The Wooden Match
61 W Lehigh St, Bethlehem, PA, 18018
The Wooden Match Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Bethlehem for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
61 W Lehigh St
Bethlehem, PA, 18018 - Phone (610) 865-1777
- Website https://www.thewoodenmatch.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 11
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner, Late Night
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Music : Live
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Tue, Thu, Fri
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Yes
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Michael P.
This is an amazing place! They have a great menu not to mention selection of beer and cigars. Outside sitting is simply fabulous. Overall a great place to spend with friends and family over a lunch or dinner.
(5)Alexandra F.
A friend and I sat outside for lunch. We waited 10 minutes at the host stand until I ultimately went outside and flagged down a waitress. She was as friendly as an emaciated rabid junkyard dog. We ordered drinks, nachos,a burger and fish tacos. Nachos came out and we as stale as an episode of friends. Topped with none other than cheese as stinky as a 12 year old boys gym socks. We sent it back none the less. Burger came out with chips (same stale ones in the nachos) only they had clearly tossed them in the oven to get a "crisp" taste. This then burnt the tips and was painfully obvious. That wasn't the worst part.. The worst part was sweet potato fries were what we ordered with the burger. Then the fish tacos..ahh what to say. Dull, lack luster, filled with maybe one fin of a fish. Rolled up like a burrito with no sauce and a poor excuse for a slaw. I couldn't eat them. Then our waitress took so long to get our check and then come back for it I had to go find her. She was behind the building smoking a cigarette.. To hand her the card. Shoot me now I won't be back unless it's to listen to the bands outside and stick to beer. Maybe a bottle God knows if they clean the taps out.
(1)Jennifer R.
This is my family's go-to out for burgers and beer spot and I have some pretty mixed feelings about this place. I love being along the train tracks outside here, like the beer selection, and they know how to create a fun unique sandwich based menu. I've had some great plates here and my family comes when they're ok with a potential heart attack from grilled cheese burgers. Main gripe is with the service, price, and issues with the food coming out. They all have good flavor and would be so much better if they had more attentive people working there I bet. Every time we go food takes forever, when it finally does come, its sometimes cold (meaning its just been sitting there as we see our server off flirting with locals for a while), theres been orders forgotten, and weird ways of handling issues when they happen. My favorite here has been the french dip and we usually get pierogis because they do them better than anywhere we've had them before. The burgers are always great here too. It's just pretty overpriced for the location, service, quality of how the once great burger ends up. You can get a good sandwich/burger for $12 but most of the good ones are around $15 and you pay an extra $2 or $3 for fries, salad or pierogies over chips. It's just pretty ridiculous unless everything else about the place was a heck of a lot more wonderful all around.
(3)Damian M.
We had a 6:30 reservation and showed up a little early. We were able to get seated outside. Our server was very attentive early on until she took about 3 parties of 8+. Our salads never arrived and when we told our server about this she brought out our food. We ordered the tuna and scallops entrees...still no salad. Everything was at room temp at best. Our server offered to have the kitchen heat it up but that doesn't really work with rare tuna. We asked to speak to the manager who, like our salads, never showed up. We ended up leaving annoyed and hungry.
(1)Valerie O.
A group of friends and I made reservations to eat here tonight (Wednesday). We sat outside and it was a beautiful night, but experienced very bad service. We got there at 6:50 and did not order drinks until 7:30! We had to ask several waitstaff who our server was. Our food did not come until 8:30 and we were missing half our order. The outside was almost full but the inside was completely dead, so I am not sure why it took so long for everything and the waitress did not apologize ONE time for being so slow and forgetting everything. I gave this place one star for the atmosphere and since Most of us enjoyed our sandwiches (but the cheese soup was inedible and was sent back). There are so many great eateries in the area, try one of them instead.
(1)Sylvia P.
I gave this place one star because it has a unique ambience and potential...BUT in my visit to the restaurant a few days ago, I found the food to be extremely disappointing. After waiting a while for the waitress to see that I had joined our large group of family and friends and take my order, my "grilled Caesar salad" arrived. It looked like chopped up brown and wilted lettuce. It had NO dressing. And worst of all, the Parmesan cheese that was grated on top was MOLDY. Absolutely disgusting. I mean, come on, a Caesar salad has four ingredients. How are you going to bring me a plate of brown lettuce and croutons with moldy cheese?! It was Friday night, so they should have been on point. Not using up their old ingredients on people! To make it worse, I brought my full plate to the staff door (we were sitting outside) bc the waitress was hard to find. When I showed her the plate, she looked at me with zero compassion or understanding and robotically said she was sorry, but there was not a genuine tone whatsoever to her voice. She asked if I wanted a new salad. I said, No, I would like to order something else. She recommended pierogies and scallops. The pierogies tasted like glue and the potatoes and dough were texturally the same. The flavor was nice but I couldn't get past the texture and heaviness. The scallops were small and dry/overcooked. Overall, entirely disappointing. If I return here, it will only be for drinks. Bummer. Get your act together, Wooden Match! So in the end, the waitress apologized and asked if she could buy me a beer for the trouble, but they ended up charging me for the second plates. Which I think should have been comped.
(1)Toria C.
