I heard great things about this place (food, entertainment, service, etc) but one night when I tried to enter, the bouncer would not allow my friend to enter. It wasn't so much that this bouncer did not let her in that forces me to give Flat Rock a one-star review, but more so because he was undeniably rude. Upon entering, the bouncer says to my friend "what, are you cold?" (It was indeed a cold winter night). My friend says yes, and takes out her license. Then the bouncer says "we don't accept ID's without a credit card to verify your ID, and if you want to show me your Facebook then that's been done before." Then he laughs...My friends and I were shocked by how unwelcoming this bouncer was so we just left! We did not want to give service to someone who represented this business. I plan to come back another time because I want to experience what is Flat Rock but and I hope it's friendlier than my first experience!
Got the saloon blue burger to satisfy an emergency burger craving. Absolutely satisfied!
(3)
Rebekah K.
Zero stars. Don't even bother trying to get a drink if you are brown skinned. Should have known when we read the 'Obamacare' and 'Illegal Immigrant' shot specials on the board. I have never experienced this kind of bs in Manayunk. If you are fortunate enough to be fair skinned, then feel free to enjoy a crowded bar full of underage frat boys spilling beer on the people sitting at tables. Oh, and you will also have the pleasure of meeting the finest gentlemen in Philadelphia who will tell the ladies waiting at the bar that they need to back it up so their pansy rears can pull a chair in front of you. These are just my observations while being profiled and blatantly ignored at the bar. We took our money elsewhere. JD McGillicuddy's around the corner welcomed us with open arms. Plus it's cleaner, bigger, more fun, and they serve us colored folks.
(1)
Danielle D.
The bartender (young guy named Sal) is extremely rude and I am shocked that he is even in the service business still. I found a bug floating in my pint glass so I attempted to ask for a new glass to pour the rest of my beer in and he snatched the glass out of my hand, dumped it and walked away. He didn't say anything at all, a simple apology would have went a long way! (And a new clean glass would have great) When I said something, He slammed a new pint glass in front of me and walked away, still saying nothing. My friends and I immediately left. They only take cash.. and have a one person ladies room which is rough and causes a line and a bit of a wait to pee
(1)
Thalie A.
This whole area has had a cool revamp over the years. There were always solid spots in Manayunk and this looks a winner too. My best friend & I had a hard time deciding where to stop then we saw there were musicians playing so went in. Good choice. Relaxed vibe, spaced out well, appropriate lighting & even the musicians set wasn't intrusive on our conversation. There's good service here and the main bar is well kept...shame about the toilets.
(3)
Nick C.
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. First of all, it is 2014, start taking credit cards. I was charged a dollar for a water. After having to ask for a drink, at my table, after 10 minutes. It was not busy at all, no one was at the bar and there were 2 other tables. They took my friends order and 10 minutes later we had to go back up to the server to ask him to put in our other order since he only took one of our dinner orders. Asked for more napkins and got 2. Servers were basically not there, anytime I needed anything we had to stand up and ask for it because our server never ever came to our table on their own. avoiding from here on out.
(1)
Jessica G.
Horrible horrible horrible! Rude management and staff. This is truly a terrible establishment in so many ways. Food is horrible, drinks are even worse. Don't even attempt to setup an open bar for an event with them because they will cancel on you less than 48 hours before! They do not deserve anyone's business. Don't waste your money or time!
(1)
Kevin J.
Wish I could give negative stars. This is by far the worst bar I have ever been to. Just dont go here. There are so many better bars within 100 yards of this shithole
(1)
Julie J.
Before you ever consider visiting this establishment, please read and consider the type of people that would run a business such as this. A reserved the upstairs at Flat Rock a month in advance for a 30th birthday party for my boyfriend scheduled for THIS weekend, I got the following email on THURSDAY less than 48 hours before the event: Hi Julie, I am so sorry to inform you that we will be unable to host your party on Saturday. I truly apologize for the inconvenience. We have to make immediate repairs to our kitchen in order to satisfy our insurance company. We only offer Open Bar Packages upstairs. Open Bar is not available downstairs. Thank you for your interest in The Flat Rock Saloon and hopefully you will think of us for your next event. My sincerest apology. Amy Talvacchia, Chef I responded with the following: Amy, The fact that you sent this as an email and didn't have the decency to call directly is both rude and unprofessional. It's completely unacceptable to cancel two days before the event and not offer any consolation, meaning offering the open bar downstairs or suggesting another venue that might be able to accommodate us. It is laughable that you suggest that I would consider you for a future event. Not only would I never, you can count on me writing an unfavorable review on Yelp. It's unfortunate for you that a positive experience spreads by word of mouth and a negative one spreads even faster. Julie This is the email I got in response: Julie, I could not call you, we only dealt through e-mail! The fact that you think cancelling is rude and unprofessional tells me that you have no idea what it is like to run a business, let alone a bar! I couldn't suggest another venue because you we getting a great deal, any other bar is going to offer you light beer, box wine and crap liquor!! I think it is laughable that I would ever consider hosting any kind of event for YOU! Go to Mad River the serve just your type! As for Yelp, been in business 20 years and no one pay attention to that crap! __________________________________________________Â_____________ It is unreal that anyone would do business this way! It's no wonder they are in trouble with their insurance company and have been trying to sell the business for years! I hope you reading this will prove her WRONG and show her that people do pay attention to Yelp reviews and that there are plenty of other bars that offer good beers and way better customer service!
(1)
Gina M.
Now I was only here for like an hour maybe two tops but It was a good time. We had live music and a great beer selection. The servers, bouncers, and bartenders were awesome! However, you couldn't move in there. Seriously. It got so crowded that we were literally being like pushed out of our seats because of the crowd. Crazy. Also, the drinks were very expensive. Almost too expensive for me. And when I ordered my anticipated Malibu bay breeze, they did NOT use coconut rum. Oh boy the regular rum did not taste good. But we were already pushed away from the bar at that point so there was no asking for the right drink. I don't know if I'll be back, truthfully.
(2)
Adam C.
I suppose if you're going there to drink beer I would still recommend the place but for any other reason I simply can't. My friend has a birthday tradition of AYCE Crab legs and her birthday happened to fall on a Monday which is how we ended up at this place. I had already done my yelp research prior to coming so I was aware of the idiosyncrasies of the place but not the severity. I'll also say that I am much more patient than she is and her impatience was a partial factor to the disastrous experience. One of the oddities about this place is the bar tender's flat out refusal to serve a glass of water. I knew in advance that this is their policy and I tried to have a conversation with him to find out why he would cling to such a ridiculous stance when nearly every negative review the place gets is over that . He gave me attitude but no explanation. I had actually meant to stop at a Wawa and buy a gallon of water, just to kind of stick it to them but I forgot. No biggie. It was a beer night anyway. Nevertheless, bizarre. We got there and there were a few other groups for the crab legs. We ordered our beers and expressed our intentions to eat crabs. Then we waited...and waited...and waited and finally got our beer. then we waited...and waited...and waited...and waited...and finally the crab legs came out. Maybe we should have waited a touch longer because they were mostly cold to the touch and my Friend said that the one she grabbed was actually still frozen. Of course we sent the plate back much to the grumbling of the bar tender/ waiter. If it had just been me I might have waited it out but as I mentioned above my friend has a shorter fuse than I do. Between the bad attitude and the slow service we decided not to stay. Since there was nobody available to complain to we left enough to cover the beer on the table and walked up the street to change her birthday tradition to Sushi.
(1)
Jr F.
Disappointed to say the least. They have a 'good' beer list, but that's the only good thing about this place. I ordered the American Burger and it was burnt. On the menu, they said it had a tangy sauce with caramlized onions. I did not see any onions or tasted any of the sauce. My fiance ordered the pork bbq platter. The pork looked like throw up and her veggies were burnt as well. The waiter was nice though. Their bathroom had no soap in it, and it looked like something out of Orwell's 1984.
(1)
amanda h.
I literally live two blocks from this place, so resisting their 30 cent wings on Tuesday is a losing battle for me. I am dying to know what kind of blue cheese they use. Beer selection is great & reasonably priced. They usually have anywhere from 3-4 ciders available- which is nice for me since I don't drink beer. Wish their Lambic was a little cheaper, but I can't manage $13 for a pint. Their burgers are by far the best on Main Street with thick homemade patties & hand cut fries. The lamb sliders are pretty choice, too. The ambiance is somewhere between your classic pub & a dive bar. My only real quibble with this place is if you go anytime after 7 you'll end up waiting for a table for up to 20 minutes. Oh, and don't expect the bartender/owner to be very attentive, gotta wave that dude down if you want some service!
(4)
Christina B.
I like going to this bar. It's an older crowd usually. They have different beer and drinks. I always forget they don't take cash. It can look a little run down, but if you're worried about drinking only, it's a great place.
(3)
Alick W.
The food here is very good and they have a good selection of beers. It's does have an old school saloon type of feel to it. I've read some of the other reviews and I agree on the bottled water. It is kinda of ridiculous they don't serve tap water here. They do have some of the best wings and mussels in the Philly area. It's chill and I really like the musicians they have on the weekends. It is more relaxed but on nights where they have live music, people do dance and it can be a really fun night. It's a place that I can really have a lot of fun on some nights and on others, the atmosphere can really put me to sleep. Good - Food, variety of beers, live music Bad - Does not serve tap water, bathrooms are disgusting, cash only.
(3)
Katie P.
Flat Rock is one of my favorite aces to eat in manayunk. You can always get a table. The coveted outside tables are a little hard to get when there's nice weather. Excellent beer selection! Small amount on draft but they have a large bottle selection My fav part is their mussel deal! Everyday 5-7 is half priced mussels- meaning you get a giant bowl of mussels (6 different flavors- I recommend he Dijon) for $4. You can add a giant bowl of fries for another $4 for doping in the delicious broth. I suggest requesting they do not toast the bread because it's easier to sop up broth. Be aware it's a great deal so sometimes the mussels are a little small but can you really beat dinner for 2 with drinks for under $20.?! Cash only.
(5)
Kory S.
Okay I have to weigh in here. My friends and I came to Flatty's MOST TUESDAYS FOR FOUR YEARS. Authority! It is still our favorite bar... probably in the whole of Philadelphia. I'm going to do this review in phases. WHAT IT USED TO BE: Flat Rocks c2005 was absolutely perfect. It had the best beer list outside Monks and maybe Eulogy. It wasn't overrun by hipsters, it didn't overcharge, and there was always something new to try. Most nights you came in the place was wall-to-wall people. They had some of the best cover musicians and the occasional Kenn Kwedder sighting. By midnight every person in the place would be singing. It was like something out of a Dickens novel. We used to take down 200 of the BEST WINGS IVE EVER HAD. We'd routinely pick a beer and clean them out of it by nights end. Did I mention "we" averaged 10-15 people. Yep we paid for bottles of water, no we didn't get refills on soda, yes we occasionally would not get the male servers and had terrible service, no we never were served shots. It didn't matter. This place was perfect. WHAT IT BECAME: Somewhere toward 2008 aka the Great Recession the place started to struggle. The beer list dropped. The prices hovered. Drink specials were increasingly irrelevant. Wing Nights (the greatest night of all) were no longer wall to wall. Where we used to cut out of work early to send a scout to hold tables, now we walked in at 7pm and had our choice. The music was gone. The planned upstairs expansion was dormant. But we still came, every Tuesday. We still ate 200 wings. And they still treated us like family. And no that doesn't mean free drinks. I'm not sure we ever got freebies in those days. Nope not even water. And that was fine. WHAT IT IS NOW: It's recovered. The beer list is back up and running. Despite what I'm reading here THE FOOD IS STILL AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOP NOTCH. Top to bottom on the menu, no question. And trust me we were a picky bunch so that statement does not come lightly. I'm told the music is back. There's even word of Sal sightings- the best waiter we ever had there. It's so good to see that they are returning to former glory. The owner/head bartender works his butt off EVERY NIGHT. He has kept this thing going and hasn't compromised his standards of what he wants Flat Rocks to be. There were probably plenty of opportunities to turn this into TGI McScratchy's or Kildare's II but he didn't. Not even close. For those of us that love Flatty's for everything it is and everything it is not, this place is perfect. If you are looking for your typical bar experience this probably isn't the place. It's Philly through and through-- its not the best but it doesn't care but it's not all hipstery about that. There may not be toilet paper in the bathroom... heck the door may not even lock. You can get shots now but don't hope for bombers and crap like that. For every review that says "I can't understand why they don't do X" the reason is that they don't want YOU there. I can't think of a more Philadelphia statement than that right there. So call up your best friends, maybe your dad, add in a few people that just moved to Philly, your cousin that just turned 21, and maybe a foreign exchange student. Get to Flatty's and try to sit in Sal's section. Order a stupid amount of wings. Bring a lot of cash. Grab a big table and have a lot of fun. You won't be able to do this at any other bar. You're welcome.
(5)
trish g.
Great beer selection! Lots of new varieties in bottle and on tap rotating in and out. Wing night is Tuesdays -- this place gets pretty busy then. The menu is really interesting. I haven't tried a lot but what I've had was pretty tasty and affordable. The guys running the place are very nice, but sometimes they are super busy and you may have to work it to catch their attention. Overall, I really like it here, it's friendly and has a good vibe. A refreshing change from many Main Street establishments. They have a good sense of humor too - sometimes offering funny items on their chalkboard, like "Beers for Men" and other treats.
(4)
Nick D.
Having lived in the Manayunk area for the past 3 years, there hasn't been a bar I've been to more than the good old Flat Rock. More often than not, on a weekend free to travelling, you'll find my friends and I with 2-4 tables pushed together drinking some great beers and singing along like assholes to whatever acoustic guitarist/singer is playing that night. During the week it's a relaxed place to get some dinner with a great, warm interior without being super busy, and on Friday and Saturday nights, it's exactly the place you want to start/spend/end the night. There's a great beer selection (although recently it's tapered into around 50 beers at a time), regularly-rotating specials (giving you the chance to try beers that you wouldn't normally buy at $6 a pop), enough room for you and plenty of friends, TVs for sports, live music on weekends to obnoxiously sing along to, old bartenders (who wear suspenders and seem like they've worked there since they were 15 years old back in nineteen tickety-two), and just enough outdoor tables (that if you get there early enough to snag one during nice weather in the summer, you feel like the Mayor of Manayunk), and chicks actually go there! WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR? (Actually, one thing they could use: A more private toilet in the men's room. Oh, and a toilet paper dispenser - I can only imagine the poor souls that go #2, only to realize they have to wipe with their shirt/boxers. You've been warned!) Another warning: It's cash only, and their ATM has a ridiculous service fee, so Ladies - Bring some cash! I can't afford to buy ALL of you drinks! If you hate this place, I hate you. Seriously.
(5)
Elizabeth F.
I boycott this place because they will not give you water. You must but a bottle from them. What a shame.
(1)
Fred M.
I highly recommend against going here. If I could have given this place negative stars I would have. Our waiter was incredibly rude. We ordered glasses of water and he brought us bottled water. At first I was thinking, "ok, this guy is not only rude but is trying to run up the bill, that's fine I'll get tap water next time." So we ask him for tap water the next time around and he says (verbatim), "We don't have tap water." What? Is this some kind of joke. There is ice in our sodas and water in the toilets and I'm pretty sure they aren't using bottled water for that. So we started to make our way through our crabs (that we waited 45 minutes for after ordering while there were no more than 6 other patrons), we started to get really thirsty, mainly because they were way over seasoned with old bay and salt. In an attempt not to overpay any more for my meal I confronted the surly waiter again, away from the table. I said, "do you really not have tap water, isn't their ice in our glasses?" to which he replies, "we have it, we just don't serve it." I asked him if that was even legal and he told me, "yea it's legal, we have been doing it for 22 years." Are you EFFING kidding me?! Did I just find myself transported to a bistro in Paris where they only serve Perrier? No, I'm in this dumpy saloon in Manayunk paying too much for mediocre food, so why don't you spare me the hassle and bring me a cot damn glass water. I literally have never tipped less than 15% on a meal but I was determined to do so today. Screwed again. we had over 6 people at our table so this a-hole is getting a very much undeserved 18% tip. I have never been so close to walking out on a check in my entire life. Oh yea, they only take cash so bring lots because you'll need it. Do yourself a favor, walk ten feet in any direction on main street AWAY from this place. It boggles my mind how a place like this can stay in business when there are so many fine restaurants in Manayunk. Oh yea, let me also ad that the coupon for 10% off the food portion of your meal that you can print online is a load of bull. They don't accept it. don't waste your printer paper.
(1)
Michael F.
A great selection of beers both on tap and by the bottle, live music that doesn't make your ears bleed, and no cover will make you smile. Food that is pretty much what you expect won't shake this rating. Forgetting that it is cash only might irk you a bit. However, the lack any customer focus kept this Saloon from a higher performance. Other Notes: 1) While prices are reasonable for the beer selection, it isn't exactly Manayunk cheap (again cash only). 2) A slightly older crowd for Manayunk.
(3)
Lauren W.
There are plenty of other reviews, I'm assuming because I didn't have the attention span to read them all, that will tell you the vast selection of what I surmised to be excellent craft, local, and other delicious beers. I, unfortunately, do not have the palate for good beers. I like Budweiser. Yum. But my friends threatened to make me sit by myself if I ordered one there. So I got a Bloody Mary, one of my favorite drinks of all time. Holy intense experience, batman. Go get it right now. Go when the owner (?) is there, an older man who always seems to be wearing a white shirt and suspenders. It may take 10 minutes, but because he makes them FROM SCRATCH. Hand trimmed celery. Scooped horseradish. Cracked black pepper. Celery salt. Hot sauce. That's all I can say without salivating an embarassing amount. Go get the bloody mary! And I guess the ambiance is cool, everybody is chill, blah blah blah. Bloody Mary!
(4)
Chris M.
This is my favorite bar ever. I used to live in Manayunk, about 2 blocks from Flat Rock. My wife and I would go to Flat Rock around 4 times a week when we lived there. We try to make it there around once a month or so now that we moved out of Manayunk. Their beer selection is phenomenal. You'll see a chalk board full of beers on the back wall, categorizing beers into domestics, imports, and Belgians. And, even better, the prices are super-reasonable. Beers start around $3. They also have several 750ml bottles of beer that you can share. An unexpected treat from Flat Rock is the food. The ambiance is that of a bar so you might not expect very well-prepared food. The standard bar fare is good (love the wings and the nachos), but they also have more creative dishes as specials. But, the best, by far, reason to go to Flat Rock is Vinnie the bartender. Vinnie is great. Flat Rock gets very crowded on weekend nights (and on some weekdays), so you might want to get there early to get a seat. Also, as anywhere in Manayunk, parking can be an issue, especially on the weekends. Most importantly: 1) Flat Rock is cash-only and 2) Do not attempt to order a Coors Light here.
(5)
Amanda G.
This place was such a surprise when I went there for the first time. I wasn't expecting good food, but everything I've ever ordered has been awesome. The mussles, the pierogies (when they were on special), and all of the sandwiches. Delicious! I thought this would just be a good place to get beer, but it's so much more. The older guy with the suspenders who can always be found behind the bar has so much knowledge about beer it's kind of obscene. He'll help you find something you like or help you find something new to try. Overall this is a great place!
(4)
Noell M.
Hands down, without a doubt, my favorite watering hole in Philadelphia! The amalgamation of the food menu, the beer selection, and the staff make this place near and dear to my heart. While living in Manayunk (only 2 blocks away from Main Street) my husband and I would frequent the Rock about 3-4 times a week. We now live a bit further away but still try our hardest to get there at least a few times a years. It is definitely worth a drive and fighting the hills of Manayunk to be able to pull up a chair at the bar and enjoy the Flat Rock goodness! Seasonal beers, micro brews, and boutique beers adorn the ever changing and always refreshing beer list. As one reviewer mentioned....do not attempt to order Coors, Corona, Miller, etc. While the bartenders and staff will try to steer you in the right direction (in terms of beer choice), don't be "that" guy or girl who puts up a fuss because you can't get your Bud Light Lime or MGD. They also have a full liquor bar.....my suggestions: a dirty Arnold Palmer or the raspberry vodka with fresh squeezed lemonade. The food menu is a departure from normal bar fare. Interesting soups, salads, and sandwiches (and rotating specials) come as a pleasant and unexpected surprise. The food is always fresh, innovative, and extremely well prepared. When you go try to get Vinnie as your bartender.....he is seriously the best in the biz! A few other notes: cash only, outdoor tables (in the spring/summer), live musicians, and plenty of TV's to watch the game.
(5)
Tracy S.
Bad experience! We walked in and sat at the bar, which was not at all crowded, and the bartender took several minutes to even acknowledge that we were there. He continued to talk to someone at the other end of the bar. When he eventually walked over he was not only unapologetic but he acted as if we were inconveniencing him by being there and wanting to order drinks. Although, I should note that we were immediately greeted by the unpleasant odor of stale beer and dirty bar as soon as we walked in the establishment. After, the rude bartender finally acknowledged our existence we asked for menus and went to sit outside because the inside of the restaurant was very dirty, smelly and uncomfortable. We sat outside waiting for a server and after more than 10 minutes no one came to wait on us so we left. I never walk out of restaurants but this was beyond bad service. Never again.
(1)
Patrick G.
PROS: If you just want to go in a get a beer, this is the spot on Main St. You don't have to wait an hour for a drink and play crowd control. CONS: Somewhat pricey and you better know EXACTLY what you want. No familiar beers on tap. Doesn't accept credit cards.
(3)
Caroline B.
As far as the Manayunk bar scene goes, Flat Rock is not the best it has to offer. It's dingy and last time I was there, they were out of everything I had asked for. Everything. I was hardly asking for a particular type of imported wine or a potato vodka typically unavailable outside of Krakow. I will give Flat Rock two stars since Vinny, the bartender, seemed like a good guy but would urge you to check out Kildare's instead.
(2)
Adam L.
Flat rock is my ideal choice for a quick beer after a long day. Don't forget to bring cash as they do not accept credit cards. However, an ATM is in the back.
(4)
Kevin D.
One of my favorite spots in Manayunk. Very chill, great service, awesome beer selection. I don't believe I ever ate there, but the beer alone is worth a visit. Definitely check it out when they have an acoustic set. The talent is always pretty decent too.
(4)
marki s.
We go hear first when we go to manyunk. Great place for a good beer and the food isn't bad either. But I have one major complaint! The men's room never ever has soap. Now I'm sure the bartenders and waiters and food staff all have clean hands but to think that every guy in that bar on a Friday and Saturday has not washed his hands is gross! I'm not a germaphobe but I'm not shaking any of my friends hands while I'm in there.
(3)
Tina S.
Great chill bar if you want to avoid the noise of the typical Manayunk bars. Large selection of beers that pair perfectly with their daily mussel special, which is by far my favorite thing on the menu.
(4)
Rob S.
Top 5 beer bars in the city. Period. [Edit: Since I wrote this review there are a bunch of new fantastic gastropubs. But we'll still say... top 10 beer bars????] Great selection of rotating beers all the time. And C-H-E-A-P to try new and interesting bottles. Great food here too with an expanding menu! Usually have very entertaining acoustic music acts at nights on the weekends. Only cons: limited draft selection, no soap in the men's room (gross...), no gun system so if you want water you have to pay for a bottle. And the TV quality leaves a bit to be desired if you want to watch a game. Don't worry about the cons... check it out.
(5)
John N.
Waited over an hour for food. I had my server tell me 30 minutes after placing my order that what I ordered wasn't available! Not only did I leave hungry, but I was finding it hard to figure out what took my food one hour to arrive considering the place was not too crowded on a Saturday night. After reading other reviews, I have come to understand that this is a bar, and it was probably foolish of us to expect restaurant service with food. However, won't return. Small menu. Do not recommend. Overpriced.
(2)
josh b.
I love Flat Rock! Theirs no cover to get in unlike many other Manayunk Bars and they have beers that you have never even heard of on tap at a resonable price. The best part is the live music that everyone loves to sing a long to while throwing back a couple. One negative: does not accept credit cards, but its only a minor thing...
(5)
Greg L.
The Flat Rock has been one of my mainstays since it changed it's name from the Grove back in the early 90's. The food there is great. Things like the dressings and sauces are all hand made. They have a huge beer selection for reasonable prices. The owner, Bob, is one of the best bartenders in the city. Somehow, tools avoid the flatrock and it is always a great place to hang.
(5)
Emily B.
does anybody else find it utterly ridiculous that you have to pay for water? i was trying to hydrate between drinks and asked the bartender for some H2O. he hands me a bottle and asks for a dollar... ummmm... is that legal? his response to that question was "is free music legal?" that doesn't even make sense! not going back.
(1)
Ben T.
Best bar in Manayunk, and besides the Adobe Cafe its the only bar/restaurant establishment in all of Manayunk to even bother. Bartenders are some of the most knowledgeable
(4)
V T.
amazing mussels. great selection of beer. live music closer to the weekend is great. cash bar only.
(3)
Frank B.
This is a great bar to grab a beer. There selection is pretty awesome with a wide variety of micro-brews. Definitely one of the better beer bars around. With its laid back crowd It's one of the few bars in Manayunk that makes you forget that your in Manayunk. Prices are very reasonable and the specials include good beers.
(4)
Leslie G.
Terrible service. I went on a weeknight for dinner and the server was rude, I was charged for water, they wouldn't let me take my leftovers home in a doggie bag, and they didn't accept credit cards. I had to take money out of the ATM, but the kicker is that the restaurant owns the ATM, and keeps the $2 surcharge. I own a small business and I could never imagine treating my customers so poorly. I will NEVER be back.
(1)
Meghann p.
the only thing I do not like about this place.....CASH only and they only give bottled water (annoying for the DD sometimes) BUT still great beers and great wings!
(4)
Jason R.
The Flat Rock Saloon was below average in most respects Service: We were given a single menu for a table of 5, but, in their defense, it was busy. Drinks: They had about 5 beers on tap and moderate bottled beer selection. They had some good beers available at reasonable prices. My group was a little annoyed by being given $1 bottled water when you ask for water and charged $2 per glass of fountain soda. Food: The group shared some wings, which were OK. I had a burger, which was 10 oz of unseasoned ground chuck. It was bland depite the fact that it was covered with smoked gouda. The order was medium-rare, but burger was medium to well-done. It tasted a bit charred and something had a funky smell. The french fries were undercooked as well. Needless to say, It was not enjoyable. cash only
(2)
Micaela F.
