Wishbone

I went to this restaurant because it was right across the street from the hotel I was staying at. I looked at the menu and saw the different options between the chicken, sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Since I read this was a soul food type restaurant, I decided to try the dark meat chicken tenders and the mac and cheese. The server explained to me that the chicken and the mac and cheese were sold by the pound.
Two pieces of chicken tenders were $ 4.50 and the mac and cheese was $ 6.26. I had also requested a biscuit but I did not realize it was an additional $ 2.25 so I asked her to take it out. I simply thought that $ 2.25 for a biscuit was excessive. The chicken was okay but you do need to dip it into the dip to have some flavor. The mac and cheese was pretty good, no complaints there. I also got a Peppermint Patty cookie to try something new and it was also ok. I definitely would not return to Wishbone. For the amount of money I paid at Wishbone I’d rather go to BBP where I can get a delicious burger and a milkshake for about the same price.

Worst fried chicken I ever had PERIOD. Even the sauces or dips are flavorless. Federal Donuts is a million times better!

Delicious, juicy, fried chicken. Thick crust. Biscuits are pretty good but can be dry. They go well with the chicken.
Be warned the sauces aren’t free. Sometimes the staff will talk like things are included in your purchase like «which sauce?» Instead of «would you like sauce» or «would you like to try our apple cider?» As if it’s a sample.

I had the BLT which was a beautiful sandwich. But, it was ruined by the tomato. What was supposed to be an oven roasted tomato, was a thick, ice cold, watery mess. It disintegrated the bottom of what was a beautiful roll, with all its excess moisture, which should never be the case of a roasted tomato. While I love tomatoes, the thick ice cold slices made me question whether my chicken was hot. It had all the ingredients to be great, except one.

I dont know if I came late, but the fried chicken was very dry. It was very disappointing!

Their Mac n cheese sucks because it’s not
Mac n cheese and they didn’t warn me. It has meat in it and doesn’t taste anything like real Mac n cheese. I recommend Annie’s if you want anything good

Living in West Philly, my husband and I have driven past Wishbone hundreds of times and never tried it. Finally, today was the day. My husband and I are fried chicken connoisseurs, so the whole idea of «craft» chicken was enticing. I read the reviews and they ranged from «this the best chicken ever» to the flavor of the chicken being bland. Since we are not lemmings we wanted to try out the chicken for ourselves.
We ordered the chicken tenders, chicken wings, biscuit and 2 hand pies for the family. My mom looked at the chicken tenders and said they looked burnt and she did not want any. They were a little browner than I usually like but they were not burnt. I have to agree with other reviewers, the tenders were moist. the coating was fine but… it had no flavor!!! I believe that is why they MUST sell the dips. Now 50 cents is not much; however when you need the dip to have any flavor profile, they should at least give you one gratis! Even McDonald’s does that! I have to admit the dips were awesome and the biscuit was very good but pricey at over $ 2. My husband said the chicken wings were better then the tenders.
The best part of our meal was dessert. I had the «Not your Grandma’s apple pie» and the hubby had the chocolate peanut butter one. Very good but not exceptional.
We wanted to support local businesses. Yet, I don’t imagine we will be back soon. Since palates are different, try it for yourself. Other people really love it. However, if you really want a flavorful fried chicken, you should look elsewhere.

Just ok. I had wings, potato salad, and a chocolate pretzel hand pie. My fav item was the potato salad.
I think I would only eat here again if I was looking for late night eats after partying.

If you’re looking for tips and information about actually *visiting* this restaurant, you’re reading the wrong review! I sent my partner out to pick us up some carry out late last night, so I’ve never set foot in Wishbone…
But I CAN tell you that their food is DELICIOUS!!! I got the Dark Meat Tenders, and they were crunchy on the outside, super-​juicy in the inside, and sublime!!! They use an interesting spice blend that to my taste buds reads of curry powder, very pleasant! I wasn’t too big on the dips, which are made in-​house and a little too assertive for my own preferences, but my husband really dug them, especially the «Buffalo Bleu» and the Honey Mustard, which had whole mustard seeds in it!
The biscuits were tasty, too, very savory, not super-​flaky but still tender and delicious!
I ordered a Chocolate Peanut Butter Handpie, and have to say it was one of the more delicious desserts I’ve had in a long time, and it was really easy to eat, too, as in, not messy and you didn’t need a fork and knife or spoon to do so!
Best of all, this restaurant is actually open and serving food until 3 am on a Saturday night… how awesome is that!!!
I’m sure I’ll be back there sometime this week… and who knows, maybe I’ll eat-​in, rather than take-​out!