Let me preface this review by saying this: I am a nurse and working short staffed is a given. Never have I EVER allowed lack of staff and an overabundance of work dictate the way I treat the people I care for. No matter how stressed I am, I ensure I have a smile on my face and not let it show to our customers. I am fully understanding of people who work in the food service industry because of this. My experience today far outweighs any bad service experience I have ever had at a restaurant ever. Without my patients, I wouldn't have a job. This applies also to the food service industry. Our visit to the Wooden Match started off being greeted by a waitress, who was very flustered, and explained to us "It's going to be a long wait. I am the only one here. So you are going to wait a long time." We said we were fine with that, as we were in no rush, and she stormed off. It seemed the only thing she would have been happy with is if we had just left. Feeling bad for how busy she was, my fiancé decided to go into the bar and grab the drinks to help her out, while we were waiting to order. Come to find out, she was working the bar too. There was no other staff in the place besides in the kitchen. Mind you, this is a Sunday, at lunch time, and it was beautiful outside. Finally, another waitress showed up, and we were excited, thinking it may improve. Well, we were wrong. We were there with another couple, and we asked if we could split the check. Her response was, "Oh, you're going to be one of THOSE tables." So we just told her to forget about it, and we would figure it out. Which we should not have had to do, being that we were the paying customer. Next, my Caesar salad came out. I went to take a bite, and looked further at the romaine lettuce, which was wilted. Now the menu states they use "Char grilled romaine heart." Well the Romaine on my plate was dark, and looked like it may have been sitting for a few weeks. While there were some char marks on the lettuce, it was definitely bad. We tried to mention this to the waitress, who at first walked right by, seemingly trying to ignore this fact. We got her attention again, and she took the plate away. She did not give us an opportunity to explain that we did NOT want it replaced. She then came back out with another dish, stating that this is just how romaine looks while charbroiled. Pretty much arguing with me and making me feel like a complete idiot, which is NEVER how you treat a customer. I've had char-grilled romaine before, and it never looked like that. The lettuce was very obviously bad. To say the least, the second plate that came out had a BIG BLACK HAIR in it. On top of all of this, the water glasses provided to us were covered in something crusty and brown. This was not our first time here, and previous experiences have been great. To be fair for the restaurant, they took the salad off our bill, and gave us a round of drinks. This did not take away the AWFUL attitude that the waitress had, and the fact that she sat there and argued with us about the dish. Our experience with her was enough that we will never go back. The Lehigh Valley is flooded with great restaurants, and because of this, we will have no need to go back to this place after the experience we've had. We're truly embarrassed that in the past we have recommended this place highly to our friends. We'll never again recommend it to anyone ever.
(1)Haley G.
Friday nights are busy in the restaurant business, I know, I've worked them . But with a waitress as inattentive as she was, it was a last straw for me. Bf and I ordered the same burger. There are so many burger places in the valley, a $15 -$16 burger better be worth it. It wasn't. We were not asked how we liked them done (medium), I was served a VERY well done patty. Burnt food does not taste good. I knew well before the check came that I was not interested in returning.
(1)John M.
Was there 04/26, great old train station,very good craft beer selection,I recommend the vanilla java porter,definitely going to be my favorite place, relaxed casual/wife can not go because of her asthma-kinda makes it the Perfect Place/lol/really enjoyed the live entertainment that night but a little loud
(5)John M.
Me and my fiance went the other day. This was our second time here. To be honest both times we came the food was great,and the service was good the first time. Now the other day was a whole new situation. the service there is horrible.,and we froze our asses off. We actually had to keep our winter coats on to eat. the girls there must have slept with the owner to get their jobs. I have never seen such a group of idiots in one place.3-4 girls waiting on 3 tables and we still had to wait for EVERYTHING..They should keep the chef and fire the whole wait staff. I've noticed most of the other reviews say the same thing about the service. If they fire the staff and turn the heat on it would be a great place. Since the food is good i will go back,but it wont be till the summer.And if they service sucks as usual i just wont leave a tip.
(1)Scott H.
Good cigars, decent beer selection on tap and a nice collection of whiskeys. And, the food is pretty darn good too. I mean, you'd expect to be just OK but the food is really good. So, yeah, people smoke in here so that pretty much sets the tone. During festivals and events, these place draws a very diverse crowd but one of the friendliest you'll find. And, you can always sit outside if you don't dig the smoke. Plenty of covered seating in a nice setting.
(4)Shawn D.
The food was generally pretty good, but the variety of sandwiches/burgers is what makes this place a little more unique (that and it's an old train station). I went on 2 separate occasions with larger groups, and both times the service was subpar, to say the least. The waitstaff was not attentive, it took well over an hour for the food to arrive, and some of it came out cold. Probably won't be going back again for awhile because of this...
(2)Cait C.
Visited here for the second time tonight. Once again my husband and I were disappointed and we didn't even get a chance to sit. We called and made reservations at 6:00 for 7:30 outside. We showed up at 7:20 and there was no hostess to be found (which happened he previous time we visited as well). Only this time we proceeded to wait for about 15 minutes. During this time waitresses passed by no less than 5 times, without saying a word. The Crowd of people waiting continued to grow, and yet somehow the only people who managed to get a table were a group (who showed up after us) and apparently knew a server. They were welcomed and sat right away. Needless to say we left (along with a few other couples). We will never be returning here. I've been to the dingiest of pubs and my presence was at the very least acknowledged.
(1)Chelle L.
The last two times I have been to the match the wait staff was very inattentive. This last time was a Saturday afternoon. The place had maybe four tables busy and it took 40 mins to get a soup salad and skewers. When they came they were all cold. The meat was flavorless and overcooked. Honestly I will never come to the match again. Their sister restaurant artisan is fabulous. It makes no sense that the experience at the match would be shitty in comparison since they are on the same property and owned by the same person. The bill took a half hour after requested - _ -
(2)Kathleen D.
"Beer. Meat. Cigars." is the tagline for The Wooden Match. I can attest to the quality of two of those categories. This was one of the stops along Bethlehem's St. Patty's bar crawl. It's a bar located on a defunct stretch of railroad, which is absolutely fantastic. They have indoor and outdoor areas, and we took advantage of both. Top-notch setting for boozing. The bartenders were extremely slow because they were understaffed for the day's crowd. I'm not changing my opinion of them for that, but it's definitely a point they should consider in the future. They had a good selection of beers on draft, and I went for a cider. My friend and I also shared the Eileen's Dream cigar. It was probably the best cigar I've had, and it only cost $3! If ever in the area again, this place would be on my to-return-to list. I wish I could transplant it to my neighborhood.. railroad and all!
(4)Rich K.
A solid 4 stars. We ordered the crab-cake appetizer which was delicious. Lightly fried and creamier than other c/cakes I've had but they were awesome. I had the "bad-ass BLT" and it was excellent. I took half home since it was huge. (hence the bad-ass name!) My GF had the chili and she said it was very good. The ambiance is very cool. It's located on the side of some railroad tracks and it is quite unique. The owner Rick is a nice guy & I applaud him for doing the right thing for our troops overseas. (I won't divulge what he does, you'll have to go to find out for yourself!) We had a real nice time here and will definitely come back the next time we're in Bethlehem. It's nice to see a place that's "done right" and we made the right choice for lunch without a doubt.
