The food was OK, the F burger, I was told was delicious. What pissed me off the most was the up-charge for extra sauce. We ordered Calamari appetizer and it had 3 lines of sauce drawn on the plate, so naturally we ordered more sauce. For dessert we ordered the brownie which has "caramel sauce on top" and the sauce was 2 one inch drawn strips on the plate. We ordered more sauce. Well we were charged $2.00 for the extra sauce and never notified of the charge. $2 is not a lot but I HATE TO BE NICKELED AND DIMED, especially if you are paying over $11 per plate. After I complained to the manager he responded by "well, I was thinking about removing the charge until...." which is when I interrupted him and told him to swipe my card so I can get my ass out of there. For God's sake "thinking?!!" Just shut up, listen to my rant, apologize, say you will remove the charge and walk away. "THINKING!"
(2)
s k.
I went here last night with a buddy and ordered a small order of wings and a margarita pizza. Wings were undercooked and the pizzas "sauce" was watery and translucent. We sent the wings back and asked for them to be well done. However upon second delivery of these wings we noticed they were dropped back into the fryer and smothered with sauce and yet still undercooked. We spoke to the manager who was pleasant and bought us a free drink but I was extremely disappointed in the "late night menu". As for the space: It is cramped, overloaded with televisions and seems to lack any charm or character. At least add some philly notasligia to the place. Maybe a phillies pennant flag or an eagles helmet. This bar could be picked up and placed in Florida and you wouldn't even notice any difference. I told my friend it's a " generic" bar.
(2)
Erika B.
Great space for a sports bar. It's not huge but it has TVs on every wall so it's intimate. It also has a nice sized bar. It is a good addition to the neighborhood. The servers were all friendly. They definitely have the chance to move up in ranking by doing something about their food. The food is not good. I think most Philly sports bars have really upped their game in the food category. At this point I would only go there for a drink. But maybe that's what they're going for!
(3)
Erin W.
You know that insurance commercial with Mindy Kaling where she thinks she's invisible? That was the sensation both my husband and I had on the first (and only) time we stopped in here. We came in for dinner about a month or so after they opened, thinking the novelty would've worn off and they would've settled into a good groove, having worked out all the just-opened kinks. We were seated quickly, albeit next to a giant column in the back of the place by the bar, and then just as quickly forgotten. After about five minutes of sitting there, a table of two was seated next to us, and were brought menus immediately. Ever the optimists, husband and I had this exchange: "Huh, that's weird. They just got here and they already have menus." "Weird. Maybe they have a different server." "Maybe. I'm sure ours will be here any second." Precious hopefulness! After another five minutes (which, if you're counting, makes it 10 full minutes we were sitting at our table without menus or even napkins or coasters, at least as a promise of future service), the table next to us was approached by a (totally different) waiter and asked if they'd like something to drink. Drinks! When we couldn't even get menus! Or a "Hello! Sorry, I'll be with you in a second!" Hell, we would've accepted a middle-finger from someone just to confirm they even knew we were there. It seems like a small thing to break the camels back, but 10 minutes of being completely ignored is painful enough; in a restaurant setting it's an eternity. Husband and I threw in the towel (that's a metaphor, because again, we didn't even have napkins on our table) and decided to leave, thinking that, at the very least, someone (a waiter, the hostess, a bartender) would say, "Oh, hey, are you guys leaving? Is everything okay?" But no! We made it to the front door without a single person acknowledging us, which, had we not been hangry and furious by that point, would've made us feel stealthy and like ninjas. We must've forgotten we were wearing our Invisibility Cloaks, I guess. My husband doubled back to the bar to tell someone, "Hey, FYI, we're leaving" offering them one last chance at redemption, only to be met with callous indifference. Like an apathetic cherry on top of a sundae of disregard. We live around the corner and still won't ever go back. I'll let the philosopher Kelly Clarkson explain it: "You had your chance, you blew it."
(1)
Feebee A.
Def a cool bar on south street in Philly. I know other yelpers mentioned theres not a bad seat in the house.... tvs everywhere! However, no one mentioned that this place is pretty small! They do have a lot of tvs but you could also wait for a table for a while! We came here on a saturday night, party of 11, waited about an hour and 45 minutes. We didnt mind the wait, the staff as well as the manager continued to check in on us and let us know they were working on a table. Drinks were very reasonably priced! Food was also pretty good. I had the eggplant sandwich which needed a little more flavor but it was pretty good choice! The BF had a burger which he really liked and a few other menu items were ordered and everyone was pretty pleased. Without a doubt, this is a great choice to hang out and watch some games while throwing back a few beers. Enjoy!
(4)
Priya R.
I've been here twice now (for some reason) and it's a pretty average bar. I guess the only unique aspect of it is that it is a sports bar with limited seating and fancy prices on somewhat upscaled bar food. The first time I was here, the waitress was literally hounding our table every five minutes asking if we needed anything. This might seem refreshing if you are to frequent any other sports bar and service is nowhere to be found, but it got to the point where it was actually hindering the experience. It also kind of made it seem like we needed to keep ordering things or we were wasting space sitting there. The second time the service was much better overall, but to me, the food just didn't cut it. The only thing I enjoyed was the poutine (but that's only because who doesn't love poutine.) I don't know, it's not a bad place, I've definitely been to better bars, but the convenience of the location is probably one of the only benefits to coming here.
Meh. That's about the best description I can come up with. The pros: Nice staff, good seating, I like the open window concept, and there's no other sports bar in the immediate vicinity. That being said, its really just whatever. There was nothing necessarily bad about Founding Father's. Menu is just ok, beers are just ok, prices aren't great. With so many other awesome establishments nearby, they are going to have to step up their game in a big way to be successful!
(2)
Claire C.
The beer is on point here. Good selection, normal prices. The seating is virtually all high tops, so don't expect anything too comfy if you're wanting to stay a while. The food... nicely presented but for the price, small serving and bland. The fries were soggy, which made me think the oil was not hot enough. I ordered the fish and chips, and for $14 I received three very small pieces of fried cod with a tasteless beer batter. It wasn't bad, but with such a bland fish you need to step up the flavor. This dish needed more butter, salt, and pepper. My dining companions both ordered $10 sandwiches.... and received hotdogs with mustard. No extra toppings such as sauerkraut or relish. While good, they were disappointed as they expected something more than what they could produce at your standard poolside BBQ. Besides this, the service was friendly. It seems like people enjoy working there and the hostess was quick to accommodate our request to sit within view of a game we wanted to watch. Tweak the recipes and edit the menu descriptions so people enjoy and know what they're getting and they'll be good to go.
(3)
Vichet O.
Came in here on New Year's Day. Founding Fathers is showing some promise, in spite of a few logistical hiccups that should probably be expected of most new joints. It's a really nice space, and like other reviewers have said, there's no bad seat in the house. Only issue is, I feel that there are a few too many tables crammed in the center of the space. If you're in a chair backing an aisle, you will get bumped into, by patrons and servers alike. Place wasn't even close to full, and my friend and I were getting nudged left and right. It's not a huge issue, and can easily be fixed by someone on their staff who's good at chair Tetris, but should definitely be addressed so that the place isn't just deadlocked when it's full. The menu has got all the standard new-American fare we've gotten used to seeing from everywhere else that's opened in the last few years. I got some jerk wings, and they were awesome. Fries were good, too, and are big enough to share, but I kind of had a brain fart when I realized "man, these were $7." Didn't really make sense to me, considering the wings, which were huge both individually and in terms of how many you got in a single order, were only something like $11. I guess I really wanted fries. The beer selection is good, and isn't any cheaper or pricier than other craft pubs. The service was friendly, if a bit slow. Little things like having to ask for ketchup with the fries, or extra napkins with the wings, or getting the check. Again, easy fixes. All of this added up to an experience that, though pleasant, could use a few tweaks. Looking forward to coming back for those wings.
(3)
Claudia L.
Great new sports bar with great food! Last night was the first time to FF. Great atmosphere, great food and great service. When we first came in, we were approached immediately. Patrick told us that it was about a 45 minute wait for a table but we ended up getting a table right away. Patrick was great. He was able to accommodate our 3 other friends that showed up late (we also weren't sure if they were coming). This is a great sports bar with a lot of tvs and great audio. When our tab came, we messed up on the tip but were sure take care of Patrick right away to make up for our mistake! So sorry, Patrick! We will be back. Thanks for opening up on our end of town.