I have been wondering about this place and also heard about their amazing specials. $19.95 all you can eat crab legs and 1/2 price mussels everyday...I have to try it. Drag the husband and now I know where to go for my mussels and crab legs fix. We order their Queso Jalepeno mussels and it was delicious. Came with a side of fries and a delicious dipping sauce. Their beer selections are great too.
(5)
Mike S.
When I was first introduced to this gem several years ago, I was amazed by the wide variety and selection of beer. It was the beer-topia of Manayunk (sorry Pitchers). So many beers to choose from, only so many brain cells to kill. And pricing was reasonable. In the last few years, the bottle list has dwindled. The crowds have as well. It is still busy, but not the slam-packed bar it used to be. I remember squeezing into this place at 9pm, with no hopes of ever finding room at the bar. Nowadays it doesn't get too busy until after 10pm. Beer selection is still pretty good. Same bartender. Same food. Mussels seem to be the food of choice for patrons here. Pricing is still reasonable. Cash only. There is an ATM machine in the bar in case one always tends to use el pastique. Recently they installed a Golden Tee. My dream bar had come to fruition. And then sadly, it was gone last time I ventured in there. I can only hope it returns. There is nothing like playing a simulated game of golf and drinking decent beer.
(4)
Emmett M.
The Flat Rock is nice bar to go relax with a good meal and a tasty beer in the evening. Weekend nights can bring in live music and bit of a crowd, but there's always window sills to sit on and walls to lean against until someone clears out. There are food specials here worth looking into, I like the roast beef. The beer selection here is the main draw because it is quite large and varied; every time I go there I can try a new beer. Has that saloon feel with the mirror behind the bar and varnished wood everywhere. I usually go to the back to eat so I never noticed a problem with lack of TV, and suspenders has generally always been friendly, but I've also been there when his service slipped a bit (usually weekend nights). This spot is probably my favorite on Main st. **Recently came here as the fourth stop in a long night so I don't know how accurate this info is, but last time I was there the beer selection seemed to have been cut drastically..... it could have been them transitioning into new beers, it could have been them limiting their selections permanently, or I could have imbibed too much and created the whole memory..... I plan on looking into it
(4)
Jennifer B.
Food is disgusting. This place has really gone downhill.
(1)
Rodge B.
A sh*tload of beers to choose from, lots of tables, and the wings are pretty good. Kind of a snooty crowd and cash bar.
(4)
Tyler R.
Manayunk - Lenape for 'a place to drink'. Apparently the owners of the Flat Rock Saloon didn't get the memo because they DON'T HAVE TAP WATER. Bottled water only? Are we in Puerto Vallarta? I get it - this is the type of place that 'doesn't change for nobody'. That's great and all if you have a decent product, but the food is mediocre and the service was slow, rude, and condescending. Skip it, there are plenty of other better places in Manayunk to give your money to.
(1)
Eric K.
Good wings and muscles. Awesome beer selection!
(3)
Jake P.
The bartenders refused to serve me and my girlfriend water! This is the only time I was EVER refused tap water at a bar. Thanks for the thoughtless service and a little bit more of a tricky and unsafe ride home. Flat Rock Saloon will NEVER receive my business again.
(1)
Kristina K.
Its the third time I've been to flatrock and it's always great! They have the best bloody mary by far in manayunk. The awesome bartender with the suspenders makes amazing drinks everytime! Their mussels are also some of the best around. From 5-7 everyday they have half priced mussels and about 10 or more types to choose from. I tried the spicy type and can't wait to try more! Finally, I had the earth burger last night and it was bangin. Perfectly cooked with a mushroom thyme topping, swiss cheese, and miso mayo. Yummm Will definitely come back again and again!
(4)
David R.
Great bar on the corner, friendly staff, and food. Nice selection of beers in the bottle. Just a couple on tap.
(4)
Caroline H.
My favorite bar in Manayunk. I love the fact you cannot order a Miller Lite here :) They have such a huge selection of beer and at great prices. When you go check out the chalkboards for the specials. I usually just work my way down the list! Most of the time you can get some good beers for only $2! They also have live music later at night. By the way its Cash only.
(5)
Tom S.
Just dropped in tonight after a trip to Cactus nearby. I was impressed by this place, and disappointed that i was already full when I saw their 1/2 price mussels special was going on. Either way, we just got drinks, mine a bottle of Delerium Tremens and my lady's a draft of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (and i indulged in a $3 Tullamore shot). At 6 p.m., we avoided any kind of loud, late-night crowd and made note of the deep bottle list, but excruciatingly shallow draft list. Either way, I look forward to commenting on the food the next time I drop by.
(4)
Laura D.
Flat Rock is a very laid back bar with a great beer selection. I've been to most of the bars in Manayunk numerous times, and this is where I come when I just want to have a couple good beers with friends. It's a great Thursday night bar... not too crowded, not too crazy. Weekends they have a guy play cover songs on acoustic guitar which is a nice touch. And there are good beer specials, usually $3 or $4. Did I mention the beer selection is awesome?
(4)
Stefan N.
I didn't even bother reviewing some of the bars on tonight's pub crawl but this place demands a review. Right on main street in Manayunk. The beer selection and the specials are tasty and cheap. I am going to have to come back here and try more things off the menu. I am only rating this place as a bar but as a bar it is top notch and clean. I was there on a dead night so I don't know how they manage a crowd but the old man behind the bar was friendly and welcoming.
(5)
matt h.
Went to Flat Rock to meet some friends for a brew on a Friday night. FRS isn't the type of place I would usually goto but I really enjoyed myself. They have an amazing selection of micro-brews and I noticed their bartenders were especially knowledgeable about them. I had not heard about some of them and asked about them and both of the 'tenders had a lot to say, and upon their recommendations I was very impressed. On this particular night they had a guy on acoustic guitar playing some phenomenal covers of Sublime, Marley, etc. Lets just say we went there with the intention of having one beer and moving on and we ended up staying all night.
(4)
Sarah L.
My friend and I were out for an early evening drink and snack when we decided upon this place. First off the sever that we had was rude to us right off the bat when we weren't ready to order after looking at the menu for all of two minutes. He walked away shaking his head like he was so annoyed at us. When he brought us bottled water and we asked about tap water he cocked an attitude again with agitation in his voice. My friend and I have both spent many years in the service industry and neither of us were being unreasonable by any means. I would NEVER go back to this place again.
(1)
Lindsey M.
Small, love thy neighbor place. Come here before 9 to get a spot at the bar or table. But the selection is hard to beat if you like beers. And I love the guy singing good ol' American rock classics with his acoustic guitar in the corner.
(5)
Cerpin T.
Easily the best bar on Main Street. It typically lacks the popped collars and sweatbands on the forearm crews that seem to inhabit almost every other bar on Main Street. The beer selection is top-notch and the bar tenders are pretty knowledgeable about their trade. There is almost always a place to sit, which is great, to talk to your friends over one of the many bottled beers that I can guarantee you have never tasted before. The entertainment is pretty standard fare, your typical guy rocking an acoustic cover set that never seems to end, which is awesome. After a few hours of downing a couple of rounds, it is inevitable that you will be singing every single word to some mid-nineties classic that you haven't heard in a decade. Never had a bad time here and I am always willing to go back.
(5)
Jocelyn B.
Flat Rock has a true 'Old World' pub feel to it. The beer selection is out of this world and changes frequently! All-U-Can-Eat Crab Leg night is a must! Their wings are also very good but I usually order them for the blue cheese which is absolutely AMAZING! (I keep meaning to ask what brand it is). Definitely a nice casual spot to go on a date or meet friends.
(4)
Art S.
I love this bar. Outstanding selection of beers. Great service. Happy people. Tasty food. Good music. Fun times. When you consider your other options in Manayunk, like, oh, say, the Manayunk Brewery, which has pretty much the worst beer on the planet, Flat Rock looks even better. Even when this place is crowded, I still seem to have a good time here, which is a testament to the vibe this place exudes. It tends to be a young crowd here, but it's not to say you couldn't saddle up to the bar or grab a table with a few friends even if you're about to hit the big 3-0 like me. A quick note... last time I checked it was cash only, but there's ATM's all over Main St., so that shouldn't be an issue...
(5)
Colleen M.
My friends and I always head to Flatrock first for a night out in Manayunk. It is hands down my favorite bar in Manayunk. On the weekends, they always have a guitar guy there playing live music, and they usually take requests. Their beer selection is amazing. They are always getting new beers from all over the world. It can get a bit crowded, but it's worth it. The crowd has a mix of older people, 20-somethings, and college students. It's cash only, so make sure to stop at an ATM on the way, although I think they have one there. Definitely go!
(5)
Alick W.
The food here is very good and they have a good selection of beers. It's does have an old school saloon type of feel to it. I've read some of the other reviews and I agree on the bottled water. It is kinda of ridiculous they don't serve tap water here. They do have some of the best wings and mussels in the Philly area. It's chill and I really like the musicians they have on the weekends. It is more relaxed but on nights where they have live music, people do dance and it can be a really fun night. It's a place that I can really have a lot of fun on some nights and on others, the atmosphere can really put me to sleep. Good - Food, variety of beers, live music Bad - Does not serve tap water, bathrooms are disgusting, cash only.
(3)
Adam L.
Flat rock is my ideal choice for a quick beer after a long day. Don't forget to bring cash as they do not accept credit cards. However, an ATM is in the back.
(4)
Kevin D.
One of my favorite spots in Manayunk. Very chill, great service, awesome beer selection. I don't believe I ever ate there, but the beer alone is worth a visit. Definitely check it out when they have an acoustic set. The talent is always pretty decent too.
(4)
Nick C.
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. First of all, it is 2014, start taking credit cards. I was charged a dollar for a water. After having to ask for a drink, at my table, after 10 minutes. It was not busy at all, no one was at the bar and there were 2 other tables. They took my friends order and 10 minutes later we had to go back up to the server to ask him to put in our other order since he only took one of our dinner orders. Asked for more napkins and got 2. Servers were basically not there, anytime I needed anything we had to stand up and ask for it because our server never ever came to our table on their own. avoiding from here on out.
(1)
Katie P.
Flat Rock is one of my favorite aces to eat in manayunk. You can always get a table. The coveted outside tables are a little hard to get when there's nice weather. Excellent beer selection! Small amount on draft but they have a large bottle selection My fav part is their mussel deal! Everyday 5-7 is half priced mussels- meaning you get a giant bowl of mussels (6 different flavors- I recommend he Dijon) for $4. You can add a giant bowl of fries for another $4 for doping in the delicious broth. I suggest requesting they do not toast the bread because it's easier to sop up broth. Be aware it's a great deal so sometimes the mussels are a little small but can you really beat dinner for 2 with drinks for under $20.?! Cash only.
(5)
Rebekah K.
Zero stars. Don't even bother trying to get a drink if you are brown skinned. Should have known when we read the 'Obamacare' and 'Illegal Immigrant' shot specials on the board. I have never experienced this kind of bs in Manayunk. If you are fortunate enough to be fair skinned, then feel free to enjoy a crowded bar full of underage frat boys spilling beer on the people sitting at tables. Oh, and you will also have the pleasure of meeting the finest gentlemen in Philadelphia who will tell the ladies waiting at the bar that they need to back it up so their pansy rears can pull a chair in front of you. These are just my observations while being profiled and blatantly ignored at the bar. We took our money elsewhere. JD McGillicuddy's around the corner welcomed us with open arms. Plus it's cleaner, bigger, more fun, and they serve us colored folks.
(1)
Danielle D.
The bartender (young guy named Sal) is extremely rude and I am shocked that he is even in the service business still. I found a bug floating in my pint glass so I attempted to ask for a new glass to pour the rest of my beer in and he snatched the glass out of my hand, dumped it and walked away. He didn't say anything at all, a simple apology would have went a long way! (And a new clean glass would have great) When I said something, He slammed a new pint glass in front of me and walked away, still saying nothing. My friends and I immediately left. They only take cash.. and have a one person ladies room which is rough and causes a line and a bit of a wait to pee
(1)
Thalie A.
This whole area has had a cool revamp over the years. There were always solid spots in Manayunk and this looks a winner too. My best friend & I had a hard time deciding where to stop then we saw there were musicians playing so went in. Good choice. Relaxed vibe, spaced out well, appropriate lighting & even the musicians set wasn't intrusive on our conversation. There's good service here and the main bar is well kept...shame about the toilets.
(3)
Julie J.
Before you ever consider visiting this establishment, please read and consider the type of people that would run a business such as this. A reserved the upstairs at Flat Rock a month in advance for a 30th birthday party for my boyfriend scheduled for THIS weekend, I got the following email on THURSDAY less than 48 hours before the event: Hi Julie, I am so sorry to inform you that we will be unable to host your party on Saturday. I truly apologize for the inconvenience. We have to make immediate repairs to our kitchen in order to satisfy our insurance company. We only offer Open Bar Packages upstairs. Open Bar is not available downstairs. Thank you for your interest in The Flat Rock Saloon and hopefully you will think of us for your next event. My sincerest apology. Amy Talvacchia, Chef I responded with the following: Amy, The fact that you sent this as an email and didn't have the decency to call directly is both rude and unprofessional. It's completely unacceptable to cancel two days before the event and not offer any consolation, meaning offering the open bar downstairs or suggesting another venue that might be able to accommodate us. It is laughable that you suggest that I would consider you for a future event. Not only would I never, you can count on me writing an unfavorable review on Yelp. It's unfortunate for you that a positive experience spreads by word of mouth and a negative one spreads even faster. Julie This is the email I got in response: Julie, I could not call you, we only dealt through e-mail! The fact that you think cancelling is rude and unprofessional tells me that you have no idea what it is like to run a business, let alone a bar! I couldn't suggest another venue because you we getting a great deal, any other bar is going to offer you light beer, box wine and crap liquor!! I think it is laughable that I would ever consider hosting any kind of event for YOU! Go to Mad River the serve just your type! As for Yelp, been in business 20 years and no one pay attention to that crap! __________________________________________________Â_____________ It is unreal that anyone would do business this way! It's no wonder they are in trouble with their insurance company and have been trying to sell the business for years! I hope you reading this will prove her WRONG and show her that people do pay attention to Yelp reviews and that there are plenty of other bars that offer good beers and way better customer service!
(1)
Gina M.
Now I was only here for like an hour maybe two tops but It was a good time. We had live music and a great beer selection. The servers, bouncers, and bartenders were awesome! However, you couldn't move in there. Seriously. It got so crowded that we were literally being like pushed out of our seats because of the crowd. Crazy. Also, the drinks were very expensive. Almost too expensive for me. And when I ordered my anticipated Malibu bay breeze, they did NOT use coconut rum. Oh boy the regular rum did not taste good. But we were already pushed away from the bar at that point so there was no asking for the right drink. I don't know if I'll be back, truthfully.
(2)
Jessica G.
Horrible horrible horrible! Rude management and staff. This is truly a terrible establishment in so many ways. Food is horrible, drinks are even worse. Don't even attempt to setup an open bar for an event with them because they will cancel on you less than 48 hours before! They do not deserve anyone's business. Don't waste your money or time!
(1)
Kevin J.
Wish I could give negative stars. This is by far the worst bar I have ever been to. Just dont go here. There are so many better bars within 100 yards of this shithole
(1)
Adam C.
I suppose if you're going there to drink beer I would still recommend the place but for any other reason I simply can't. My friend has a birthday tradition of AYCE Crab legs and her birthday happened to fall on a Monday which is how we ended up at this place. I had already done my yelp research prior to coming so I was aware of the idiosyncrasies of the place but not the severity. I'll also say that I am much more patient than she is and her impatience was a partial factor to the disastrous experience. One of the oddities about this place is the bar tender's flat out refusal to serve a glass of water. I knew in advance that this is their policy and I tried to have a conversation with him to find out why he would cling to such a ridiculous stance when nearly every negative review the place gets is over that . He gave me attitude but no explanation. I had actually meant to stop at a Wawa and buy a gallon of water, just to kind of stick it to them but I forgot. No biggie. It was a beer night anyway. Nevertheless, bizarre. We got there and there were a few other groups for the crab legs. We ordered our beers and expressed our intentions to eat crabs. Then we waited...and waited...and waited and finally got our beer. then we waited...and waited...and waited...and waited...and finally the crab legs came out. Maybe we should have waited a touch longer because they were mostly cold to the touch and my Friend said that the one she grabbed was actually still frozen. Of course we sent the plate back much to the grumbling of the bar tender/ waiter. If it had just been me I might have waited it out but as I mentioned above my friend has a shorter fuse than I do. Between the bad attitude and the slow service we decided not to stay. Since there was nobody available to complain to we left enough to cover the beer on the table and walked up the street to change her birthday tradition to Sushi.
(1)
Jr F.
Disappointed to say the least. They have a 'good' beer list, but that's the only good thing about this place. I ordered the American Burger and it was burnt. On the menu, they said it had a tangy sauce with caramlized onions. I did not see any onions or tasted any of the sauce. My fiance ordered the pork bbq platter. The pork looked like throw up and her veggies were burnt as well. The waiter was nice though. Their bathroom had no soap in it, and it looked like something out of Orwell's 1984.
(1)
Kory S.
Okay I have to weigh in here. My friends and I came to Flatty's MOST TUESDAYS FOR FOUR YEARS. Authority! It is still our favorite bar... probably in the whole of Philadelphia. I'm going to do this review in phases. WHAT IT USED TO BE: Flat Rocks c2005 was absolutely perfect. It had the best beer list outside Monks and maybe Eulogy. It wasn't overrun by hipsters, it didn't overcharge, and there was always something new to try. Most nights you came in the place was wall-to-wall people. They had some of the best cover musicians and the occasional Kenn Kwedder sighting. By midnight every person in the place would be singing. It was like something out of a Dickens novel. We used to take down 200 of the BEST WINGS IVE EVER HAD. We'd routinely pick a beer and clean them out of it by nights end. Did I mention "we" averaged 10-15 people. Yep we paid for bottles of water, no we didn't get refills on soda, yes we occasionally would not get the male servers and had terrible service, no we never were served shots. It didn't matter. This place was perfect. WHAT IT BECAME: Somewhere toward 2008 aka the Great Recession the place started to struggle. The beer list dropped. The prices hovered. Drink specials were increasingly irrelevant. Wing Nights (the greatest night of all) were no longer wall to wall. Where we used to cut out of work early to send a scout to hold tables, now we walked in at 7pm and had our choice. The music was gone. The planned upstairs expansion was dormant. But we still came, every Tuesday. We still ate 200 wings. And they still treated us like family. And no that doesn't mean free drinks. I'm not sure we ever got freebies in those days. Nope not even water. And that was fine. WHAT IT IS NOW: It's recovered. The beer list is back up and running. Despite what I'm reading here THE FOOD IS STILL AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOP NOTCH. Top to bottom on the menu, no question. And trust me we were a picky bunch so that statement does not come lightly. I'm told the music is back. There's even word of Sal sightings- the best waiter we ever had there. It's so good to see that they are returning to former glory. The owner/head bartender works his butt off EVERY NIGHT. He has kept this thing going and hasn't compromised his standards of what he wants Flat Rocks to be. There were probably plenty of opportunities to turn this into TGI McScratchy's or Kildare's II but he didn't. Not even close. For those of us that love Flatty's for everything it is and everything it is not, this place is perfect. If you are looking for your typical bar experience this probably isn't the place. It's Philly through and through-- its not the best but it doesn't care but it's not all hipstery about that. There may not be toilet paper in the bathroom... heck the door may not even lock. You can get shots now but don't hope for bombers and crap like that. For every review that says "I can't understand why they don't do X" the reason is that they don't want YOU there. I can't think of a more Philadelphia statement than that right there. So call up your best friends, maybe your dad, add in a few people that just moved to Philly, your cousin that just turned 21, and maybe a foreign exchange student. Get to Flatty's and try to sit in Sal's section. Order a stupid amount of wings. Bring a lot of cash. Grab a big table and have a lot of fun. You won't be able to do this at any other bar. You're welcome.
(5)
Nick D.
Having lived in the Manayunk area for the past 3 years, there hasn't been a bar I've been to more than the good old Flat Rock. More often than not, on a weekend free to travelling, you'll find my friends and I with 2-4 tables pushed together drinking some great beers and singing along like assholes to whatever acoustic guitarist/singer is playing that night. During the week it's a relaxed place to get some dinner with a great, warm interior without being super busy, and on Friday and Saturday nights, it's exactly the place you want to start/spend/end the night. There's a great beer selection (although recently it's tapered into around 50 beers at a time), regularly-rotating specials (giving you the chance to try beers that you wouldn't normally buy at $6 a pop), enough room for you and plenty of friends, TVs for sports, live music on weekends to obnoxiously sing along to, old bartenders (who wear suspenders and seem like they've worked there since they were 15 years old back in nineteen tickety-two), and just enough outdoor tables (that if you get there early enough to snag one during nice weather in the summer, you feel like the Mayor of Manayunk), and chicks actually go there! WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR? (Actually, one thing they could use: A more private toilet in the men's room. Oh, and a toilet paper dispenser - I can only imagine the poor souls that go #2, only to realize they have to wipe with their shirt/boxers. You've been warned!) Another warning: It's cash only, and their ATM has a ridiculous service fee, so Ladies - Bring some cash! I can't afford to buy ALL of you drinks! If you hate this place, I hate you. Seriously.
(5)
Elizabeth F.
I boycott this place because they will not give you water. You must but a bottle from them. What a shame.
Got the saloon blue burger to satisfy an emergency burger craving. Absolutely satisfied!
(3)
Kelly N.
I heard great things about this place (food, entertainment, service, etc) but one night when I tried to enter, the bouncer would not allow my friend to enter. It wasn't so much that this bouncer did not let her in that forces me to give Flat Rock a one-star review, but more so because he was undeniably rude. Upon entering, the bouncer says to my friend "what, are you cold?" (It was indeed a cold winter night). My friend says yes, and takes out her license. Then the bouncer says "we don't accept ID's without a credit card to verify your ID, and if you want to show me your Facebook then that's been done before." Then he laughs...My friends and I were shocked by how unwelcoming this bouncer was so we just left! We did not want to give service to someone who represented this business. I plan to come back another time because I want to experience what is Flat Rock but and I hope it's friendlier than my first experience!
(1)
Caroline B.
As far as the Manayunk bar scene goes, Flat Rock is not the best it has to offer. It's dingy and last time I was there, they were out of everything I had asked for. Everything. I was hardly asking for a particular type of imported wine or a potato vodka typically unavailable outside of Krakow. I will give Flat Rock two stars since Vinny, the bartender, seemed like a good guy but would urge you to check out Kildare's instead.
(2)
Chris M.
This is my favorite bar ever. I used to live in Manayunk, about 2 blocks from Flat Rock. My wife and I would go to Flat Rock around 4 times a week when we lived there. We try to make it there around once a month or so now that we moved out of Manayunk. Their beer selection is phenomenal. You'll see a chalk board full of beers on the back wall, categorizing beers into domestics, imports, and Belgians. And, even better, the prices are super-reasonable. Beers start around $3. They also have several 750ml bottles of beer that you can share. An unexpected treat from Flat Rock is the food. The ambiance is that of a bar so you might not expect very well-prepared food. The standard bar fare is good (love the wings and the nachos), but they also have more creative dishes as specials. But, the best, by far, reason to go to Flat Rock is Vinnie the bartender. Vinnie is great. Flat Rock gets very crowded on weekend nights (and on some weekdays), so you might want to get there early to get a seat. Also, as anywhere in Manayunk, parking can be an issue, especially on the weekends. Most importantly: 1) Flat Rock is cash-only and 2) Do not attempt to order a Coors Light here.
(5)
Amanda G.
This place was such a surprise when I went there for the first time. I wasn't expecting good food, but everything I've ever ordered has been awesome. The mussles, the pierogies (when they were on special), and all of the sandwiches. Delicious! I thought this would just be a good place to get beer, but it's so much more. The older guy with the suspenders who can always be found behind the bar has so much knowledge about beer it's kind of obscene. He'll help you find something you like or help you find something new to try. Overall this is a great place!
(4)
marki s.
We go hear first when we go to manyunk. Great place for a good beer and the food isn't bad either. But I have one major complaint! The men's room never ever has soap. Now I'm sure the bartenders and waiters and food staff all have clean hands but to think that every guy in that bar on a Friday and Saturday has not washed his hands is gross! I'm not a germaphobe but I'm not shaking any of my friends hands while I'm in there.
(3)
Tina S.
Great chill bar if you want to avoid the noise of the typical Manayunk bars. Large selection of beers that pair perfectly with their daily mussel special, which is by far my favorite thing on the menu.
(4)
Rob S.
Top 5 beer bars in the city. Period. [Edit: Since I wrote this review there are a bunch of new fantastic gastropubs. But we'll still say... top 10 beer bars????] Great selection of rotating beers all the time. And C-H-E-A-P to try new and interesting bottles. Great food here too with an expanding menu! Usually have very entertaining acoustic music acts at nights on the weekends. Only cons: limited draft selection, no soap in the men's room (gross...), no gun system so if you want water you have to pay for a bottle. And the TV quality leaves a bit to be desired if you want to watch a game. Don't worry about the cons... check it out.
(5)
Noell M.
Hands down, without a doubt, my favorite watering hole in Philadelphia! The amalgamation of the food menu, the beer selection, and the staff make this place near and dear to my heart. While living in Manayunk (only 2 blocks away from Main Street) my husband and I would frequent the Rock about 3-4 times a week. We now live a bit further away but still try our hardest to get there at least a few times a years. It is definitely worth a drive and fighting the hills of Manayunk to be able to pull up a chair at the bar and enjoy the Flat Rock goodness! Seasonal beers, micro brews, and boutique beers adorn the ever changing and always refreshing beer list. As one reviewer mentioned....do not attempt to order Coors, Corona, Miller, etc. While the bartenders and staff will try to steer you in the right direction (in terms of beer choice), don't be "that" guy or girl who puts up a fuss because you can't get your Bud Light Lime or MGD. They also have a full liquor bar.....my suggestions: a dirty Arnold Palmer or the raspberry vodka with fresh squeezed lemonade. The food menu is a departure from normal bar fare. Interesting soups, salads, and sandwiches (and rotating specials) come as a pleasant and unexpected surprise. The food is always fresh, innovative, and extremely well prepared. When you go try to get Vinnie as your bartender.....he is seriously the best in the biz! A few other notes: cash only, outdoor tables (in the spring/summer), live musicians, and plenty of TV's to watch the game.
