a week. Also, the bartender was nice, which certainly isn’t a given these days. I don’t know that I’d go out of my way for Rum Bar, but if I were in the area and the mood hit, I wouldn’t object to going back.

Rum Bar, Rum Bar, Rum Bar… ahhh, you have so many great qualities. You are almost perfect, but your one flaw is something that’s not really your fault. You’re stuck in a narrow center city space, and sad for me, I don’t like sharing. Rum Bar, you are so great when you’re not packed full of thirsty drinkers. So I give you five stars ON CONDITION, that one comes here when it is not. All the Daiquiri’s are amazing, there’s a gargantuan variety of different rums to try, and the food looks and smells delicious (although I haven’t had the chance to try any yet). Service is great too. Bartender Lee has never taken us awry.
I could tell you my favorite day to come to Rum Bar, but I’d rather keep that to myself so I can keep giving this place five stars.

I’d say I’m a fairly reasonable person so I didn’t want to blame my bad experience at Rum Bar on a bad first impression. We all have our off nights. I decided to revisit for half off mojito mondays and $ 3 assorted tacos.
Now I understand city prices (especially NY) but the normal price of Rum Bar’s mojitos are about $ 12 – 14, so I guess half off is better than full price. I ordered the Classic Mojito and my friend got the strawberry mojito. As much as I stirred the drink, I could not get my mojito to taste better. Now my qualm is they advertise the «fresh» strawberry mojito with 2 whole strawberries, 10 mint leaves and 2 lime wedges… We received the drink and there was absolutely nothing in that drink (no lime, mint or even any strawberry pulp). If I felt ripped off at $ 7 (half off), I feel bad for those who pay full price for that…
Now the food. we started off with the assorted tacos… both fish and beef. The fish was pretty tasty and had some nice spices to give it a kick. The beef was chewy but I did like that they gave us a lime wedge for the tacos. Unfortunately they were so tiny and not worth the price.
The Caribbean mac and cheese tasted like easy mac with red pepper flakes and chipotle seasoning. The calamari was too thin and the batter was flavorless. The sauce normally comes on the calamari but I’m glad we got it on the side. It was way too candied. Lastly the crabcake sliders. nothing special.
All I was really grateful for was the service improved. I guess if you are a rum drinker, this place would be your candy store. But as for the food, I’d save my money and belly space.

Rum Bar is hands-​down my favorite bar in Philly. It gives you an islandy, loungey feeling that stays with you even after you’ve left.
My boyfriend and I stumbled upon Rum Bar by happenstance nearly 2 years ago and are now frequent visitors. They have an amazing selection of rum (I recommend Stroh, which is a butterscotch 160proof rum and rare in PA since it was discontinued in all PA liquor stores). The drinks are always strong and the bartenders are always friendly. I feel like I know the names of everyone who works there.
The food is delicious Caribbean-​fusion style. Guac and chips are great, as well as the veggie empanadas. The yucca fries are our favorite but the guac is a very close second.
They always have good specials, like $ 2 rum drinks or cheap mojitos, and cheap appetizer specials quite often. If you are in the Rittenhouse area, or even the Philly area in general and looking to spice up your night and relax at the same time, Rum Bar is a must!

oh rum bar, what can i say about you?
your selection of rums is impressive. you serve pretty spectacular mojitos and your dark and stormy is absolutely fabulous. your drinks may be a little watered down, but your happy hour specials make up for the deficit.
however, your place is tiny. it’s often standing room only, especially during happy hours in the summer. your front lounge seating area is cute, but awkward for large parties to sit in and mingle.
your actual dining area only has a handful of tables meant for parties of 2 – 4, but really, your dinner menu is vastly overshadowed by your drink menu. your food, while it may look appetizing, is sadly a subpar (and relatively expensive) imitation of true caribbean fare.
do i like rum bar? for the drinks, yes. for the food, not so much.

Came here one Saturday evening for a late dinner /​drinks. This place turns into a lounge with a DJ around 930/​10pm. It was pretty rocking by the time we left. This seems like it’d be a great starting spot or ending spot. Per its namesake, the rum selection here is special. I had a drink called Hot Damn! And boy was it sweet. My girlfriend had one of their famous mojitos and really enjoyed it. It was super minty fresh.
For dinner I had a pulled flank steak over rice w/​guacamole. The meat was really tender and juicy, but the rice was undercooked and almost crispy in nature. I wasn’t a huge fan of the rice. Fellow Unilocaler and local tourguide for the weekend, Yiwen S, had conch fritters and the mac n cheese. The conch fritters reminded me of a trip to the Bahamas where we had these morsels of deliciousness almost every day. The Mac n cheese is spicy, good, but watery. If you expect chunky mac n cheese, then I wouldn’t order it. The girlfriend had this plaintain concoction with sides of Cajun chicken. It was unique and I liked it.
I’d come back for the rum and apps, but not necessarily the entrees.

Love the ambiance, love the service, love the booze.
I don’t love spending $ 15 on a tiny appetizer.