(4)
Ashley M.
We love this bar. They have a great beer list and good food as well. I love the ambiance of the place, it's casual for happy hour and a great place to watch sports. There are a ton of TV's and it's not too loud. We're quickly becoming regulars at this place!
(5)
Will O.
Incapable bartender and management. Over-served obviously visibly intoxicated person at 1pm. He was screaming and spilling his food like a toddler, but they didn't even question his drink and shots orders, despite annoying the whole bar. Aside from that, the beer list was just OK, price wasn't great, and multiple drafts we got were warm! Don't waste your time here.
(1)
Joseph K.
Meh...the more I seem to visit this establishment the less I seem to enjoy the experience. Best bets, go during the week or on off hours or a weekend without a major game during the weekend. Let's all be honest here, as a sports fan living in Philadelphia we all know the sports bars in center city suck. Fox and Hound's food is about as good as dog food, Fado is a dark, dungy dump-hole and Tavern on Broad is no better. When this place first opened I had high hopes, good location and a clean, bright looking place. The first time I went the place was packed, understandably I thought, it was playoff season and the establishment was new. Times after, same experience. Imagine a box with about 100 people screaming as loud as they can in it. Bring your ear plugs. I've told the manager on several occasions they should look into some sound dampening devices, guy seems clueless. Food is average for sports bar food, had the ceasar salad special last time I was there, was overpriced for having no protein, croutons or really anything much for toppings, very unimpressed. Prices are steep, wine prices are laughable for table quality wine, only good thing is a wide variety of craft brews (but where can't we find variety at any center city bar anymore?). Best thing the place has going for it, location, may be moving in the next few months, if the place isn't within walking distance don't really see myself going back. Loud, steep prices, average food, go for a beer on a weekend in the early afternoon, nothing more and you'll leave satisfied.
(2)
Will S.
This is a great sports bar for sports fans who like to eat and drink. I'm a pretty big sports fan. I like all sports. You name it, I watch it! This bar is definitely the bar for me. As for the menu - I recommend the cheese curds. If you like cheese, you'll like these.
(5)
Zach L.
Eh. I was excited to check this place out. Went there with a group of 7 right as the 1:00 football game started. Because the kitchen was changing over from brunch to lunch, it took over an hour to get our appetizer order of nachos. There were approximately 4 chips per person in this order of nachos. We were told the sliders were the thing to get. We each ordered 3 sliders. They brought us a giant tray of about 15-18 and then individually dispersed them among us. They forgot one and doubled up on another order. They were mediocre at best. Their keg of Dales Pale Ale kicked at 3:00 in the middle of a football Sunday. This place has cool exposed brick. That's really about it.
(2)
Jessica B.
As a Philadelphian and history minor I think the Founding Fathers would be proud of this place... 4 Yelps for the following reasons: 1. Civics: Atmosphere is great, high ceilings, open space, lots of TVs but you don't necessarily feel like you're in a sports bar, its clean and modern but warm at the same time. 2. Representation: The service was great, very friendly staff who made good recommendations, we were sort of tag teamed by the bar tender and another server and never felt like anyone was hovering, but our beers never went empty either. 3. Freedom: The Beer selection is great, ranging from well known staples (ie: Yungling) to harder to find beers such as my new face the Ommegang Hennepin. 4. All (bar food) is created equally: The food is done well but you don't have many choices past the common bar food. Not to say you won't enjoy eating here if you want a burger or onion rings or a flat bread, all of the food is good quality, done right and tasty. I'd definitely return to try the flat breads and the dirty fries. So, hear ye, hear ye, come to Founding Fathers for a good time, good beer, and to enjoy well done bar food.
(4)
Alex A.
With a named like Founding Fathers, I pictured a rustic interior, busts of all our great Patriots and perhaps the staff even dressed in 1776 garbs... That wasn't the case. To my surprise (and disappointment), this is actually a rather large chain and run of the mill sports bar. That said, the layout and design are thoughtful, staff incredibly nice and attentive (probably the best in all of Philly) and the food is definitely on par. Checks were easily split amongst all 13 people at the table, which shocked me (Philly seems very hung up on only having 1 check per table...join the 21st century people). They offer a 1/2 off special on Mon-Fri from about 3-6:30 on all apps!!! Definitely worth going just for that. The nachos, though completely average, were great and well portioned. I'll admit that they could have been spread out way better to ensure a more even smattering of toppings, but at $4 on special, I won't complain too much. I didn't order a drink, but the list was quite extensive and everyone was raving about their Not Your Grandma's Rootbeer (it's spiked). I would happy go back any day, providing it's from 3-6:30
(3)
Edward M.
I was looking forward to finally trying this place; should have held the excitement at bay. Stopped here for dinner and drinks with friends on a pleasantly quiet recent night. The beer list is adequate, with some good choices in several categories, though nothing thrilling. The pub fare available is fairly standard pub fare. I tried the burger with a side of onion rings (other options are fries, naturally, or salad). The onion rings were crispy and delicious. The burger, on the other hand, was hugely disappointing. The accoutrements (bun and veggies) were fine, but the patties themselves were not at all good. Instead of providing two barely mediocre patties, they should really focus on getting a single one right. At a place like this, one expects patties to be made on-site (preferably ground on-site, too) and actually cooked to order. The patties looked like factory pre-formed discs, had a texture like they were microwaved rather than grilled, and tasted like it. Unless they make serious changes, I will not be getting their beef burger ever again, but since other items were, or at least looked, good, I'd try some of those other items. They have a variety of seating choices -- tables, booths, bar -- which is nice. Servers were friendly and competent. There are about ten TV screens about, so you get the complete sports bar ambiance.
(3)
Michelle C.
I've been to Founding Fathers three times. The first was during an Eagles game, and it was so crowded that our group left right away, knowing it would be very difficult to even get up to the bar. So, I probably won't be going back during any major sporting events, despite the plethora of large TVs on every wall. My next two visits were for a late dinner. Bianca was our server on both occasions and she was friendly and did a great job. It seems like this bar hosts a lot of loud twenty-somethings and I'm sure that doesn't always make for an easy night. The food is fairly average, maybe a little above, but I've also only tried some of the small plates. Flatbreads are good but could use a couple more minutes in the oven, and the chicken fingers are great but you get four for nine dollars which is crazy. The beer selection is solid. I also like that the high tops along the wall have lots of room and feel a bit further from the crowd than the high tops closer to the bar area. Overall, solid spot for a casual meal.
(4)
Amy C.
I've been to Founding Fathers many times and it's been a great experience each time. The atmosphere is great. Fun place to watch any games. Tons of TVs and great beer selection. With nice weather they also open up the windows to the street so it's a great indoor/outdoor feeling. FF growlers and t-shirts are worth buying too!
(5)
Kendra T.
We stopped by because of the happy hour deal. They had 50% off appetizers so we ordered the nachos and the chicken tenders. The nachos are large, and I appreciate that they layer the toppings so you don't get stuck with dry chips on the bottom. I was hoping for a little in the toppings department, so the waitress was kind enough to bring us some crema as well. The chicken was pretty good, definitely better quality than most bars. There are only four pieces, however, so be warned if you're paying full price. I would come back for the happy hour deal.
(3)
Dan P.
Great Bar for watching the game. Tons of TVs, pretty good food. Atmosphere is lively during big games. Beer is overpriced ($5 for a Miller lite is outrageous, even Fox and Hound is cheaper at $4.50) Don't buy their Growlers. They charge you 6-for-the-price-of-5 draft beer prices ($25 a refill), in addition to purchasing the growler for $12. You can buy a six pack of the same beers at the Foodery or a distributor for half that price with no sacrifice in quality. I don't want to be charged draft prices at the bar when I am not actually AT the bar. The whole point of growlers is to buy in volume and save money. You don't. Overall: Food: 4 stars Service: 3 stars Atmosphere: 4 stars Prices: 1 star
(3)
Kerry A.
Food and drink: Went with a friend to get drinks and some appetizers. They had a solid beer list, including lots of locals like Victory and Neshaminy Creek. We ordered onion rings and potato pancakes, both of which came out great- hot and crispy! The ketchup had a spice to it that I didn't love, but my friend did, so just be forewarned that it was not just ketchup. We didn't have entrees, but our neighbor at the bar ordered a chicken sandwich that looked great. The food was really well presented- nothing was sloppy or soggy, which is often the case at sports bars. Atmosphere: Lots of TVs showing news and sports, so wherever you sat inside you had a view of at least 2 screens. The decor was nothing special, but definitely nice- tufted leather booths and marble high-top tables at the bar. The noise level was pretty average and I did notice sound panels on the ceiling, which I always appreciate. Overall really nice sports bar. Service: The bartender was great- really attentive and checked on our drinks and food several times. Someone I assumed to be the manager also checked on us to make sure our food had come out alright. Clearly the staff was very focused on customer satisfaction.