(5)
Tracy S.
Bad experience! We walked in and sat at the bar, which was not at all crowded, and the bartender took several minutes to even acknowledge that we were there. He continued to talk to someone at the other end of the bar. When he eventually walked over he was not only unapologetic but he acted as if we were inconveniencing him by being there and wanting to order drinks. Although, I should note that we were immediately greeted by the unpleasant odor of stale beer and dirty bar as soon as we walked in the establishment. After, the rude bartender finally acknowledged our existence we asked for menus and went to sit outside because the inside of the restaurant was very dirty, smelly and uncomfortable. We sat outside waiting for a server and after more than 10 minutes no one came to wait on us so we left. I never walk out of restaurants but this was beyond bad service. Never again.
(1)
Patrick G.
PROS: If you just want to go in a get a beer, this is the spot on Main St. You don't have to wait an hour for a drink and play crowd control. CONS: Somewhat pricey and you better know EXACTLY what you want. No familiar beers on tap. Doesn't accept credit cards.
(3)
Jason R.
The Flat Rock Saloon was below average in most respects Service: We were given a single menu for a table of 5, but, in their defense, it was busy. Drinks: They had about 5 beers on tap and moderate bottled beer selection. They had some good beers available at reasonable prices. My group was a little annoyed by being given $1 bottled water when you ask for water and charged $2 per glass of fountain soda. Food: The group shared some wings, which were OK. I had a burger, which was 10 oz of unseasoned ground chuck. It was bland depite the fact that it was covered with smoked gouda. The order was medium-rare, but burger was medium to well-done. It tasted a bit charred and something had a funky smell. The french fries were undercooked as well. Needless to say, It was not enjoyable. cash only
(2)
Micaela F.
I have been wondering about this place and also heard about their amazing specials. $19.95 all you can eat crab legs and 1/2 price mussels everyday...I have to try it. Drag the husband and now I know where to go for my mussels and crab legs fix. We order their Queso Jalepeno mussels and it was delicious. Came with a side of fries and a delicious dipping sauce. Their beer selections are great too.
(5)
Mike S.
When I was first introduced to this gem several years ago, I was amazed by the wide variety and selection of beer. It was the beer-topia of Manayunk (sorry Pitchers). So many beers to choose from, only so many brain cells to kill. And pricing was reasonable. In the last few years, the bottle list has dwindled. The crowds have as well. It is still busy, but not the slam-packed bar it used to be. I remember squeezing into this place at 9pm, with no hopes of ever finding room at the bar. Nowadays it doesn't get too busy until after 10pm. Beer selection is still pretty good. Same bartender. Same food. Mussels seem to be the food of choice for patrons here. Pricing is still reasonable. Cash only. There is an ATM machine in the bar in case one always tends to use el pastique. Recently they installed a Golden Tee. My dream bar had come to fruition. And then sadly, it was gone last time I ventured in there. I can only hope it returns. There is nothing like playing a simulated game of golf and drinking decent beer.
(4)
Emmett M.
The Flat Rock is nice bar to go relax with a good meal and a tasty beer in the evening. Weekend nights can bring in live music and bit of a crowd, but there's always window sills to sit on and walls to lean against until someone clears out. There are food specials here worth looking into, I like the roast beef. The beer selection here is the main draw because it is quite large and varied; every time I go there I can try a new beer. Has that saloon feel with the mirror behind the bar and varnished wood everywhere. I usually go to the back to eat so I never noticed a problem with lack of TV, and suspenders has generally always been friendly, but I've also been there when his service slipped a bit (usually weekend nights). This spot is probably my favorite on Main st. **Recently came here as the fourth stop in a long night so I don't know how accurate this info is, but last time I was there the beer selection seemed to have been cut drastically..... it could have been them transitioning into new beers, it could have been them limiting their selections permanently, or I could have imbibed too much and created the whole memory..... I plan on looking into it
(4)
Jennifer B.
Food is disgusting. This place has really gone downhill.
(1)
Kristina K.
Its the third time I've been to flatrock and it's always great! They have the best bloody mary by far in manayunk. The awesome bartender with the suspenders makes amazing drinks everytime! Their mussels are also some of the best around. From 5-7 everyday they have half priced mussels and about 10 or more types to choose from. I tried the spicy type and can't wait to try more! Finally, I had the earth burger last night and it was bangin. Perfectly cooked with a mushroom thyme topping, swiss cheese, and miso mayo. Yummm Will definitely come back again and again!
(4)
amanda h.
I literally live two blocks from this place, so resisting their 30 cent wings on Tuesday is a losing battle for me. I am dying to know what kind of blue cheese they use. Beer selection is great & reasonably priced. They usually have anywhere from 3-4 ciders available- which is nice for me since I don't drink beer. Wish their Lambic was a little cheaper, but I can't manage $13 for a pint. Their burgers are by far the best on Main Street with thick homemade patties & hand cut fries. The lamb sliders are pretty choice, too. The ambiance is somewhere between your classic pub & a dive bar. My only real quibble with this place is if you go anytime after 7 you'll end up waiting for a table for up to 20 minutes. Oh, and don't expect the bartender/owner to be very attentive, gotta wave that dude down if you want some service!
(4)
Christina B.
I like going to this bar. It's an older crowd usually. They have different beer and drinks. I always forget they don't take cash. It can look a little run down, but if you're worried about drinking only, it's a great place.
(3)
David R.
Great bar on the corner, friendly staff, and food. Nice selection of beers in the bottle. Just a couple on tap.
(4)
Caroline H.
My favorite bar in Manayunk. I love the fact you cannot order a Miller Lite here :) They have such a huge selection of beer and at great prices. When you go check out the chalkboards for the specials. I usually just work my way down the list! Most of the time you can get some good beers for only $2! They also have live music later at night. By the way its Cash only.
(5)
Tom S.
Just dropped in tonight after a trip to Cactus nearby. I was impressed by this place, and disappointed that i was already full when I saw their 1/2 price mussels special was going on. Either way, we just got drinks, mine a bottle of Delerium Tremens and my lady's a draft of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (and i indulged in a $3 Tullamore shot). At 6 p.m., we avoided any kind of loud, late-night crowd and made note of the deep bottle list, but excruciatingly shallow draft list. Either way, I look forward to commenting on the food the next time I drop by.
(4)
Rodge B.
A sh*tload of beers to choose from, lots of tables, and the wings are pretty good. Kind of a snooty crowd and cash bar.
(4)
Tyler R.
Manayunk - Lenape for 'a place to drink'. Apparently the owners of the Flat Rock Saloon didn't get the memo because they DON'T HAVE TAP WATER. Bottled water only? Are we in Puerto Vallarta? I get it - this is the type of place that 'doesn't change for nobody'. That's great and all if you have a decent product, but the food is mediocre and the service was slow, rude, and condescending. Skip it, there are plenty of other better places in Manayunk to give your money to.
(1)
Eric K.
Good wings and muscles. Awesome beer selection!
(3)
Jake P.
The bartenders refused to serve me and my girlfriend water! This is the only time I was EVER refused tap water at a bar. Thanks for the thoughtless service and a little bit more of a tricky and unsafe ride home. Flat Rock Saloon will NEVER receive my business again.
(1)
Laura D.
Flat Rock is a very laid back bar with a great beer selection. I've been to most of the bars in Manayunk numerous times, and this is where I come when I just want to have a couple good beers with friends. It's a great Thursday night bar... not too crowded, not too crazy. Weekends they have a guy play cover songs on acoustic guitar which is a nice touch. And there are good beer specials, usually $3 or $4. Did I mention the beer selection is awesome?
(4)
Stefan N.
I didn't even bother reviewing some of the bars on tonight's pub crawl but this place demands a review. Right on main street in Manayunk. The beer selection and the specials are tasty and cheap. I am going to have to come back here and try more things off the menu. I am only rating this place as a bar but as a bar it is top notch and clean. I was there on a dead night so I don't know how they manage a crowd but the old man behind the bar was friendly and welcoming.
(5)
matt h.
Went to Flat Rock to meet some friends for a brew on a Friday night. FRS isn't the type of place I would usually goto but I really enjoyed myself. They have an amazing selection of micro-brews and I noticed their bartenders were especially knowledgeable about them. I had not heard about some of them and asked about them and both of the 'tenders had a lot to say, and upon their recommendations I was very impressed. On this particular night they had a guy on acoustic guitar playing some phenomenal covers of Sublime, Marley, etc. Lets just say we went there with the intention of having one beer and moving on and we ended up staying all night.
(4)
Sarah L.
My friend and I were out for an early evening drink and snack when we decided upon this place. First off the sever that we had was rude to us right off the bat when we weren't ready to order after looking at the menu for all of two minutes. He walked away shaking his head like he was so annoyed at us. When he brought us bottled water and we asked about tap water he cocked an attitude again with agitation in his voice. My friend and I have both spent many years in the service industry and neither of us were being unreasonable by any means. I would NEVER go back to this place again.
(1)
Lindsey M.
Small, love thy neighbor place. Come here before 9 to get a spot at the bar or table. But the selection is hard to beat if you like beers. And I love the guy singing good ol' American rock classics with his acoustic guitar in the corner.
(5)
Jocelyn B.
Flat Rock has a true 'Old World' pub feel to it. The beer selection is out of this world and changes frequently! All-U-Can-Eat Crab Leg night is a must! Their wings are also very good but I usually order them for the blue cheese which is absolutely AMAZING! (I keep meaning to ask what brand it is). Definitely a nice casual spot to go on a date or meet friends.
(4)
Art S.
I love this bar. Outstanding selection of beers. Great service. Happy people. Tasty food. Good music. Fun times. When you consider your other options in Manayunk, like, oh, say, the Manayunk Brewery, which has pretty much the worst beer on the planet, Flat Rock looks even better. Even when this place is crowded, I still seem to have a good time here, which is a testament to the vibe this place exudes. It tends to be a young crowd here, but it's not to say you couldn't saddle up to the bar or grab a table with a few friends even if you're about to hit the big 3-0 like me. A quick note... last time I checked it was cash only, but there's ATM's all over Main St., so that shouldn't be an issue...
(5)
Emily B.
does anybody else find it utterly ridiculous that you have to pay for water? i was trying to hydrate between drinks and asked the bartender for some H2O. he hands me a bottle and asks for a dollar... ummmm... is that legal? his response to that question was "is free music legal?" that doesn't even make sense! not going back.
(1)
Ben T.
Best bar in Manayunk, and besides the Adobe Cafe its the only bar/restaurant establishment in all of Manayunk to even bother. Bartenders are some of the most knowledgeable
(4)
V T.
amazing mussels. great selection of beer. live music closer to the weekend is great. cash bar only.
(3)
Frank B.
This is a great bar to grab a beer. There selection is pretty awesome with a wide variety of micro-brews. Definitely one of the better beer bars around. With its laid back crowd It's one of the few bars in Manayunk that makes you forget that your in Manayunk. Prices are very reasonable and the specials include good beers.
(4)
Leslie G.
Terrible service. I went on a weeknight for dinner and the server was rude, I was charged for water, they wouldn't let me take my leftovers home in a doggie bag, and they didn't accept credit cards. I had to take money out of the ATM, but the kicker is that the restaurant owns the ATM, and keeps the $2 surcharge. I own a small business and I could never imagine treating my customers so poorly. I will NEVER be back.
(1)
Meghann p.
the only thing I do not like about this place.....CASH only and they only give bottled water (annoying for the DD sometimes) BUT still great beers and great wings!
(4)
Fred M.
I highly recommend against going here. If I could have given this place negative stars I would have. Our waiter was incredibly rude. We ordered glasses of water and he brought us bottled water. At first I was thinking, "ok, this guy is not only rude but is trying to run up the bill, that's fine I'll get tap water next time." So we ask him for tap water the next time around and he says (verbatim), "We don't have tap water." What? Is this some kind of joke. There is ice in our sodas and water in the toilets and I'm pretty sure they aren't using bottled water for that. So we started to make our way through our crabs (that we waited 45 minutes for after ordering while there were no more than 6 other patrons), we started to get really thirsty, mainly because they were way over seasoned with old bay and salt. In an attempt not to overpay any more for my meal I confronted the surly waiter again, away from the table. I said, "do you really not have tap water, isn't their ice in our glasses?" to which he replies, "we have it, we just don't serve it." I asked him if that was even legal and he told me, "yea it's legal, we have been doing it for 22 years." Are you EFFING kidding me?! Did I just find myself transported to a bistro in Paris where they only serve Perrier? No, I'm in this dumpy saloon in Manayunk paying too much for mediocre food, so why don't you spare me the hassle and bring me a cot damn glass water. I literally have never tipped less than 15% on a meal but I was determined to do so today. Screwed again. we had over 6 people at our table so this a-hole is getting a very much undeserved 18% tip. I have never been so close to walking out on a check in my entire life. Oh yea, they only take cash so bring lots because you'll need it. Do yourself a favor, walk ten feet in any direction on main street AWAY from this place. It boggles my mind how a place like this can stay in business when there are so many fine restaurants in Manayunk. Oh yea, let me also ad that the coupon for 10% off the food portion of your meal that you can print online is a load of bull. They don't accept it. don't waste your printer paper.
(1)
Michael F.
A great selection of beers both on tap and by the bottle, live music that doesn't make your ears bleed, and no cover will make you smile. Food that is pretty much what you expect won't shake this rating. Forgetting that it is cash only might irk you a bit. However, the lack any customer focus kept this Saloon from a higher performance. Other Notes: 1) While prices are reasonable for the beer selection, it isn't exactly Manayunk cheap (again cash only). 2) A slightly older crowd for Manayunk.
(3)
Lauren W.
There are plenty of other reviews, I'm assuming because I didn't have the attention span to read them all, that will tell you the vast selection of what I surmised to be excellent craft, local, and other delicious beers. I, unfortunately, do not have the palate for good beers. I like Budweiser. Yum. But my friends threatened to make me sit by myself if I ordered one there. So I got a Bloody Mary, one of my favorite drinks of all time. Holy intense experience, batman. Go get it right now. Go when the owner (?) is there, an older man who always seems to be wearing a white shirt and suspenders. It may take 10 minutes, but because he makes them FROM SCRATCH. Hand trimmed celery. Scooped horseradish. Cracked black pepper. Celery salt. Hot sauce. That's all I can say without salivating an embarassing amount. Go get the bloody mary! And I guess the ambiance is cool, everybody is chill, blah blah blah. Bloody Mary!
(4)
Colleen M.
My friends and I always head to Flatrock first for a night out in Manayunk. It is hands down my favorite bar in Manayunk. On the weekends, they always have a guitar guy there playing live music, and they usually take requests. Their beer selection is amazing. They are always getting new beers from all over the world. It can get a bit crowded, but it's worth it. The crowd has a mix of older people, 20-somethings, and college students. It's cash only, so make sure to stop at an ATM on the way, although I think they have one there. Definitely go!
(5)
trish g.
Great beer selection! Lots of new varieties in bottle and on tap rotating in and out. Wing night is Tuesdays -- this place gets pretty busy then. The menu is really interesting. I haven't tried a lot but what I've had was pretty tasty and affordable. The guys running the place are very nice, but sometimes they are super busy and you may have to work it to catch their attention. Overall, I really like it here, it's friendly and has a good vibe. A refreshing change from many Main Street establishments. They have a good sense of humor too - sometimes offering funny items on their chalkboard, like "Beers for Men" and other treats.
(4)
Cerpin T.
Easily the best bar on Main Street. It typically lacks the popped collars and sweatbands on the forearm crews that seem to inhabit almost every other bar on Main Street. The beer selection is top-notch and the bar tenders are pretty knowledgeable about their trade. There is almost always a place to sit, which is great, to talk to your friends over one of the many bottled beers that I can guarantee you have never tasted before. The entertainment is pretty standard fare, your typical guy rocking an acoustic cover set that never seems to end, which is awesome. After a few hours of downing a couple of rounds, it is inevitable that you will be singing every single word to some mid-nineties classic that you haven't heard in a decade. Never had a bad time here and I am always willing to go back.
(5)
John N.
Waited over an hour for food. I had my server tell me 30 minutes after placing my order that what I ordered wasn't available! Not only did I leave hungry, but I was finding it hard to figure out what took my food one hour to arrive considering the place was not too crowded on a Saturday night. After reading other reviews, I have come to understand that this is a bar, and it was probably foolish of us to expect restaurant service with food. However, won't return. Small menu. Do not recommend. Overpriced.
(2)
josh b.
I love Flat Rock! Theirs no cover to get in unlike many other Manayunk Bars and they have beers that you have never even heard of on tap at a resonable price. The best part is the live music that everyone loves to sing a long to while throwing back a couple. One negative: does not accept credit cards, but its only a minor thing...
(5)
Greg L.
The Flat Rock has been one of my mainstays since it changed it's name from the Grove back in the early 90's. The food there is great. Things like the dressings and sauces are all hand made. They have a huge beer selection for reasonable prices. The owner, Bob, is one of the best bartenders in the city. Somehow, tools avoid the flatrock and it is always a great place to hang.
(5)
Jr F.
Disappointed to say the least. They have a 'good' beer list, but that's the only good thing about this place. I ordered the American Burger and it was burnt. On the menu, they said it had a tangy sauce with caramlized onions. I did not see any onions or tasted any of the sauce. My fiance ordered the pork bbq platter. The pork looked like throw up and her veggies were burnt as well. The waiter was nice though. Their bathroom had no soap in it, and it looked like something out of Orwell's 1984.
(1)
Nick C.
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. First of all, it is 2014, start taking credit cards. I was charged a dollar for a water. After having to ask for a drink, at my table, after 10 minutes. It was not busy at all, no one was at the bar and there were 2 other tables. They took my friends order and 10 minutes later we had to go back up to the server to ask him to put in our other order since he only took one of our dinner orders. Asked for more napkins and got 2. Servers were basically not there, anytime I needed anything we had to stand up and ask for it because our server never ever came to our table on their own. avoiding from here on out.
(1)
Jessica G.
Horrible horrible horrible! Rude management and staff. This is truly a terrible establishment in so many ways. Food is horrible, drinks are even worse. Don't even attempt to setup an open bar for an event with them because they will cancel on you less than 48 hours before! They do not deserve anyone's business. Don't waste your money or time!
(1)
Kevin J.
Wish I could give negative stars. This is by far the worst bar I have ever been to. Just dont go here. There are so many better bars within 100 yards of this shithole
(1)
Adam C.
I suppose if you're going there to drink beer I would still recommend the place but for any other reason I simply can't. My friend has a birthday tradition of AYCE Crab legs and her birthday happened to fall on a Monday which is how we ended up at this place. I had already done my yelp research prior to coming so I was aware of the idiosyncrasies of the place but not the severity. I'll also say that I am much more patient than she is and her impatience was a partial factor to the disastrous experience. One of the oddities about this place is the bar tender's flat out refusal to serve a glass of water. I knew in advance that this is their policy and I tried to have a conversation with him to find out why he would cling to such a ridiculous stance when nearly every negative review the place gets is over that . He gave me attitude but no explanation. I had actually meant to stop at a Wawa and buy a gallon of water, just to kind of stick it to them but I forgot. No biggie. It was a beer night anyway. Nevertheless, bizarre. We got there and there were a few other groups for the crab legs. We ordered our beers and expressed our intentions to eat crabs. Then we waited...and waited...and waited and finally got our beer. then we waited...and waited...and waited...and waited...and finally the crab legs came out. Maybe we should have waited a touch longer because they were mostly cold to the touch and my Friend said that the one she grabbed was actually still frozen. Of course we sent the plate back much to the grumbling of the bar tender/ waiter. If it had just been me I might have waited it out but as I mentioned above my friend has a shorter fuse than I do. Between the bad attitude and the slow service we decided not to stay. Since there was nobody available to complain to we left enough to cover the beer on the table and walked up the street to change her birthday tradition to Sushi.
(1)
Katie P.
Flat Rock is one of my favorite aces to eat in manayunk. You can always get a table. The coveted outside tables are a little hard to get when there's nice weather. Excellent beer selection! Small amount on draft but they have a large bottle selection My fav part is their mussel deal! Everyday 5-7 is half priced mussels- meaning you get a giant bowl of mussels (6 different flavors- I recommend he Dijon) for $4. You can add a giant bowl of fries for another $4 for doping in the delicious broth. I suggest requesting they do not toast the bread because it's easier to sop up broth. Be aware it's a great deal so sometimes the mussels are a little small but can you really beat dinner for 2 with drinks for under $20.?! Cash only.
(5)
Rebekah K.
Zero stars. Don't even bother trying to get a drink if you are brown skinned. Should have known when we read the 'Obamacare' and 'Illegal Immigrant' shot specials on the board. I have never experienced this kind of bs in Manayunk. If you are fortunate enough to be fair skinned, then feel free to enjoy a crowded bar full of underage frat boys spilling beer on the people sitting at tables. Oh, and you will also have the pleasure of meeting the finest gentlemen in Philadelphia who will tell the ladies waiting at the bar that they need to back it up so their pansy rears can pull a chair in front of you. These are just my observations while being profiled and blatantly ignored at the bar. We took our money elsewhere. JD McGillicuddy's around the corner welcomed us with open arms. Plus it's cleaner, bigger, more fun, and they serve us colored folks.
(1)
Danielle D.
The bartender (young guy named Sal) is extremely rude and I am shocked that he is even in the service business still. I found a bug floating in my pint glass so I attempted to ask for a new glass to pour the rest of my beer in and he snatched the glass out of my hand, dumped it and walked away. He didn't say anything at all, a simple apology would have went a long way! (And a new clean glass would have great) When I said something, He slammed a new pint glass in front of me and walked away, still saying nothing. My friends and I immediately left. They only take cash.. and have a one person ladies room which is rough and causes a line and a bit of a wait to pee
(1)
Thalie A.
This whole area has had a cool revamp over the years. There were always solid spots in Manayunk and this looks a winner too. My best friend & I had a hard time deciding where to stop then we saw there were musicians playing so went in. Good choice. Relaxed vibe, spaced out well, appropriate lighting & even the musicians set wasn't intrusive on our conversation. There's good service here and the main bar is well kept...shame about the toilets.
(3)
Julie J.
Before you ever consider visiting this establishment, please read and consider the type of people that would run a business such as this. A reserved the upstairs at Flat Rock a month in advance for a 30th birthday party for my boyfriend scheduled for THIS weekend, I got the following email on THURSDAY less than 48 hours before the event: Hi Julie, I am so sorry to inform you that we will be unable to host your party on Saturday. I truly apologize for the inconvenience. We have to make immediate repairs to our kitchen in order to satisfy our insurance company. We only offer Open Bar Packages upstairs. Open Bar is not available downstairs. Thank you for your interest in The Flat Rock Saloon and hopefully you will think of us for your next event. My sincerest apology. Amy Talvacchia, Chef I responded with the following: Amy, The fact that you sent this as an email and didn't have the decency to call directly is both rude and unprofessional. It's completely unacceptable to cancel two days before the event and not offer any consolation, meaning offering the open bar downstairs or suggesting another venue that might be able to accommodate us. It is laughable that you suggest that I would consider you for a future event. Not only would I never, you can count on me writing an unfavorable review on Yelp. It's unfortunate for you that a positive experience spreads by word of mouth and a negative one spreads even faster. Julie This is the email I got in response: Julie, I could not call you, we only dealt through e-mail! The fact that you think cancelling is rude and unprofessional tells me that you have no idea what it is like to run a business, let alone a bar! I couldn't suggest another venue because you we getting a great deal, any other bar is going to offer you light beer, box wine and crap liquor!! I think it is laughable that I would ever consider hosting any kind of event for YOU! Go to Mad River the serve just your type! As for Yelp, been in business 20 years and no one pay attention to that crap! __________________________________________________Â_____________ It is unreal that anyone would do business this way! It's no wonder they are in trouble with their insurance company and have been trying to sell the business for years! I hope you reading this will prove her WRONG and show her that people do pay attention to Yelp reviews and that there are plenty of other bars that offer good beers and way better customer service!
(1)
Gina M.
Now I was only here for like an hour maybe two tops but It was a good time. We had live music and a great beer selection. The servers, bouncers, and bartenders were awesome! However, you couldn't move in there. Seriously. It got so crowded that we were literally being like pushed out of our seats because of the crowd. Crazy. Also, the drinks were very expensive. Almost too expensive for me. And when I ordered my anticipated Malibu bay breeze, they did NOT use coconut rum. Oh boy the regular rum did not taste good. But we were already pushed away from the bar at that point so there was no asking for the right drink. I don't know if I'll be back, truthfully.
(2)
Kory S.
Okay I have to weigh in here. My friends and I came to Flatty's MOST TUESDAYS FOR FOUR YEARS. Authority! It is still our favorite bar... probably in the whole of Philadelphia. I'm going to do this review in phases. WHAT IT USED TO BE: Flat Rocks c2005 was absolutely perfect. It had the best beer list outside Monks and maybe Eulogy. It wasn't overrun by hipsters, it didn't overcharge, and there was always something new to try. Most nights you came in the place was wall-to-wall people. They had some of the best cover musicians and the occasional Kenn Kwedder sighting. By midnight every person in the place would be singing. It was like something out of a Dickens novel. We used to take down 200 of the BEST WINGS IVE EVER HAD. We'd routinely pick a beer and clean them out of it by nights end. Did I mention "we" averaged 10-15 people. Yep we paid for bottles of water, no we didn't get refills on soda, yes we occasionally would not get the male servers and had terrible service, no we never were served shots. It didn't matter. This place was perfect. WHAT IT BECAME: Somewhere toward 2008 aka the Great Recession the place started to struggle. The beer list dropped. The prices hovered. Drink specials were increasingly irrelevant. Wing Nights (the greatest night of all) were no longer wall to wall. Where we used to cut out of work early to send a scout to hold tables, now we walked in at 7pm and had our choice. The music was gone. The planned upstairs expansion was dormant. But we still came, every Tuesday. We still ate 200 wings. And they still treated us like family. And no that doesn't mean free drinks. I'm not sure we ever got freebies in those days. Nope not even water. And that was fine. WHAT IT IS NOW: It's recovered. The beer list is back up and running. Despite what I'm reading here THE FOOD IS STILL AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOP NOTCH. Top to bottom on the menu, no question. And trust me we were a picky bunch so that statement does not come lightly. I'm told the music is back. There's even word of Sal sightings- the best waiter we ever had there. It's so good to see that they are returning to former glory. The owner/head bartender works his butt off EVERY NIGHT. He has kept this thing going and hasn't compromised his standards of what he wants Flat Rocks to be. There were probably plenty of opportunities to turn this into TGI McScratchy's or Kildare's II but he didn't. Not even close. For those of us that love Flatty's for everything it is and everything it is not, this place is perfect. If you are looking for your typical bar experience this probably isn't the place. It's Philly through and through-- its not the best but it doesn't care but it's not all hipstery about that. There may not be toilet paper in the bathroom... heck the door may not even lock. You can get shots now but don't hope for bombers and crap like that. For every review that says "I can't understand why they don't do X" the reason is that they don't want YOU there. I can't think of a more Philadelphia statement than that right there. So call up your best friends, maybe your dad, add in a few people that just moved to Philly, your cousin that just turned 21, and maybe a foreign exchange student. Get to Flatty's and try to sit in Sal's section. Order a stupid amount of wings. Bring a lot of cash. Grab a big table and have a lot of fun. You won't be able to do this at any other bar. You're welcome.