My boyfriend, his parents and I went to Rum Bar after going to a show at the convention center this Sunday. We didn’t realize it when we made the reservation, but Restaurant Week had begun that day. The reason we chose Rum Bar was because we had a gift certificate from
. However, because it was Restaurant Week, we were unable to use the gift certificate.
Rum Bar offered a 4 course dinner for the $ 35 Restaurant Week price, which wasn’t bad. While we waited for our table, we sat at the bar and ordered some drinks. I had the Hemingway which was a semi-​tart fruity rum drink that came in a big margarita glass. It was really strong and yummy. My boyfriend’s mom had the regular mojito and he and his dad both had the painkiller number 2 (the least strong). The painkiller came in a huge coffee mug that looked like you could eat a bowl of soup out of it. I can’t imagine what the higher levels of alcohol were like because that was strong. My bf likes Pina Coladas and the painkiller was what was recommended by the bartender for something similar to that.
For the first two courses I had the caesar salad (very good) and the mussels which came in a white sauce with spicy bread. Also very delicious. I got the Vieja Roja which was shredded pieces of flank steak over yellow rice and topped with guacamole. When I ordered it I wasn’t expecting it to be shredded meat in a bowl, but I still liked it. For desert I had the banana quesadilla, which was really gross. It was a little quesadilla filled with what looked like refried beans (was really chocolate) sitting in a puddle of maple syrup. The other options were flan and rice pudding, which I don’t think I would have liked either.
Just a word to the wise, if you are planning on getting the calamari, be prepared for a spicy hot experience. It was delicious, but most of the people in my group couldn’t eat it because the sauce poured over the calamari was too spicy for them.
I don’t typically eat Caribbean food, but this was a nice change after all the Italian and American restaurants I’ve been eating at lately. Plus I’m leaving for Jamaica in a week and I figured this would get us in an Island-​y mood. I would recommend for their drinks and appetizers. Deserts weren’t too great.

It would be almost embarrassing to dine at the Rum Bar without imbibing in a run based drink. When seated the first thing you are given is the rum menu. It’s a book with many pages. If it’s made with rum it’s in there. Of course there are also flights of pure rum. If you are not a rum aficionado the wait staff is knowledgeable and happy to help. If you dare to order a margarita here the staff with gather in a corner, point at you, and mutter disparaging comments! Just kidding I hope. I was drinking classic mojitos and the wife had a dark and stormy and a rum swizzle. All were delicious.
Last night the place was bustling and it’s a very small place. The wife did a quick count and she figures about 30 seats. At many tables you will be almost rubbing elbows with your neighbors. There is one table that is clearly the best seat in the house and we were lucky to have it. You’ll see it right away when you enter the small dining room. It’s a back booth with a semicircular bench. It’s a little tucked away from the crowd and the material surrounding you is sound absorbent and helps with the noise level. Do your best to snag this delightful table.
This was not our first visit and once again the food was a solid four stars. Everything from the mango salsa and pepper pot soup to the ribs with peach barbeque sauce was delicious. I’m sure it won’t surprise you to discover that quite a few of the dishes are accented with rum. Also some of the dishes come with a little kick. Not break out in a sweat spicy but enough to get your attention.
Just a quick note on parking. The rum bar is on the corner of Walnut and 20^th. There is a lot diagonally across the intersection that is very convenient.
With over 75 reviews and a solid four stars this place should be on the short list of any rum drinking Unilocaler.

If you like rum… you’ve found your Mecca… seriously. If you don’t like rum, you’ve probably never been introduced to the right one… that’s where the Rum Bar comes into play.
I’m typically a neighborhood /​dive bar guy, but this place is of my favorite spots in the city. I’d describe it as a chill lounge or something like that… but it still has that neighborhood feel because of down-​to-​earth bartenders and ‘regulars’. I don’t frequent much on the weekends, so they may wear a different face, but the Rum Bar is a chill spot where at any given moment could resemble a Colors of Benetton ad.
As for the drinks… nothing short of outstanding, and the specials are great.
The Chili Coriander Mojito is a must for those who have an affinity for hot peppers. The drink is a work of art… hot pepper infused rum, cilantro, and like all mojitos… simple syrup… but it is not overly sweet at all. It hits the palette very crisp and refreshing and finishes with a slight to moderate capsaicin warming. The amount of kick can vary slightly from batch to batch, but it’s generally similar to the heat of a typical store-​bought cayenne hot sauce I’d say.
Fear not if you like em’ sweet, they have plenty of those as well… go on a Monday… they are all half-​Price!!! Oh yeah… almost forgot, the bartender on Mojito Mondays won the ‘Best Mojito’ at the Mojito Olympics this year!
The Hemingway Daiquiri is the best daiquiri I’ve ever had.
As for sipping rums I would suggest to try/​start with… Monticristo Spiced… unbelievably cheap for such a smooth and flavorful rum. If you’re a Grand Marnier fan try the Rhum Clement Creole Shrubb… or tell the bartenders what you like… they can most-​likely find a rum that suits you. They can definitely make a drink that will.
Also, they have Rum Passports… you can get a passport and when you try a rum that’s on your passport they check it off… when you finish your passport they give you a predetermined bottle of rum.(according to your passport… we’re talking decent bottles… my first passport was for a bottle of Angostura 1824… the one I have now is for El Dorado 25 year!)
The appetizers are small in portions, but well-​made. The menu is generally a twist on West Indian /​Polynesian /​Central American dishes… although they also have very tasty catfish fingers that are straight out of the south… lightly encrusted with cornmeal and deep-​fried. You can get a half order or a whole order of the entrees.
They also run specials on the food as well.
One more thing… the owner (Adam) is very knowledgeable about rum… go pick his brain.