(5)
Ali C.
My fiance and I headed over to Founding Fathers for a quick dinner. We have been wanting to check it out since it opened. The atmosphere was just "eh." We were seated quickly and ordered pretty quickly after we were seated. It seemed like it took a little while to get our food. We shared the chilli and the monster grilled cheese. The food was just "ok." Nothing to rave home about. I was hoping that this would be a fun new bar but there is just something missing and I can't pinpoint it.
(2)
Sarah A.
A nice mixture of high top and regular tables, Founding Fathers has a riff on poutine (so ironic, because we'd literally just been discussing poutine and wondering where to get it in Philadelphia, when we decided we wanted a drink and stopped in): what more could you ask for?
(4)
Laura V.
Made reservations for six to eat and catch the UNC / Duke basketball game...at least I thought I did. When I called ahead, someone took my reservation for six with my name and phone number. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed to learn there was no record of it. Despite this initial setback, my group was able to grab a high top for six and I'm not lying when I say there isn't a bad seat in the house. The neutral paint colors and subtle wall paper designs allow for ultimate concentration on the game you're there to see. Food was better than I've had at most sports bars. One order of Truffle Parmesan fries were enough to go around, or maybe we were just being polite. Tried my first fried pickle at this establishment. Was a evening to remember...minus the heels loss. :-/
3.5 stars. new sports bar that just opened on south street. Pretty much every blank spot on the wall is covered by a TV, which is good for the guy who gets stuck in the corner and still needs his football fix. The food is just ok, buffalo chicken tenders are average, but pass on the beer battered pickle spears- they were a soggy. Atmosphere is your typical sports bar if there were children, and 30+ professionals. Probably needs some time to get the vibe right, but overall if I wanted to go to a loud place and watch a game, this would be my second choice after Locust Rendezvous.
(3)
Patrick M.
This is the solid sports bar that South Street West needed. Good beer, tasty food, easy. Rotating menu for both beers and food so it stays interesting (perhaps because they're still new and figuring out what works - which is a good sign). With the big open windows, I hope this becomes a late-night summer spot for Graduate Hospital.
(5)
Tim L.
Food is not worth it. It is below average and for the money you can do so much better within 50 steps in any direction. The environment is so sterile. I asked the bartender why it was so bright and she said the owners did not want to dim them. Beer taps are low and behind a large post and not posted anywhere else. Bartenders seem friendly but in a corporate TGIF way. I get the feeling the owners are not from the industry, or they worked at or owned impersonal places. Not a friendly neighborhood spot. Plusses are TVs in every direction, but if a Philly team is playing good luck finding a TV playing something else. Overall a swing and a miss but it has potential if the ownership loosens up.
(2)
Marie S.
Great beer and they turned on the Giants game on one of the main tvs even though we were obviously the only ppl who cared. So in other words: great service, great beer, did not try food.
(4)
Marie B.
Hard time finding something on the menu that sounded appetizing. Food came and it did the job, nothing to brag about. Thought the prices were steep for the value/portions. Staff didn't seem happy to be there. Only went to this place cause it was close to my friends house. Wouldn't go out of my way.
(2)
Felix S.
This area needed a sports bar and Founding Fathers does that well. Lots of TV's, decent selection of beers and the food menu looked and smelled pretty good. Didn't get a chance to try the food, but I was unimpressed by the beer selection.
(3)
Katherine F.
Waitresses cut you off after one or two drinks and the manager comes out and says the bar cannot serve you anymore alcohol. Not ideal for a sports bar.
(1)
Rory K.
Great place to watch a game. Not a bad seat in the house with the amount of TV's. Food delicious and the rotating beer selection is pretty nice as well. There is a lot to choose from!
(5)
daniel c.
Solid sports bar in a neighborhood that needs one. Gets crowded but the beer selection and food is solid makes it worth getting there early. Recommend both the pizza and wings.
(5)
Stephanie S.
Great place to watch NFL. Solid bar food and a great draft beer selection. Nice atmosphere.
(5)
Chris R.
What a great addition to the neighborhood! This patch of South Street has a lot of great spots, but was sorely missing a bar that catered to the sports crowd. Founding Fathers just opened, but I've already found it to be a great spot to catch the game. The drinks are priced well, the food was tasty, and the place is just really nice looking. Looking forward to seeing it as it grows!
(5)
Michael G.
Just what you want from a sports bar. excellent service, good food (loved the pizza) and a nice atmosphere. Good views of the TV's from any seat. We had a great time and will definitely return.
(5)
Adam N.
Awesome new sports bar. It's a bit cozy and can fill up. But it's clean and modern. We came for happy hour and our drinks got delayed due to a POS issue. However the manager apologized and made it right. We'll be back.
(5)
John B.
Attractive interior (great TV viewing for sports fans) and the food is pretty good, but the service was just hopeless. It's clear this place is poorly managed as the staffing was completely inadequate for the crowd (1 waiter, 1 bartender). I second Erin W's review about feeling invisible. It should not take close to 90 minutes to get food ordered and to the table. If we weren't invested in watching the game on TV, we would have moved on. I can't recommend the place.
(1)
Katie R.
The food is really not good, crab cake sliders were gross and the cheese wasn't even melted on our burgers. I guess they have a few kinks to iron out...
(2)
Mike C.
Had a few drinks here. Beer selection was decent. Bar was packed and a very tight space (hi-tops were very tightly placed), and was standing room only (football playoffs, but not for Eagles). Much like many other places in Philly (byobs) there wasn't much attempt to deaden the noise, and it was extremely noisy in the place (think double-wide row home, whitewashed walls, 120 people with standing-room-only in a pretty tight space). It might be fine for a random Saturday afternoon sitting at the bar when it's quiet, but I would avoid it otherwise. I'm not a fan of Fox & Hound, but sometimes it does the trick, and at this point I would actually recommend F&H over this place.
(2)
Matilda M.
The food was decent (grilled cheese, sliders, soup and fries) and reasonably priced. Our waitress was really nice. Our biggest complaint was that when the Eagles game came on, they turned the volume up so high that we couldn't converse with the person sitting just across the table. We had to leave at half time because the noise level was so unbearable.
(3)
Athanasios M.
Great drinks and crowd. Can't miss a play with all those TVs!
(5)
Kathryn L.
Great new bar in the neighborhood. Very friendly staff and service with a good beer list. Fun place, good vibe, check it out!
(4)
Kay R.
We had a great experience today at Founding Fathers. Stopped in mid-afternoon for a drink, it was somewhat empty. The service was fantastic, the bartender was great and very friendly. By the time we were ready to leave it was packed!!!! Definitely a great spot to watch a game. Can't wait to come back and try the food.
(5)
Kevin K.
Would give 5 but what about Wifi???? How am I supposed to snapchat selfies of how good I look without cell phone service or wifi? On the bright side, right around the corner
(4)
David T.
Went here again and everything was even worse. Worse service, somehow worse food (it's possible, apparently), and worse clientele (though the single star isn't for that, to be fair). This place should be in a strip mall in Cherry Hill.
(1)
Eliza P.
