Penne Restaurant & Wine Bar
3600 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
Penne Restaurant & Wine Bar Menu
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Address :
3600 Sansom St
Philadelphia, PA, 19104 - Phone (215) 222-0200
- Website https://www.pennerestaurant.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy, Upscale
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Coat Check : Yes
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Adam L.
This place is so mediocre that it deeply frustrates me just to see people patronizing it. There are few redeeming qualities about Penne, and none of them strong enough to merit your time or money. We must not condone this restaurant to charge such steep prices for small servings of unexceptional food with poor service. Please, even if you're staying in the hotel, this place isn't even worth the walk down the stairs.
(2)Steven F.
This restaurant looks great from the street. And that's where you should stay. All style no content. It's trying to be, how shall I say it? Fancy-shmancy. More focus should have been put on preparing good, fresh cuisine at a reasonable price. While the restaurant is near my daughter's residence at Penn, I will not go back.
(2)Brian C.
I've been three times during three separate business trips. Each time I enjoy every bite! Yes, it's a little pricy but worth every dollar!
(5)Kenneth W.
Ordered their octopus salad and "fresh" margherita pizza. Both misses - they should relabel the salad as "Chickpea with (some small pieces of) octopus salad". Seriously? And the 'fresh' pie crust was anything but fresh. And the tomato sauce was seriously bland - as if the sauce was misdirected from being delivered to a senior living home.
(2)Kris L.
So reading through the poor 1 and 2 star reviews here, they seem to be mostly based on the food being overpriced or poor service. I luckily did not have the same experience. The starter bread and olive oil were dry and tasteless...not worth it! However, the meal went uphill from there. I had the roasted chicken with butternut squash risotto entrée. The chicken skin was perfectly crispy salty and meaty. The chicken itself was juicy and moist. The accompanying risotto was perfectly all dente with soft pieces of butternut squash. Overall this dish was delicious. The service was very good for our small party of 3. I do agree that the portions are a bit small for the price. 4 stars for food taste and quality 3 stars for high prices 3.5 stars for service
(3)Ryan R.
Went here with my team after a day of games. We had a reservation and were seated right away with our large group since the place was nearly empty on a Saturday night. The waitstaff was present quite frequently throughout though the food did take quite a while to come out in my opinion. For my meal, I ordered the salmon. The salmon dish was pretty good, but was a little small considering the price ($23). Overall, this place does a good job with most of their dishes (though I would stay away from the fried chickpeas), but the prices are pretty high and the atmosphere is lacking.
(3)Joseph C.
While I've always found the food and service to be excellent, today 7/13 was their 'off' day. I brought a friend to experience the exceptional homemade pastas and wine selection. Unusually, we waited to be greeted (it was 3:20pm during the pre-dinner setup and what appeared to be staff meeting). After a few minutes of awkward standing and staring at the staff, we were finally greeted by the suited manager and seated at a bar booth. Inexplicably 15 minutes passed with neither a waiter or bartender ever insight. We left disappointed after I had raised the expectations of my guest...Penne get your game back per favore!
(1)Carrie B.
I went for a happy hour with a few colleagues. It was a cold, winter's day, a Thursday to be exact. There were four of us and we sat at the bar. It wasn't very crowded, and the specials were great- wine and beer are VERY reasonably priced. I've been to this place for happy hour before, and I think the main reason to go is because other people do NOT go. I've always been able to grab a seat- summer, winter, you name the weather condition and I'll get you a seat at Penne. It's not bad at all, just one of those places that plays music on the sidewalk and you always walk past quickly because you're on your way to a real bar. The food was fine- calamari, flatbread, bar food- all on special and decent. I will definitely go again out of convenience and ease.
(3)Kiki L.
It is amazing that people complain about Penne for being "expensive" and "overpriced". Welcome to the real world! Check the menu before you make a RSVP to a slightly elegant restaurant. 1) The Margherita flatbread was crispy, flavorful and great appetizer. 2) My date's hanger steak was cooked perfectly and juicily to rare. 3) The open kitchen accompany the rest of the restaurant and makes it more lively.
(4)Kimberly Y.
For some reason, professors and company representatives love to take students here for free. I think they just look for the most expensive place on campus, but they don't realize this is the stingiest, least tasty option on campus! Honestly, I think Penne is only around because adults and Inn at Penn patrons do not want to eat at a student-infested restaurant. The portions here are tiny and the food is so bland, making Penne extremely overpriced. The first meal I ever cooked was better than this. At least the service is good and the food is edible? I no longer sign up for free meals at Penne. I would rather pay $15 and get a tasty meal somewhere else on campus.
(2)Cynthia X.