(5)
Nick D.
Having lived in the Manayunk area for the past 3 years, there hasn't been a bar I've been to more than the good old Flat Rock. More often than not, on a weekend free to travelling, you'll find my friends and I with 2-4 tables pushed together drinking some great beers and singing along like assholes to whatever acoustic guitarist/singer is playing that night. During the week it's a relaxed place to get some dinner with a great, warm interior without being super busy, and on Friday and Saturday nights, it's exactly the place you want to start/spend/end the night. There's a great beer selection (although recently it's tapered into around 50 beers at a time), regularly-rotating specials (giving you the chance to try beers that you wouldn't normally buy at $6 a pop), enough room for you and plenty of friends, TVs for sports, live music on weekends to obnoxiously sing along to, old bartenders (who wear suspenders and seem like they've worked there since they were 15 years old back in nineteen tickety-two), and just enough outdoor tables (that if you get there early enough to snag one during nice weather in the summer, you feel like the Mayor of Manayunk), and chicks actually go there! WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR? (Actually, one thing they could use: A more private toilet in the men's room. Oh, and a toilet paper dispenser - I can only imagine the poor souls that go #2, only to realize they have to wipe with their shirt/boxers. You've been warned!) Another warning: It's cash only, and their ATM has a ridiculous service fee, so Ladies - Bring some cash! I can't afford to buy ALL of you drinks! If you hate this place, I hate you. Seriously.
(5)
Elizabeth F.
I boycott this place because they will not give you water. You must but a bottle from them. What a shame.
Got the saloon blue burger to satisfy an emergency burger craving. Absolutely satisfied!
(3)
Kelly N.
I heard great things about this place (food, entertainment, service, etc) but one night when I tried to enter, the bouncer would not allow my friend to enter. It wasn't so much that this bouncer did not let her in that forces me to give Flat Rock a one-star review, but more so because he was undeniably rude. Upon entering, the bouncer says to my friend "what, are you cold?" (It was indeed a cold winter night). My friend says yes, and takes out her license. Then the bouncer says "we don't accept ID's without a credit card to verify your ID, and if you want to show me your Facebook then that's been done before." Then he laughs...My friends and I were shocked by how unwelcoming this bouncer was so we just left! We did not want to give service to someone who represented this business. I plan to come back another time because I want to experience what is Flat Rock but and I hope it's friendlier than my first experience!
(1)
Fred M.
I highly recommend against going here. If I could have given this place negative stars I would have. Our waiter was incredibly rude. We ordered glasses of water and he brought us bottled water. At first I was thinking, "ok, this guy is not only rude but is trying to run up the bill, that's fine I'll get tap water next time." So we ask him for tap water the next time around and he says (verbatim), "We don't have tap water." What? Is this some kind of joke. There is ice in our sodas and water in the toilets and I'm pretty sure they aren't using bottled water for that. So we started to make our way through our crabs (that we waited 45 minutes for after ordering while there were no more than 6 other patrons), we started to get really thirsty, mainly because they were way over seasoned with old bay and salt. In an attempt not to overpay any more for my meal I confronted the surly waiter again, away from the table. I said, "do you really not have tap water, isn't their ice in our glasses?" to which he replies, "we have it, we just don't serve it." I asked him if that was even legal and he told me, "yea it's legal, we have been doing it for 22 years." Are you EFFING kidding me?! Did I just find myself transported to a bistro in Paris where they only serve Perrier? No, I'm in this dumpy saloon in Manayunk paying too much for mediocre food, so why don't you spare me the hassle and bring me a cot damn glass water. I literally have never tipped less than 15% on a meal but I was determined to do so today. Screwed again. we had over 6 people at our table so this a-hole is getting a very much undeserved 18% tip. I have never been so close to walking out on a check in my entire life. Oh yea, they only take cash so bring lots because you'll need it. Do yourself a favor, walk ten feet in any direction on main street AWAY from this place. It boggles my mind how a place like this can stay in business when there are so many fine restaurants in Manayunk. Oh yea, let me also ad that the coupon for 10% off the food portion of your meal that you can print online is a load of bull. They don't accept it. don't waste your printer paper.
(1)
Michael F.
A great selection of beers both on tap and by the bottle, live music that doesn't make your ears bleed, and no cover will make you smile. Food that is pretty much what you expect won't shake this rating. Forgetting that it is cash only might irk you a bit. However, the lack any customer focus kept this Saloon from a higher performance. Other Notes: 1) While prices are reasonable for the beer selection, it isn't exactly Manayunk cheap (again cash only). 2) A slightly older crowd for Manayunk.
(3)
Lauren W.
There are plenty of other reviews, I'm assuming because I didn't have the attention span to read them all, that will tell you the vast selection of what I surmised to be excellent craft, local, and other delicious beers. I, unfortunately, do not have the palate for good beers. I like Budweiser. Yum. But my friends threatened to make me sit by myself if I ordered one there. So I got a Bloody Mary, one of my favorite drinks of all time. Holy intense experience, batman. Go get it right now. Go when the owner (?) is there, an older man who always seems to be wearing a white shirt and suspenders. It may take 10 minutes, but because he makes them FROM SCRATCH. Hand trimmed celery. Scooped horseradish. Cracked black pepper. Celery salt. Hot sauce. That's all I can say without salivating an embarassing amount. Go get the bloody mary! And I guess the ambiance is cool, everybody is chill, blah blah blah. Bloody Mary!
(4)
Alick W.
The food here is very good and they have a good selection of beers. It's does have an old school saloon type of feel to it. I've read some of the other reviews and I agree on the bottled water. It is kinda of ridiculous they don't serve tap water here. They do have some of the best wings and mussels in the Philly area. It's chill and I really like the musicians they have on the weekends. It is more relaxed but on nights where they have live music, people do dance and it can be a really fun night. It's a place that I can really have a lot of fun on some nights and on others, the atmosphere can really put me to sleep. Good - Food, variety of beers, live music Bad - Does not serve tap water, bathrooms are disgusting, cash only.
(3)
Caroline B.
As far as the Manayunk bar scene goes, Flat Rock is not the best it has to offer. It's dingy and last time I was there, they were out of everything I had asked for. Everything. I was hardly asking for a particular type of imported wine or a potato vodka typically unavailable outside of Krakow. I will give Flat Rock two stars since Vinny, the bartender, seemed like a good guy but would urge you to check out Kildare's instead.
(2)
Adam L.
Flat rock is my ideal choice for a quick beer after a long day. Don't forget to bring cash as they do not accept credit cards. However, an ATM is in the back.
(4)
Kevin D.
One of my favorite spots in Manayunk. Very chill, great service, awesome beer selection. I don't believe I ever ate there, but the beer alone is worth a visit. Definitely check it out when they have an acoustic set. The talent is always pretty decent too.
(4)
marki s.
We go hear first when we go to manyunk. Great place for a good beer and the food isn't bad either. But I have one major complaint! The men's room never ever has soap. Now I'm sure the bartenders and waiters and food staff all have clean hands but to think that every guy in that bar on a Friday and Saturday has not washed his hands is gross! I'm not a germaphobe but I'm not shaking any of my friends hands while I'm in there.
(3)
Tina S.
Great chill bar if you want to avoid the noise of the typical Manayunk bars. Large selection of beers that pair perfectly with their daily mussel special, which is by far my favorite thing on the menu.
(4)
Rob S.
Top 5 beer bars in the city. Period. [Edit: Since I wrote this review there are a bunch of new fantastic gastropubs. But we'll still say... top 10 beer bars????] Great selection of rotating beers all the time. And C-H-E-A-P to try new and interesting bottles. Great food here too with an expanding menu! Usually have very entertaining acoustic music acts at nights on the weekends. Only cons: limited draft selection, no soap in the men's room (gross...), no gun system so if you want water you have to pay for a bottle. And the TV quality leaves a bit to be desired if you want to watch a game. Don't worry about the cons... check it out.
(5)
Chris M.
This is my favorite bar ever. I used to live in Manayunk, about 2 blocks from Flat Rock. My wife and I would go to Flat Rock around 4 times a week when we lived there. We try to make it there around once a month or so now that we moved out of Manayunk. Their beer selection is phenomenal. You'll see a chalk board full of beers on the back wall, categorizing beers into domestics, imports, and Belgians. And, even better, the prices are super-reasonable. Beers start around $3. They also have several 750ml bottles of beer that you can share. An unexpected treat from Flat Rock is the food. The ambiance is that of a bar so you might not expect very well-prepared food. The standard bar fare is good (love the wings and the nachos), but they also have more creative dishes as specials. But, the best, by far, reason to go to Flat Rock is Vinnie the bartender. Vinnie is great. Flat Rock gets very crowded on weekend nights (and on some weekdays), so you might want to get there early to get a seat. Also, as anywhere in Manayunk, parking can be an issue, especially on the weekends. Most importantly: 1) Flat Rock is cash-only and 2) Do not attempt to order a Coors Light here.
(5)
Amanda G.
This place was such a surprise when I went there for the first time. I wasn't expecting good food, but everything I've ever ordered has been awesome. The mussles, the pierogies (when they were on special), and all of the sandwiches. Delicious! I thought this would just be a good place to get beer, but it's so much more. The older guy with the suspenders who can always be found behind the bar has so much knowledge about beer it's kind of obscene. He'll help you find something you like or help you find something new to try. Overall this is a great place!
(4)
Noell M.
Hands down, without a doubt, my favorite watering hole in Philadelphia! The amalgamation of the food menu, the beer selection, and the staff make this place near and dear to my heart. While living in Manayunk (only 2 blocks away from Main Street) my husband and I would frequent the Rock about 3-4 times a week. We now live a bit further away but still try our hardest to get there at least a few times a years. It is definitely worth a drive and fighting the hills of Manayunk to be able to pull up a chair at the bar and enjoy the Flat Rock goodness! Seasonal beers, micro brews, and boutique beers adorn the ever changing and always refreshing beer list. As one reviewer mentioned....do not attempt to order Coors, Corona, Miller, etc. While the bartenders and staff will try to steer you in the right direction (in terms of beer choice), don't be "that" guy or girl who puts up a fuss because you can't get your Bud Light Lime or MGD. They also have a full liquor bar.....my suggestions: a dirty Arnold Palmer or the raspberry vodka with fresh squeezed lemonade. The food menu is a departure from normal bar fare. Interesting soups, salads, and sandwiches (and rotating specials) come as a pleasant and unexpected surprise. The food is always fresh, innovative, and extremely well prepared. When you go try to get Vinnie as your bartender.....he is seriously the best in the biz! A few other notes: cash only, outdoor tables (in the spring/summer), live musicians, and plenty of TV's to watch the game.
(5)
Tracy S.
Bad experience! We walked in and sat at the bar, which was not at all crowded, and the bartender took several minutes to even acknowledge that we were there. He continued to talk to someone at the other end of the bar. When he eventually walked over he was not only unapologetic but he acted as if we were inconveniencing him by being there and wanting to order drinks. Although, I should note that we were immediately greeted by the unpleasant odor of stale beer and dirty bar as soon as we walked in the establishment. After, the rude bartender finally acknowledged our existence we asked for menus and went to sit outside because the inside of the restaurant was very dirty, smelly and uncomfortable. We sat outside waiting for a server and after more than 10 minutes no one came to wait on us so we left. I never walk out of restaurants but this was beyond bad service. Never again.
(1)
Patrick G.
PROS: If you just want to go in a get a beer, this is the spot on Main St. You don't have to wait an hour for a drink and play crowd control. CONS: Somewhat pricey and you better know EXACTLY what you want. No familiar beers on tap. Doesn't accept credit cards.
(3)
Jason R.
The Flat Rock Saloon was below average in most respects Service: We were given a single menu for a table of 5, but, in their defense, it was busy. Drinks: They had about 5 beers on tap and moderate bottled beer selection. They had some good beers available at reasonable prices. My group was a little annoyed by being given $1 bottled water when you ask for water and charged $2 per glass of fountain soda. Food: The group shared some wings, which were OK. I had a burger, which was 10 oz of unseasoned ground chuck. It was bland depite the fact that it was covered with smoked gouda. The order was medium-rare, but burger was medium to well-done. It tasted a bit charred and something had a funky smell. The french fries were undercooked as well. Needless to say, It was not enjoyable. cash only
(2)
Micaela F.
I have been wondering about this place and also heard about their amazing specials. $19.95 all you can eat crab legs and 1/2 price mussels everyday...I have to try it. Drag the husband and now I know where to go for my mussels and crab legs fix. We order their Queso Jalepeno mussels and it was delicious. Came with a side of fries and a delicious dipping sauce. Their beer selections are great too.
(5)
Mike S.
When I was first introduced to this gem several years ago, I was amazed by the wide variety and selection of beer. It was the beer-topia of Manayunk (sorry Pitchers). So many beers to choose from, only so many brain cells to kill. And pricing was reasonable. In the last few years, the bottle list has dwindled. The crowds have as well. It is still busy, but not the slam-packed bar it used to be. I remember squeezing into this place at 9pm, with no hopes of ever finding room at the bar. Nowadays it doesn't get too busy until after 10pm. Beer selection is still pretty good. Same bartender. Same food. Mussels seem to be the food of choice for patrons here. Pricing is still reasonable. Cash only. There is an ATM machine in the bar in case one always tends to use el pastique. Recently they installed a Golden Tee. My dream bar had come to fruition. And then sadly, it was gone last time I ventured in there. I can only hope it returns. There is nothing like playing a simulated game of golf and drinking decent beer.
(4)
Emmett M.
The Flat Rock is nice bar to go relax with a good meal and a tasty beer in the evening. Weekend nights can bring in live music and bit of a crowd, but there's always window sills to sit on and walls to lean against until someone clears out. There are food specials here worth looking into, I like the roast beef. The beer selection here is the main draw because it is quite large and varied; every time I go there I can try a new beer. Has that saloon feel with the mirror behind the bar and varnished wood everywhere. I usually go to the back to eat so I never noticed a problem with lack of TV, and suspenders has generally always been friendly, but I've also been there when his service slipped a bit (usually weekend nights). This spot is probably my favorite on Main st. **Recently came here as the fourth stop in a long night so I don't know how accurate this info is, but last time I was there the beer selection seemed to have been cut drastically..... it could have been them transitioning into new beers, it could have been them limiting their selections permanently, or I could have imbibed too much and created the whole memory..... I plan on looking into it
(4)
Jennifer B.
Food is disgusting. This place has really gone downhill.
(1)
Rodge B.
A sh*tload of beers to choose from, lots of tables, and the wings are pretty good. Kind of a snooty crowd and cash bar.
(4)
Tyler R.
Manayunk - Lenape for 'a place to drink'. Apparently the owners of the Flat Rock Saloon didn't get the memo because they DON'T HAVE TAP WATER. Bottled water only? Are we in Puerto Vallarta? I get it - this is the type of place that 'doesn't change for nobody'. That's great and all if you have a decent product, but the food is mediocre and the service was slow, rude, and condescending. Skip it, there are plenty of other better places in Manayunk to give your money to.
(1)
Jake P.
The bartenders refused to serve me and my girlfriend water! This is the only time I was EVER refused tap water at a bar. Thanks for the thoughtless service and a little bit more of a tricky and unsafe ride home. Flat Rock Saloon will NEVER receive my business again.
(1)
Eric K.
Good wings and muscles. Awesome beer selection!
(3)
Kristina K.
Its the third time I've been to flatrock and it's always great! They have the best bloody mary by far in manayunk. The awesome bartender with the suspenders makes amazing drinks everytime! Their mussels are also some of the best around. From 5-7 everyday they have half priced mussels and about 10 or more types to choose from. I tried the spicy type and can't wait to try more! Finally, I had the earth burger last night and it was bangin. Perfectly cooked with a mushroom thyme topping, swiss cheese, and miso mayo. Yummm Will definitely come back again and again!
(4)
Laura D.
Flat Rock is a very laid back bar with a great beer selection. I've been to most of the bars in Manayunk numerous times, and this is where I come when I just want to have a couple good beers with friends. It's a great Thursday night bar... not too crowded, not too crazy. Weekends they have a guy play cover songs on acoustic guitar which is a nice touch. And there are good beer specials, usually $3 or $4. Did I mention the beer selection is awesome?
(4)
Stefan N.
I didn't even bother reviewing some of the bars on tonight's pub crawl but this place demands a review. Right on main street in Manayunk. The beer selection and the specials are tasty and cheap. I am going to have to come back here and try more things off the menu. I am only rating this place as a bar but as a bar it is top notch and clean. I was there on a dead night so I don't know how they manage a crowd but the old man behind the bar was friendly and welcoming.
(5)
matt h.
Went to Flat Rock to meet some friends for a brew on a Friday night. FRS isn't the type of place I would usually goto but I really enjoyed myself. They have an amazing selection of micro-brews and I noticed their bartenders were especially knowledgeable about them. I had not heard about some of them and asked about them and both of the 'tenders had a lot to say, and upon their recommendations I was very impressed. On this particular night they had a guy on acoustic guitar playing some phenomenal covers of Sublime, Marley, etc. Lets just say we went there with the intention of having one beer and moving on and we ended up staying all night.
(4)
Lindsey M.
Small, love thy neighbor place. Come here before 9 to get a spot at the bar or table. But the selection is hard to beat if you like beers. And I love the guy singing good ol' American rock classics with his acoustic guitar in the corner.
(5)
Jocelyn B.
Flat Rock has a true 'Old World' pub feel to it. The beer selection is out of this world and changes frequently! All-U-Can-Eat Crab Leg night is a must! Their wings are also very good but I usually order them for the blue cheese which is absolutely AMAZING! (I keep meaning to ask what brand it is). Definitely a nice casual spot to go on a date or meet friends.
(4)
Cerpin T.
Easily the best bar on Main Street. It typically lacks the popped collars and sweatbands on the forearm crews that seem to inhabit almost every other bar on Main Street. The beer selection is top-notch and the bar tenders are pretty knowledgeable about their trade. There is almost always a place to sit, which is great, to talk to your friends over one of the many bottled beers that I can guarantee you have never tasted before. The entertainment is pretty standard fare, your typical guy rocking an acoustic cover set that never seems to end, which is awesome. After a few hours of downing a couple of rounds, it is inevitable that you will be singing every single word to some mid-nineties classic that you haven't heard in a decade. Never had a bad time here and I am always willing to go back.
(5)
John N.
Waited over an hour for food. I had my server tell me 30 minutes after placing my order that what I ordered wasn't available! Not only did I leave hungry, but I was finding it hard to figure out what took my food one hour to arrive considering the place was not too crowded on a Saturday night. After reading other reviews, I have come to understand that this is a bar, and it was probably foolish of us to expect restaurant service with food. However, won't return. Small menu. Do not recommend. Overpriced.
(2)
Art S.
I love this bar. Outstanding selection of beers. Great service. Happy people. Tasty food. Good music. Fun times. When you consider your other options in Manayunk, like, oh, say, the Manayunk Brewery, which has pretty much the worst beer on the planet, Flat Rock looks even better. Even when this place is crowded, I still seem to have a good time here, which is a testament to the vibe this place exudes. It tends to be a young crowd here, but it's not to say you couldn't saddle up to the bar or grab a table with a few friends even if you're about to hit the big 3-0 like me. A quick note... last time I checked it was cash only, but there's ATM's all over Main St., so that shouldn't be an issue...
(5)
Colleen M.
My friends and I always head to Flatrock first for a night out in Manayunk. It is hands down my favorite bar in Manayunk. On the weekends, they always have a guitar guy there playing live music, and they usually take requests. Their beer selection is amazing. They are always getting new beers from all over the world. It can get a bit crowded, but it's worth it. The crowd has a mix of older people, 20-somethings, and college students. It's cash only, so make sure to stop at an ATM on the way, although I think they have one there. Definitely go!
(5)
trish g.
Great beer selection! Lots of new varieties in bottle and on tap rotating in and out. Wing night is Tuesdays -- this place gets pretty busy then. The menu is really interesting. I haven't tried a lot but what I've had was pretty tasty and affordable. The guys running the place are very nice, but sometimes they are super busy and you may have to work it to catch their attention. Overall, I really like it here, it's friendly and has a good vibe. A refreshing change from many Main Street establishments. They have a good sense of humor too - sometimes offering funny items on their chalkboard, like "Beers for Men" and other treats.
(4)
Meghann p.
the only thing I do not like about this place.....CASH only and they only give bottled water (annoying for the DD sometimes) BUT still great beers and great wings!
(4)
Caroline H.
My favorite bar in Manayunk. I love the fact you cannot order a Miller Lite here :) They have such a huge selection of beer and at great prices. When you go check out the chalkboards for the specials. I usually just work my way down the list! Most of the time you can get some good beers for only $2! They also have live music later at night. By the way its Cash only.
(5)
Tom S.
Just dropped in tonight after a trip to Cactus nearby. I was impressed by this place, and disappointed that i was already full when I saw their 1/2 price mussels special was going on. Either way, we just got drinks, mine a bottle of Delerium Tremens and my lady's a draft of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (and i indulged in a $3 Tullamore shot). At 6 p.m., we avoided any kind of loud, late-night crowd and made note of the deep bottle list, but excruciatingly shallow draft list. Either way, I look forward to commenting on the food the next time I drop by.
(4)
Christina B.
I like going to this bar. It's an older crowd usually. They have different beer and drinks. I always forget they don't take cash. It can look a little run down, but if you're worried about drinking only, it's a great place.
(3)
David R.
Great bar on the corner, friendly staff, and food. Nice selection of beers in the bottle. Just a couple on tap.
(4)
amanda h.
I literally live two blocks from this place, so resisting their 30 cent wings on Tuesday is a losing battle for me. I am dying to know what kind of blue cheese they use. Beer selection is great & reasonably priced. They usually have anywhere from 3-4 ciders available- which is nice for me since I don't drink beer. Wish their Lambic was a little cheaper, but I can't manage $13 for a pint. Their burgers are by far the best on Main Street with thick homemade patties & hand cut fries. The lamb sliders are pretty choice, too. The ambiance is somewhere between your classic pub & a dive bar. My only real quibble with this place is if you go anytime after 7 you'll end up waiting for a table for up to 20 minutes. Oh, and don't expect the bartender/owner to be very attentive, gotta wave that dude down if you want some service!
(4)
Sarah L.
My friend and I were out for an early evening drink and snack when we decided upon this place. First off the sever that we had was rude to us right off the bat when we weren't ready to order after looking at the menu for all of two minutes. He walked away shaking his head like he was so annoyed at us. When he brought us bottled water and we asked about tap water he cocked an attitude again with agitation in his voice. My friend and I have both spent many years in the service industry and neither of us were being unreasonable by any means. I would NEVER go back to this place again.
(1)
josh b.
I love Flat Rock! Theirs no cover to get in unlike many other Manayunk Bars and they have beers that you have never even heard of on tap at a resonable price. The best part is the live music that everyone loves to sing a long to while throwing back a couple. One negative: does not accept credit cards, but its only a minor thing...
(5)
Greg L.
The Flat Rock has been one of my mainstays since it changed it's name from the Grove back in the early 90's. The food there is great. Things like the dressings and sauces are all hand made. They have a huge beer selection for reasonable prices. The owner, Bob, is one of the best bartenders in the city. Somehow, tools avoid the flatrock and it is always a great place to hang.
(5)
Emily B.
does anybody else find it utterly ridiculous that you have to pay for water? i was trying to hydrate between drinks and asked the bartender for some H2O. he hands me a bottle and asks for a dollar... ummmm... is that legal? his response to that question was "is free music legal?" that doesn't even make sense! not going back.
(1)
Ben T.
Best bar in Manayunk, and besides the Adobe Cafe its the only bar/restaurant establishment in all of Manayunk to even bother. Bartenders are some of the most knowledgeable
(4)
V T.
amazing mussels. great selection of beer. live music closer to the weekend is great. cash bar only.
(3)
Frank B.
This is a great bar to grab a beer. There selection is pretty awesome with a wide variety of micro-brews. Definitely one of the better beer bars around. With its laid back crowd It's one of the few bars in Manayunk that makes you forget that your in Manayunk. Prices are very reasonable and the specials include good beers.
(4)
Leslie G.
Terrible service. I went on a weeknight for dinner and the server was rude, I was charged for water, they wouldn't let me take my leftovers home in a doggie bag, and they didn't accept credit cards. I had to take money out of the ATM, but the kicker is that the restaurant owns the ATM, and keeps the $2 surcharge. I own a small business and I could never imagine treating my customers so poorly. I will NEVER be back.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : No Good For : Late Night Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Music : Live, Juke Box Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Tue, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Kelly N.
I heard great things about this place (food, entertainment, service, etc) but one night when I tried to enter, the bouncer would not allow my friend to enter. It wasn't so much that this bouncer did not let her in that forces me to give Flat Rock a one-star review, but more so because he was undeniably rude. Upon entering, the bouncer says to my friend "what, are you cold?" (It was indeed a cold winter night). My friend says yes, and takes out her license. Then the bouncer says "we don't accept ID's without a credit card to verify your ID, and if you want to show me your Facebook then that's been done before." Then he laughs...My friends and I were shocked by how unwelcoming this bouncer was so we just left! We did not want to give service to someone who represented this business. I plan to come back another time because I want to experience what is Flat Rock but and I hope it's friendlier than my first experience!