The Good: 1. The location and concept. This is a great addition to the neighborhood and seriously, an adult sports bar is just pretty awesome. FF has all of the things you want to love about a sports bar, but sometimes don't because sports bars can be kind of gross and crazy. 2. TVs. Lots of TVs. Seriously, I don't think there's a bad seat in the house. 3. The beer list. There's a nice mix of high quality beers on tap - IPAs, pale ales, stouts and some that tend to be pretty rare, especially at a sports bar. 4. The menu. One of the things I love to hate (or is it hate to love?) about sports bars is the heavy, greasy food. Although there are some classics like nachos and burgers here, there are also salads, sandwiches and pizzas - so you don't necessarily feel like you need to be rolled out the door when you're done. 5. The food. The noms were good. Not the best food I've ever had, but solid. My BF and I both had pizza - he had the Yo Cuz with lots of meat, and I had the mushroom - they were enjoyable and the perfect size for one (pretty hungry) person. In a city with so many great artisan pizza places, this wasn't at the top of the list, but it didn't suck. The people next to us had the wings and the spinach and crab dip, and commented on how good they were (see my below point about the cramped space for why I could hear this - I wasn't stalking, I swear!). The Bad: 1. The layout. The space feels really cramped to me - the bar stools are packed super close together so you definitely feel kind of awkward squeezing into your seat if there's someone sitting next to you, and almost every inch of the floor is filled with a table. When the room is full, it's really full and it takes a lot of ducking, weaving and knocking people's jackets and purses off the backs of their chairs to move around. 2. The prices. I didn't think the food was that expensive, but the drinks certainly were. Beers in general were steep, and wine was out of control. If you want to sit and watch a few games and drink consistently, I'd be prepared to shell out some cash money. The Ugly: 1. The service. Ok, I don't know if the service was totally ugly, but I needed something to go in this category - and the service was definitely the low point of my experience. We sat at the bar and I got the vibe like the bartenders kind of hated everyone there. There were few smiles, no chit chat, and it took a really long time for us to get refilled, checked on, and to place our order, and when we sat down, the place was far from busy so it wasn't like they were scrambling to serve people. (On a caveat note, the bar backs who actually brought us our food were incredibly nice and friendly so high five to those dudes.)
(3)
Cary T.
Barkeep: Something to drink? Me: How is your old fashioned? Barkeep: Decent, we have a selection of spirits Orders Bullit Rye Old Fashioned Drink is served Barkeep: how is your drink? Me: Decent, there is no cherry in it Barkeep: the owner doesn't want us to put cherries in it.... Do you want a cherry? Me: No. That's not what the owner wants.
(3)
Andrew B.
It was a good place for a light dinner and some drinks. But they kept trying to turn off the World Cup game. And the service is slow. But the people were nice and food was good.
(3)
Greg F.
This bar might as well be in KOP mall. It feels sterile in there like when you walk into any Starbucks anywhere and they all pretty much look the same. There's WAY too many tables in there as well making it hard to get from the door to the bar or bar to bathroom. If its a sports bar I'm looking for than (I can't believe I'm saying this) I would rather be at fox and hound. They have more room, flat screens and cheaper better beer. Food at either place sucks overall anyway..bartender Jess was the only reason I'd be back to founding fathers again. I'm a bob and barbs kinda guy anyway so I'll just continue to eat at home and drink where they don't charge me $10 a glass from a bottle that costs $13 at the wine store.
(2)
Kristin S.
Good idea but food is a flop. Pizzas are not good n not cheap, I would rather buy a store bought and pop in the oven. The chicken sandwich was dripping in grease I could not even eat the bun as that what soaked it all up. The "monster" grilled cheese is small n overly greasy the second grilled cheese I ever met in my life that I did not enjoy, and seriously guys the fries are soggy n not to any surprise.....super greasy. Also good luck findng this bar open till two that is quite the lie, try like 12 n good luck getting food after 10, wtf!
(2)
Karina R.
4 stars for the chili, great flavor! To spicy for me but my husband favorite chili. About costumer service I will give them 3 starts, the waitresses need to know their menu better to be able to assist the costumer more successfully. I will try to go again!
(4)
Callie S.
Great new spot! Tons of TVs. You can actually see a TV from anywhere in the bar. Great atmosphere and the staff is super friendly. Food was great - tried the nachos. Had a cider served in a flute. It was fantastic. Prices are a little steep ($25 for two beers and veggie nachos). Would love to come here every day for hh. Definitely give it a try!
(4)
Cierra L.
Very hot and muggy inside. Horrible service. Waited an hour and a half for the food we ordered and it never came. Then when we asked where our food was she had no idea, didn't say sorry.. I asked for the check, and they brought it right away with out caring or doing anything about how long we were waiting for and our food wasn't even close to coming out to us.
(1)
Stephen R.
Finally a legitimate sports bar with great food in Center City/ Graduate Hospital. Awesome interior, views and service.
(5)
America M.
Big fan of this place, since grand opening I have made a visit almost once a week - the atmosphere is great and laid back and happy hour pricing is very good. Since they are new, they are testing new menu items which is amazing! I love the revolving menu since I am always wanting to try new things. I love their nachos most of all, very fresh chips and delicious ingredients. Last week the special was BBQ quesadilla, so naturally I asked for the BBQ pork on my nachos, and it was AMAZING!!! best decision ever. Flatbreads were delicious, and poutine was very good as well, one of my friends had a burger and did mention it was just OK, I personally did not try it. We've always had a great experience, sometimes of course better than others when the bartenders are super chatty.
(4)
Richard F.
Oh how we needed thee in G-ho This is what an adult sports-bar looks like. TV's are huge and everywhere, and there's really no bad seat in the house. The staff was attentive and friendly. The food is far better than the next closest 'true' sports-bar, Fox & the Hound. It's a good blend of small plates and entrees, sandwiches and comfort food. The tap list wasn't striking, but solid. A sports-bar doesn't need to bowl me over with their taps (I'll go to Jose Pistola's or Monks for that) but it needs to cater to the 21-40 crowd that likes an occasional heady draft. Prices were par for South Street, but likely higher than you might expect to pay at other sports pubs. I suggest aggressive specials for games. On our first visit we had the BBQ pork sliders, "First Meal on the Moon" sliders, wings and split a burger. The sliders were excellent (i could eat 50 of the Pork ones) and the burger was an excellent "pub" burger - again, no need to overdo the creativity at a sports-bar. The beef was cooked like asked (MR), the toppings were fresh and I'd definitely order it again. The wings were cooked perfectly, nice and crisp, but they came out a little dry and had to ask for an extra ramekin of buffalo sauce. I've heard and smelled good things regarding the Korean BBQ wings, that's next on my list. Went in for the Eagles-Redskins game on our second visit and was stunned at the size of the crowd. Seeing as the place is so new, I'm not sure if I was witnessing a "friends and family effect" (there are four owners) or if it was entirely randoms. We struggled for a place to stand near the bar, and there was a first-come-first-serve policy in place with the tables, similar to a bar seat. I'm fine with this but my wife started asking why we didn't go home and drink for free. I can't chastise a place for being packed, just an observation. I'd definitely call this my new go-to for Phils-Flyers-Birds nights, and intend to bring more folks soon.
(4)
Matt S.
Have been here a couple of times now and have to say that the staff and management are doing a great job to bring a quality sports bar with good food and tap selection to this part of South St. The hand-cut fries with chipotle ranch are addictive! And the Cooperstown brisket sandwich is a salty/sweet delicious win. Place definitely gets crowded for big events so get there early! Otherwise, keep it going FF!
(5)
Dave T.
I did a little bar hopping for the football games yesterday. Ended up here to watch the Dallas game and finally eat some food. My first impression, what a great place To watch the games. I loved the atmosphere. Very detailed down to the bathrooms! Big TV's all over as well. (I-phone chargers at every bar seat) We sat at the bar and ordered a bunch of appetizers. Nachos..delish! Crab and spinach dip.. Delish! Quesadillas... Delish! The people next to me had the lamb burger and sliders which I wish I ordered had I not stuffed my face with all the apps. It looked SO good! The bartender was friendly and made me the best "old fashioned" I have ever had. I will definitely be coming back to Founding Fathers! Except next time I will bring more of my friends!
(5)
Elanor M.
One of the worst experiences I've ever had at a bar. Service was slow, confused, and finally, extremely rude. For a place with about as much character as a McMansion, it can ill afford to treat customers that poorly.
(1)
Danielle L.
So this place isn't somewhere that's going to knock your socks off, but for a sports bar I would say it's a koch above the rest. Nachos are good, pizza was ehhh, beer selection was great. They have Wed quizzo which is fun, but have a genius or jeopardy pal to lean on or partner up with. This place is great for the spring because all of the front windows open so your practically sitting outside.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner, Late Night Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Andres C.
The food was OK, the F burger, I was told was delicious. What pissed me off the most was the up-charge for extra sauce. We ordered Calamari appetizer and it had 3 lines of sauce drawn on the plate, so naturally we ordered more sauce. For dessert we ordered the brownie which has "caramel sauce on top" and the sauce was 2 one inch drawn strips on the plate. We ordered more sauce. Well we were charged $2.00 for the extra sauce and never notified of the charge. $2 is not a lot but I HATE TO BE NICKELED AND DIMED, especially if you are paying over $11 per plate. After I complained to the manager he responded by "well, I was thinking about removing the charge until...." which is when I interrupted him and told him to swipe my card so I can get my ass out of there. For God's sake "thinking?!!" Just shut up, listen to my rant, apologize, say you will remove the charge and walk away. "THINKING!"