I don't know why the reviews here is only 2.5 stars! I came for lunch today and had their express lunch set, and I thought it was great! For $17, you can get an appetizer and an entree. The appetizer includes a choice of soup of the day, Caesar kale sale or beet salad. For entree, you can choose between penne, salmon or half a chicken sandwich. It was just the right amount of food to leave feeling satisfied but not disgustingly full. I had the beet salad, which was so refreshing! For the main, I got half a chicken sandwich with Parmesan fries. I have to say the salmon dish looked better. The fries were amazing though! Luckily, I'll be back again later this week for another school sponsored lunch, so I will give another combo on the menu a try!
(4)Danan R.
The food is decent but the prices are pretty steep. My super food salad was okay but definitely on the paltry side with just a sprinkling of crunchy quinoa, goat cheese, maybe 5 grape halves, roasted broccoli and cauliflower, and spinach/kale, all in a tiny dish for $12. The pomegranate dressing was okay but a bit too tangy and not creamy enough. The chicken sandwich looked pretty good and came with a side of parmesan fries. They do have a small salad and half a sandwich or entree lunch special at $17, which is a good option if you are more of a taster. My classmate had the truffled mushroom risotto and liked it a lot; it did look very savory and creamy, albeit tiny. The ambiance is very nice and great for a business lunch or dinner, which is what I am assuming its raison d'etre is since it is literally right across the street from Wharton. A lot of faculty-student lunches are held here, and many professionals traveling to Penn tend to dine here since it's inside the Inn at Penn. Overall, it isn't bad - just overpriced. But you do get to see the pasta being stretched and cut in the open kitchen, which is pretty unique.
(3)Jeremy S.
A bit pricy but fresh foods and nice presentation Tomato growers special was a good deal for the price Housed in the Inn at Penn A good choice for guest if the hotel
(4)Danique B.
Not great service. Waited 20 mins and wasn't asked if we wanted another drink. Rudely told no cocktails until 4 and then the bartender proceeded to explain what a cocktail meant as if we did not understand. No plates for bread were provided. An insanely overpriced $15 for 3 pieces of pasta. Also we literally were the only patrons in the whole entire place.
(2)Kate S.
I also don't know why there are so many poor reviews I ALWAYS have a great time here for lunch the Beet salad is to die for--literally no other beet salad I've had in the city compares The only thing I can say is the staff is a little off sometimes, discombobulated etc ie I've been there and they've mixed some things up or forgotten things on bills and we've had to wait But overall the food is always excellent and the staff at the very least is very friendly and quite attentive and responsive Albeit the food is on the more expensive side but is on par with White Dog etc I always look forward to my lunches at Penne!!
(4)Patrick W.
Dinner was outstanding. Vanessa had the corn soup and salmon, sooo good. I had the vermicelli and grilled hanger steak. Again soooo good. The corn soup had a creamy start with a summery corn finish. The capellini basil and tomato appetizer was really tasty, capellini was cooked perfectly, al dente sweet sauce, with fresh basil. Outstanding appetizers. The salmon was cooked perfectly, with a Meyer Lemon Mostarda and was excellent. The Grilled Hanger Steak with Panzella Salad and Salsa Verde cooked medium well was also outstanding. Vanessa then had chocolate chip cannoli and I had black raspberry & blood orange gelato for dessert. OMG sooooo good. A definite top 5 meal.
(5)Michael B.
Not expensive or overpriced but.... The food was pretty bad and seemed old. Or maybe just don't get the chicken sandwich... The chicken was very dry (one of my pet peeves.)
(3)LaSha J.
Great ambiance. Outdoor seating is cosy, with a nice number of tables in shaded areas. they offer an express lunch ( soup, salad, entree).'' Dessert menu not exciting, get the lemoncello, avoid the cannolis.
(4)Jennifer M.
From the interior to the service to the food, everything was fantastic! The salmon was delicious and the pumpkin tiramisu was excellent. Highly recommend.
(5)Boo M.
I'm shocked at how awful this place is. I cannot give 0 stars and I'm OK with that because the service was really nice. Very attentive and genuinely sweet. But holy crap that food is abominable. Everything. Canned beats, frozen scallops, dreadful pasta. This is the kind of meal that makes you mad. And our meal was paid for. I can only imagine the poor, unfortunate souls who had to actually spend their hard earned money on that. I might choose jail time instead of paying that check. At least in jail I'd get a better meal. And I've been to jail. Those burritos are better.
(1)Tom K.
Someone at Penne stole my I-Phone 5 when I got up from my table. Must have been someone with experience in the craft because they immediately turned it off. I could not track it. Beware of this place. Beware of anything precious to you!
(1)Yun W.