(1)Taylor K.
Went here yesterday for all you can eat crabs with my dad and fiancé and they were awesome. Some places are so expensive and barely give you any or just aren't that great but these were definitely worth the $25 a person we paid. The only downfall of this spot is their service is not that great. We were the only customers there and it took the bartender a decent amount of time to take our order and even ask if we wanted a drink. I would definitely recommend going here but just be aware that you won't be getting great service with your food.
(3)Sunia M.
Got the saloon blue burger to satisfy an emergency burger craving. Absolutely satisfied!
(3)Rebekah K.
Zero stars. Don't even bother trying to get a drink if you are brown skinned. Should have known when we read the 'Obamacare' and 'Illegal Immigrant' shot specials on the board. I have never experienced this kind of bs in Manayunk. If you are fortunate enough to be fair skinned, then feel free to enjoy a crowded bar full of underage frat boys spilling beer on the people sitting at tables. Oh, and you will also have the pleasure of meeting the finest gentlemen in Philadelphia who will tell the ladies waiting at the bar that they need to back it up so their pansy rears can pull a chair in front of you. These are just my observations while being profiled and blatantly ignored at the bar. We took our money elsewhere. JD McGillicuddy's around the corner welcomed us with open arms. Plus it's cleaner, bigger, more fun, and they serve us colored folks.
(1)Danielle D.
The bartender (young guy named Sal) is extremely rude and I am shocked that he is even in the service business still. I found a bug floating in my pint glass so I attempted to ask for a new glass to pour the rest of my beer in and he snatched the glass out of my hand, dumped it and walked away. He didn't say anything at all, a simple apology would have went a long way! (And a new clean glass would have great) When I said something, He slammed a new pint glass in front of me and walked away, still saying nothing. My friends and I immediately left. They only take cash.. and have a one person ladies room which is rough and causes a line and a bit of a wait to pee
(1)Thalie A.
This whole area has had a cool revamp over the years. There were always solid spots in Manayunk and this looks a winner too. My best friend & I had a hard time deciding where to stop then we saw there were musicians playing so went in. Good choice. Relaxed vibe, spaced out well, appropriate lighting & even the musicians set wasn't intrusive on our conversation. There's good service here and the main bar is well kept...shame about the toilets.
(3)Nick C.
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. First of all, it is 2014, start taking credit cards. I was charged a dollar for a water. After having to ask for a drink, at my table, after 10 minutes. It was not busy at all, no one was at the bar and there were 2 other tables. They took my friends order and 10 minutes later we had to go back up to the server to ask him to put in our other order since he only took one of our dinner orders. Asked for more napkins and got 2. Servers were basically not there, anytime I needed anything we had to stand up and ask for it because our server never ever came to our table on their own. avoiding from here on out.
(1)Jessica G.
Horrible horrible horrible! Rude management and staff. This is truly a terrible establishment in so many ways. Food is horrible, drinks are even worse. Don't even attempt to setup an open bar for an event with them because they will cancel on you less than 48 hours before! They do not deserve anyone's business. Don't waste your money or time!
(1)Kevin J.
Wish I could give negative stars. This is by far the worst bar I have ever been to. Just dont go here. There are so many better bars within 100 yards of this shithole
(1)Julie J.
Before you ever consider visiting this establishment, please read and consider the type of people that would run a business such as this. A reserved the upstairs at Flat Rock a month in advance for a 30th birthday party for my boyfriend scheduled for THIS weekend, I got the following email on THURSDAY less than 48 hours before the event: Hi Julie, I am so sorry to inform you that we will be unable to host your party on Saturday. I truly apologize for the inconvenience. We have to make immediate repairs to our kitchen in order to satisfy our insurance company. We only offer Open Bar Packages upstairs. Open Bar is not available downstairs. Thank you for your interest in The Flat Rock Saloon and hopefully you will think of us for your next event. My sincerest apology. Amy Talvacchia, Chef I responded with the following: Amy, The fact that you sent this as an email and didn't have the decency to call directly is both rude and unprofessional. It's completely unacceptable to cancel two days before the event and not offer any consolation, meaning offering the open bar downstairs or suggesting another venue that might be able to accommodate us. It is laughable that you suggest that I would consider you for a future event. Not only would I never, you can count on me writing an unfavorable review on Yelp. It's unfortunate for you that a positive experience spreads by word of mouth and a negative one spreads even faster. Julie This is the email I got in response: Julie, I could not call you, we only dealt through e-mail! The fact that you think cancelling is rude and unprofessional tells me that you have no idea what it is like to run a business, let alone a bar! I couldn't suggest another venue because you we getting a great deal, any other bar is going to offer you light beer, box wine and crap liquor!! I think it is laughable that I would ever consider hosting any kind of event for YOU! Go to Mad River the serve just your type! As for Yelp, been in business 20 years and no one pay attention to that crap! __________________________________________________Â_____________ It is unreal that anyone would do business this way! It's no wonder they are in trouble with their insurance company and have been trying to sell the business for years! I hope you reading this will prove her WRONG and show her that people do pay attention to Yelp reviews and that there are plenty of other bars that offer good beers and way better customer service!
(1)Gina M.
Now I was only here for like an hour maybe two tops but It was a good time. We had live music and a great beer selection. The servers, bouncers, and bartenders were awesome! However, you couldn't move in there. Seriously. It got so crowded that we were literally being like pushed out of our seats because of the crowd. Crazy. Also, the drinks were very expensive. Almost too expensive for me. And when I ordered my anticipated Malibu bay breeze, they did NOT use coconut rum. Oh boy the regular rum did not taste good. But we were already pushed away from the bar at that point so there was no asking for the right drink. I don't know if I'll be back, truthfully.
(2)Adam C.
I suppose if you're going there to drink beer I would still recommend the place but for any other reason I simply can't. My friend has a birthday tradition of AYCE Crab legs and her birthday happened to fall on a Monday which is how we ended up at this place. I had already done my yelp research prior to coming so I was aware of the idiosyncrasies of the place but not the severity. I'll also say that I am much more patient than she is and her impatience was a partial factor to the disastrous experience. One of the oddities about this place is the bar tender's flat out refusal to serve a glass of water. I knew in advance that this is their policy and I tried to have a conversation with him to find out why he would cling to such a ridiculous stance when nearly every negative review the place gets is over that . He gave me attitude but no explanation. I had actually meant to stop at a Wawa and buy a gallon of water, just to kind of stick it to them but I forgot. No biggie. It was a beer night anyway. Nevertheless, bizarre. We got there and there were a few other groups for the crab legs. We ordered our beers and expressed our intentions to eat crabs. Then we waited...and waited...and waited and finally got our beer. then we waited...and waited...and waited...and waited...and finally the crab legs came out. Maybe we should have waited a touch longer because they were mostly cold to the touch and my Friend said that the one she grabbed was actually still frozen. Of course we sent the plate back much to the grumbling of the bar tender/ waiter. If it had just been me I might have waited it out but as I mentioned above my friend has a shorter fuse than I do. Between the bad attitude and the slow service we decided not to stay. Since there was nobody available to complain to we left enough to cover the beer on the table and walked up the street to change her birthday tradition to Sushi.
(1)Jr F.
Disappointed to say the least. They have a 'good' beer list, but that's the only good thing about this place. I ordered the American Burger and it was burnt. On the menu, they said it had a tangy sauce with caramlized onions. I did not see any onions or tasted any of the sauce. My fiance ordered the pork bbq platter. The pork looked like throw up and her veggies were burnt as well. The waiter was nice though. Their bathroom had no soap in it, and it looked like something out of Orwell's 1984.
(1)amanda h.
I literally live two blocks from this place, so resisting their 30 cent wings on Tuesday is a losing battle for me. I am dying to know what kind of blue cheese they use. Beer selection is great & reasonably priced. They usually have anywhere from 3-4 ciders available- which is nice for me since I don't drink beer. Wish their Lambic was a little cheaper, but I can't manage $13 for a pint. Their burgers are by far the best on Main Street with thick homemade patties & hand cut fries. The lamb sliders are pretty choice, too. The ambiance is somewhere between your classic pub & a dive bar. My only real quibble with this place is if you go anytime after 7 you'll end up waiting for a table for up to 20 minutes. Oh, and don't expect the bartender/owner to be very attentive, gotta wave that dude down if you want some service!
(4)Christina B.
I like going to this bar. It's an older crowd usually. They have different beer and drinks. I always forget they don't take cash. It can look a little run down, but if you're worried about drinking only, it's a great place.
(3)Alick W.
The food here is very good and they have a good selection of beers. It's does have an old school saloon type of feel to it. I've read some of the other reviews and I agree on the bottled water. It is kinda of ridiculous they don't serve tap water here. They do have some of the best wings and mussels in the Philly area. It's chill and I really like the musicians they have on the weekends. It is more relaxed but on nights where they have live music, people do dance and it can be a really fun night. It's a place that I can really have a lot of fun on some nights and on others, the atmosphere can really put me to sleep. Good - Food, variety of beers, live music Bad - Does not serve tap water, bathrooms are disgusting, cash only.
(3)Katie P.
Flat Rock is one of my favorite aces to eat in manayunk. You can always get a table. The coveted outside tables are a little hard to get when there's nice weather. Excellent beer selection! Small amount on draft but they have a large bottle selection My fav part is their mussel deal! Everyday 5-7 is half priced mussels- meaning you get a giant bowl of mussels (6 different flavors- I recommend he Dijon) for $4. You can add a giant bowl of fries for another $4 for doping in the delicious broth. I suggest requesting they do not toast the bread because it's easier to sop up broth. Be aware it's a great deal so sometimes the mussels are a little small but can you really beat dinner for 2 with drinks for under $20.?! Cash only.
(5)Kory S.
Okay I have to weigh in here. My friends and I came to Flatty's MOST TUESDAYS FOR FOUR YEARS. Authority! It is still our favorite bar... probably in the whole of Philadelphia. I'm going to do this review in phases. WHAT IT USED TO BE: Flat Rocks c2005 was absolutely perfect. It had the best beer list outside Monks and maybe Eulogy. It wasn't overrun by hipsters, it didn't overcharge, and there was always something new to try. Most nights you came in the place was wall-to-wall people. They had some of the best cover musicians and the occasional Kenn Kwedder sighting. By midnight every person in the place would be singing. It was like something out of a Dickens novel. We used to take down 200 of the BEST WINGS IVE EVER HAD. We'd routinely pick a beer and clean them out of it by nights end. Did I mention "we" averaged 10-15 people. Yep we paid for bottles of water, no we didn't get refills on soda, yes we occasionally would not get the male servers and had terrible service, no we never were served shots. It didn't matter. This place was perfect. WHAT IT BECAME: Somewhere toward 2008 aka the Great Recession the place started to struggle. The beer list dropped. The prices hovered. Drink specials were increasingly irrelevant. Wing Nights (the greatest night of all) were no longer wall to wall. Where we used to cut out of work early to send a scout to hold tables, now we walked in at 7pm and had our choice. The music was gone. The planned upstairs expansion was dormant. But we still came, every Tuesday. We still ate 200 wings. And they still treated us like family. And no that doesn't mean free drinks. I'm not sure we ever got freebies in those days. Nope not even water. And that was fine. WHAT IT IS NOW: It's recovered. The beer list is back up and running. Despite what I'm reading here THE FOOD IS STILL AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOP NOTCH. Top to bottom on the menu, no question. And trust me we were a picky bunch so that statement does not come lightly. I'm told the music is back. There's even word of Sal sightings- the best waiter we ever had there. It's so good to see that they are returning to former glory. The owner/head bartender works his butt off EVERY NIGHT. He has kept this thing going and hasn't compromised his standards of what he wants Flat Rocks to be. There were probably plenty of opportunities to turn this into TGI McScratchy's or Kildare's II but he didn't. Not even close. For those of us that love Flatty's for everything it is and everything it is not, this place is perfect. If you are looking for your typical bar experience this probably isn't the place. It's Philly through and through-- its not the best but it doesn't care but it's not all hipstery about that. There may not be toilet paper in the bathroom... heck the door may not even lock. You can get shots now but don't hope for bombers and crap like that. For every review that says "I can't understand why they don't do X" the reason is that they don't want YOU there. I can't think of a more Philadelphia statement than that right there. So call up your best friends, maybe your dad, add in a few people that just moved to Philly, your cousin that just turned 21, and maybe a foreign exchange student. Get to Flatty's and try to sit in Sal's section. Order a stupid amount of wings. Bring a lot of cash. Grab a big table and have a lot of fun. You won't be able to do this at any other bar. You're welcome.
(5)trish g.
Great beer selection! Lots of new varieties in bottle and on tap rotating in and out. Wing night is Tuesdays -- this place gets pretty busy then. The menu is really interesting. I haven't tried a lot but what I've had was pretty tasty and affordable. The guys running the place are very nice, but sometimes they are super busy and you may have to work it to catch their attention. Overall, I really like it here, it's friendly and has a good vibe. A refreshing change from many Main Street establishments. They have a good sense of humor too - sometimes offering funny items on their chalkboard, like "Beers for Men" and other treats.
(4)Nick D.
Having lived in the Manayunk area for the past 3 years, there hasn't been a bar I've been to more than the good old Flat Rock. More often than not, on a weekend free to travelling, you'll find my friends and I with 2-4 tables pushed together drinking some great beers and singing along like assholes to whatever acoustic guitarist/singer is playing that night. During the week it's a relaxed place to get some dinner with a great, warm interior without being super busy, and on Friday and Saturday nights, it's exactly the place you want to start/spend/end the night. There's a great beer selection (although recently it's tapered into around 50 beers at a time), regularly-rotating specials (giving you the chance to try beers that you wouldn't normally buy at $6 a pop), enough room for you and plenty of friends, TVs for sports, live music on weekends to obnoxiously sing along to, old bartenders (who wear suspenders and seem like they've worked there since they were 15 years old back in nineteen tickety-two), and just enough outdoor tables (that if you get there early enough to snag one during nice weather in the summer, you feel like the Mayor of Manayunk), and chicks actually go there! WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR? (Actually, one thing they could use: A more private toilet in the men's room. Oh, and a toilet paper dispenser - I can only imagine the poor souls that go #2, only to realize they have to wipe with their shirt/boxers. You've been warned!) Another warning: It's cash only, and their ATM has a ridiculous service fee, so Ladies - Bring some cash! I can't afford to buy ALL of you drinks! If you hate this place, I hate you. Seriously.
(5)Elizabeth F.
I boycott this place because they will not give you water. You must but a bottle from them. What a shame.
(1)Fred M.
I highly recommend against going here. If I could have given this place negative stars I would have. Our waiter was incredibly rude. We ordered glasses of water and he brought us bottled water. At first I was thinking, "ok, this guy is not only rude but is trying to run up the bill, that's fine I'll get tap water next time." So we ask him for tap water the next time around and he says (verbatim), "We don't have tap water." What? Is this some kind of joke. There is ice in our sodas and water in the toilets and I'm pretty sure they aren't using bottled water for that. So we started to make our way through our crabs (that we waited 45 minutes for after ordering while there were no more than 6 other patrons), we started to get really thirsty, mainly because they were way over seasoned with old bay and salt. In an attempt not to overpay any more for my meal I confronted the surly waiter again, away from the table. I said, "do you really not have tap water, isn't their ice in our glasses?" to which he replies, "we have it, we just don't serve it." I asked him if that was even legal and he told me, "yea it's legal, we have been doing it for 22 years." Are you EFFING kidding me?! Did I just find myself transported to a bistro in Paris where they only serve Perrier? No, I'm in this dumpy saloon in Manayunk paying too much for mediocre food, so why don't you spare me the hassle and bring me a cot damn glass water. I literally have never tipped less than 15% on a meal but I was determined to do so today. Screwed again. we had over 6 people at our table so this a-hole is getting a very much undeserved 18% tip. I have never been so close to walking out on a check in my entire life. Oh yea, they only take cash so bring lots because you'll need it. Do yourself a favor, walk ten feet in any direction on main street AWAY from this place. It boggles my mind how a place like this can stay in business when there are so many fine restaurants in Manayunk. Oh yea, let me also ad that the coupon for 10% off the food portion of your meal that you can print online is a load of bull. They don't accept it. don't waste your printer paper.
(1)Michael F.
A great selection of beers both on tap and by the bottle, live music that doesn't make your ears bleed, and no cover will make you smile. Food that is pretty much what you expect won't shake this rating. Forgetting that it is cash only might irk you a bit. However, the lack any customer focus kept this Saloon from a higher performance. Other Notes: 1) While prices are reasonable for the beer selection, it isn't exactly Manayunk cheap (again cash only). 2) A slightly older crowd for Manayunk.
(3)Lauren W.
There are plenty of other reviews, I'm assuming because I didn't have the attention span to read them all, that will tell you the vast selection of what I surmised to be excellent craft, local, and other delicious beers. I, unfortunately, do not have the palate for good beers. I like Budweiser. Yum. But my friends threatened to make me sit by myself if I ordered one there. So I got a Bloody Mary, one of my favorite drinks of all time. Holy intense experience, batman. Go get it right now. Go when the owner (?) is there, an older man who always seems to be wearing a white shirt and suspenders. It may take 10 minutes, but because he makes them FROM SCRATCH. Hand trimmed celery. Scooped horseradish. Cracked black pepper. Celery salt. Hot sauce. That's all I can say without salivating an embarassing amount. Go get the bloody mary! And I guess the ambiance is cool, everybody is chill, blah blah blah. Bloody Mary!
(4)Chris M.
This is my favorite bar ever. I used to live in Manayunk, about 2 blocks from Flat Rock. My wife and I would go to Flat Rock around 4 times a week when we lived there. We try to make it there around once a month or so now that we moved out of Manayunk. Their beer selection is phenomenal. You'll see a chalk board full of beers on the back wall, categorizing beers into domestics, imports, and Belgians. And, even better, the prices are super-reasonable. Beers start around $3. They also have several 750ml bottles of beer that you can share. An unexpected treat from Flat Rock is the food. The ambiance is that of a bar so you might not expect very well-prepared food. The standard bar fare is good (love the wings and the nachos), but they also have more creative dishes as specials. But, the best, by far, reason to go to Flat Rock is Vinnie the bartender. Vinnie is great. Flat Rock gets very crowded on weekend nights (and on some weekdays), so you might want to get there early to get a seat. Also, as anywhere in Manayunk, parking can be an issue, especially on the weekends. Most importantly: 1) Flat Rock is cash-only and 2) Do not attempt to order a Coors Light here.
(5)Amanda G.
This place was such a surprise when I went there for the first time. I wasn't expecting good food, but everything I've ever ordered has been awesome. The mussles, the pierogies (when they were on special), and all of the sandwiches. Delicious! I thought this would just be a good place to get beer, but it's so much more. The older guy with the suspenders who can always be found behind the bar has so much knowledge about beer it's kind of obscene. He'll help you find something you like or help you find something new to try. Overall this is a great place!
(4)Noell M.
Hands down, without a doubt, my favorite watering hole in Philadelphia! The amalgamation of the food menu, the beer selection, and the staff make this place near and dear to my heart. While living in Manayunk (only 2 blocks away from Main Street) my husband and I would frequent the Rock about 3-4 times a week. We now live a bit further away but still try our hardest to get there at least a few times a years. It is definitely worth a drive and fighting the hills of Manayunk to be able to pull up a chair at the bar and enjoy the Flat Rock goodness! Seasonal beers, micro brews, and boutique beers adorn the ever changing and always refreshing beer list. As one reviewer mentioned....do not attempt to order Coors, Corona, Miller, etc. While the bartenders and staff will try to steer you in the right direction (in terms of beer choice), don't be "that" guy or girl who puts up a fuss because you can't get your Bud Light Lime or MGD. They also have a full liquor bar.....my suggestions: a dirty Arnold Palmer or the raspberry vodka with fresh squeezed lemonade. The food menu is a departure from normal bar fare. Interesting soups, salads, and sandwiches (and rotating specials) come as a pleasant and unexpected surprise. The food is always fresh, innovative, and extremely well prepared. When you go try to get Vinnie as your bartender.....he is seriously the best in the biz! A few other notes: cash only, outdoor tables (in the spring/summer), live musicians, and plenty of TV's to watch the game.
(5)Tracy S.
Bad experience! We walked in and sat at the bar, which was not at all crowded, and the bartender took several minutes to even acknowledge that we were there. He continued to talk to someone at the other end of the bar. When he eventually walked over he was not only unapologetic but he acted as if we were inconveniencing him by being there and wanting to order drinks. Although, I should note that we were immediately greeted by the unpleasant odor of stale beer and dirty bar as soon as we walked in the establishment. After, the rude bartender finally acknowledged our existence we asked for menus and went to sit outside because the inside of the restaurant was very dirty, smelly and uncomfortable. We sat outside waiting for a server and after more than 10 minutes no one came to wait on us so we left. I never walk out of restaurants but this was beyond bad service. Never again.
(1)Patrick G.
PROS: If you just want to go in a get a beer, this is the spot on Main St. You don't have to wait an hour for a drink and play crowd control. CONS: Somewhat pricey and you better know EXACTLY what you want. No familiar beers on tap. Doesn't accept credit cards.
(3)Caroline B.
As far as the Manayunk bar scene goes, Flat Rock is not the best it has to offer. It's dingy and last time I was there, they were out of everything I had asked for. Everything. I was hardly asking for a particular type of imported wine or a potato vodka typically unavailable outside of Krakow. I will give Flat Rock two stars since Vinny, the bartender, seemed like a good guy but would urge you to check out Kildare's instead.
(2)Adam L.
Flat rock is my ideal choice for a quick beer after a long day. Don't forget to bring cash as they do not accept credit cards. However, an ATM is in the back.
(4)Kevin D.
One of my favorite spots in Manayunk. Very chill, great service, awesome beer selection. I don't believe I ever ate there, but the beer alone is worth a visit. Definitely check it out when they have an acoustic set. The talent is always pretty decent too.
(4)marki s.
We go hear first when we go to manyunk. Great place for a good beer and the food isn't bad either. But I have one major complaint! The men's room never ever has soap. Now I'm sure the bartenders and waiters and food staff all have clean hands but to think that every guy in that bar on a Friday and Saturday has not washed his hands is gross! I'm not a germaphobe but I'm not shaking any of my friends hands while I'm in there.
(3)Tina S.
Great chill bar if you want to avoid the noise of the typical Manayunk bars. Large selection of beers that pair perfectly with their daily mussel special, which is by far my favorite thing on the menu.
(4)Rob S.
Top 5 beer bars in the city. Period. [Edit: Since I wrote this review there are a bunch of new fantastic gastropubs. But we'll still say... top 10 beer bars????] Great selection of rotating beers all the time. And C-H-E-A-P to try new and interesting bottles. Great food here too with an expanding menu! Usually have very entertaining acoustic music acts at nights on the weekends. Only cons: limited draft selection, no soap in the men's room (gross...), no gun system so if you want water you have to pay for a bottle. And the TV quality leaves a bit to be desired if you want to watch a game. Don't worry about the cons... check it out.
(5)John N.
Waited over an hour for food. I had my server tell me 30 minutes after placing my order that what I ordered wasn't available! Not only did I leave hungry, but I was finding it hard to figure out what took my food one hour to arrive considering the place was not too crowded on a Saturday night. After reading other reviews, I have come to understand that this is a bar, and it was probably foolish of us to expect restaurant service with food. However, won't return. Small menu. Do not recommend. Overpriced.
(2)josh b.
I love Flat Rock! Theirs no cover to get in unlike many other Manayunk Bars and they have beers that you have never even heard of on tap at a resonable price. The best part is the live music that everyone loves to sing a long to while throwing back a couple. One negative: does not accept credit cards, but its only a minor thing...
(5)Greg L.
The Flat Rock has been one of my mainstays since it changed it's name from the Grove back in the early 90's. The food there is great. Things like the dressings and sauces are all hand made. They have a huge beer selection for reasonable prices. The owner, Bob, is one of the best bartenders in the city. Somehow, tools avoid the flatrock and it is always a great place to hang.
(5)Emily B.
does anybody else find it utterly ridiculous that you have to pay for water? i was trying to hydrate between drinks and asked the bartender for some H2O. he hands me a bottle and asks for a dollar... ummmm... is that legal? his response to that question was "is free music legal?" that doesn't even make sense! not going back.
(1)Ben T.
Best bar in Manayunk, and besides the Adobe Cafe its the only bar/restaurant establishment in all of Manayunk to even bother. Bartenders are some of the most knowledgeable
(4)V T.
amazing mussels. great selection of beer. live music closer to the weekend is great. cash bar only.
(3)Frank B.
This is a great bar to grab a beer. There selection is pretty awesome with a wide variety of micro-brews. Definitely one of the better beer bars around. With its laid back crowd It's one of the few bars in Manayunk that makes you forget that your in Manayunk. Prices are very reasonable and the specials include good beers.
(4)Leslie G.
Terrible service. I went on a weeknight for dinner and the server was rude, I was charged for water, they wouldn't let me take my leftovers home in a doggie bag, and they didn't accept credit cards. I had to take money out of the ATM, but the kicker is that the restaurant owns the ATM, and keeps the $2 surcharge. I own a small business and I could never imagine treating my customers so poorly. I will NEVER be back.
(1)Meghann p.
the only thing I do not like about this place.....CASH only and they only give bottled water (annoying for the DD sometimes) BUT still great beers and great wings!
(4)Jason R.
The Flat Rock Saloon was below average in most respects Service: We were given a single menu for a table of 5, but, in their defense, it was busy. Drinks: They had about 5 beers on tap and moderate bottled beer selection. They had some good beers available at reasonable prices. My group was a little annoyed by being given $1 bottled water when you ask for water and charged $2 per glass of fountain soda. Food: The group shared some wings, which were OK. I had a burger, which was 10 oz of unseasoned ground chuck. It was bland depite the fact that it was covered with smoked gouda. The order was medium-rare, but burger was medium to well-done. It tasted a bit charred and something had a funky smell. The french fries were undercooked as well. Needless to say, It was not enjoyable. cash only
(2)Micaela F.