(2)s k.
I went here last night with a buddy and ordered a small order of wings and a margarita pizza. Wings were undercooked and the pizzas "sauce" was watery and translucent. We sent the wings back and asked for them to be well done. However upon second delivery of these wings we noticed they were dropped back into the fryer and smothered with sauce and yet still undercooked. We spoke to the manager who was pleasant and bought us a free drink but I was extremely disappointed in the "late night menu". As for the space: It is cramped, overloaded with televisions and seems to lack any charm or character. At least add some philly notasligia to the place. Maybe a phillies pennant flag or an eagles helmet. This bar could be picked up and placed in Florida and you wouldn't even notice any difference. I told my friend it's a " generic" bar.
(2)Erika B.
Great space for a sports bar. It's not huge but it has TVs on every wall so it's intimate. It also has a nice sized bar. It is a good addition to the neighborhood. The servers were all friendly. They definitely have the chance to move up in ranking by doing something about their food. The food is not good. I think most Philly sports bars have really upped their game in the food category. At this point I would only go there for a drink. But maybe that's what they're going for!
(3)Erin W.
You know that insurance commercial with Mindy Kaling where she thinks she's invisible? That was the sensation both my husband and I had on the first (and only) time we stopped in here. We came in for dinner about a month or so after they opened, thinking the novelty would've worn off and they would've settled into a good groove, having worked out all the just-opened kinks. We were seated quickly, albeit next to a giant column in the back of the place by the bar, and then just as quickly forgotten. After about five minutes of sitting there, a table of two was seated next to us, and were brought menus immediately. Ever the optimists, husband and I had this exchange: "Huh, that's weird. They just got here and they already have menus." "Weird. Maybe they have a different server." "Maybe. I'm sure ours will be here any second." Precious hopefulness! After another five minutes (which, if you're counting, makes it 10 full minutes we were sitting at our table without menus or even napkins or coasters, at least as a promise of future service), the table next to us was approached by a (totally different) waiter and asked if they'd like something to drink. Drinks! When we couldn't even get menus! Or a "Hello! Sorry, I'll be with you in a second!" Hell, we would've accepted a middle-finger from someone just to confirm they even knew we were there. It seems like a small thing to break the camels back, but 10 minutes of being completely ignored is painful enough; in a restaurant setting it's an eternity. Husband and I threw in the towel (that's a metaphor, because again, we didn't even have napkins on our table) and decided to leave, thinking that, at the very least, someone (a waiter, the hostess, a bartender) would say, "Oh, hey, are you guys leaving? Is everything okay?" But no! We made it to the front door without a single person acknowledging us, which, had we not been hangry and furious by that point, would've made us feel stealthy and like ninjas. We must've forgotten we were wearing our Invisibility Cloaks, I guess. My husband doubled back to the bar to tell someone, "Hey, FYI, we're leaving" offering them one last chance at redemption, only to be met with callous indifference. Like an apathetic cherry on top of a sundae of disregard. We live around the corner and still won't ever go back. I'll let the philosopher Kelly Clarkson explain it: "You had your chance, you blew it."
(1)Feebee A.
Def a cool bar on south street in Philly. I know other yelpers mentioned theres not a bad seat in the house.... tvs everywhere! However, no one mentioned that this place is pretty small! They do have a lot of tvs but you could also wait for a table for a while! We came here on a saturday night, party of 11, waited about an hour and 45 minutes. We didnt mind the wait, the staff as well as the manager continued to check in on us and let us know they were working on a table. Drinks were very reasonably priced! Food was also pretty good. I had the eggplant sandwich which needed a little more flavor but it was pretty good choice! The BF had a burger which he really liked and a few other menu items were ordered and everyone was pretty pleased. Without a doubt, this is a great choice to hang out and watch some games while throwing back a few beers. Enjoy!
(4)Priya R.
I've been here twice now (for some reason) and it's a pretty average bar. I guess the only unique aspect of it is that it is a sports bar with limited seating and fancy prices on somewhat upscaled bar food. The first time I was here, the waitress was literally hounding our table every five minutes asking if we needed anything. This might seem refreshing if you are to frequent any other sports bar and service is nowhere to be found, but it got to the point where it was actually hindering the experience. It also kind of made it seem like we needed to keep ordering things or we were wasting space sitting there. The second time the service was much better overall, but to me, the food just didn't cut it. The only thing I enjoyed was the poutine (but that's only because who doesn't love poutine.) I don't know, it's not a bad place, I've definitely been to better bars, but the convenience of the location is probably one of the only benefits to coming here.
(2)Nellie F.
My fiancé and I have been twice now and totally love this spot. This is a legitimate sports bar with a great beer list, great food that includes vegetarian options, comfortable seeking with plenty of high top options, and big open windows. Tons of tvs that are well positioned play a variety of all you are looking to see. The nachos are awesome and the "bu-faux-lo" wings are outstanding! I love Blackbird's wings, but FF's are even better! Beer flights and growlers abound and the servers are all friendly and fast. All around a great addition to the neighborhood and we will be back again and again!
(5)Laura H.
Meh. That's about the best description I can come up with. The pros: Nice staff, good seating, I like the open window concept, and there's no other sports bar in the immediate vicinity. That being said, its really just whatever. There was nothing necessarily bad about Founding Father's. Menu is just ok, beers are just ok, prices aren't great. With so many other awesome establishments nearby, they are going to have to step up their game in a big way to be successful!
(2)Claire C.
The beer is on point here. Good selection, normal prices. The seating is virtually all high tops, so don't expect anything too comfy if you're wanting to stay a while. The food... nicely presented but for the price, small serving and bland. The fries were soggy, which made me think the oil was not hot enough. I ordered the fish and chips, and for $14 I received three very small pieces of fried cod with a tasteless beer batter. It wasn't bad, but with such a bland fish you need to step up the flavor. This dish needed more butter, salt, and pepper. My dining companions both ordered $10 sandwiches.... and received hotdogs with mustard. No extra toppings such as sauerkraut or relish. While good, they were disappointed as they expected something more than what they could produce at your standard poolside BBQ. Besides this, the service was friendly. It seems like people enjoy working there and the hostess was quick to accommodate our request to sit within view of a game we wanted to watch. Tweak the recipes and edit the menu descriptions so people enjoy and know what they're getting and they'll be good to go.
(3)Vichet O.
Came in here on New Year's Day. Founding Fathers is showing some promise, in spite of a few logistical hiccups that should probably be expected of most new joints. It's a really nice space, and like other reviewers have said, there's no bad seat in the house. Only issue is, I feel that there are a few too many tables crammed in the center of the space. If you're in a chair backing an aisle, you will get bumped into, by patrons and servers alike. Place wasn't even close to full, and my friend and I were getting nudged left and right. It's not a huge issue, and can easily be fixed by someone on their staff who's good at chair Tetris, but should definitely be addressed so that the place isn't just deadlocked when it's full. The menu has got all the standard new-American fare we've gotten used to seeing from everywhere else that's opened in the last few years. I got some jerk wings, and they were awesome. Fries were good, too, and are big enough to share, but I kind of had a brain fart when I realized "man, these were $7." Didn't really make sense to me, considering the wings, which were huge both individually and in terms of how many you got in a single order, were only something like $11. I guess I really wanted fries. The beer selection is good, and isn't any cheaper or pricier than other craft pubs. The service was friendly, if a bit slow. Little things like having to ask for ketchup with the fries, or extra napkins with the wings, or getting the check. Again, easy fixes. All of this added up to an experience that, though pleasant, could use a few tweaks. Looking forward to coming back for those wings.
(3)Claudia L.
Great new sports bar with great food! Last night was the first time to FF. Great atmosphere, great food and great service. When we first came in, we were approached immediately. Patrick told us that it was about a 45 minute wait for a table but we ended up getting a table right away. Patrick was great. He was able to accommodate our 3 other friends that showed up late (we also weren't sure if they were coming). This is a great sports bar with a lot of tvs and great audio. When our tab came, we messed up on the tip but were sure take care of Patrick right away to make up for our mistake! So sorry, Patrick! We will be back. Thanks for opening up on our end of town.