Food - 4 stars - Tried the Cape May Sea Scallops with Spinach-Pumpkin Risotto for lunch. The scallops and risotto were both delicious. The portion is slightly on the small side, but not unreasonable. Service - 5 stars - Prompt and friendly. The place was relatively empty for lunch on a Wednesday. We had a party of 3 and we were given several options to choose from for seating. Ambiance - 5 stars - Your typical upscale Italian restaurant. Clean and comfortable with nice interior design and decor. Price - 1 star - Unfortunately this place is super expensive - expect to shell out over $20/person for lunch and $40/person upwards for dinner. Good for out-of-towners living off of company expensed meals, but not an affordable choice for students.
(4)Lenny Z.
I've been to Penne twice, and I am not too impressed. The decor is nice and the service is good, but the food is so so. I only went because it was a work function, on both occasions. The first time, not knowing any better, I went for a pasta with red sauce. I was a bit excited because they make their own pasta. Sometimes, you can see them doing it since the kitchen is out in the open, which is kind of cool. Well, it was a big let down. The pasta was overcooked and the red sauce was not my favorite, not by a long shot. Actually, it was lacking taste. The second time I decided to play it safer. I got ravioli in a white sauce and salad. These were decent. I would not go back by choice, but never one to turn down a free meal, I will go safe if the opportunity rises again.
(2)Ray L.
The food was good but not great for the price. I had the tomato menu and it was slightly under seasoned and could have used some more salt. The service was good but not very attentive for the number of people there at the time. First course: I had the Chilled Tomato Soup with Lemon-Basil Cream. It was much better than I was expecting. Although it was served cold, it was still very flavorful. You can tell it was made from good quality tomatoes and it had a little spice to it as well. Not enough to burn your mouth but enough for you to notice. My wife had the cheese plate and loved it. My friend had the grilled calamari and was unimpressed, as it was very salty. Primi: I had the Potato and Shrimp Ravioli and it was good but not great. The sauce was good, if not a bit too sweet. My friend had the cavatelli and did not like the pasta to components ratio and found there to be too much pasta. Secondi: I had the Chicken Involitini, it was good but the chicken was a bit dry. Also, the garlic was a bit strong and I love garlic. I have a feeling that the garlic in the spinach was slightly undercooked and gave a very strong taste. My friend had the salmon and liked it very much and my wife had scallops with risotto and loved it. The service was good, when my friend expressed dissatisfaction with his calamari, they gave him a free plate of fried calamari. They were very friendly and attentive enough but could have been more attentive.
(3)Mary H.
We went out for lunch for a retired co-worker, we were about a group of 20 people. This was my first time here and the place was really spacious and beautiful. I always go onto Yelp to read reviews of places so I know what to get and the reviews for this place were all negative (as you will see). Most of the reviews talk about how expensive their dishes are and I have to agree! It's a small plate, simple ingredients, why the overly high price? One of my co-workers ordered a caesar salad for $14 and it was so simple- romaine lettuce and some croutons in a small bowl, she even had to ask for more dressing because they didn't put enough. Other reviews talk about how their meat was under cooked and they had to ask to fire it up again and that proves TRUE. Three of the people in our group sent back meat because it was under cooked! My co-worker next to me sent back her hammer steak and I saw why, it was pink in the middle! When she asked to cook it thoroughly, they returned it drenched in oil. They obviously threw it in the deep fryer- who does that to steak? She didn't even eat it after it came back. Btw, It took them about 30-45 mins to start bringing our food out- because they only had 2 chefs cooking! I ordered a burger that came with fries. The fries were cold. My co-workers fries were warm though hers were completely different than mine because they made it so thin and cooked it for too long. The burger was sooo salty! There was definitely a salty cheese such as Asiago or Pecorino used in it but if you use a salty cheese, you do not make the patty salty as well. I couldn't even finish it. I asked the group afterwards how everyone liked their dishes and everyone said they would not come back, especially if theyre paying for it. Thankfully, we were not paying the bill as it was on our company but if I did, I would have been pissed to have paid for what I ate.
(2)Suzanne L.
The decor is nice, the food is tasty, and service was pretty good. However, I was rather disappointed with the menu/pricing: I ordered a $15 ravioli entree, and it came with THREE pieces of ravioli. That's $5 per individual ravioli! yes, they were "fancy" ones, but that is still outrageous. My friend was specifically told, upon choosing a different pasta entree, that it was "appetizer-size" so she should order more. If it's appetizer-size, it shouldn't be on the entree list and charged at entree prices!
(3)Kchi S.