(4)Lindsey G.
Love the atmosphere! It is an old train station converted to restaurant and wine bar. This place is all about the beer, meat, and cigars, but I usually sit outside since I don't care for the smell of cigars. The outside tables have gazebos with lights and lookout over the train tracks. Make sure you peek downstairs as it is all limestone and gorgeous down there. I love the 50/50 burger. This is top-notch bar grub and the staff is awesome!
(4)Sarah L.
Meh. My friends and I dined at the Wooden Match tonight. We were able to sit outside, which was great as they have a beautiful patio. The pros: nice atmosphere, good live band, large menu. Cons: very slow service, all burgers extremely over-cooked. I was not impressed by the burger I received as it was very dry and unenjoyable. I asked for medium rare and received well done. I wasn't impressed by the food and would probably only come back for the atmosphere and cigars.
(3)Darla A.
A great setting especially if you sit outside. The food is super good but if your in a big group be patient. Luckily it's a great place to sit, relax and stay awhile. This is also a cigar bar so might not be ideal if you don't like the smoke, even outside.
(4)Scott P.
Came here a few weeks ago for dinner. It was a large group so we got a few appetizers. Nachos were horrible, pierogies weren't bad and the loaded fries weren't that good. I had the burger with buffalo meat in it and it was very good. A couple of buddies had the burger in between two grilled cheese sandwiches with an egg and that was pretty awesome. The beer selection was nice. Overall the burgers were good and the beers were good. If you don't mind the smoke it's a great place for a burger. Disappointed with the appetizers though.
(4)Seana C.
Great experience! Good food, cold beer, huge cigar selection and friendly service. We had the pierogie appetizer, which was tasty. The "badass BLT" has a full pound of bacon on it and is served with chips (I wasn't crazy about the chips.) The BLT was good and almost impossible to finish. Unfortunately I found a hair in it once I was finished eating (bleh) and the manager came right over and offered to buy me a drink. I was driving, so I declined. He offered to buy me one on my next visit. I probably won't take him up on that, because it's tacky, but I appreciate the effort. I'll return soon! I really enjoyed this place.
(4)Amir H.
Service was pretty good, I went here for a business lunch and enjoyed a fantastic cigar with my lunch. they were out of skewers which I hear are great so I ended up getting a glazed donut burger! It was remarkable. My buddy got the reunion and he said it was delicious. Overall it looks more like a watering hole but I'd go back again if I was in area.
(3)Joshua L.
Been here numerous times. Food is great and so is the beer selection. Great place to stop during Musikfest.
(4)Danielle D.
went for dinner around 5:00 on a tuesday. business was slow but it was early, i assumed. our food took an exceptionally long time considering the lack of customers BUT it was delicious. try the donut burger!
(3)Roger T.
Came here for drinks and a cigar. Nice place sat downstairs, not very busy. Waitress came by promptly. I ordered a beer, lit a cigar and waited. I waited and waited and waited. 40 minutes later, I got my beer. No explanation, no apology, just a draft beer that took 40 minutes to arrive. I won't be back!
(1)Cory G.
Good service, my server was very attentive. Explained all the food and drink specials. I will for sure be back again.
(3)David G.
RESTAURANT WEEK WAS A TOTAL BOMB. No signs from parking area so tromped around 2 buildings in freezing temps and snow just to find the door. Super delayed getting table. Finally did in back of basement. Temp was probably 50-55 degrees inside! Told as we ordered that they were out of house made chips at 8pm on Saturday night so we had to pay up charge for fries until we suggested sending manager over, who we never saw. Then very slow on drinks and food. And they totally forgot the meal for only person at our table who ordered off restaurant week menu. Had to run down waitress after 20 min after rest of us waited then ate. They comped his meal since he had to bag it up to go. No other offers to recoup their fumble. Waitress tried her hardest and was just stretched too thin and pretty obvious it was all due to very poor management. STAY AWAY.
(2)Cheri S.
Great burger. The French dip is foodgasmic -The Joes on Thursday night makes my week !!!
(4)Tim O.
I don't really have a good basis of comparison, but do I really need one? It really isn't smokey at all. Go downstairs if the music is too loud. The service is passable but never too consistent. The burgers are unreal, like see-it-to-believe-it good. The cigar selection is what you would expect, but literally anything there can be purchased at Cigars International for a fraction of the price. The Cigar Menu that I was given on several occasions wasn't really conducive to wanting to try out new cigars. Most recently, I was here for MusikFest. The menu was dumbed-down (understandable) and after a small cup we were then charged for water by the bottle (somewhat understandable) and the live band was absolutely incredible. A near-perfectly executed concept.
(5)Karl H.
To be fair this was my third visit to "the wooden match", on the first two, the service was good (place was empty though) and the food was good, but after the visit today I won't be returning. We stopped by on our way to the sands, (wanted to get a quick bite before hitting the tables) the event ended up taking almost 2 hours and ended with luke warm food, skipped desert from the price fix menu and a pile of cash to avoid having to engage the server again. It's rare that I get a better quality meal at McDonald's, but in this case I can honestly say McDonald's beat both on service and quality today (stopped on our way home).
(1)Bob F.
Went for dinner and a smoke. Located in historic train depot on the river. Menu was limited but our food was fantastic. Great sandwiches that were much better than I expected in a cigar bar. Eating, smoking drinking all in one room. Member lounge located on property with what we were told were comfortable couches and such. No way for non locals to gain access which would have been nice. Fair cigar selection and good service. Not many places where one can smoke eat And drink so I will definitely return. Was told there are bands sometimes. Seems like it is too small of a place for a band. Might be too loud. Seats were standard bar wooden chairs with thin cushions. Not the most comfortable to sign and smoke a long cigar. Wish there was a daily membership for non locals if only to only get more comfortable chairs.
(3)Mandy R.
I went there with some friends and sat at the bar. My friends had their cigars while I had my drinks and my cigarettes. The bartender was very friendly and kept filling my Ginger ale when it was empty (LOL, I don't drink) When we ordered our food, it was very quick and it was amazing. I had the kabobs and the portion was enormous. I took more than half home and split it the next day with the man. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Nisha G.