I have been wondering about this place and also heard about their amazing specials. $19.95 all you can eat crab legs and 1/2 price mussels everyday...I have to try it. Drag the husband and now I know where to go for my mussels and crab legs fix. We order their Queso Jalepeno mussels and it was delicious. Came with a side of fries and a delicious dipping sauce. Their beer selections are great too.
(5)Mike S.
When I was first introduced to this gem several years ago, I was amazed by the wide variety and selection of beer. It was the beer-topia of Manayunk (sorry Pitchers). So many beers to choose from, only so many brain cells to kill. And pricing was reasonable. In the last few years, the bottle list has dwindled. The crowds have as well. It is still busy, but not the slam-packed bar it used to be. I remember squeezing into this place at 9pm, with no hopes of ever finding room at the bar. Nowadays it doesn't get too busy until after 10pm. Beer selection is still pretty good. Same bartender. Same food. Mussels seem to be the food of choice for patrons here. Pricing is still reasonable. Cash only. There is an ATM machine in the bar in case one always tends to use el pastique. Recently they installed a Golden Tee. My dream bar had come to fruition. And then sadly, it was gone last time I ventured in there. I can only hope it returns. There is nothing like playing a simulated game of golf and drinking decent beer.
(4)Emmett M.
The Flat Rock is nice bar to go relax with a good meal and a tasty beer in the evening. Weekend nights can bring in live music and bit of a crowd, but there's always window sills to sit on and walls to lean against until someone clears out. There are food specials here worth looking into, I like the roast beef. The beer selection here is the main draw because it is quite large and varied; every time I go there I can try a new beer. Has that saloon feel with the mirror behind the bar and varnished wood everywhere. I usually go to the back to eat so I never noticed a problem with lack of TV, and suspenders has generally always been friendly, but I've also been there when his service slipped a bit (usually weekend nights). This spot is probably my favorite on Main st. **Recently came here as the fourth stop in a long night so I don't know how accurate this info is, but last time I was there the beer selection seemed to have been cut drastically..... it could have been them transitioning into new beers, it could have been them limiting their selections permanently, or I could have imbibed too much and created the whole memory..... I plan on looking into it
(4)Jennifer B.
Food is disgusting. This place has really gone downhill.
(1)Rodge B.
A sh*tload of beers to choose from, lots of tables, and the wings are pretty good. Kind of a snooty crowd and cash bar.
(4)Tyler R.
Manayunk - Lenape for 'a place to drink'. Apparently the owners of the Flat Rock Saloon didn't get the memo because they DON'T HAVE TAP WATER. Bottled water only? Are we in Puerto Vallarta? I get it - this is the type of place that 'doesn't change for nobody'. That's great and all if you have a decent product, but the food is mediocre and the service was slow, rude, and condescending. Skip it, there are plenty of other better places in Manayunk to give your money to.
(1)Eric K.
Good wings and muscles. Awesome beer selection!
(3)Jake P.
The bartenders refused to serve me and my girlfriend water! This is the only time I was EVER refused tap water at a bar. Thanks for the thoughtless service and a little bit more of a tricky and unsafe ride home. Flat Rock Saloon will NEVER receive my business again.
(1)Kristina K.
Its the third time I've been to flatrock and it's always great! They have the best bloody mary by far in manayunk. The awesome bartender with the suspenders makes amazing drinks everytime! Their mussels are also some of the best around. From 5-7 everyday they have half priced mussels and about 10 or more types to choose from. I tried the spicy type and can't wait to try more! Finally, I had the earth burger last night and it was bangin. Perfectly cooked with a mushroom thyme topping, swiss cheese, and miso mayo. Yummm Will definitely come back again and again!
(4)David R.
Great bar on the corner, friendly staff, and food. Nice selection of beers in the bottle. Just a couple on tap.
(4)Caroline H.
My favorite bar in Manayunk. I love the fact you cannot order a Miller Lite here :) They have such a huge selection of beer and at great prices. When you go check out the chalkboards for the specials. I usually just work my way down the list! Most of the time you can get some good beers for only $2! They also have live music later at night. By the way its Cash only.
(5)Tom S.
Just dropped in tonight after a trip to Cactus nearby. I was impressed by this place, and disappointed that i was already full when I saw their 1/2 price mussels special was going on. Either way, we just got drinks, mine a bottle of Delerium Tremens and my lady's a draft of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (and i indulged in a $3 Tullamore shot). At 6 p.m., we avoided any kind of loud, late-night crowd and made note of the deep bottle list, but excruciatingly shallow draft list. Either way, I look forward to commenting on the food the next time I drop by.
(4)Laura D.
Flat Rock is a very laid back bar with a great beer selection. I've been to most of the bars in Manayunk numerous times, and this is where I come when I just want to have a couple good beers with friends. It's a great Thursday night bar... not too crowded, not too crazy. Weekends they have a guy play cover songs on acoustic guitar which is a nice touch. And there are good beer specials, usually $3 or $4. Did I mention the beer selection is awesome?
(4)Stefan N.
I didn't even bother reviewing some of the bars on tonight's pub crawl but this place demands a review. Right on main street in Manayunk. The beer selection and the specials are tasty and cheap. I am going to have to come back here and try more things off the menu. I am only rating this place as a bar but as a bar it is top notch and clean. I was there on a dead night so I don't know how they manage a crowd but the old man behind the bar was friendly and welcoming.
(5)matt h.
Went to Flat Rock to meet some friends for a brew on a Friday night. FRS isn't the type of place I would usually goto but I really enjoyed myself. They have an amazing selection of micro-brews and I noticed their bartenders were especially knowledgeable about them. I had not heard about some of them and asked about them and both of the 'tenders had a lot to say, and upon their recommendations I was very impressed. On this particular night they had a guy on acoustic guitar playing some phenomenal covers of Sublime, Marley, etc. Lets just say we went there with the intention of having one beer and moving on and we ended up staying all night.
(4)Sarah L.
My friend and I were out for an early evening drink and snack when we decided upon this place. First off the sever that we had was rude to us right off the bat when we weren't ready to order after looking at the menu for all of two minutes. He walked away shaking his head like he was so annoyed at us. When he brought us bottled water and we asked about tap water he cocked an attitude again with agitation in his voice. My friend and I have both spent many years in the service industry and neither of us were being unreasonable by any means. I would NEVER go back to this place again.
(1)Lindsey M.
Small, love thy neighbor place. Come here before 9 to get a spot at the bar or table. But the selection is hard to beat if you like beers. And I love the guy singing good ol' American rock classics with his acoustic guitar in the corner.
(5)Cerpin T.
Easily the best bar on Main Street. It typically lacks the popped collars and sweatbands on the forearm crews that seem to inhabit almost every other bar on Main Street. The beer selection is top-notch and the bar tenders are pretty knowledgeable about their trade. There is almost always a place to sit, which is great, to talk to your friends over one of the many bottled beers that I can guarantee you have never tasted before. The entertainment is pretty standard fare, your typical guy rocking an acoustic cover set that never seems to end, which is awesome. After a few hours of downing a couple of rounds, it is inevitable that you will be singing every single word to some mid-nineties classic that you haven't heard in a decade. Never had a bad time here and I am always willing to go back.
(5)Jocelyn B.
Flat Rock has a true 'Old World' pub feel to it. The beer selection is out of this world and changes frequently! All-U-Can-Eat Crab Leg night is a must! Their wings are also very good but I usually order them for the blue cheese which is absolutely AMAZING! (I keep meaning to ask what brand it is). Definitely a nice casual spot to go on a date or meet friends.
(4)Art S.
I love this bar. Outstanding selection of beers. Great service. Happy people. Tasty food. Good music. Fun times. When you consider your other options in Manayunk, like, oh, say, the Manayunk Brewery, which has pretty much the worst beer on the planet, Flat Rock looks even better. Even when this place is crowded, I still seem to have a good time here, which is a testament to the vibe this place exudes. It tends to be a young crowd here, but it's not to say you couldn't saddle up to the bar or grab a table with a few friends even if you're about to hit the big 3-0 like me. A quick note... last time I checked it was cash only, but there's ATM's all over Main St., so that shouldn't be an issue...
(5)Colleen M.
My friends and I always head to Flatrock first for a night out in Manayunk. It is hands down my favorite bar in Manayunk. On the weekends, they always have a guitar guy there playing live music, and they usually take requests. Their beer selection is amazing. They are always getting new beers from all over the world. It can get a bit crowded, but it's worth it. The crowd has a mix of older people, 20-somethings, and college students. It's cash only, so make sure to stop at an ATM on the way, although I think they have one there. Definitely go!
(5)Alick W.
The food here is very good and they have a good selection of beers. It's does have an old school saloon type of feel to it. I've read some of the other reviews and I agree on the bottled water. It is kinda of ridiculous they don't serve tap water here. They do have some of the best wings and mussels in the Philly area. It's chill and I really like the musicians they have on the weekends. It is more relaxed but on nights where they have live music, people do dance and it can be a really fun night. It's a place that I can really have a lot of fun on some nights and on others, the atmosphere can really put me to sleep. Good - Food, variety of beers, live music Bad - Does not serve tap water, bathrooms are disgusting, cash only.
(3)Adam L.
Flat rock is my ideal choice for a quick beer after a long day. Don't forget to bring cash as they do not accept credit cards. However, an ATM is in the back.
(4)Kevin D.
One of my favorite spots in Manayunk. Very chill, great service, awesome beer selection. I don't believe I ever ate there, but the beer alone is worth a visit. Definitely check it out when they have an acoustic set. The talent is always pretty decent too.
(4)Nick C.
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. First of all, it is 2014, start taking credit cards. I was charged a dollar for a water. After having to ask for a drink, at my table, after 10 minutes. It was not busy at all, no one was at the bar and there were 2 other tables. They took my friends order and 10 minutes later we had to go back up to the server to ask him to put in our other order since he only took one of our dinner orders. Asked for more napkins and got 2. Servers were basically not there, anytime I needed anything we had to stand up and ask for it because our server never ever came to our table on their own. avoiding from here on out.
(1)Katie P.
Flat Rock is one of my favorite aces to eat in manayunk. You can always get a table. The coveted outside tables are a little hard to get when there's nice weather. Excellent beer selection! Small amount on draft but they have a large bottle selection My fav part is their mussel deal! Everyday 5-7 is half priced mussels- meaning you get a giant bowl of mussels (6 different flavors- I recommend he Dijon) for $4. You can add a giant bowl of fries for another $4 for doping in the delicious broth. I suggest requesting they do not toast the bread because it's easier to sop up broth. Be aware it's a great deal so sometimes the mussels are a little small but can you really beat dinner for 2 with drinks for under $20.?! Cash only.
(5)Rebekah K.
Zero stars. Don't even bother trying to get a drink if you are brown skinned. Should have known when we read the 'Obamacare' and 'Illegal Immigrant' shot specials on the board. I have never experienced this kind of bs in Manayunk. If you are fortunate enough to be fair skinned, then feel free to enjoy a crowded bar full of underage frat boys spilling beer on the people sitting at tables. Oh, and you will also have the pleasure of meeting the finest gentlemen in Philadelphia who will tell the ladies waiting at the bar that they need to back it up so their pansy rears can pull a chair in front of you. These are just my observations while being profiled and blatantly ignored at the bar. We took our money elsewhere. JD McGillicuddy's around the corner welcomed us with open arms. Plus it's cleaner, bigger, more fun, and they serve us colored folks.
(1)Danielle D.
The bartender (young guy named Sal) is extremely rude and I am shocked that he is even in the service business still. I found a bug floating in my pint glass so I attempted to ask for a new glass to pour the rest of my beer in and he snatched the glass out of my hand, dumped it and walked away. He didn't say anything at all, a simple apology would have went a long way! (And a new clean glass would have great) When I said something, He slammed a new pint glass in front of me and walked away, still saying nothing. My friends and I immediately left. They only take cash.. and have a one person ladies room which is rough and causes a line and a bit of a wait to pee
(1)Thalie A.
This whole area has had a cool revamp over the years. There were always solid spots in Manayunk and this looks a winner too. My best friend & I had a hard time deciding where to stop then we saw there were musicians playing so went in. Good choice. Relaxed vibe, spaced out well, appropriate lighting & even the musicians set wasn't intrusive on our conversation. There's good service here and the main bar is well kept...shame about the toilets.
(3)Julie J.
Before you ever consider visiting this establishment, please read and consider the type of people that would run a business such as this. A reserved the upstairs at Flat Rock a month in advance for a 30th birthday party for my boyfriend scheduled for THIS weekend, I got the following email on THURSDAY less than 48 hours before the event: Hi Julie, I am so sorry to inform you that we will be unable to host your party on Saturday. I truly apologize for the inconvenience. We have to make immediate repairs to our kitchen in order to satisfy our insurance company. We only offer Open Bar Packages upstairs. Open Bar is not available downstairs. Thank you for your interest in The Flat Rock Saloon and hopefully you will think of us for your next event. My sincerest apology. Amy Talvacchia, Chef I responded with the following: Amy, The fact that you sent this as an email and didn't have the decency to call directly is both rude and unprofessional. It's completely unacceptable to cancel two days before the event and not offer any consolation, meaning offering the open bar downstairs or suggesting another venue that might be able to accommodate us. It is laughable that you suggest that I would consider you for a future event. Not only would I never, you can count on me writing an unfavorable review on Yelp. It's unfortunate for you that a positive experience spreads by word of mouth and a negative one spreads even faster. Julie This is the email I got in response: Julie, I could not call you, we only dealt through e-mail! The fact that you think cancelling is rude and unprofessional tells me that you have no idea what it is like to run a business, let alone a bar! I couldn't suggest another venue because you we getting a great deal, any other bar is going to offer you light beer, box wine and crap liquor!! I think it is laughable that I would ever consider hosting any kind of event for YOU! Go to Mad River the serve just your type! As for Yelp, been in business 20 years and no one pay attention to that crap! __________________________________________________Â_____________ It is unreal that anyone would do business this way! It's no wonder they are in trouble with their insurance company and have been trying to sell the business for years! I hope you reading this will prove her WRONG and show her that people do pay attention to Yelp reviews and that there are plenty of other bars that offer good beers and way better customer service!
(1)Gina M.
Now I was only here for like an hour maybe two tops but It was a good time. We had live music and a great beer selection. The servers, bouncers, and bartenders were awesome! However, you couldn't move in there. Seriously. It got so crowded that we were literally being like pushed out of our seats because of the crowd. Crazy. Also, the drinks were very expensive. Almost too expensive for me. And when I ordered my anticipated Malibu bay breeze, they did NOT use coconut rum. Oh boy the regular rum did not taste good. But we were already pushed away from the bar at that point so there was no asking for the right drink. I don't know if I'll be back, truthfully.
(2)Jessica G.
Horrible horrible horrible! Rude management and staff. This is truly a terrible establishment in so many ways. Food is horrible, drinks are even worse. Don't even attempt to setup an open bar for an event with them because they will cancel on you less than 48 hours before! They do not deserve anyone's business. Don't waste your money or time!
(1)Kevin J.
Wish I could give negative stars. This is by far the worst bar I have ever been to. Just dont go here. There are so many better bars within 100 yards of this shithole
(1)Adam C.
I suppose if you're going there to drink beer I would still recommend the place but for any other reason I simply can't. My friend has a birthday tradition of AYCE Crab legs and her birthday happened to fall on a Monday which is how we ended up at this place. I had already done my yelp research prior to coming so I was aware of the idiosyncrasies of the place but not the severity. I'll also say that I am much more patient than she is and her impatience was a partial factor to the disastrous experience. One of the oddities about this place is the bar tender's flat out refusal to serve a glass of water. I knew in advance that this is their policy and I tried to have a conversation with him to find out why he would cling to such a ridiculous stance when nearly every negative review the place gets is over that . He gave me attitude but no explanation. I had actually meant to stop at a Wawa and buy a gallon of water, just to kind of stick it to them but I forgot. No biggie. It was a beer night anyway. Nevertheless, bizarre. We got there and there were a few other groups for the crab legs. We ordered our beers and expressed our intentions to eat crabs. Then we waited...and waited...and waited and finally got our beer. then we waited...and waited...and waited...and waited...and finally the crab legs came out. Maybe we should have waited a touch longer because they were mostly cold to the touch and my Friend said that the one she grabbed was actually still frozen. Of course we sent the plate back much to the grumbling of the bar tender/ waiter. If it had just been me I might have waited it out but as I mentioned above my friend has a shorter fuse than I do. Between the bad attitude and the slow service we decided not to stay. Since there was nobody available to complain to we left enough to cover the beer on the table and walked up the street to change her birthday tradition to Sushi.
(1)Jr F.
Disappointed to say the least. They have a 'good' beer list, but that's the only good thing about this place. I ordered the American Burger and it was burnt. On the menu, they said it had a tangy sauce with caramlized onions. I did not see any onions or tasted any of the sauce. My fiance ordered the pork bbq platter. The pork looked like throw up and her veggies were burnt as well. The waiter was nice though. Their bathroom had no soap in it, and it looked like something out of Orwell's 1984.
(1)Kory S.
Okay I have to weigh in here. My friends and I came to Flatty's MOST TUESDAYS FOR FOUR YEARS. Authority! It is still our favorite bar... probably in the whole of Philadelphia. I'm going to do this review in phases. WHAT IT USED TO BE: Flat Rocks c2005 was absolutely perfect. It had the best beer list outside Monks and maybe Eulogy. It wasn't overrun by hipsters, it didn't overcharge, and there was always something new to try. Most nights you came in the place was wall-to-wall people. They had some of the best cover musicians and the occasional Kenn Kwedder sighting. By midnight every person in the place would be singing. It was like something out of a Dickens novel. We used to take down 200 of the BEST WINGS IVE EVER HAD. We'd routinely pick a beer and clean them out of it by nights end. Did I mention "we" averaged 10-15 people. Yep we paid for bottles of water, no we didn't get refills on soda, yes we occasionally would not get the male servers and had terrible service, no we never were served shots. It didn't matter. This place was perfect. WHAT IT BECAME: Somewhere toward 2008 aka the Great Recession the place started to struggle. The beer list dropped. The prices hovered. Drink specials were increasingly irrelevant. Wing Nights (the greatest night of all) were no longer wall to wall. Where we used to cut out of work early to send a scout to hold tables, now we walked in at 7pm and had our choice. The music was gone. The planned upstairs expansion was dormant. But we still came, every Tuesday. We still ate 200 wings. And they still treated us like family. And no that doesn't mean free drinks. I'm not sure we ever got freebies in those days. Nope not even water. And that was fine. WHAT IT IS NOW: It's recovered. The beer list is back up and running. Despite what I'm reading here THE FOOD IS STILL AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOP NOTCH. Top to bottom on the menu, no question. And trust me we were a picky bunch so that statement does not come lightly. I'm told the music is back. There's even word of Sal sightings- the best waiter we ever had there. It's so good to see that they are returning to former glory. The owner/head bartender works his butt off EVERY NIGHT. He has kept this thing going and hasn't compromised his standards of what he wants Flat Rocks to be. There were probably plenty of opportunities to turn this into TGI McScratchy's or Kildare's II but he didn't. Not even close. For those of us that love Flatty's for everything it is and everything it is not, this place is perfect. If you are looking for your typical bar experience this probably isn't the place. It's Philly through and through-- its not the best but it doesn't care but it's not all hipstery about that. There may not be toilet paper in the bathroom... heck the door may not even lock. You can get shots now but don't hope for bombers and crap like that. For every review that says "I can't understand why they don't do X" the reason is that they don't want YOU there. I can't think of a more Philadelphia statement than that right there. So call up your best friends, maybe your dad, add in a few people that just moved to Philly, your cousin that just turned 21, and maybe a foreign exchange student. Get to Flatty's and try to sit in Sal's section. Order a stupid amount of wings. Bring a lot of cash. Grab a big table and have a lot of fun. You won't be able to do this at any other bar. You're welcome.
(5)Nick D.
Having lived in the Manayunk area for the past 3 years, there hasn't been a bar I've been to more than the good old Flat Rock. More often than not, on a weekend free to travelling, you'll find my friends and I with 2-4 tables pushed together drinking some great beers and singing along like assholes to whatever acoustic guitarist/singer is playing that night. During the week it's a relaxed place to get some dinner with a great, warm interior without being super busy, and on Friday and Saturday nights, it's exactly the place you want to start/spend/end the night. There's a great beer selection (although recently it's tapered into around 50 beers at a time), regularly-rotating specials (giving you the chance to try beers that you wouldn't normally buy at $6 a pop), enough room for you and plenty of friends, TVs for sports, live music on weekends to obnoxiously sing along to, old bartenders (who wear suspenders and seem like they've worked there since they were 15 years old back in nineteen tickety-two), and just enough outdoor tables (that if you get there early enough to snag one during nice weather in the summer, you feel like the Mayor of Manayunk), and chicks actually go there! WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR? (Actually, one thing they could use: A more private toilet in the men's room. Oh, and a toilet paper dispenser - I can only imagine the poor souls that go #2, only to realize they have to wipe with their shirt/boxers. You've been warned!) Another warning: It's cash only, and their ATM has a ridiculous service fee, so Ladies - Bring some cash! I can't afford to buy ALL of you drinks! If you hate this place, I hate you. Seriously.
(5)Elizabeth F.
I boycott this place because they will not give you water. You must but a bottle from them. What a shame.
(1)Taylor K.
Went here yesterday for all you can eat crabs with my dad and fiancé and they were awesome. Some places are so expensive and barely give you any or just aren't that great but these were definitely worth the $25 a person we paid. The only downfall of this spot is their service is not that great. We were the only customers there and it took the bartender a decent amount of time to take our order and even ask if we wanted a drink. I would definitely recommend going here but just be aware that you won't be getting great service with your food.
(3)Sunia M.
Got the saloon blue burger to satisfy an emergency burger craving. Absolutely satisfied!
(3)Kelly N.
I heard great things about this place (food, entertainment, service, etc) but one night when I tried to enter, the bouncer would not allow my friend to enter. It wasn't so much that this bouncer did not let her in that forces me to give Flat Rock a one-star review, but more so because he was undeniably rude. Upon entering, the bouncer says to my friend "what, are you cold?" (It was indeed a cold winter night). My friend says yes, and takes out her license. Then the bouncer says "we don't accept ID's without a credit card to verify your ID, and if you want to show me your Facebook then that's been done before." Then he laughs...My friends and I were shocked by how unwelcoming this bouncer was so we just left! We did not want to give service to someone who represented this business. I plan to come back another time because I want to experience what is Flat Rock but and I hope it's friendlier than my first experience!
(1)Caroline B.
As far as the Manayunk bar scene goes, Flat Rock is not the best it has to offer. It's dingy and last time I was there, they were out of everything I had asked for. Everything. I was hardly asking for a particular type of imported wine or a potato vodka typically unavailable outside of Krakow. I will give Flat Rock two stars since Vinny, the bartender, seemed like a good guy but would urge you to check out Kildare's instead.
(2)Chris M.
This is my favorite bar ever. I used to live in Manayunk, about 2 blocks from Flat Rock. My wife and I would go to Flat Rock around 4 times a week when we lived there. We try to make it there around once a month or so now that we moved out of Manayunk. Their beer selection is phenomenal. You'll see a chalk board full of beers on the back wall, categorizing beers into domestics, imports, and Belgians. And, even better, the prices are super-reasonable. Beers start around $3. They also have several 750ml bottles of beer that you can share. An unexpected treat from Flat Rock is the food. The ambiance is that of a bar so you might not expect very well-prepared food. The standard bar fare is good (love the wings and the nachos), but they also have more creative dishes as specials. But, the best, by far, reason to go to Flat Rock is Vinnie the bartender. Vinnie is great. Flat Rock gets very crowded on weekend nights (and on some weekdays), so you might want to get there early to get a seat. Also, as anywhere in Manayunk, parking can be an issue, especially on the weekends. Most importantly: 1) Flat Rock is cash-only and 2) Do not attempt to order a Coors Light here.
(5)Amanda G.
This place was such a surprise when I went there for the first time. I wasn't expecting good food, but everything I've ever ordered has been awesome. The mussles, the pierogies (when they were on special), and all of the sandwiches. Delicious! I thought this would just be a good place to get beer, but it's so much more. The older guy with the suspenders who can always be found behind the bar has so much knowledge about beer it's kind of obscene. He'll help you find something you like or help you find something new to try. Overall this is a great place!
(4)marki s.
We go hear first when we go to manyunk. Great place for a good beer and the food isn't bad either. But I have one major complaint! The men's room never ever has soap. Now I'm sure the bartenders and waiters and food staff all have clean hands but to think that every guy in that bar on a Friday and Saturday has not washed his hands is gross! I'm not a germaphobe but I'm not shaking any of my friends hands while I'm in there.
(3)Tina S.
Great chill bar if you want to avoid the noise of the typical Manayunk bars. Large selection of beers that pair perfectly with their daily mussel special, which is by far my favorite thing on the menu.
(4)Rob S.
Top 5 beer bars in the city. Period. [Edit: Since I wrote this review there are a bunch of new fantastic gastropubs. But we'll still say... top 10 beer bars????] Great selection of rotating beers all the time. And C-H-E-A-P to try new and interesting bottles. Great food here too with an expanding menu! Usually have very entertaining acoustic music acts at nights on the weekends. Only cons: limited draft selection, no soap in the men's room (gross...), no gun system so if you want water you have to pay for a bottle. And the TV quality leaves a bit to be desired if you want to watch a game. Don't worry about the cons... check it out.
(5)Noell M.
Hands down, without a doubt, my favorite watering hole in Philadelphia! The amalgamation of the food menu, the beer selection, and the staff make this place near and dear to my heart. While living in Manayunk (only 2 blocks away from Main Street) my husband and I would frequent the Rock about 3-4 times a week. We now live a bit further away but still try our hardest to get there at least a few times a years. It is definitely worth a drive and fighting the hills of Manayunk to be able to pull up a chair at the bar and enjoy the Flat Rock goodness! Seasonal beers, micro brews, and boutique beers adorn the ever changing and always refreshing beer list. As one reviewer mentioned....do not attempt to order Coors, Corona, Miller, etc. While the bartenders and staff will try to steer you in the right direction (in terms of beer choice), don't be "that" guy or girl who puts up a fuss because you can't get your Bud Light Lime or MGD. They also have a full liquor bar.....my suggestions: a dirty Arnold Palmer or the raspberry vodka with fresh squeezed lemonade. The food menu is a departure from normal bar fare. Interesting soups, salads, and sandwiches (and rotating specials) come as a pleasant and unexpected surprise. The food is always fresh, innovative, and extremely well prepared. When you go try to get Vinnie as your bartender.....he is seriously the best in the biz! A few other notes: cash only, outdoor tables (in the spring/summer), live musicians, and plenty of TV's to watch the game.