(4)Ashley M.
We love this bar. They have a great beer list and good food as well. I love the ambiance of the place, it's casual for happy hour and a great place to watch sports. There are a ton of TV's and it's not too loud. We're quickly becoming regulars at this place!
(5)Will O.
Incapable bartender and management. Over-served obviously visibly intoxicated person at 1pm. He was screaming and spilling his food like a toddler, but they didn't even question his drink and shots orders, despite annoying the whole bar. Aside from that, the beer list was just OK, price wasn't great, and multiple drafts we got were warm! Don't waste your time here.
(1)Joseph K.
Meh...the more I seem to visit this establishment the less I seem to enjoy the experience. Best bets, go during the week or on off hours or a weekend without a major game during the weekend. Let's all be honest here, as a sports fan living in Philadelphia we all know the sports bars in center city suck. Fox and Hound's food is about as good as dog food, Fado is a dark, dungy dump-hole and Tavern on Broad is no better. When this place first opened I had high hopes, good location and a clean, bright looking place. The first time I went the place was packed, understandably I thought, it was playoff season and the establishment was new. Times after, same experience. Imagine a box with about 100 people screaming as loud as they can in it. Bring your ear plugs. I've told the manager on several occasions they should look into some sound dampening devices, guy seems clueless. Food is average for sports bar food, had the ceasar salad special last time I was there, was overpriced for having no protein, croutons or really anything much for toppings, very unimpressed. Prices are steep, wine prices are laughable for table quality wine, only good thing is a wide variety of craft brews (but where can't we find variety at any center city bar anymore?). Best thing the place has going for it, location, may be moving in the next few months, if the place isn't within walking distance don't really see myself going back. Loud, steep prices, average food, go for a beer on a weekend in the early afternoon, nothing more and you'll leave satisfied.
(2)Will S.
This is a great sports bar for sports fans who like to eat and drink. I'm a pretty big sports fan. I like all sports. You name it, I watch it! This bar is definitely the bar for me. As for the menu - I recommend the cheese curds. If you like cheese, you'll like these.
(5)Zach L.
Eh. I was excited to check this place out. Went there with a group of 7 right as the 1:00 football game started. Because the kitchen was changing over from brunch to lunch, it took over an hour to get our appetizer order of nachos. There were approximately 4 chips per person in this order of nachos. We were told the sliders were the thing to get. We each ordered 3 sliders. They brought us a giant tray of about 15-18 and then individually dispersed them among us. They forgot one and doubled up on another order. They were mediocre at best. Their keg of Dales Pale Ale kicked at 3:00 in the middle of a football Sunday. This place has cool exposed brick. That's really about it.
(2)Jessica B.
As a Philadelphian and history minor I think the Founding Fathers would be proud of this place... 4 Yelps for the following reasons: 1. Civics: Atmosphere is great, high ceilings, open space, lots of TVs but you don't necessarily feel like you're in a sports bar, its clean and modern but warm at the same time. 2. Representation: The service was great, very friendly staff who made good recommendations, we were sort of tag teamed by the bar tender and another server and never felt like anyone was hovering, but our beers never went empty either. 3. Freedom: The Beer selection is great, ranging from well known staples (ie: Yungling) to harder to find beers such as my new face the Ommegang Hennepin. 4. All (bar food) is created equally: The food is done well but you don't have many choices past the common bar food. Not to say you won't enjoy eating here if you want a burger or onion rings or a flat bread, all of the food is good quality, done right and tasty. I'd definitely return to try the flat breads and the dirty fries. So, hear ye, hear ye, come to Founding Fathers for a good time, good beer, and to enjoy well done bar food.
(4)Alex A.
With a named like Founding Fathers, I pictured a rustic interior, busts of all our great Patriots and perhaps the staff even dressed in 1776 garbs... That wasn't the case. To my surprise (and disappointment), this is actually a rather large chain and run of the mill sports bar. That said, the layout and design are thoughtful, staff incredibly nice and attentive (probably the best in all of Philly) and the food is definitely on par. Checks were easily split amongst all 13 people at the table, which shocked me (Philly seems very hung up on only having 1 check per table...join the 21st century people). They offer a 1/2 off special on Mon-Fri from about 3-6:30 on all apps!!! Definitely worth going just for that. The nachos, though completely average, were great and well portioned. I'll admit that they could have been spread out way better to ensure a more even smattering of toppings, but at $4 on special, I won't complain too much. I didn't order a drink, but the list was quite extensive and everyone was raving about their Not Your Grandma's Rootbeer (it's spiked). I would happy go back any day, providing it's from 3-6:30
(3)Edward M.
I was looking forward to finally trying this place; should have held the excitement at bay. Stopped here for dinner and drinks with friends on a pleasantly quiet recent night. The beer list is adequate, with some good choices in several categories, though nothing thrilling. The pub fare available is fairly standard pub fare. I tried the burger with a side of onion rings (other options are fries, naturally, or salad). The onion rings were crispy and delicious. The burger, on the other hand, was hugely disappointing. The accoutrements (bun and veggies) were fine, but the patties themselves were not at all good. Instead of providing two barely mediocre patties, they should really focus on getting a single one right. At a place like this, one expects patties to be made on-site (preferably ground on-site, too) and actually cooked to order. The patties looked like factory pre-formed discs, had a texture like they were microwaved rather than grilled, and tasted like it. Unless they make serious changes, I will not be getting their beef burger ever again, but since other items were, or at least looked, good, I'd try some of those other items. They have a variety of seating choices -- tables, booths, bar -- which is nice. Servers were friendly and competent. There are about ten TV screens about, so you get the complete sports bar ambiance.
(3)Michelle C.
I've been to Founding Fathers three times. The first was during an Eagles game, and it was so crowded that our group left right away, knowing it would be very difficult to even get up to the bar. So, I probably won't be going back during any major sporting events, despite the plethora of large TVs on every wall. My next two visits were for a late dinner. Bianca was our server on both occasions and she was friendly and did a great job. It seems like this bar hosts a lot of loud twenty-somethings and I'm sure that doesn't always make for an easy night. The food is fairly average, maybe a little above, but I've also only tried some of the small plates. Flatbreads are good but could use a couple more minutes in the oven, and the chicken fingers are great but you get four for nine dollars which is crazy. The beer selection is solid. I also like that the high tops along the wall have lots of room and feel a bit further from the crowd than the high tops closer to the bar area. Overall, solid spot for a casual meal.
(4)Amy C.
I've been to Founding Fathers many times and it's been a great experience each time. The atmosphere is great. Fun place to watch any games. Tons of TVs and great beer selection. With nice weather they also open up the windows to the street so it's a great indoor/outdoor feeling. FF growlers and t-shirts are worth buying too!
(5)Kendra T.
We stopped by because of the happy hour deal. They had 50% off appetizers so we ordered the nachos and the chicken tenders. The nachos are large, and I appreciate that they layer the toppings so you don't get stuck with dry chips on the bottom. I was hoping for a little in the toppings department, so the waitress was kind enough to bring us some crema as well. The chicken was pretty good, definitely better quality than most bars. There are only four pieces, however, so be warned if you're paying full price. I would come back for the happy hour deal.
(3)Dan P.
Great Bar for watching the game. Tons of TVs, pretty good food. Atmosphere is lively during big games. Beer is overpriced ($5 for a Miller lite is outrageous, even Fox and Hound is cheaper at $4.50) Don't buy their Growlers. They charge you 6-for-the-price-of-5 draft beer prices ($25 a refill), in addition to purchasing the growler for $12. You can buy a six pack of the same beers at the Foodery or a distributor for half that price with no sacrifice in quality. I don't want to be charged draft prices at the bar when I am not actually AT the bar. The whole point of growlers is to buy in volume and save money. You don't. Overall: Food: 4 stars Service: 3 stars Atmosphere: 4 stars Prices: 1 star
(3)Kerry A.
Food and drink: Went with a friend to get drinks and some appetizers. They had a solid beer list, including lots of locals like Victory and Neshaminy Creek. We ordered onion rings and potato pancakes, both of which came out great- hot and crispy! The ketchup had a spice to it that I didn't love, but my friend did, so just be forewarned that it was not just ketchup. We didn't have entrees, but our neighbor at the bar ordered a chicken sandwich that looked great. The food was really well presented- nothing was sloppy or soggy, which is often the case at sports bars. Atmosphere: Lots of TVs showing news and sports, so wherever you sat inside you had a view of at least 2 screens. The decor was nothing special, but definitely nice- tufted leather booths and marble high-top tables at the bar. The noise level was pretty average and I did notice sound panels on the ceiling, which I always appreciate. Overall really nice sports bar. Service: The bartender was great- really attentive and checked on our drinks and food several times. Someone I assumed to be the manager also checked on us to make sure our food had come out alright. Clearly the staff was very focused on customer satisfaction.