Im going to preface this review by saying that when I came here I was on the verge of getting deathly sick. My boyfriend is from Bethlehem and apparently there are only a couple places to go in the area. One being the wooden match and the others being the casino and brew works. We came here on a saturday night and the place was pretty packed. Walking into the place I immediately felt like had been flashed back to the 1960's...where everywhere smoked, live band was playing and everything was made of wood. Ok maybe thats not how the 60's was but hopefully I painted a nice little picture for you. There are a couple menus to chose from: beer, food and cigars. I was not really hungry but everyone that I was with said the food was phenomenal. I got the pumpkin beer and it was great. The service kinda sucked. Overall a pretty decent place. I'd come back again to give it another shot.
(3)Jimmy S.
Last night in town we went here. Long story short wish I would have found it earlier. Great beer, great service and awesome bartender. Will go back next time I'm in town.
(5)Jill S.
We used to be regulars. We will not be anymore. The food is more expensive and most if it is worse. The nachos especially have gone downhill. They used to be amazing, now it's a mass of fake cheese, store bought guac, and jarred jalepenos. The beer is still a good selection but WAY overpriced. Can we get the old match back?
(3)David D.
Great food. The burgers are awesome. If you cant handle alot of smoke you may want to eat outside. The outside eating area is very nice.
(5)James C.
Some friends and I occasionally go up to Cigars International and we've typically stopped at The Wooden Match afterwards for some dinner and to enjoy a cigar afterwards. It's been a year since I last stopped at The Wooden Match and the quality of the food has really gone down and the prices have gone up. I ordered the Cuban Sandwich. The pork on the sandwich was terrible. There wasn't much pork and there were several large chunks of fat and chewy pieces in the pork. The ham on sandwich was paper thin too. It was more of a pickle sandwich than anything else. The fries were ok, but they were less than plentiful. We also ordered some onion rings. We've gotten them in the past and they were great, this time...not so great. They were exceptionally greasy and the plate they came on had a pool of grease on it. We ended up throwing away a good portion of the food we ordered. Some of the drink prices were too high also. We ordered two shots of Zaya rum and were charged $12 per shot for a total of $24. It seems a bit excessive considering that a bottle only costs around $30 in Pennsylvania.
(1)Anne H.
I'll start by saying most of the food was good, but the service was the worst I have ever experienced. I am not one to typically complain, but it was pathetic. Came here for restaurant week with another couple (4 people total) and ordered off the pre fixe menu...it took over 3 hours for us to get served our 3 course meal with ~45 minutes between each course and most of the food came out cold to luke warm. We asked for a side of ranch, never got it and asked for no cheese on the burger, it came with the cheese on it. The server never explained what the delay was or apologized for the poor service or even asked how the meal was. We saw several other tables who ended up getting there courses to go due to not being able to wait the hours it took to get the entire meal. The place seemed to have potential it just needs to get it together in regards to getting hot food to people in a reasonable amount of time.
(1)Elanor G.
Food is awesome, staff are great and the atmosphere is always fun. Price is very good for the food and drinks, sit outside if you can, or inside if you can handle the cigar / cigarette smoke
(5)Erika D.
Smoke was not a huge issue the day I dined inside. It did eventually get pretty smoky. It seems there needs to be a better ventilation system in place; the ceilings are high so the smoke does build. But...it is also a cigar bar so smokiness is to be expected. Our food was great! We got the pierogies to share. They came with sautéed onions, sour cream & delicious brown gravy. My boyfriend ordered one of their newer sandwiches (can't remember the name) that was also quite tasty: pulled pork, bacon, ham, pineapple chutney on a brioche roll. I ordered one of their 10oz. burgers, the Mule Kicker with jalepeños, cheese, ranch aioli. So good & not too spicy! The place definitely has excellent food but dining there for non-smokers could be bothersome. If the smoke concerns you, I suggest going in nice weather & dining outside.
(4)Meghan L.
I'm not a cigar-smoker, but I am a burger-eater and beer-drinker, as is my boyfriend. So, we went to The Wooden Match for dinner on a nice summer Monday. We sat outside, where the smoke was not as concentrated (but still inescapable). The food and drink didn't disappoint. They had 10-15 craft beers on tap -- I had a Southern Tier Phin & Matts Extraordinary Ale -- and more in bottles. The salad we ordered had fresh mixed greens and a few other veggies. The 10-ounce burger -- which was large, but not excessively so -- was more medium-well than the requested medium, but still juicy and enjoyable. So, the ambiance... I had checked out the restaurant's website before we went, and thought, "This place looks pretty classy. Look at the nice font they use in their logo!" And yes, the space is nice. There's plenty of outdoor seating, with some tables under tents and some under umbrellas. The building itself is old-timey and well-maintained, and the bar inside looked the same way. But any restaurant that requires its female waitstaff to wear teeny plaid skirts automatically forfeits its classy points. Same goes for any restaurant that names a Cuban sandwich the "Gitmo Git'some, Son." Same goes for any restaurant that plays "Let's Get Retarded" by The Black Eyed Peas during its dinner service on a Monday. (Or at any time, really.) The Wooden Match did all these things. In fact, multiple Black Eyed Peas songs played during our dinner. We did enjoy eavesdropping on a table of cigar-smoking dudes -- the most aggressive dressed in a dingy white T-shirt and basketball shorts -- trying to hit on the waitress. Hey, Vlad: If you're reading this, maybe you'll have better luck if you wear grown-up clothes the next time you hit the town.
(3)Kelli R.
My beer snob kid brought me here as he knows how much I love burgers ... and he loves beer ... I was not disappointed. I had Benson's Bloated Brothel Burger (love the name!) which is a 10 ounce burger with a 4 ounce crab patty on top - insanely delicious! The burger was perfectly cooked and juicy, crab patty was awesome. I ate every morsel even though it was a huge serving. Service was excellent. It was a bit smokey, but hey, it's a cigar bar so to be expected. I did not have a cigar, but I did have wit beer which I really liked! I'll definitely be back!
(4)Strat O.