(5)Tracy S.
Bad experience! We walked in and sat at the bar, which was not at all crowded, and the bartender took several minutes to even acknowledge that we were there. He continued to talk to someone at the other end of the bar. When he eventually walked over he was not only unapologetic but he acted as if we were inconveniencing him by being there and wanting to order drinks. Although, I should note that we were immediately greeted by the unpleasant odor of stale beer and dirty bar as soon as we walked in the establishment. After, the rude bartender finally acknowledged our existence we asked for menus and went to sit outside because the inside of the restaurant was very dirty, smelly and uncomfortable. We sat outside waiting for a server and after more than 10 minutes no one came to wait on us so we left. I never walk out of restaurants but this was beyond bad service. Never again.
(1)Patrick G.
PROS: If you just want to go in a get a beer, this is the spot on Main St. You don't have to wait an hour for a drink and play crowd control. CONS: Somewhat pricey and you better know EXACTLY what you want. No familiar beers on tap. Doesn't accept credit cards.
(3)Jason R.
The Flat Rock Saloon was below average in most respects Service: We were given a single menu for a table of 5, but, in their defense, it was busy. Drinks: They had about 5 beers on tap and moderate bottled beer selection. They had some good beers available at reasonable prices. My group was a little annoyed by being given $1 bottled water when you ask for water and charged $2 per glass of fountain soda. Food: The group shared some wings, which were OK. I had a burger, which was 10 oz of unseasoned ground chuck. It was bland depite the fact that it was covered with smoked gouda. The order was medium-rare, but burger was medium to well-done. It tasted a bit charred and something had a funky smell. The french fries were undercooked as well. Needless to say, It was not enjoyable. cash only
(2)Micaela F.
I have been wondering about this place and also heard about their amazing specials. $19.95 all you can eat crab legs and 1/2 price mussels everyday...I have to try it. Drag the husband and now I know where to go for my mussels and crab legs fix. We order their Queso Jalepeno mussels and it was delicious. Came with a side of fries and a delicious dipping sauce. Their beer selections are great too.
(5)Mike S.
When I was first introduced to this gem several years ago, I was amazed by the wide variety and selection of beer. It was the beer-topia of Manayunk (sorry Pitchers). So many beers to choose from, only so many brain cells to kill. And pricing was reasonable. In the last few years, the bottle list has dwindled. The crowds have as well. It is still busy, but not the slam-packed bar it used to be. I remember squeezing into this place at 9pm, with no hopes of ever finding room at the bar. Nowadays it doesn't get too busy until after 10pm. Beer selection is still pretty good. Same bartender. Same food. Mussels seem to be the food of choice for patrons here. Pricing is still reasonable. Cash only. There is an ATM machine in the bar in case one always tends to use el pastique. Recently they installed a Golden Tee. My dream bar had come to fruition. And then sadly, it was gone last time I ventured in there. I can only hope it returns. There is nothing like playing a simulated game of golf and drinking decent beer.
(4)Emmett M.
The Flat Rock is nice bar to go relax with a good meal and a tasty beer in the evening. Weekend nights can bring in live music and bit of a crowd, but there's always window sills to sit on and walls to lean against until someone clears out. There are food specials here worth looking into, I like the roast beef. The beer selection here is the main draw because it is quite large and varied; every time I go there I can try a new beer. Has that saloon feel with the mirror behind the bar and varnished wood everywhere. I usually go to the back to eat so I never noticed a problem with lack of TV, and suspenders has generally always been friendly, but I've also been there when his service slipped a bit (usually weekend nights). This spot is probably my favorite on Main st. **Recently came here as the fourth stop in a long night so I don't know how accurate this info is, but last time I was there the beer selection seemed to have been cut drastically..... it could have been them transitioning into new beers, it could have been them limiting their selections permanently, or I could have imbibed too much and created the whole memory..... I plan on looking into it
(4)Jennifer B.
Food is disgusting. This place has really gone downhill.
(1)Kristina K.
Its the third time I've been to flatrock and it's always great! They have the best bloody mary by far in manayunk. The awesome bartender with the suspenders makes amazing drinks everytime! Their mussels are also some of the best around. From 5-7 everyday they have half priced mussels and about 10 or more types to choose from. I tried the spicy type and can't wait to try more! Finally, I had the earth burger last night and it was bangin. Perfectly cooked with a mushroom thyme topping, swiss cheese, and miso mayo. Yummm Will definitely come back again and again!
(4)amanda h.
I literally live two blocks from this place, so resisting their 30 cent wings on Tuesday is a losing battle for me. I am dying to know what kind of blue cheese they use. Beer selection is great & reasonably priced. They usually have anywhere from 3-4 ciders available- which is nice for me since I don't drink beer. Wish their Lambic was a little cheaper, but I can't manage $13 for a pint. Their burgers are by far the best on Main Street with thick homemade patties & hand cut fries. The lamb sliders are pretty choice, too. The ambiance is somewhere between your classic pub & a dive bar. My only real quibble with this place is if you go anytime after 7 you'll end up waiting for a table for up to 20 minutes. Oh, and don't expect the bartender/owner to be very attentive, gotta wave that dude down if you want some service!
(4)Christina B.
I like going to this bar. It's an older crowd usually. They have different beer and drinks. I always forget they don't take cash. It can look a little run down, but if you're worried about drinking only, it's a great place.
(3)David R.
Great bar on the corner, friendly staff, and food. Nice selection of beers in the bottle. Just a couple on tap.
(4)Caroline H.
My favorite bar in Manayunk. I love the fact you cannot order a Miller Lite here :) They have such a huge selection of beer and at great prices. When you go check out the chalkboards for the specials. I usually just work my way down the list! Most of the time you can get some good beers for only $2! They also have live music later at night. By the way its Cash only.
(5)Tom S.
Just dropped in tonight after a trip to Cactus nearby. I was impressed by this place, and disappointed that i was already full when I saw their 1/2 price mussels special was going on. Either way, we just got drinks, mine a bottle of Delerium Tremens and my lady's a draft of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (and i indulged in a $3 Tullamore shot). At 6 p.m., we avoided any kind of loud, late-night crowd and made note of the deep bottle list, but excruciatingly shallow draft list. Either way, I look forward to commenting on the food the next time I drop by.
(4)Rodge B.
A sh*tload of beers to choose from, lots of tables, and the wings are pretty good. Kind of a snooty crowd and cash bar.
(4)Tyler R.
Manayunk - Lenape for 'a place to drink'. Apparently the owners of the Flat Rock Saloon didn't get the memo because they DON'T HAVE TAP WATER. Bottled water only? Are we in Puerto Vallarta? I get it - this is the type of place that 'doesn't change for nobody'. That's great and all if you have a decent product, but the food is mediocre and the service was slow, rude, and condescending. Skip it, there are plenty of other better places in Manayunk to give your money to.
(1)Eric K.
Good wings and muscles. Awesome beer selection!
(3)Jake P.
The bartenders refused to serve me and my girlfriend water! This is the only time I was EVER refused tap water at a bar. Thanks for the thoughtless service and a little bit more of a tricky and unsafe ride home. Flat Rock Saloon will NEVER receive my business again.
(1)Laura D.
Flat Rock is a very laid back bar with a great beer selection. I've been to most of the bars in Manayunk numerous times, and this is where I come when I just want to have a couple good beers with friends. It's a great Thursday night bar... not too crowded, not too crazy. Weekends they have a guy play cover songs on acoustic guitar which is a nice touch. And there are good beer specials, usually $3 or $4. Did I mention the beer selection is awesome?
(4)Stefan N.
I didn't even bother reviewing some of the bars on tonight's pub crawl but this place demands a review. Right on main street in Manayunk. The beer selection and the specials are tasty and cheap. I am going to have to come back here and try more things off the menu. I am only rating this place as a bar but as a bar it is top notch and clean. I was there on a dead night so I don't know how they manage a crowd but the old man behind the bar was friendly and welcoming.
(5)matt h.
Went to Flat Rock to meet some friends for a brew on a Friday night. FRS isn't the type of place I would usually goto but I really enjoyed myself. They have an amazing selection of micro-brews and I noticed their bartenders were especially knowledgeable about them. I had not heard about some of them and asked about them and both of the 'tenders had a lot to say, and upon their recommendations I was very impressed. On this particular night they had a guy on acoustic guitar playing some phenomenal covers of Sublime, Marley, etc. Lets just say we went there with the intention of having one beer and moving on and we ended up staying all night.
(4)Sarah L.
My friend and I were out for an early evening drink and snack when we decided upon this place. First off the sever that we had was rude to us right off the bat when we weren't ready to order after looking at the menu for all of two minutes. He walked away shaking his head like he was so annoyed at us. When he brought us bottled water and we asked about tap water he cocked an attitude again with agitation in his voice. My friend and I have both spent many years in the service industry and neither of us were being unreasonable by any means. I would NEVER go back to this place again.
(1)Lindsey M.
Small, love thy neighbor place. Come here before 9 to get a spot at the bar or table. But the selection is hard to beat if you like beers. And I love the guy singing good ol' American rock classics with his acoustic guitar in the corner.
(5)Jocelyn B.
Flat Rock has a true 'Old World' pub feel to it. The beer selection is out of this world and changes frequently! All-U-Can-Eat Crab Leg night is a must! Their wings are also very good but I usually order them for the blue cheese which is absolutely AMAZING! (I keep meaning to ask what brand it is). Definitely a nice casual spot to go on a date or meet friends.
(4)Art S.
I love this bar. Outstanding selection of beers. Great service. Happy people. Tasty food. Good music. Fun times. When you consider your other options in Manayunk, like, oh, say, the Manayunk Brewery, which has pretty much the worst beer on the planet, Flat Rock looks even better. Even when this place is crowded, I still seem to have a good time here, which is a testament to the vibe this place exudes. It tends to be a young crowd here, but it's not to say you couldn't saddle up to the bar or grab a table with a few friends even if you're about to hit the big 3-0 like me. A quick note... last time I checked it was cash only, but there's ATM's all over Main St., so that shouldn't be an issue...
(5)Emily B.
does anybody else find it utterly ridiculous that you have to pay for water? i was trying to hydrate between drinks and asked the bartender for some H2O. he hands me a bottle and asks for a dollar... ummmm... is that legal? his response to that question was "is free music legal?" that doesn't even make sense! not going back.
(1)Ben T.
Best bar in Manayunk, and besides the Adobe Cafe its the only bar/restaurant establishment in all of Manayunk to even bother. Bartenders are some of the most knowledgeable
(4)V T.
amazing mussels. great selection of beer. live music closer to the weekend is great. cash bar only.
(3)Frank B.
This is a great bar to grab a beer. There selection is pretty awesome with a wide variety of micro-brews. Definitely one of the better beer bars around. With its laid back crowd It's one of the few bars in Manayunk that makes you forget that your in Manayunk. Prices are very reasonable and the specials include good beers.
(4)Leslie G.
Terrible service. I went on a weeknight for dinner and the server was rude, I was charged for water, they wouldn't let me take my leftovers home in a doggie bag, and they didn't accept credit cards. I had to take money out of the ATM, but the kicker is that the restaurant owns the ATM, and keeps the $2 surcharge. I own a small business and I could never imagine treating my customers so poorly. I will NEVER be back.
(1)Meghann p.
the only thing I do not like about this place.....CASH only and they only give bottled water (annoying for the DD sometimes) BUT still great beers and great wings!
(4)Fred M.
I highly recommend against going here. If I could have given this place negative stars I would have. Our waiter was incredibly rude. We ordered glasses of water and he brought us bottled water. At first I was thinking, "ok, this guy is not only rude but is trying to run up the bill, that's fine I'll get tap water next time." So we ask him for tap water the next time around and he says (verbatim), "We don't have tap water." What? Is this some kind of joke. There is ice in our sodas and water in the toilets and I'm pretty sure they aren't using bottled water for that. So we started to make our way through our crabs (that we waited 45 minutes for after ordering while there were no more than 6 other patrons), we started to get really thirsty, mainly because they were way over seasoned with old bay and salt. In an attempt not to overpay any more for my meal I confronted the surly waiter again, away from the table. I said, "do you really not have tap water, isn't their ice in our glasses?" to which he replies, "we have it, we just don't serve it." I asked him if that was even legal and he told me, "yea it's legal, we have been doing it for 22 years." Are you EFFING kidding me?! Did I just find myself transported to a bistro in Paris where they only serve Perrier? No, I'm in this dumpy saloon in Manayunk paying too much for mediocre food, so why don't you spare me the hassle and bring me a cot damn glass water. I literally have never tipped less than 15% on a meal but I was determined to do so today. Screwed again. we had over 6 people at our table so this a-hole is getting a very much undeserved 18% tip. I have never been so close to walking out on a check in my entire life. Oh yea, they only take cash so bring lots because you'll need it. Do yourself a favor, walk ten feet in any direction on main street AWAY from this place. It boggles my mind how a place like this can stay in business when there are so many fine restaurants in Manayunk. Oh yea, let me also ad that the coupon for 10% off the food portion of your meal that you can print online is a load of bull. They don't accept it. don't waste your printer paper.
(1)Michael F.
A great selection of beers both on tap and by the bottle, live music that doesn't make your ears bleed, and no cover will make you smile. Food that is pretty much what you expect won't shake this rating. Forgetting that it is cash only might irk you a bit. However, the lack any customer focus kept this Saloon from a higher performance. Other Notes: 1) While prices are reasonable for the beer selection, it isn't exactly Manayunk cheap (again cash only). 2) A slightly older crowd for Manayunk.
(3)Lauren W.
There are plenty of other reviews, I'm assuming because I didn't have the attention span to read them all, that will tell you the vast selection of what I surmised to be excellent craft, local, and other delicious beers. I, unfortunately, do not have the palate for good beers. I like Budweiser. Yum. But my friends threatened to make me sit by myself if I ordered one there. So I got a Bloody Mary, one of my favorite drinks of all time. Holy intense experience, batman. Go get it right now. Go when the owner (?) is there, an older man who always seems to be wearing a white shirt and suspenders. It may take 10 minutes, but because he makes them FROM SCRATCH. Hand trimmed celery. Scooped horseradish. Cracked black pepper. Celery salt. Hot sauce. That's all I can say without salivating an embarassing amount. Go get the bloody mary! And I guess the ambiance is cool, everybody is chill, blah blah blah. Bloody Mary!
(4)Colleen M.
My friends and I always head to Flatrock first for a night out in Manayunk. It is hands down my favorite bar in Manayunk. On the weekends, they always have a guitar guy there playing live music, and they usually take requests. Their beer selection is amazing. They are always getting new beers from all over the world. It can get a bit crowded, but it's worth it. The crowd has a mix of older people, 20-somethings, and college students. It's cash only, so make sure to stop at an ATM on the way, although I think they have one there. Definitely go!
(5)trish g.
Great beer selection! Lots of new varieties in bottle and on tap rotating in and out. Wing night is Tuesdays -- this place gets pretty busy then. The menu is really interesting. I haven't tried a lot but what I've had was pretty tasty and affordable. The guys running the place are very nice, but sometimes they are super busy and you may have to work it to catch their attention. Overall, I really like it here, it's friendly and has a good vibe. A refreshing change from many Main Street establishments. They have a good sense of humor too - sometimes offering funny items on their chalkboard, like "Beers for Men" and other treats.
(4)Cerpin T.
Easily the best bar on Main Street. It typically lacks the popped collars and sweatbands on the forearm crews that seem to inhabit almost every other bar on Main Street. The beer selection is top-notch and the bar tenders are pretty knowledgeable about their trade. There is almost always a place to sit, which is great, to talk to your friends over one of the many bottled beers that I can guarantee you have never tasted before. The entertainment is pretty standard fare, your typical guy rocking an acoustic cover set that never seems to end, which is awesome. After a few hours of downing a couple of rounds, it is inevitable that you will be singing every single word to some mid-nineties classic that you haven't heard in a decade. Never had a bad time here and I am always willing to go back.
(5)John N.
Waited over an hour for food. I had my server tell me 30 minutes after placing my order that what I ordered wasn't available! Not only did I leave hungry, but I was finding it hard to figure out what took my food one hour to arrive considering the place was not too crowded on a Saturday night. After reading other reviews, I have come to understand that this is a bar, and it was probably foolish of us to expect restaurant service with food. However, won't return. Small menu. Do not recommend. Overpriced.
(2)josh b.
I love Flat Rock! Theirs no cover to get in unlike many other Manayunk Bars and they have beers that you have never even heard of on tap at a resonable price. The best part is the live music that everyone loves to sing a long to while throwing back a couple. One negative: does not accept credit cards, but its only a minor thing...
(5)Greg L.
The Flat Rock has been one of my mainstays since it changed it's name from the Grove back in the early 90's. The food there is great. Things like the dressings and sauces are all hand made. They have a huge beer selection for reasonable prices. The owner, Bob, is one of the best bartenders in the city. Somehow, tools avoid the flatrock and it is always a great place to hang.
(5)Jr F.
Disappointed to say the least. They have a 'good' beer list, but that's the only good thing about this place. I ordered the American Burger and it was burnt. On the menu, they said it had a tangy sauce with caramlized onions. I did not see any onions or tasted any of the sauce. My fiance ordered the pork bbq platter. The pork looked like throw up and her veggies were burnt as well. The waiter was nice though. Their bathroom had no soap in it, and it looked like something out of Orwell's 1984.
(1)Nick C.
If I could give this place 0 stars I would. First of all, it is 2014, start taking credit cards. I was charged a dollar for a water. After having to ask for a drink, at my table, after 10 minutes. It was not busy at all, no one was at the bar and there were 2 other tables. They took my friends order and 10 minutes later we had to go back up to the server to ask him to put in our other order since he only took one of our dinner orders. Asked for more napkins and got 2. Servers were basically not there, anytime I needed anything we had to stand up and ask for it because our server never ever came to our table on their own. avoiding from here on out.
(1)Jessica G.
Horrible horrible horrible! Rude management and staff. This is truly a terrible establishment in so many ways. Food is horrible, drinks are even worse. Don't even attempt to setup an open bar for an event with them because they will cancel on you less than 48 hours before! They do not deserve anyone's business. Don't waste your money or time!
(1)Kevin J.
Wish I could give negative stars. This is by far the worst bar I have ever been to. Just dont go here. There are so many better bars within 100 yards of this shithole
(1)Adam C.
I suppose if you're going there to drink beer I would still recommend the place but for any other reason I simply can't. My friend has a birthday tradition of AYCE Crab legs and her birthday happened to fall on a Monday which is how we ended up at this place. I had already done my yelp research prior to coming so I was aware of the idiosyncrasies of the place but not the severity. I'll also say that I am much more patient than she is and her impatience was a partial factor to the disastrous experience. One of the oddities about this place is the bar tender's flat out refusal to serve a glass of water. I knew in advance that this is their policy and I tried to have a conversation with him to find out why he would cling to such a ridiculous stance when nearly every negative review the place gets is over that . He gave me attitude but no explanation. I had actually meant to stop at a Wawa and buy a gallon of water, just to kind of stick it to them but I forgot. No biggie. It was a beer night anyway. Nevertheless, bizarre. We got there and there were a few other groups for the crab legs. We ordered our beers and expressed our intentions to eat crabs. Then we waited...and waited...and waited and finally got our beer. then we waited...and waited...and waited...and waited...and finally the crab legs came out. Maybe we should have waited a touch longer because they were mostly cold to the touch and my Friend said that the one she grabbed was actually still frozen. Of course we sent the plate back much to the grumbling of the bar tender/ waiter. If it had just been me I might have waited it out but as I mentioned above my friend has a shorter fuse than I do. Between the bad attitude and the slow service we decided not to stay. Since there was nobody available to complain to we left enough to cover the beer on the table and walked up the street to change her birthday tradition to Sushi.
(1)Katie P.
Flat Rock is one of my favorite aces to eat in manayunk. You can always get a table. The coveted outside tables are a little hard to get when there's nice weather. Excellent beer selection! Small amount on draft but they have a large bottle selection My fav part is their mussel deal! Everyday 5-7 is half priced mussels- meaning you get a giant bowl of mussels (6 different flavors- I recommend he Dijon) for $4. You can add a giant bowl of fries for another $4 for doping in the delicious broth. I suggest requesting they do not toast the bread because it's easier to sop up broth. Be aware it's a great deal so sometimes the mussels are a little small but can you really beat dinner for 2 with drinks for under $20.?! Cash only.
(5)Rebekah K.
Zero stars. Don't even bother trying to get a drink if you are brown skinned. Should have known when we read the 'Obamacare' and 'Illegal Immigrant' shot specials on the board. I have never experienced this kind of bs in Manayunk. If you are fortunate enough to be fair skinned, then feel free to enjoy a crowded bar full of underage frat boys spilling beer on the people sitting at tables. Oh, and you will also have the pleasure of meeting the finest gentlemen in Philadelphia who will tell the ladies waiting at the bar that they need to back it up so their pansy rears can pull a chair in front of you. These are just my observations while being profiled and blatantly ignored at the bar. We took our money elsewhere. JD McGillicuddy's around the corner welcomed us with open arms. Plus it's cleaner, bigger, more fun, and they serve us colored folks.
(1)Danielle D.
The bartender (young guy named Sal) is extremely rude and I am shocked that he is even in the service business still. I found a bug floating in my pint glass so I attempted to ask for a new glass to pour the rest of my beer in and he snatched the glass out of my hand, dumped it and walked away. He didn't say anything at all, a simple apology would have went a long way! (And a new clean glass would have great) When I said something, He slammed a new pint glass in front of me and walked away, still saying nothing. My friends and I immediately left. They only take cash.. and have a one person ladies room which is rough and causes a line and a bit of a wait to pee
(1)Thalie A.
This whole area has had a cool revamp over the years. There were always solid spots in Manayunk and this looks a winner too. My best friend & I had a hard time deciding where to stop then we saw there were musicians playing so went in. Good choice. Relaxed vibe, spaced out well, appropriate lighting & even the musicians set wasn't intrusive on our conversation. There's good service here and the main bar is well kept...shame about the toilets.
(3)Julie J.
Before you ever consider visiting this establishment, please read and consider the type of people that would run a business such as this. A reserved the upstairs at Flat Rock a month in advance for a 30th birthday party for my boyfriend scheduled for THIS weekend, I got the following email on THURSDAY less than 48 hours before the event: Hi Julie, I am so sorry to inform you that we will be unable to host your party on Saturday. I truly apologize for the inconvenience. We have to make immediate repairs to our kitchen in order to satisfy our insurance company. We only offer Open Bar Packages upstairs. Open Bar is not available downstairs. Thank you for your interest in The Flat Rock Saloon and hopefully you will think of us for your next event. My sincerest apology. Amy Talvacchia, Chef I responded with the following: Amy, The fact that you sent this as an email and didn't have the decency to call directly is both rude and unprofessional. It's completely unacceptable to cancel two days before the event and not offer any consolation, meaning offering the open bar downstairs or suggesting another venue that might be able to accommodate us. It is laughable that you suggest that I would consider you for a future event. Not only would I never, you can count on me writing an unfavorable review on Yelp. It's unfortunate for you that a positive experience spreads by word of mouth and a negative one spreads even faster. Julie This is the email I got in response: Julie, I could not call you, we only dealt through e-mail! The fact that you think cancelling is rude and unprofessional tells me that you have no idea what it is like to run a business, let alone a bar! I couldn't suggest another venue because you we getting a great deal, any other bar is going to offer you light beer, box wine and crap liquor!! I think it is laughable that I would ever consider hosting any kind of event for YOU! Go to Mad River the serve just your type! As for Yelp, been in business 20 years and no one pay attention to that crap! __________________________________________________Â_____________ It is unreal that anyone would do business this way! It's no wonder they are in trouble with their insurance company and have been trying to sell the business for years! I hope you reading this will prove her WRONG and show her that people do pay attention to Yelp reviews and that there are plenty of other bars that offer good beers and way better customer service!
(1)Gina M.
Now I was only here for like an hour maybe two tops but It was a good time. We had live music and a great beer selection. The servers, bouncers, and bartenders were awesome! However, you couldn't move in there. Seriously. It got so crowded that we were literally being like pushed out of our seats because of the crowd. Crazy. Also, the drinks were very expensive. Almost too expensive for me. And when I ordered my anticipated Malibu bay breeze, they did NOT use coconut rum. Oh boy the regular rum did not taste good. But we were already pushed away from the bar at that point so there was no asking for the right drink. I don't know if I'll be back, truthfully.
(2)Kory S.