If I could give Wishbone ten stars, I would. From the staff to how they interact with customers via social media or in person, to the food; there’s a huge reason why I’m there every weekend (because I don’t have a social life, but that’s a different story for next time).
Service:
I love when I walk in, I’m always greeted with smiling faces. I worked in the food industry since I was 18 to my early twenties, I know a fake, pasted on smile when I see it because their GM’s demanded the «best of the best». No. I hate that. It’s forced and honestly, it’s exhausting having someone check up on you. All. The. Time.
Yes, my mouth is full, so obviously I’m enjoying the food — why are you asking me?! So, thank you Wishbone for letting me get my order, go upstairs and be a hermit.
The staff is young so there’s an uplifting energy since it’s also on UPenn’s campus.
Atmosphere/​Décor:
If I can get the name of their interior decorator, I would give them my first born, no lie. It’s GORGEOUS. It’s like I walked into an Anthropologie that sells fried chicken! The bathroom is unisex so those who are complaining are such diva’s.
Food:
My boyfriend always make sure we’re there on the weekends and would drag me out of bed just to get more fried chicken, just to eat them in bed happily. He also whines that they don’t have his rice krispies treats anymore (whyudodis Wishbone?) — so he’s more in love with the store than he is with me.
The fried chicken is amazing, as well as the mac and cheese. I’ve never had a cold meal before, everything is always hot and delicious.
.And somehow I end up with two huge chocolate chip cookies in my bag. Not complaining!
Love ya, Wishbone.

This place is a great little place.
It’s unlike any other place I’ve been to in the City. They make chicken. Granted, some of the menu items are a little too «uppity» for me – I like fried chicken, simple old fried chicken – but what I like to eat, they make it and make it well.
There are times where it’s too crowded, full of the preppy college kids, and there’s times when they haven’t planned their cook times properly, and are short of food, or the food isn’t always prepared perfectly, but those occasional «down times» aren’t enough to disuade me from going.
I’ve adopted a more healthy lifestyle, so when I need «fast» food, this is my best option, since there’s no Chic-​Fil-​A closer to my location than S. Philly.
GO THERE! ENJOY IT!!!

BYO ALERT! After 12am I believe I saw.
Really good FRIED CHICKEN! Like they say, it’s craft though, so if you’re looking for some classic, old school fried chicken this is not the place.
Again I advise if you’re looking for old school, these are fried in the form of chicken tenders. They’re amazing though. They have a nice and crispy crust on the outside and soft, perfectly cooked chicken on the inside (not overcooked). I got the dark meat, I always get dark meat though, and you should too! So much juicier and they tend to give you more. The crust is pretty different from most chicken tenders, more on the crispy side.
Their MAC N CHEESE was pretty amazing. Again, if you’re looking for old school mac and cheese, not the place. Its kinda spicy (around a ³⁄₁₀) and meaty, I believe they mix it in with some of their chilli. Great idea!
Also their CRAFT SODAS are a huge plus! I tried their version of a root beer and I’m not a huge fan of root beer unless it’s draft yet I thoroughly enjoyed theirs.
I got a cookie as well (the half baked) and it tasted amazing. Had bits of reese’s and brownies. It was a bit hard on some spots but the amazing taste made up for it.
The décor is very hip. It’s like eating inside an Anthropologie store. Which if it’s your thing, great.
They also have BYO in the late hours I believe, which is a huge plus.

I ordered delivery which came in a timely manner. I recommend their chicken sandwiches, they use flavorful toppings and the chicken is juicy. I also got the chicken wings and mac&cheese which were also good! My only criticism is the pricing and the mac&cheese pasta was super soft.