It is a great place for smoking a cigar. The craft beer selection is adequate. The food is good, but overpriced IMHO.
(3)Al L.
Extremely dishonest practices. Someone there changed a 3 that I wrote on the bill to an 8 in order to increase her tip. It was not an accident due to sloppy handwriting on my part, and it was done in multiple locations or the math would not have worked out. In addition, there were other 3's written on there that could not be changed in such an advantageous manner, so they were left alone. This is no short of theft. Not to mention that they tried to sell me a cigar for about triple the price that I could find it up the street. Over the past couple years, their food quality has declined while their prices have risen. The service has always been poor.
(1)Ty S.
In an update.... Must have hit them on a bad day recently. Walked in and the blonde bartender just stared at us for 5 min while she sat on a barstool talking. The music was from a tv cable channel which only a bimbo like her would enjoy. No food because of a plumbing problem which is understandable, but the owner should beware what this place was like in his absence. We just got up and left.
(2)Wayne B.
Had a great evening there. Small, but very nice craft draft selection. Had a Great Lakes Double IPA, a Troegs Cultivator and two others I'd never had. Enjoyed their JFK Bay of Pigs Cuban sandwich and then a cigar I brought with me. All with my almost 21 year old son. How would two hours get better? Enjoy!
(5)Mike R.
This place is awesome. Been here three times and have yet to be disappointed. Great beer / liquor selections and even better food.
(5)Brian Steph B.
As a non-smoker who dined with all non smokers it was enjoyable. We sat outside. I don't know if I could handle inside, but outside air was great. We dined with another couple we started out with the nachos with pulled pork and guacamole. VERY good. Awesome nachos. The guac was a little runny for my liking. We all had the following: Me: Woodchuck Pear Cider, Angus Burger with Bacon & Cheddar. The chips were really tasty. Burger was great too. I loved the flavor and the roll. B: He had a belgium beer. It was good enough for two rounds. Donut Burger- forget the real name. He ate it all. It was a huge burger. He said it was a taste bud overload! K: Kept the drink simple, Diet Coke. Reunited sandwich, pork, ham, bacon. He said it might be one of the best he ever had. S: She had the burger with cheddar also. She did ask for no mayo but they still sent it out with mayo, she scrapped it off. Had a spicy bloody mary. Serves was good too! We would recommend it and definitely return for another meal when we can dine outside.
(4)J B.
Stopped in on a Tuesday night for a meal and a good cigar. The facility wasn't packed which was what I was hoping for...not much goes on in this town during the week anyway. Amber was my bartender and she was quick to greet me and shake my hand and introduce herself. That was the start of a great night...a young person who knows how to reach out to a customer!!! I wanted a LI Tea and was hoping she could make a GOOD one. She delivered!!! She recommended certain meals after asking my likes and dis-likes. I had the Turkey sandwich (forgot the menu name) and it was gigantic. had to take bites off of the sides due to how large it was. A great cigar and awesome conversation with Amber and a fellow customer at the bar. What a great night and a great night to relax. I plan on making this a weekly stop! NOTES: I see comments about the smoke from other guests. It IS a cigar bar so that has to be expected. i have been in there on busier nights and the smoke was under control. I'll assume they can control fans for that. Parking is never a issue there and the outside dining is awesome when weather permits it.
(5)Chip C.
Always a good time! Cigar friendly! Great beer selection along with a good selection of scotch and Irish whiskeys, my favorite is Red Breast, so smooth. Food is always great, burger, sandwiches and centres. I'm partial to their Reuben. So few bars serve them now! Entertainment on weekends! Beer, Meat, Cigars! Buff said!
(4)Jason D.
Unbelievable! From the beer selection to the food portions to the cigars, this place is amazing! Of course I had to try monstrosity that is the Bender Ender Burger (a 10 oz burger with a fried egg and bacon between 2 grilled cheese sandwiches). Sounds like a taste of heaven, right? Well, you'd be spot on. The flavor of the beef patty really outshined the rest of the fatty goodness. My only problems? The seating was very limited and the cigar pricing was a bit high. Otherwise, I highly recommend it! Just don't go when I plan on being there: I want to make sure I get a seat!
(5)Layton D.
The food here is much better than I would expect at a cigar bar. The nachos are really good, and there's a nice selection of craft beers. Also, try their Alamo chili (spicy) and pierogies - maybe the best in the Lehigh Valley. If you're a non-smoker, it probably won't be a pleasant experience.
(4)Chadwick T.
It's been around for a while. I have gone so many times that it's nearly a sin that I am just now writing a review for 'The Match'. With a new job under my belt, I found that my colleagues share my adoration for excellent beer selections and good cigars after a long day in the office. If this sounds like something you would also enjoy, look no further. The Wooden Match was originally the Main St. Depot, also a classic spot in it's own right at one time. While they did almost nothing to the inside decor, it's a completely new spot. The slogan says it all "Beer-Meat-Cigars". I like to break it up...the decor. Nothing much at all to look at, old classic bar, but has a fun vibe of history in it with the pictures that hang from the walls and the bar itself. The food. This is what you came to Yelp for. The food is awesome! Great bar food that embodies the term 'Bang for your Buck'. The quality of food is great but the real kicker are the portion sizes. They are absolutely enormous for the amount they charge you. Perfect example, any regular could tell you that the average person wouldn't even be able to eat the HALF portion of nachos and they are only 6$ :) Just one example but the burgers, the appetizers, everything is high quality, made when you order and customizable within reason! I have tried so many items and always love each one. Though the menu doesn't change often, when you are doing things right, they don't always need to change. The booze. Ah, look no further when trying to find high quality craft beers. Not only do they boast around 10 taps that include things like beers from 'Lost Coast' breweries, they have a fitting Gurkha IPA and Ciders as well. If the taps don't do it for you the bottle list is even better. Great beers from 21st Amendment and Weyerbacher to Anchor Steam and Delirium. If you like beer, this would definitely be one of the few places in Bethlehem that can meet any expectation head on! Lastly, the cigars. When you think of a cigar bar, you wonder about the supply chain and what type they will offer. You ask yourself are they going to offer deals and plug cheap cigars just to get lower prices on orders. NOPE. Wooden Match is brought to you by Cigars International. Two locations in the Lehigh Valley and they have quality cigars that they blend themselves in the "Blend Lab" and then they have plenty of Rocky Patel, Gurkha and other major players. The prices range and they even have deals. Catch them in a generous mood and one night it will be 'two for the price of one'. That's right, order your favorite high priced cigar and they GIVE you a second. Really? Need a say more... Do yourself a favor, give it a try... P.S. The ventilation system they have is great, minimal smoke presence for those of you that are smoke sensitive
(3)Larry H.