Okay I have to weigh in here. My friends and I came to Flatty's MOST TUESDAYS FOR FOUR YEARS. Authority! It is still our favorite bar... probably in the whole of Philadelphia. I'm going to do this review in phases. WHAT IT USED TO BE: Flat Rocks c2005 was absolutely perfect. It had the best beer list outside Monks and maybe Eulogy. It wasn't overrun by hipsters, it didn't overcharge, and there was always something new to try. Most nights you came in the place was wall-to-wall people. They had some of the best cover musicians and the occasional Kenn Kwedder sighting. By midnight every person in the place would be singing. It was like something out of a Dickens novel. We used to take down 200 of the BEST WINGS IVE EVER HAD. We'd routinely pick a beer and clean them out of it by nights end. Did I mention "we" averaged 10-15 people. Yep we paid for bottles of water, no we didn't get refills on soda, yes we occasionally would not get the male servers and had terrible service, no we never were served shots. It didn't matter. This place was perfect. WHAT IT BECAME: Somewhere toward 2008 aka the Great Recession the place started to struggle. The beer list dropped. The prices hovered. Drink specials were increasingly irrelevant. Wing Nights (the greatest night of all) were no longer wall to wall. Where we used to cut out of work early to send a scout to hold tables, now we walked in at 7pm and had our choice. The music was gone. The planned upstairs expansion was dormant. But we still came, every Tuesday. We still ate 200 wings. And they still treated us like family. And no that doesn't mean free drinks. I'm not sure we ever got freebies in those days. Nope not even water. And that was fine. WHAT IT IS NOW: It's recovered. The beer list is back up and running. Despite what I'm reading here THE FOOD IS STILL AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TOP NOTCH. Top to bottom on the menu, no question. And trust me we were a picky bunch so that statement does not come lightly. I'm told the music is back. There's even word of Sal sightings- the best waiter we ever had there. It's so good to see that they are returning to former glory. The owner/head bartender works his butt off EVERY NIGHT. He has kept this thing going and hasn't compromised his standards of what he wants Flat Rocks to be. There were probably plenty of opportunities to turn this into TGI McScratchy's or Kildare's II but he didn't. Not even close. For those of us that love Flatty's for everything it is and everything it is not, this place is perfect. If you are looking for your typical bar experience this probably isn't the place. It's Philly through and through-- its not the best but it doesn't care but it's not all hipstery about that. There may not be toilet paper in the bathroom... heck the door may not even lock. You can get shots now but don't hope for bombers and crap like that. For every review that says "I can't understand why they don't do X" the reason is that they don't want YOU there. I can't think of a more Philadelphia statement than that right there. So call up your best friends, maybe your dad, add in a few people that just moved to Philly, your cousin that just turned 21, and maybe a foreign exchange student. Get to Flatty's and try to sit in Sal's section. Order a stupid amount of wings. Bring a lot of cash. Grab a big table and have a lot of fun. You won't be able to do this at any other bar. You're welcome.
(5)Nick D.
Having lived in the Manayunk area for the past 3 years, there hasn't been a bar I've been to more than the good old Flat Rock. More often than not, on a weekend free to travelling, you'll find my friends and I with 2-4 tables pushed together drinking some great beers and singing along like assholes to whatever acoustic guitarist/singer is playing that night. During the week it's a relaxed place to get some dinner with a great, warm interior without being super busy, and on Friday and Saturday nights, it's exactly the place you want to start/spend/end the night. There's a great beer selection (although recently it's tapered into around 50 beers at a time), regularly-rotating specials (giving you the chance to try beers that you wouldn't normally buy at $6 a pop), enough room for you and plenty of friends, TVs for sports, live music on weekends to obnoxiously sing along to, old bartenders (who wear suspenders and seem like they've worked there since they were 15 years old back in nineteen tickety-two), and just enough outdoor tables (that if you get there early enough to snag one during nice weather in the summer, you feel like the Mayor of Manayunk), and chicks actually go there! WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR? (Actually, one thing they could use: A more private toilet in the men's room. Oh, and a toilet paper dispenser - I can only imagine the poor souls that go #2, only to realize they have to wipe with their shirt/boxers. You've been warned!) Another warning: It's cash only, and their ATM has a ridiculous service fee, so Ladies - Bring some cash! I can't afford to buy ALL of you drinks! If you hate this place, I hate you. Seriously.
(5)Elizabeth F.
I boycott this place because they will not give you water. You must but a bottle from them. What a shame.
(1)Taylor K.
Went here yesterday for all you can eat crabs with my dad and fiancé and they were awesome. Some places are so expensive and barely give you any or just aren't that great but these were definitely worth the $25 a person we paid. The only downfall of this spot is their service is not that great. We were the only customers there and it took the bartender a decent amount of time to take our order and even ask if we wanted a drink. I would definitely recommend going here but just be aware that you won't be getting great service with your food.
(3)Sunia M.
Got the saloon blue burger to satisfy an emergency burger craving. Absolutely satisfied!
(3)Kelly N.
I heard great things about this place (food, entertainment, service, etc) but one night when I tried to enter, the bouncer would not allow my friend to enter. It wasn't so much that this bouncer did not let her in that forces me to give Flat Rock a one-star review, but more so because he was undeniably rude. Upon entering, the bouncer says to my friend "what, are you cold?" (It was indeed a cold winter night). My friend says yes, and takes out her license. Then the bouncer says "we don't accept ID's without a credit card to verify your ID, and if you want to show me your Facebook then that's been done before." Then he laughs...My friends and I were shocked by how unwelcoming this bouncer was so we just left! We did not want to give service to someone who represented this business. I plan to come back another time because I want to experience what is Flat Rock but and I hope it's friendlier than my first experience!
(1)Fred M.
I highly recommend against going here. If I could have given this place negative stars I would have. Our waiter was incredibly rude. We ordered glasses of water and he brought us bottled water. At first I was thinking, "ok, this guy is not only rude but is trying to run up the bill, that's fine I'll get tap water next time." So we ask him for tap water the next time around and he says (verbatim), "We don't have tap water." What? Is this some kind of joke. There is ice in our sodas and water in the toilets and I'm pretty sure they aren't using bottled water for that. So we started to make our way through our crabs (that we waited 45 minutes for after ordering while there were no more than 6 other patrons), we started to get really thirsty, mainly because they were way over seasoned with old bay and salt. In an attempt not to overpay any more for my meal I confronted the surly waiter again, away from the table. I said, "do you really not have tap water, isn't their ice in our glasses?" to which he replies, "we have it, we just don't serve it." I asked him if that was even legal and he told me, "yea it's legal, we have been doing it for 22 years." Are you EFFING kidding me?! Did I just find myself transported to a bistro in Paris where they only serve Perrier? No, I'm in this dumpy saloon in Manayunk paying too much for mediocre food, so why don't you spare me the hassle and bring me a cot damn glass water. I literally have never tipped less than 15% on a meal but I was determined to do so today. Screwed again. we had over 6 people at our table so this a-hole is getting a very much undeserved 18% tip. I have never been so close to walking out on a check in my entire life. Oh yea, they only take cash so bring lots because you'll need it. Do yourself a favor, walk ten feet in any direction on main street AWAY from this place. It boggles my mind how a place like this can stay in business when there are so many fine restaurants in Manayunk. Oh yea, let me also ad that the coupon for 10% off the food portion of your meal that you can print online is a load of bull. They don't accept it. don't waste your printer paper.
(1)Michael F.
A great selection of beers both on tap and by the bottle, live music that doesn't make your ears bleed, and no cover will make you smile. Food that is pretty much what you expect won't shake this rating. Forgetting that it is cash only might irk you a bit. However, the lack any customer focus kept this Saloon from a higher performance. Other Notes: 1) While prices are reasonable for the beer selection, it isn't exactly Manayunk cheap (again cash only). 2) A slightly older crowd for Manayunk.
(3)Lauren W.
There are plenty of other reviews, I'm assuming because I didn't have the attention span to read them all, that will tell you the vast selection of what I surmised to be excellent craft, local, and other delicious beers. I, unfortunately, do not have the palate for good beers. I like Budweiser. Yum. But my friends threatened to make me sit by myself if I ordered one there. So I got a Bloody Mary, one of my favorite drinks of all time. Holy intense experience, batman. Go get it right now. Go when the owner (?) is there, an older man who always seems to be wearing a white shirt and suspenders. It may take 10 minutes, but because he makes them FROM SCRATCH. Hand trimmed celery. Scooped horseradish. Cracked black pepper. Celery salt. Hot sauce. That's all I can say without salivating an embarassing amount. Go get the bloody mary! And I guess the ambiance is cool, everybody is chill, blah blah blah. Bloody Mary!
(4)Alick W.
The food here is very good and they have a good selection of beers. It's does have an old school saloon type of feel to it. I've read some of the other reviews and I agree on the bottled water. It is kinda of ridiculous they don't serve tap water here. They do have some of the best wings and mussels in the Philly area. It's chill and I really like the musicians they have on the weekends. It is more relaxed but on nights where they have live music, people do dance and it can be a really fun night. It's a place that I can really have a lot of fun on some nights and on others, the atmosphere can really put me to sleep. Good - Food, variety of beers, live music Bad - Does not serve tap water, bathrooms are disgusting, cash only.
(3)Caroline B.
As far as the Manayunk bar scene goes, Flat Rock is not the best it has to offer. It's dingy and last time I was there, they were out of everything I had asked for. Everything. I was hardly asking for a particular type of imported wine or a potato vodka typically unavailable outside of Krakow. I will give Flat Rock two stars since Vinny, the bartender, seemed like a good guy but would urge you to check out Kildare's instead.
(2)Adam L.
Flat rock is my ideal choice for a quick beer after a long day. Don't forget to bring cash as they do not accept credit cards. However, an ATM is in the back.
(4)Kevin D.
One of my favorite spots in Manayunk. Very chill, great service, awesome beer selection. I don't believe I ever ate there, but the beer alone is worth a visit. Definitely check it out when they have an acoustic set. The talent is always pretty decent too.
(4)marki s.
We go hear first when we go to manyunk. Great place for a good beer and the food isn't bad either. But I have one major complaint! The men's room never ever has soap. Now I'm sure the bartenders and waiters and food staff all have clean hands but to think that every guy in that bar on a Friday and Saturday has not washed his hands is gross! I'm not a germaphobe but I'm not shaking any of my friends hands while I'm in there.
(3)Tina S.
Great chill bar if you want to avoid the noise of the typical Manayunk bars. Large selection of beers that pair perfectly with their daily mussel special, which is by far my favorite thing on the menu.
(4)Rob S.
Top 5 beer bars in the city. Period. [Edit: Since I wrote this review there are a bunch of new fantastic gastropubs. But we'll still say... top 10 beer bars????] Great selection of rotating beers all the time. And C-H-E-A-P to try new and interesting bottles. Great food here too with an expanding menu! Usually have very entertaining acoustic music acts at nights on the weekends. Only cons: limited draft selection, no soap in the men's room (gross...), no gun system so if you want water you have to pay for a bottle. And the TV quality leaves a bit to be desired if you want to watch a game. Don't worry about the cons... check it out.
(5)Chris M.
This is my favorite bar ever. I used to live in Manayunk, about 2 blocks from Flat Rock. My wife and I would go to Flat Rock around 4 times a week when we lived there. We try to make it there around once a month or so now that we moved out of Manayunk. Their beer selection is phenomenal. You'll see a chalk board full of beers on the back wall, categorizing beers into domestics, imports, and Belgians. And, even better, the prices are super-reasonable. Beers start around $3. They also have several 750ml bottles of beer that you can share. An unexpected treat from Flat Rock is the food. The ambiance is that of a bar so you might not expect very well-prepared food. The standard bar fare is good (love the wings and the nachos), but they also have more creative dishes as specials. But, the best, by far, reason to go to Flat Rock is Vinnie the bartender. Vinnie is great. Flat Rock gets very crowded on weekend nights (and on some weekdays), so you might want to get there early to get a seat. Also, as anywhere in Manayunk, parking can be an issue, especially on the weekends. Most importantly: 1) Flat Rock is cash-only and 2) Do not attempt to order a Coors Light here.
(5)Amanda G.
This place was such a surprise when I went there for the first time. I wasn't expecting good food, but everything I've ever ordered has been awesome. The mussles, the pierogies (when they were on special), and all of the sandwiches. Delicious! I thought this would just be a good place to get beer, but it's so much more. The older guy with the suspenders who can always be found behind the bar has so much knowledge about beer it's kind of obscene. He'll help you find something you like or help you find something new to try. Overall this is a great place!
(4)Noell M.
Hands down, without a doubt, my favorite watering hole in Philadelphia! The amalgamation of the food menu, the beer selection, and the staff make this place near and dear to my heart. While living in Manayunk (only 2 blocks away from Main Street) my husband and I would frequent the Rock about 3-4 times a week. We now live a bit further away but still try our hardest to get there at least a few times a years. It is definitely worth a drive and fighting the hills of Manayunk to be able to pull up a chair at the bar and enjoy the Flat Rock goodness! Seasonal beers, micro brews, and boutique beers adorn the ever changing and always refreshing beer list. As one reviewer mentioned....do not attempt to order Coors, Corona, Miller, etc. While the bartenders and staff will try to steer you in the right direction (in terms of beer choice), don't be "that" guy or girl who puts up a fuss because you can't get your Bud Light Lime or MGD. They also have a full liquor bar.....my suggestions: a dirty Arnold Palmer or the raspberry vodka with fresh squeezed lemonade. The food menu is a departure from normal bar fare. Interesting soups, salads, and sandwiches (and rotating specials) come as a pleasant and unexpected surprise. The food is always fresh, innovative, and extremely well prepared. When you go try to get Vinnie as your bartender.....he is seriously the best in the biz! A few other notes: cash only, outdoor tables (in the spring/summer), live musicians, and plenty of TV's to watch the game.
(5)Tracy S.
Bad experience! We walked in and sat at the bar, which was not at all crowded, and the bartender took several minutes to even acknowledge that we were there. He continued to talk to someone at the other end of the bar. When he eventually walked over he was not only unapologetic but he acted as if we were inconveniencing him by being there and wanting to order drinks. Although, I should note that we were immediately greeted by the unpleasant odor of stale beer and dirty bar as soon as we walked in the establishment. After, the rude bartender finally acknowledged our existence we asked for menus and went to sit outside because the inside of the restaurant was very dirty, smelly and uncomfortable. We sat outside waiting for a server and after more than 10 minutes no one came to wait on us so we left. I never walk out of restaurants but this was beyond bad service. Never again.
(1)Patrick G.
PROS: If you just want to go in a get a beer, this is the spot on Main St. You don't have to wait an hour for a drink and play crowd control. CONS: Somewhat pricey and you better know EXACTLY what you want. No familiar beers on tap. Doesn't accept credit cards.
(3)Jason R.
The Flat Rock Saloon was below average in most respects Service: We were given a single menu for a table of 5, but, in their defense, it was busy. Drinks: They had about 5 beers on tap and moderate bottled beer selection. They had some good beers available at reasonable prices. My group was a little annoyed by being given $1 bottled water when you ask for water and charged $2 per glass of fountain soda. Food: The group shared some wings, which were OK. I had a burger, which was 10 oz of unseasoned ground chuck. It was bland depite the fact that it was covered with smoked gouda. The order was medium-rare, but burger was medium to well-done. It tasted a bit charred and something had a funky smell. The french fries were undercooked as well. Needless to say, It was not enjoyable. cash only
(2)Micaela F.
I have been wondering about this place and also heard about their amazing specials. $19.95 all you can eat crab legs and 1/2 price mussels everyday...I have to try it. Drag the husband and now I know where to go for my mussels and crab legs fix. We order their Queso Jalepeno mussels and it was delicious. Came with a side of fries and a delicious dipping sauce. Their beer selections are great too.
(5)Mike S.
When I was first introduced to this gem several years ago, I was amazed by the wide variety and selection of beer. It was the beer-topia of Manayunk (sorry Pitchers). So many beers to choose from, only so many brain cells to kill. And pricing was reasonable. In the last few years, the bottle list has dwindled. The crowds have as well. It is still busy, but not the slam-packed bar it used to be. I remember squeezing into this place at 9pm, with no hopes of ever finding room at the bar. Nowadays it doesn't get too busy until after 10pm. Beer selection is still pretty good. Same bartender. Same food. Mussels seem to be the food of choice for patrons here. Pricing is still reasonable. Cash only. There is an ATM machine in the bar in case one always tends to use el pastique. Recently they installed a Golden Tee. My dream bar had come to fruition. And then sadly, it was gone last time I ventured in there. I can only hope it returns. There is nothing like playing a simulated game of golf and drinking decent beer.
(4)Emmett M.
The Flat Rock is nice bar to go relax with a good meal and a tasty beer in the evening. Weekend nights can bring in live music and bit of a crowd, but there's always window sills to sit on and walls to lean against until someone clears out. There are food specials here worth looking into, I like the roast beef. The beer selection here is the main draw because it is quite large and varied; every time I go there I can try a new beer. Has that saloon feel with the mirror behind the bar and varnished wood everywhere. I usually go to the back to eat so I never noticed a problem with lack of TV, and suspenders has generally always been friendly, but I've also been there when his service slipped a bit (usually weekend nights). This spot is probably my favorite on Main st. **Recently came here as the fourth stop in a long night so I don't know how accurate this info is, but last time I was there the beer selection seemed to have been cut drastically..... it could have been them transitioning into new beers, it could have been them limiting their selections permanently, or I could have imbibed too much and created the whole memory..... I plan on looking into it
(4)Jennifer B.
Food is disgusting. This place has really gone downhill.
(1)Rodge B.
A sh*tload of beers to choose from, lots of tables, and the wings are pretty good. Kind of a snooty crowd and cash bar.
(4)Tyler R.
Manayunk - Lenape for 'a place to drink'. Apparently the owners of the Flat Rock Saloon didn't get the memo because they DON'T HAVE TAP WATER. Bottled water only? Are we in Puerto Vallarta? I get it - this is the type of place that 'doesn't change for nobody'. That's great and all if you have a decent product, but the food is mediocre and the service was slow, rude, and condescending. Skip it, there are plenty of other better places in Manayunk to give your money to.
(1)Jake P.
The bartenders refused to serve me and my girlfriend water! This is the only time I was EVER refused tap water at a bar. Thanks for the thoughtless service and a little bit more of a tricky and unsafe ride home. Flat Rock Saloon will NEVER receive my business again.
(1)Eric K.
Good wings and muscles. Awesome beer selection!
(3)Kristina K.
Its the third time I've been to flatrock and it's always great! They have the best bloody mary by far in manayunk. The awesome bartender with the suspenders makes amazing drinks everytime! Their mussels are also some of the best around. From 5-7 everyday they have half priced mussels and about 10 or more types to choose from. I tried the spicy type and can't wait to try more! Finally, I had the earth burger last night and it was bangin. Perfectly cooked with a mushroom thyme topping, swiss cheese, and miso mayo. Yummm Will definitely come back again and again!
(4)Laura D.
Flat Rock is a very laid back bar with a great beer selection. I've been to most of the bars in Manayunk numerous times, and this is where I come when I just want to have a couple good beers with friends. It's a great Thursday night bar... not too crowded, not too crazy. Weekends they have a guy play cover songs on acoustic guitar which is a nice touch. And there are good beer specials, usually $3 or $4. Did I mention the beer selection is awesome?
(4)Stefan N.
I didn't even bother reviewing some of the bars on tonight's pub crawl but this place demands a review. Right on main street in Manayunk. The beer selection and the specials are tasty and cheap. I am going to have to come back here and try more things off the menu. I am only rating this place as a bar but as a bar it is top notch and clean. I was there on a dead night so I don't know how they manage a crowd but the old man behind the bar was friendly and welcoming.
(5)matt h.
Went to Flat Rock to meet some friends for a brew on a Friday night. FRS isn't the type of place I would usually goto but I really enjoyed myself. They have an amazing selection of micro-brews and I noticed their bartenders were especially knowledgeable about them. I had not heard about some of them and asked about them and both of the 'tenders had a lot to say, and upon their recommendations I was very impressed. On this particular night they had a guy on acoustic guitar playing some phenomenal covers of Sublime, Marley, etc. Lets just say we went there with the intention of having one beer and moving on and we ended up staying all night.
(4)Lindsey M.
Small, love thy neighbor place. Come here before 9 to get a spot at the bar or table. But the selection is hard to beat if you like beers. And I love the guy singing good ol' American rock classics with his acoustic guitar in the corner.
(5)Jocelyn B.
Flat Rock has a true 'Old World' pub feel to it. The beer selection is out of this world and changes frequently! All-U-Can-Eat Crab Leg night is a must! Their wings are also very good but I usually order them for the blue cheese which is absolutely AMAZING! (I keep meaning to ask what brand it is). Definitely a nice casual spot to go on a date or meet friends.
(4)Cerpin T.
Easily the best bar on Main Street. It typically lacks the popped collars and sweatbands on the forearm crews that seem to inhabit almost every other bar on Main Street. The beer selection is top-notch and the bar tenders are pretty knowledgeable about their trade. There is almost always a place to sit, which is great, to talk to your friends over one of the many bottled beers that I can guarantee you have never tasted before. The entertainment is pretty standard fare, your typical guy rocking an acoustic cover set that never seems to end, which is awesome. After a few hours of downing a couple of rounds, it is inevitable that you will be singing every single word to some mid-nineties classic that you haven't heard in a decade. Never had a bad time here and I am always willing to go back.
(5)John N.
Waited over an hour for food. I had my server tell me 30 minutes after placing my order that what I ordered wasn't available! Not only did I leave hungry, but I was finding it hard to figure out what took my food one hour to arrive considering the place was not too crowded on a Saturday night. After reading other reviews, I have come to understand that this is a bar, and it was probably foolish of us to expect restaurant service with food. However, won't return. Small menu. Do not recommend. Overpriced.
(2)Art S.
I love this bar. Outstanding selection of beers. Great service. Happy people. Tasty food. Good music. Fun times. When you consider your other options in Manayunk, like, oh, say, the Manayunk Brewery, which has pretty much the worst beer on the planet, Flat Rock looks even better. Even when this place is crowded, I still seem to have a good time here, which is a testament to the vibe this place exudes. It tends to be a young crowd here, but it's not to say you couldn't saddle up to the bar or grab a table with a few friends even if you're about to hit the big 3-0 like me. A quick note... last time I checked it was cash only, but there's ATM's all over Main St., so that shouldn't be an issue...
(5)Colleen M.
My friends and I always head to Flatrock first for a night out in Manayunk. It is hands down my favorite bar in Manayunk. On the weekends, they always have a guitar guy there playing live music, and they usually take requests. Their beer selection is amazing. They are always getting new beers from all over the world. It can get a bit crowded, but it's worth it. The crowd has a mix of older people, 20-somethings, and college students. It's cash only, so make sure to stop at an ATM on the way, although I think they have one there. Definitely go!
(5)trish g.
Great beer selection! Lots of new varieties in bottle and on tap rotating in and out. Wing night is Tuesdays -- this place gets pretty busy then. The menu is really interesting. I haven't tried a lot but what I've had was pretty tasty and affordable. The guys running the place are very nice, but sometimes they are super busy and you may have to work it to catch their attention. Overall, I really like it here, it's friendly and has a good vibe. A refreshing change from many Main Street establishments. They have a good sense of humor too - sometimes offering funny items on their chalkboard, like "Beers for Men" and other treats.
(4)Meghann p.
the only thing I do not like about this place.....CASH only and they only give bottled water (annoying for the DD sometimes) BUT still great beers and great wings!
(4)Caroline H.
My favorite bar in Manayunk. I love the fact you cannot order a Miller Lite here :) They have such a huge selection of beer and at great prices. When you go check out the chalkboards for the specials. I usually just work my way down the list! Most of the time you can get some good beers for only $2! They also have live music later at night. By the way its Cash only.
(5)Tom S.
Just dropped in tonight after a trip to Cactus nearby. I was impressed by this place, and disappointed that i was already full when I saw their 1/2 price mussels special was going on. Either way, we just got drinks, mine a bottle of Delerium Tremens and my lady's a draft of Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (and i indulged in a $3 Tullamore shot). At 6 p.m., we avoided any kind of loud, late-night crowd and made note of the deep bottle list, but excruciatingly shallow draft list. Either way, I look forward to commenting on the food the next time I drop by.
(4)Christina B.
I like going to this bar. It's an older crowd usually. They have different beer and drinks. I always forget they don't take cash. It can look a little run down, but if you're worried about drinking only, it's a great place.
(3)David R.
Great bar on the corner, friendly staff, and food. Nice selection of beers in the bottle. Just a couple on tap.
(4)amanda h.
I literally live two blocks from this place, so resisting their 30 cent wings on Tuesday is a losing battle for me. I am dying to know what kind of blue cheese they use. Beer selection is great & reasonably priced. They usually have anywhere from 3-4 ciders available- which is nice for me since I don't drink beer. Wish their Lambic was a little cheaper, but I can't manage $13 for a pint. Their burgers are by far the best on Main Street with thick homemade patties & hand cut fries. The lamb sliders are pretty choice, too. The ambiance is somewhere between your classic pub & a dive bar. My only real quibble with this place is if you go anytime after 7 you'll end up waiting for a table for up to 20 minutes. Oh, and don't expect the bartender/owner to be very attentive, gotta wave that dude down if you want some service!
(4)Sarah L.
My friend and I were out for an early evening drink and snack when we decided upon this place. First off the sever that we had was rude to us right off the bat when we weren't ready to order after looking at the menu for all of two minutes. He walked away shaking his head like he was so annoyed at us. When he brought us bottled water and we asked about tap water he cocked an attitude again with agitation in his voice. My friend and I have both spent many years in the service industry and neither of us were being unreasonable by any means. I would NEVER go back to this place again.
(1)josh b.
I love Flat Rock! Theirs no cover to get in unlike many other Manayunk Bars and they have beers that you have never even heard of on tap at a resonable price. The best part is the live music that everyone loves to sing a long to while throwing back a couple. One negative: does not accept credit cards, but its only a minor thing...
(5)Greg L.
The Flat Rock has been one of my mainstays since it changed it's name from the Grove back in the early 90's. The food there is great. Things like the dressings and sauces are all hand made. They have a huge beer selection for reasonable prices. The owner, Bob, is one of the best bartenders in the city. Somehow, tools avoid the flatrock and it is always a great place to hang.
(5)Emily B.
does anybody else find it utterly ridiculous that you have to pay for water? i was trying to hydrate between drinks and asked the bartender for some H2O. he hands me a bottle and asks for a dollar... ummmm... is that legal? his response to that question was "is free music legal?" that doesn't even make sense! not going back.
(1)Ben T.
Best bar in Manayunk, and besides the Adobe Cafe its the only bar/restaurant establishment in all of Manayunk to even bother. Bartenders are some of the most knowledgeable
(4)V T.
amazing mussels. great selection of beer. live music closer to the weekend is great. cash bar only.
(3)Frank B.
This is a great bar to grab a beer. There selection is pretty awesome with a wide variety of micro-brews. Definitely one of the better beer bars around. With its laid back crowd It's one of the few bars in Manayunk that makes you forget that your in Manayunk. Prices are very reasonable and the specials include good beers.
(4)Leslie G.
Terrible service. I went on a weeknight for dinner and the server was rude, I was charged for water, they wouldn't let me take my leftovers home in a doggie bag, and they didn't accept credit cards. I had to take money out of the ATM, but the kicker is that the restaurant owns the ATM, and keeps the $2 surcharge. I own a small business and I could never imagine treating my customers so poorly. I will NEVER be back.
(1)