This place is pretty expensive. I come here every now and then to get a half pound of the mac n’ cheese (which has a really nice chipotle flavor) and a half a pound of fried chicken. The fried chicken is staged directly under heating lamps. I don’t like the batter, it’s not that flavorful or crunchy. Selling craft fried chicken is a great concept, but I tend to like Popeyes or KFC better (I know, it’s terrible) but it’s a lot cheaper and more satisfying. They also sell sauces (you have to pay for them). I really like the buffalo bleu.

The fried chicken (I tried all the types of pieces they had) was pretty good, but as other reviews have noted, overpriced. Tender on the inside and not dry at all, crispy on the outside. The interior of the place was beautiful, and the food/​pastries were meticulously laid out and all looking absolutely mouth-​watering. I also like the focus on a quick grab and go takeout — struck me as high-​end, hip takeout.
The hand pies all looked amazing and delicious, but the pecan pie one I got didn’t really taste all that special. I also had a lemon cheesecake cookie, which was also ok. I will definitely be back to try the other desserts though, since I was getting major choice anxiety about all the sweets to try.
My favorite items were probably the mac n cheese and biscuit. The biscuit was probably the best I’ve had, with a firm, buttery shell surrounding the pillowy, soft interior. Mac n cheese had complexity of flavor and a bunch of different ingredients, including tomatoes, that didn’t distract from the yummy cheesiness but rather enhanced it. Perfect combo of ingredients and liked that there was chicken in it too.
Overall, food presentation is great and honestly I would just go back for the mac n cheese and biscuits. They also had a cool soda fountain with unique flavors. Pricey, but if you’re not averse to shelling extra $ for nicer takeout, Wishbone is definitely worth checking out.

Likes:
— Not your average chicken tenders, they are big! 3 chicken tenders is about 1lb. Crust is crunch, chicken is soft and not dry
— Choice of dark meat and white meat
— The highly reviewed Mac and Cheese did not disappointment, its a little be spicy with a chipotle/​salsa flavor and pretzle crumb toppings
— Various sauce available, Tamarind chilli was good!
— If you’re not into chicken tenders, they have sandwichs too!
— Outdoor seating
Dislikes:
— A litter overpriced. For two people, I spend $ 21, ordered 1lb of chicken = $ 8.95 = 4 – 6 chicken tenders, 1lb of mac and cheese
— most of the food. ex. chicken, biscuit, mac and cheese serve from hot plate, which would explain why the breading is tough
— Sauce is 50cent extra. My friend and I’s sauces are only filled half way.
— no tap water
The food is good, but no something I would crave for. Most likely will not come back again because of price and there are numerous other food options in the area.

I’ve been to Wishbone a few more times since my initial review, and while I really do like this place, the pricing hits my wallet hard. The food is mostly good, they even seem to have fixed the dryness problem in their wings, but everything is still ridiculously priced. The last time I went to Wishbone I got two white-​meat wings and an iced coffee, this cost me $ 7+. Yes, the wings are very meaty since they’re essentially chicken fingers, but paying $ 4 for two chicken fingers is pretty damn excessive. I’ve had a few other things at Wishbone like the mac and cheese and some cookies, they were all delicious and all expensive. The craziest was when they charged something like $ 3.25 for a small piece of jalapeño cornbread that was pretty dry and wasn’t even thrown in a microwave for warmth.
Despite the pricing, I’ll likely continue to go to Wishbone. Their food is decent and it’s pretty close to my office. They’ve also got some cool décor, including a hipster-​ed out seating area complete with pews and wall paneling that probably came from an old church. Their food earns them a better rating, but their pricing knocks them back down to an «Okay.»

A lovely shop with a beautiful dining area and original drinks, my primary qualms are of the price and the chicken.
The mac and cheese was absolutely delicious, but the chicken-​which I thought was suppose to be the star of the restaurant-​had a really tough batter and did not taste seasoned at all… which I’m sure it was, but the overcook did not help its cause.
Overall, the meal felt slightly overpriced, but the atmosphere definitely helps tip the scale towards a relatively positive experience.