Went there for my birthday on a Sunday afternoon. Wasn't that busy, but beer was great, nachos sucked, and bender ender burger was great. Nachos aren't hard to make. If you have to use pump cheese, give them up. Overall I had a great time smoking cigars and drinking beer. I'd be concerned that it was pretty empty for a football Sunday.
(4)Nick C.
The concept is cool. I haven't been here yet though. I love cigars, craft beers, and meat. But the idea of eating a steak while smokers are all around me kind of ruins my appetite for all the delicious food i see in the photo's. is the food area separate from the cigar/smoking area?
(4)Thomas R.
The Wooden Match has been a great addition to the Lehigh Valley scene. For cigar types it has given them a place to enjoy an adult beverage, a smoke, and eat all under one roof. They have a good selection of beers and cigars. The menu is a carnivores dream and features both standards and some unique eats. The inside is as expected smokey but it has never been as bad as I expect it too be. For me, I prefer to go to the Match in the summer so that I can sit outside. During my several experiences here I have had food that is on par with local bar food in the valley. To date I have had a burger, blt, pierogies, nachos, and some additional menu items and it was all ok but nothing to write home about. Each time here the service was lacking and not on par with what I have come to expect in the Lehigh Valley. Overall, the Wooden Match is a decent alternative if you are looking to hek out somewhere that offers something different.
(3)Donna S.
Really cool place to meet friends! It really is a "destination". Even though they allow smoking on the premises, it isn't all that smoky inside. Awesome food ! The burger selections are unusual and HUGE!! The onion rings are more like DONUTS!! The craft beers are a bit on the pricey side but are very unique and very tasty!!
(4)Sue H.
I went here with my boyfriend because he likes to relax and smoke a cigare once in awhile, plus we've been here before and the food was good. We went here on a Saturday night (6/28/14) and they had a special menu for Restaurant Week in Bethlehem. It was actually a good deal for $25 you got a cheap cigar, a pint of beer, an app, a meal, and dessert. We were seated inside by the bar and we waited for about 10 minutes and our waitress didn't ask for our drink order. The hostess ended up taking our drink order and we had to wait another 10 minutes to get our drinks. We then ordered our choices for the special. We got our beer but not the cigars. We eventually got our apps but still not cigars, we asked the waitress for them (I don't even know her name because she never introduced herself). We waited again and still didn't get them, so I asked the manager (at least I think he was) and eventually the waitress came with them. The service was really disappointing and it will be awhile until I come back to this place. It was also very hot and they didn't turn on the a/c until we were halfway through our meal. The petite steak was okay, nothing too good but was edible. The loaded fries were delicious and the dessert - matchstick funnel cake was good too. Sadly the app and dessert were better than the meal and service. Plus when my boyfriend orderd a burger she asked if he wanted fries, he said yes assuming they were included because didn't say there was an extra charge...well there was on the bill. At that point we just wanted to leave because were sweating from the heat and of course there wasn't anyone available to point it out. The place wasn't even that busy and our waitress was barely in the room to try to get her attention. We think she was serving people downstairs too, which seems pretty stupid on management's part to have her waiting tables on two floors.
(2)Jennifer D.
I was here over this past St. Patty's Day weekend. At first, I was really annoyed with the service. It took at least 25 minutes to get our first drink even though there weren't many people there until later in the afternoon. But after that, it was all uphill. It may have been all the beer, but I ended up eating the most delicious burger of my life - fondly called "The Dutch Oven" which is piled with cole slaw, Russian dressing, and Swiss cheese. The service did pick up and we made friends with the people sitting around us at the bar. The ambience was comfortable and they had some normally expensive drinks (like high-end scotch) for reasonable prices. Definitely not the place to go if you absolutely can't stand smoke, but I'm not a smoker and still enjoy the smell of a good cigar. I honestly didn't think it was that bad, either. But hey, it's a cigar bar - I wouldn't expect anything less.
(3)Allen B.
I didn't eat here...just reviewing on the bar itself. Was pretty nice...loved the cigar feel to it. Lots of old dark wood but restored nicely. I had a few cigars and drinks with a buddy and it was a good time. I will return.
(4)Shirley M.
The wings are awesome!!! I could just go there for the wings. The burgers are an experience. The prices are very reasonable. Our party had a burger topped with a fried that was in between two grilled cheese with bacon sandwiches!! It was huge. The burger topped with a crab was also good. Good selection of cigars. Lots of beer to choose from. I definitely recommend this place if you enjoy a good cigar with great bar food and beers.
(4)Dominic B.
Consistently great food, hefty meat options (not a great place for vegetarian though they have an option or two). They always have a solid 12-15 craft drafts on tap and are always putting new ones on! Everyone is friendly but when it gets busy it can be difficult to grab your server. Usually live music Friday and Saturday nights. This is the only place I know of where you and smoke and drink and eat all in the same place. Really neat building, decorations, and layout. Also outside seating.
(4)Blair Y.
The Wooden Match is a rare find, and a truly unique asset to the Lehigh Valley. Recommendations: - The Pierogies; words cannot describe these (note: must be consumed with the mouth-watering homemade gravy) - The cigars. Be sure to purchase one of their very reasonably priced cigars at the restaurant, because all of those stogie purchases help keep the doors open to incredible smoking & dining venues like The Wooden Match. - Sample the draft beers. This bar is always sure to keep a top-notch rotation of brew on tap, so take advantage of it. - Keep an eye out for their readily updated website coupons, deals, specials, and events. Beer/vodka/wine & cigar pairings and live music are just the beginning... The menu is as (proudly) advertised - Beer, Meat, Cigars. Everything The Match serves, including the ever-changing list of specials, are superb. Admittedly, I have not passed up a delicious Cuban, or overflowing Reuben for the obligatory salad that lands right at the bottom of the menu, and how could I? One additional note: don't let the parking lot fool you. There are two floors to this old school train depot renovated restaurant, bar, and cigar lounge. The upstairs, especially, is well-ventilated. The staff is friendly, accommodating, knowledge, and refreshingly genuine.