(5)Ali C.
My fiance and I headed over to Founding Fathers for a quick dinner. We have been wanting to check it out since it opened. The atmosphere was just "eh." We were seated quickly and ordered pretty quickly after we were seated. It seemed like it took a little while to get our food. We shared the chilli and the monster grilled cheese. The food was just "ok." Nothing to rave home about. I was hoping that this would be a fun new bar but there is just something missing and I can't pinpoint it.
(2)Sarah A.
A nice mixture of high top and regular tables, Founding Fathers has a riff on poutine (so ironic, because we'd literally just been discussing poutine and wondering where to get it in Philadelphia, when we decided we wanted a drink and stopped in): what more could you ask for?
(4)Laura V.
Made reservations for six to eat and catch the UNC / Duke basketball game...at least I thought I did. When I called ahead, someone took my reservation for six with my name and phone number. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed to learn there was no record of it. Despite this initial setback, my group was able to grab a high top for six and I'm not lying when I say there isn't a bad seat in the house. The neutral paint colors and subtle wall paper designs allow for ultimate concentration on the game you're there to see. Food was better than I've had at most sports bars. One order of Truffle Parmesan fries were enough to go around, or maybe we were just being polite. Tried my first fried pickle at this establishment. Was a evening to remember...minus the heels loss. :-/
(3)Tracie P.
The three star rating here does not comport with my two recent experiences at Founding Fathers. This is a great sports bar that the area definitely needed. The beer list is awesome, and the food is really good. Lots of vegetarian options too. Granted, my fiancée and I have only had apps so far, but they were awesome both times. The nachos are delicious and the seitan buffalo wings are sooo good. Seitan wings are not easy to nail texturally and these are spot on (better than at Blackbird). Based on the earlier reviews, it seems there was an issue with service around the time they opened up. Not unexpected. But our service on both occasions was excellent. Open window seating makes it a great summer spot. I know this will become one of our new go to bars for beers and food.
(5)Reyana F.
3.5 stars. new sports bar that just opened on south street. Pretty much every blank spot on the wall is covered by a TV, which is good for the guy who gets stuck in the corner and still needs his football fix. The food is just ok, buffalo chicken tenders are average, but pass on the beer battered pickle spears- they were a soggy. Atmosphere is your typical sports bar if there were children, and 30+ professionals. Probably needs some time to get the vibe right, but overall if I wanted to go to a loud place and watch a game, this would be my second choice after Locust Rendezvous.
(3)Patrick M.
This is the solid sports bar that South Street West needed. Good beer, tasty food, easy. Rotating menu for both beers and food so it stays interesting (perhaps because they're still new and figuring out what works - which is a good sign). With the big open windows, I hope this becomes a late-night summer spot for Graduate Hospital.
(5)Tim L.
Food is not worth it. It is below average and for the money you can do so much better within 50 steps in any direction. The environment is so sterile. I asked the bartender why it was so bright and she said the owners did not want to dim them. Beer taps are low and behind a large post and not posted anywhere else. Bartenders seem friendly but in a corporate TGIF way. I get the feeling the owners are not from the industry, or they worked at or owned impersonal places. Not a friendly neighborhood spot. Plusses are TVs in every direction, but if a Philly team is playing good luck finding a TV playing something else. Overall a swing and a miss but it has potential if the ownership loosens up.
(2)Marie S.
Great beer and they turned on the Giants game on one of the main tvs even though we were obviously the only ppl who cared. So in other words: great service, great beer, did not try food.
(4)Marie B.
Hard time finding something on the menu that sounded appetizing. Food came and it did the job, nothing to brag about. Thought the prices were steep for the value/portions. Staff didn't seem happy to be there. Only went to this place cause it was close to my friends house. Wouldn't go out of my way.
(2)Felix S.
This area needed a sports bar and Founding Fathers does that well. Lots of TV's, decent selection of beers and the food menu looked and smelled pretty good. Didn't get a chance to try the food, but I was unimpressed by the beer selection.
(3)Katherine F.
Waitresses cut you off after one or two drinks and the manager comes out and says the bar cannot serve you anymore alcohol. Not ideal for a sports bar.
(1)Rory K.
Great place to watch a game. Not a bad seat in the house with the amount of TV's. Food delicious and the rotating beer selection is pretty nice as well. There is a lot to choose from!
(5)daniel c.
Solid sports bar in a neighborhood that needs one. Gets crowded but the beer selection and food is solid makes it worth getting there early. Recommend both the pizza and wings.
(5)Stephanie S.
Great place to watch NFL. Solid bar food and a great draft beer selection. Nice atmosphere.
(5)Chris R.
What a great addition to the neighborhood! This patch of South Street has a lot of great spots, but was sorely missing a bar that catered to the sports crowd. Founding Fathers just opened, but I've already found it to be a great spot to catch the game. The drinks are priced well, the food was tasty, and the place is just really nice looking. Looking forward to seeing it as it grows!
(5)Michael G.
Just what you want from a sports bar. excellent service, good food (loved the pizza) and a nice atmosphere. Good views of the TV's from any seat. We had a great time and will definitely return.
(5)Adam N.
Awesome new sports bar. It's a bit cozy and can fill up. But it's clean and modern. We came for happy hour and our drinks got delayed due to a POS issue. However the manager apologized and made it right. We'll be back.
(5)John B.
Attractive interior (great TV viewing for sports fans) and the food is pretty good, but the service was just hopeless. It's clear this place is poorly managed as the staffing was completely inadequate for the crowd (1 waiter, 1 bartender). I second Erin W's review about feeling invisible. It should not take close to 90 minutes to get food ordered and to the table. If we weren't invested in watching the game on TV, we would have moved on. I can't recommend the place.
(1)Katie R.
The food is really not good, crab cake sliders were gross and the cheese wasn't even melted on our burgers. I guess they have a few kinks to iron out...
(2)Mike C.
Had a few drinks here. Beer selection was decent. Bar was packed and a very tight space (hi-tops were very tightly placed), and was standing room only (football playoffs, but not for Eagles). Much like many other places in Philly (byobs) there wasn't much attempt to deaden the noise, and it was extremely noisy in the place (think double-wide row home, whitewashed walls, 120 people with standing-room-only in a pretty tight space). It might be fine for a random Saturday afternoon sitting at the bar when it's quiet, but I would avoid it otherwise. I'm not a fan of Fox & Hound, but sometimes it does the trick, and at this point I would actually recommend F&H over this place.
(2)Matilda M.
The food was decent (grilled cheese, sliders, soup and fries) and reasonably priced. Our waitress was really nice. Our biggest complaint was that when the Eagles game came on, they turned the volume up so high that we couldn't converse with the person sitting just across the table. We had to leave at half time because the noise level was so unbearable.
(3)Athanasios M.
Great drinks and crowd. Can't miss a play with all those TVs!
(5)Kathryn L.
Great new bar in the neighborhood. Very friendly staff and service with a good beer list. Fun place, good vibe, check it out!
(4)Kay R.
We had a great experience today at Founding Fathers. Stopped in mid-afternoon for a drink, it was somewhat empty. The service was fantastic, the bartender was great and very friendly. By the time we were ready to leave it was packed!!!! Definitely a great spot to watch a game. Can't wait to come back and try the food.
(5)Kevin K.
Would give 5 but what about Wifi???? How am I supposed to snapchat selfies of how good I look without cell phone service or wifi? On the bright side, right around the corner
(4)David T.
Went here again and everything was even worse. Worse service, somehow worse food (it's possible, apparently), and worse clientele (though the single star isn't for that, to be fair). This place should be in a strip mall in Cherry Hill.
(1)Eliza P.