I’ve heard (and read) extremely mixed reviews of Wishbone. We ended up having an ok experience, that I am rounding up to ‘good’ because I think at the core of this place, there are good things happening. And because I had read through a large portion of the reviews here, so my expectations were on the low side.
We ordered:
— 3 «pieces» of white meat boneless chicken («pieces» is generous. these were like small tenders)
— A biscuit
— Mac & Cheese
— Pesto Parmesan dip
— Tamarind Sweet Chili dip
All of that was $ 15 and change (including a bottle of water). Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Ehh.
My biggest issue with what we ordered is the fact that the chicken isn’t freshly fried or that hot. I understand that for convenience sake the chicken is fried ahead of time so it’s ready & waiting for you when you come in. But, the chicken gets tough as it sits and becomes less appealing.
The flavor & seasoning of the batter on the chicken was nice and crispy and delicious. If the chicken was fresh & hot, I think it would be significantly better. Yes, we only ordered 3 pieces for two people, but I was not satisfied from the chicken alone. It felt more like an appetizer.
The biscuit is ok, again — sitting out and waiting. No real complaints, just fine.
The mac & cheese has been heavily debated on here, but it was our favorite part of the meal. Yes, it’s spicy. No, it’s not really mentioned anywhere (that I saw) that there is a serious kick. It also tastes like they add some tomato and chipotle to it. Like I said before, though, we both loved the mac and cheese and would both go back fro the mac & cheese alone.
The dipping sauces were OK. We both preferred the Pesto Parmesan.
The service was quick and the ambience/​interior is really nice. With some tweaks to how they prep the food, this could very easily go from ‘ok’ to ‘very good’.

Wishbone
4034 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19 104 (215) 921‑3204 |
| BYOB
Per their website, «Founded by two seasoned chefs in 2013, Wishbone exists at the intersection of quick service and fine dining.» I thought it to be an apt description so why change it. It is available to order from
as well. It bills itself as a craft fried chicken establishment using locally sourced, organic, hormone free chicken that is made in small batches every day. Wishbone also features side dishes including their delicious mac and cheese and a micro bakery featuring homemade pies.
The counter-​top ordering and neatly decorated back drop earn this restaurant a cut above the typical fast food establishment. High ceilings and hanging incandescent lighting give the restaurant an open, modern feel amid an obviously farm themed wooden décor. This juxtaposition just works.
Adjacent to the counter is a shelving area showcasing the Wishbone wares– Peanut Butter and Pretzels, Chocolate Raisins, Chocolate Almonds.
The main floor connects to an upstairs dining area.
The whole made sauces: Parmesan Pesto, Pommery Honey Mustard, Buffalo Bleu, Don’s XXX Hot Sauce, Madras Curry, Chipotle Lime Mayo, Modern BBQ.
The wares from the micro-​bakery. Homemade pies available for $ 4.00 each.
Additional wares from the micro-​bakery. I ended up getting a peanut butter and jelly donut which was nothing too great. It could just as easily have come from Dunkin Donuts.
How can you pass up something called Cock Soda. I’ll tell you… it tasted like flat Coke. Nothing special. In fact, I’d recommend getting the Coke in the glass bottle in the adjacent cooler.
The fact that they served San Pellegrino and soda in glass bottles does help to elevate the restaurant above a fast food joint.
The upstairs dining area. Ho hum. Although they did decorate the ceiling to look like a tree with branches?
I’m not sure what the random twigs were on the ceiling but it was kind of confusing and nothing to write home about.
The restroom: If that sink got any smaller my hands would not fit in it. Still was clean though. Little bit of a toilet paper trail going on but I’m just being picky.
In summary, Wishbone represents the intersection of fast food and fine dining on the continuum of restaurant elegance. While seemingly derogatory, the best way I can think to describe it is a «high-​end KFC». The fried chicken and homemade sauces are slightly better and the side choices, bakery and availability of higher-​end drinks take this a cut above KFC. At around $ 30.00 for 2, one can’t complain. Carry on fried chicken aficionados, carry on.