(5)Tim S.
The staff here is incredibly friendly and helpful. Not much more you could ask for except an awesome beer selection, the ability to enjoy a cigar (inside or outside), sports on TV and good music. Too bad they already offer these! Food is "good" basic bar food (very large portions). Highly recommend.
(5)Jess M.
Despite not being a smoker of cigars (or anything else), I went this past weekend with high hopes. Those hopes were crushed. The service was terrible from the moment we walked in. There is no host[ess] so seating is a free-for-all, which is fine, expect that during our visit, other patrons entered and sat themselves only to be told by management that they needed to move because that table was reserved. There was no indication that the table was reserved. Once seated, we waited for quite some time until we were approached by a server. When our waitress did come over, she didn't know a single thing about the beer on the menu. When you've got a great bottle list and a decent tap selection, the staff needs to know about it so they can properly describe it to patrons instead of just saying, "It's dark?" She also got the name of the draft beers way wrong and throughout our stay was very inattentive. The food was pretty good - a half order of onion rings was huge! I ordered the Gitmo (a Cubano) sandwich and found the pork to be very bland. One of my dining companions ordered the Reuben and loved it, so I'd probably try that next time. I'd gone to watch the Philles game and asked two different waitresses to see if they could have one of the TVs changed from Nascar to the Phillies game. They both told me they'd take care of it but after half an hour, I walked up to the bar to ask the bartender to change the channel and she handed me the remote telling me to take care of it. The place has potential but I was very disappointed on my first trip. I'm sure I'll be back to try again, but I wouldn't go out of my way or bring friends visiting from out of town since I wasn't impressed.
(2)Bill F.
What a fun place! The portions are huge and the atmosphere is fun! The new owner Steve is a great guy and he has great plans for the future! I highly recommend this place to everyone, especially if you like great beer, great cigars and great tasting food! Try the Cuban Sandwich!
(5)Shane T.
Not what it used to be!
(3)Kelley H.
I'm somewhere between 3-stars and 4-stars on this one, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt .... I want to like this place -- it has awesome ambiance (hello! old train station??), and the off-the-beaten-path location of it makes me hope that it's a real "local" bar. Plus, the sign at the entrance says "Beer. Meat. Cigars" -- what's not to like? The beer selection is solid, and their menus are cool (glued to old cigar boxes). The food SOUNDS good, but it seems hit or miss... I got the "Bender Ender Burger", which is a cheeseburger sandwiched between two grilled cheese sandwiches -- outrageous! And it should be a gooey, cheesy mess... but alas, mine was very dry with hardly any cheese on it. Another member of my group got a different burger, which he swore was delicious, so it appears I just made the wrong choice. Maybe it was just because it was a Friday night, and they were having some kind of free-cigar promo night, but what really made me knock this place down a notch was when I went inside (I had been dining outside) --- it was bro-heaven in there. Yikes. The aroma of Axe body spray mixed with cigar smoke was too much to handle. So, based on the location & beer alone, I will be back... but I really hope it's not always so bro-tastic inside.
(4)Rick R.
Rare jewel in the middle of a pleasant area. Food was beyond great for a sandwich. I will defiantly make this a standard drop on my travels. They have a smaller selection of cigars but they do have CI blends to find a good mix for your meal. Unfortunately we do not have anything like this in SC or I would be there almost nightly. Staff was virtuous and attentive. Great spot for a cigar lover.....try it out and you will be impressed.
(5)Jason S.
Great beer selection in a unique atmosphere.
(4)Joe O.
Huge portions but I'm not complaining,
(5)Andrew L.
This place is great! Yes, it allows smoking inside it. You should definitely know that before you go there. The food is great. The beer selection is awesome. The ventilation system does a really good job. The atmosphere is awesome. Love it.
(5)Bill B.
Excellent service and atmosphere. High quality beer selection and the food is always good. If you haven't been here, you need to check it out.
(4)Ron M.
We love this place. It is a cigar bar so if you go there expecting a smoke free environment this place is not for you. Now on to the good part. They have an excellent selection of brews and food.The burgers are the BEST I've ever had, made with quality meat and grilled to perfection. I also love their wings and pierogies, both are simply wonderful. The main bar area and seating are on the first floor and they recently opened another floor for dining on the lower level where it is quieter if you prefer. Recommend this place very highly.
(5)J. S.
Since my boyfriend loves cigars, we were hoping this new place would be right up his alley. Unfortunately, even he thought it was way too smokey in there. Yes, I realize that it's a cigar bar so smoke comes with the territory, but they really need to invest money is some type of air filtration system. The smoke hits you like a brick when you walk in...yuck.
(2)Shane O.
Great place, really great place. Be warned for non-smokers it is a cigar bar and honestly the smoke eaters while ok don't clear the place at all of the smoke. But they do have an outside seating area which is the summer is in an awesome location. The food is great, the service is always great, the beer selection is awesome and the prices are great. I wish my girlfiriend would like to hit this place more but the smoke bothers her... we'll wait till summer and sit outside! If you are cigar smoker you HAVE to go here, if you aren't I would recommend going in the summer and checking the inside out quickly at the same time... really interesting decor. Nice work to the team that opened this place up.
(4)Janelle L.
What a great establishment! A modern-vintage feel with great service and amazing beer and food. Simply the best appetizers around - deliciously HUGE portions...I recommend the homemade pierogies and onion rings, holy cow!!!
(5)Delma S.
Saw The Large Flowerheads outside on the patio. A very friendly host gathered chairs for us to sit on the patio. Music was great but then....well, let's put it this way, if you like beng constantly assaulted by thick, choking cigar smoke, no matter where you sit, this is the place for you. Plus, if you like the heavy odor of cigars,then inside the Wooden Match is the place for you.
(1)Paul F.