The Good: 1. The location and concept. This is a great addition to the neighborhood and seriously, an adult sports bar is just pretty awesome. FF has all of the things you want to love about a sports bar, but sometimes don't because sports bars can be kind of gross and crazy. 2. TVs. Lots of TVs. Seriously, I don't think there's a bad seat in the house. 3. The beer list. There's a nice mix of high quality beers on tap - IPAs, pale ales, stouts and some that tend to be pretty rare, especially at a sports bar. 4. The menu. One of the things I love to hate (or is it hate to love?) about sports bars is the heavy, greasy food. Although there are some classics like nachos and burgers here, there are also salads, sandwiches and pizzas - so you don't necessarily feel like you need to be rolled out the door when you're done. 5. The food. The noms were good. Not the best food I've ever had, but solid. My BF and I both had pizza - he had the Yo Cuz with lots of meat, and I had the mushroom - they were enjoyable and the perfect size for one (pretty hungry) person. In a city with so many great artisan pizza places, this wasn't at the top of the list, but it didn't suck. The people next to us had the wings and the spinach and crab dip, and commented on how good they were (see my below point about the cramped space for why I could hear this - I wasn't stalking, I swear!). The Bad: 1. The layout. The space feels really cramped to me - the bar stools are packed super close together so you definitely feel kind of awkward squeezing into your seat if there's someone sitting next to you, and almost every inch of the floor is filled with a table. When the room is full, it's really full and it takes a lot of ducking, weaving and knocking people's jackets and purses off the backs of their chairs to move around. 2. The prices. I didn't think the food was that expensive, but the drinks certainly were. Beers in general were steep, and wine was out of control. If you want to sit and watch a few games and drink consistently, I'd be prepared to shell out some cash money. The Ugly: 1. The service. Ok, I don't know if the service was totally ugly, but I needed something to go in this category - and the service was definitely the low point of my experience. We sat at the bar and I got the vibe like the bartenders kind of hated everyone there. There were few smiles, no chit chat, and it took a really long time for us to get refilled, checked on, and to place our order, and when we sat down, the place was far from busy so it wasn't like they were scrambling to serve people. (On a caveat note, the bar backs who actually brought us our food were incredibly nice and friendly so high five to those dudes.)
(3)Cary T.
Barkeep: Something to drink? Me: How is your old fashioned? Barkeep: Decent, we have a selection of spirits Orders Bullit Rye Old Fashioned Drink is served Barkeep: how is your drink? Me: Decent, there is no cherry in it Barkeep: the owner doesn't want us to put cherries in it.... Do you want a cherry? Me: No. That's not what the owner wants.
(3)Andrew B.
It was a good place for a light dinner and some drinks. But they kept trying to turn off the World Cup game. And the service is slow. But the people were nice and food was good.
(3)Greg F.
This bar might as well be in KOP mall. It feels sterile in there like when you walk into any Starbucks anywhere and they all pretty much look the same. There's WAY too many tables in there as well making it hard to get from the door to the bar or bar to bathroom. If its a sports bar I'm looking for than (I can't believe I'm saying this) I would rather be at fox and hound. They have more room, flat screens and cheaper better beer. Food at either place sucks overall anyway..bartender Jess was the only reason I'd be back to founding fathers again. I'm a bob and barbs kinda guy anyway so I'll just continue to eat at home and drink where they don't charge me $10 a glass from a bottle that costs $13 at the wine store.
(2)Kristin S.
Good idea but food is a flop. Pizzas are not good n not cheap, I would rather buy a store bought and pop in the oven. The chicken sandwich was dripping in grease I could not even eat the bun as that what soaked it all up. The "monster" grilled cheese is small n overly greasy the second grilled cheese I ever met in my life that I did not enjoy, and seriously guys the fries are soggy n not to any surprise.....super greasy. Also good luck findng this bar open till two that is quite the lie, try like 12 n good luck getting food after 10, wtf!
(2)Karina R.
4 stars for the chili, great flavor! To spicy for me but my husband favorite chili. About costumer service I will give them 3 starts, the waitresses need to know their menu better to be able to assist the costumer more successfully. I will try to go again!
(4)Callie S.
Great new spot! Tons of TVs. You can actually see a TV from anywhere in the bar. Great atmosphere and the staff is super friendly. Food was great - tried the nachos. Had a cider served in a flute. It was fantastic. Prices are a little steep ($25 for two beers and veggie nachos). Would love to come here every day for hh. Definitely give it a try!
(4)Cierra L.
Very hot and muggy inside. Horrible service. Waited an hour and a half for the food we ordered and it never came. Then when we asked where our food was she had no idea, didn't say sorry.. I asked for the check, and they brought it right away with out caring or doing anything about how long we were waiting for and our food wasn't even close to coming out to us.
(1)Stephen R.
Finally a legitimate sports bar with great food in Center City/ Graduate Hospital. Awesome interior, views and service.
(5)America M.
Big fan of this place, since grand opening I have made a visit almost once a week - the atmosphere is great and laid back and happy hour pricing is very good. Since they are new, they are testing new menu items which is amazing! I love the revolving menu since I am always wanting to try new things. I love their nachos most of all, very fresh chips and delicious ingredients. Last week the special was BBQ quesadilla, so naturally I asked for the BBQ pork on my nachos, and it was AMAZING!!! best decision ever. Flatbreads were delicious, and poutine was very good as well, one of my friends had a burger and did mention it was just OK, I personally did not try it. We've always had a great experience, sometimes of course better than others when the bartenders are super chatty.
(4)Richard F.
Oh how we needed thee in G-ho This is what an adult sports-bar looks like. TV's are huge and everywhere, and there's really no bad seat in the house. The staff was attentive and friendly. The food is far better than the next closest 'true' sports-bar, Fox & the Hound. It's a good blend of small plates and entrees, sandwiches and comfort food. The tap list wasn't striking, but solid. A sports-bar doesn't need to bowl me over with their taps (I'll go to Jose Pistola's or Monks for that) but it needs to cater to the 21-40 crowd that likes an occasional heady draft. Prices were par for South Street, but likely higher than you might expect to pay at other sports pubs. I suggest aggressive specials for games. On our first visit we had the BBQ pork sliders, "First Meal on the Moon" sliders, wings and split a burger. The sliders were excellent (i could eat 50 of the Pork ones) and the burger was an excellent "pub" burger - again, no need to overdo the creativity at a sports-bar. The beef was cooked like asked (MR), the toppings were fresh and I'd definitely order it again. The wings were cooked perfectly, nice and crisp, but they came out a little dry and had to ask for an extra ramekin of buffalo sauce. I've heard and smelled good things regarding the Korean BBQ wings, that's next on my list. Went in for the Eagles-Redskins game on our second visit and was stunned at the size of the crowd. Seeing as the place is so new, I'm not sure if I was witnessing a "friends and family effect" (there are four owners) or if it was entirely randoms. We struggled for a place to stand near the bar, and there was a first-come-first-serve policy in place with the tables, similar to a bar seat. I'm fine with this but my wife started asking why we didn't go home and drink for free. I can't chastise a place for being packed, just an observation. I'd definitely call this my new go-to for Phils-Flyers-Birds nights, and intend to bring more folks soon.
(4)Matt S.
Have been here a couple of times now and have to say that the staff and management are doing a great job to bring a quality sports bar with good food and tap selection to this part of South St. The hand-cut fries with chipotle ranch are addictive! And the Cooperstown brisket sandwich is a salty/sweet delicious win. Place definitely gets crowded for big events so get there early! Otherwise, keep it going FF!
(5)Dave T.
I did a little bar hopping for the football games yesterday. Ended up here to watch the Dallas game and finally eat some food. My first impression, what a great place To watch the games. I loved the atmosphere. Very detailed down to the bathrooms! Big TV's all over as well. (I-phone chargers at every bar seat) We sat at the bar and ordered a bunch of appetizers. Nachos..delish! Crab and spinach dip.. Delish! Quesadillas... Delish! The people next to me had the lamb burger and sliders which I wish I ordered had I not stuffed my face with all the apps. It looked SO good! The bartender was friendly and made me the best "old fashioned" I have ever had. I will definitely be coming back to Founding Fathers! Except next time I will bring more of my friends!
(5)Elanor M.
One of the worst experiences I've ever had at a bar. Service was slow, confused, and finally, extremely rude. For a place with about as much character as a McMansion, it can ill afford to treat customers that poorly.
(1)Danielle L.
So this place isn't somewhere that's going to knock your socks off, but for a sports bar I would say it's a koch above the rest. Nachos are good, pizza was ehhh, beer selection was great. They have Wed quizzo which is fun, but have a genius or jeopardy pal to lean on or partner up with. This place is great for the spring because all of the front windows open so your practically sitting outside.
(3)