I live in Arizona and have been a frequent shopper of cigar international online. So when I heard about this restaurant opening I couldn't wait for the next time I came to Pennsylvania to go. So finally went tonight. The place looks nice from the outside. It's a really nice old train depot. Get up to the front door and see the sign that says "please wait for hostess to be seated". So walk inside to the host podium and was waiting for a few minutes and no one showed up. Poked my head inside looked around the dining area and still no one acknowledged my exsistance at the entrance. Asked a couple sitting right inside the restaurant if there was a host. They replied that the had just seated themselves. So we found a table and just sat ourselves. We sat for about ten minutes before a server came over and gave us menus. And when we finally got menus she was already asking what we wanted to drink. There is really nice selection of beers and I didn't even have a chance to look it over and decide what I wanted. I had ordered chimay red. Which generally comes in a bottle but you should serve it in a glass (especially if you have chimay glasses to serve it in at the restaurant). But the server didn't bring me a glass i had to ask for one and then she brought me a regular pint glass that had just been washed and wasn't even room temperature. We then ordered our food. I ordered the motherlode and my dad ordered there version of the Cuban sandwich. We sat for an hour before our food came out and since we already weren't impressed with the restaurant we generally found more things wrong with the place. First of which that no one offered to get a cigar to smoke while waited for our food to come. It is a cigar place and no one even offered to get a cigar or to look at the selection. Second the place is dirty. There were cobwebs up by the televisions and the little roof above the bar was covered in dust. Third the restaurant just doesn't flow well. It isn't very big in the first place and there is covered seating area outside. Which is pretty nice. But you have a pretty far walk if you need to use the restroom and also for you food to get delivered to you.so you have a alot of traffic from people walking in to use the restroom and servers walking food all the way outside. Once our food finally arrived it wasn't bad. The motherlode was nothing more then a turkey club. Which there was nothing special about it. It had lunch meat turkey on it. The sourdough bread was good though. But you would think a house made oven roasted turkey would have been used. So wasn't to impressed with it. My dad said the Cuban wasn't bad other then that the roll could have been better. The use a smoked pulled pork and not something already prepared store bought. So after we finished we sat awhile before our plates were cleared or asked if we needed anything else. We were so unimpressed with the place we weren't gonna stick around and have cigar or even another beer. We just wanted to leave. Would not recommend this place to any family or friends. It really needs a big improvement for me to stop in the next time im in Pennsylvania to visit family. We didn't even really see a manager on duty. The only person that I thought possibly could have been the manager was a guy in a graffic t-shirt and jeans and had a beard. Didn't look professional at all so im not even sure if he was the manager but it seemed like he was but he didn't help out his staff at all. He walked around talking to regular customers and chatting with them while his restaurant was suffering. If this restaurant wasn't owned by cigar international I would say in my honest opinion that this place would close with in a year. I frequent a cigar bar in the phoenix area of Arizona often and it is a completely different environment. I think the wooden match could take alot of pointers from them.
(1)Mehmet B.
I was in for dinner last night, celebrating my birthday. I was with 4 other adults, and came across the menu at Cigars International. I have to say, I am not pleased at all with the overall experience, and will not be returning to this establishment. I understand that it was busy, and that a local cigar festival likely taxed the resources, but we were all generally not pleased with the service, and the food. When we arrived we were advised that it was rather full, and that we could sit outside. It was 52 degrees and misting. While some were eating outside, I believed it to be a little on the cold side, especially for a party of 5 who was hungry, and looking to sit and enjoy a hot meal. The greeter at the desk was our second stop, where we were again recommended outdoor seating. I advised that we were not interested in sitting outside, and I asked if there was a list we could be placed on, or should we go elsewhere? The greeter advised us to wait in the bar, until a table opened up. She said it would take a while, because after all, it is a cigar bar, and people were not leaving as quickly as conventional resturants. We went into the bar and had a drink until we were seated. Unfortunately for us, we were eventually seated in the bar. It was loud, and crowded, and relatively uncomfortable. It was hardly the environment I had hoped for. Once seated, we were given menus, and were vehemently disappointed with the limited selection. The menu posted at CI was a large contributing factor in our choosing of this restaurant. There was no indication that we would get a limited menu at CI, and not even in the bar at the restaurant, where we waited for a table. Apparently, the cigar festival caused a limited menu. I believe there were 7 selections on the menu, mostly bar fare. We ordered appetizers and sandwiches. The sandwiches arrived before the appetizers, and we were half through the meal before we got napkins and silverware. My sandwich did not include the "stand-bys" as advertised on the menu, and when I got them, I was done eating. While we tried to have a conversation as a group, we were constantly interrupted by someone with a video camera, who kept scanning our table, and even held the camera over our table at one point. Being professionals, this made us uneasy, and when we asked a waitress about him, and she said she didn't know why, or who he was filming. Collectively, I am truly disappointed with my overall experience.
(2)Lauren G.
The Wooden Match is the proverbial guy's place but the ladies will love it too! From their daily drink and food specials to their delicious every day menu, the Match has something for everyone! The potato skins and roast beef sandwich are my favorites! Try the Match today!!
(5)Richard T.
Good beer. Cigar friendly. Small but good menu. Great place for beer/cigar aficionados. Outdoor seating by the old train station.
(4)Bryan O.
When I saw the sign reading "Beer. Meat. Cigars." I couldn't help but stop in. Not a huge cigar guy so I guess they had me at beer and meat. The building itself is awesome, an old train station converted into a bar / restaurant. All the seats at the bar we're full so we grabbed a table. I ordered a full portion of the "Hoss Pierogies" as a opposed to the half. Should have went with the half. The portions here are ridiculously large. That said, the pierogies were homemade and top-notch, sautéed in butter and onions. For an entree I had the Mule Kick Burger (as they coined it "a veritable junk punch to the taste buds"). Who wrote this menu anyway, it's hilarious. Burger was exceptional from the bun to the large patty to the chipotle sauce. Oh yeah, they only have like 85 or so beers here all around $4-$5. Sounds expensive but most are top-notch craft stuff you'd pay $7 or $8 for elsewhere. Wait staff was great, really no complaints here. I'll definitely be back.
(5)