Had dinner here with a friend and was really disappointed. I had been before and had a martini and appetizer that was the best I have ever had in Philly so I was looking forward to the repeat. I think they must have a new chef! I ordered the calamari and it was dreadful. Last time I was here the calamari was amazing! That first visit you could tell that it was fresh and was cooked well. Even the dipping sauce was more flavorful and had a little spice. This time it was clearly a deep fry from frozen - you could not taste the calamari at all - only the batter and grease. I couldn't go far with it but my friend ended up eating some of it. Mostly we left more on the plate than was eaten. The 2nd course my friend had a chicken dish that looked really bland. She said it tasted OK but there was not much with it just a big piece of chicken. My 2nd course was a salad with chicken and the chicken was moist and pretty good but the salad dressing had no flavor or body- was too watery. With the high prices they charge it is almost like they are trying to make up the revenue loss for not getting the repeat business they would if the quality of food was better. Much like we will only see them once so get all you can. Shame as the restaurant decor is lovely. The dessert with coffee is where they got at least up to 2 stars. The desserts were fresh and tasted lovely - the gelati was a dream!! If you want to go there after a show for dessert and coffee you would be doing yourself a great service! Least I forget...the service was great!! Very attentive!
(2)Sara G.
The food is yummy (or at least my prosciutto di parma flatbread was), the restaurant is pretty and clean, but Penne is definitely overpriced for the portion sizes.
(3)Dave H.
Owned by University of Pennsylvania and connected to a hotel, the decor is pleasant. For some reason I noticed all of the busts (you know, statues) inside. Go figure. Jazz music is piped through the sound system. Had a virgin margarita since I needed to get back on the road. The bread was probably the worst part of the meal - it was generic and yuck. On the bright side, I enjoyed a comfortable late-night snack of mussels (delicious, tender meat, but with a somewhat listless tomato sauce). About average in price, ~$8-$10? Service (Emily) was wonderful and attentive. Probably wouldn't go out of my way to return, but I only had mussels... your mileage may vary.
(3)Minnie V.
DO NOT GO--Horrible! The only reason to go is for convenience when on campus. But I urge you to go to Pod or walk one more block to White Dog or any on Sansom st. Was just there for a business lunch for six. They are not at all friendly or service-oriented. the food runners brought out every entree to the wrong person. The waiter was rude (when we saw him). No one ever came over to see how everything was. Had to flag down help to refill drinks. Come on!!! This is basic stuff! The place is full of business mtgs. People are on the clock, yet service is beyond slow and quite frankly, was non-existent. The food is average, limited menu and the prices are high. There is a reason this place is often empty.
(1)Anne H.
I have friends who dismiss this as just a hotel restaurant. Now I have to agree. It used to be quite good, but was seriously disappointing tonight. We shared a spinach salad that was actually quite good. The dressing was delicious, but everything went downhill from there. Their portions are pretty small, but the price tag isn't. I had a chicken paillard that was dry and pretty tough. It shouldn't be that difficult to slice a chicken cutlet, but I was sawing away. The white bean ragout had crunchy beans. Dried beans should really not be served al dente. The gnocchi was reported to be bland and floating in a pool of oil. The wine was very good and the service was efficient, but the overall experience was just a let down. And the place was almost totally empty on a Friday night. It used to be very busy on the weekends, but there are lots of other better dining options in the area now so why would anyone pay a lot for mediocre food?
(2)Guru T.
Not a bad place for a once-a-year eat out! Will leave a smoking hole in your pocket. Friendly service, and a decent menu to select from. And in this part of Philly, there isn't really much else to pick. The best thing about the place is the name; that is assuming that pun was intended!
(3)Seung L.
They lost our order?!? And why does it take an hour to figure that out? Very expensive lunch that took 1.5 hrs to get served but ate it in 5 min due to such small portions. Not bad tasting though.
(2)F A.
PROS: Very friendly service all around. I've been there several times and I am very pleased with the level of service and response to each diner's concerns, preferences and questions. Wine lovers out there, this is a pretty good opportunity to sample some really well conceived Italian wine flights. Paired by region and type (Southern Italian Whites, Piemonte reds, Sicilian wines, Italian sparkling, etc), these flights offer you a very affordable opportunity to expose yourself to the incredible style differences between the regions. For a hot summer treat, get the Italian sparkling wines trio. Don't be a stereotypical wine idiot and drink the Tuscan wines, please take this opportunity to try some of the treasures from the other regions, Veneto, South of Rome, etc. Exceptional wine place in terms of what you get for the money. Are you tired of going to restaurants that are pretty good, but the level of wine is abysmal (Yellow Tail, Mezzocorona Italian reds, cheap Calicrap, Chilean garbage, etc), finally, an Italian restaurant that has a REAL wine selection. Why on earth would you pass up the chance to taste 3 exceptional wines for between $9-$15 when you go to all of those other "Italian" places that charge you $10 for a glass of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio (aka: "tasteless juicy juice that helps people who don't like wine mask it better socially by still ordering wine") CONS: Why is it that any place that serves French or Italian food gets to charge at least 35% inflated prices over already expensive dining charges? I love the different cuisines from almost all of Italy's regions, but I feel scammed being in an Anglo country where people toss their bras on-stage over the "I" word and get charged way too much for very simple food. I suppose you get the point, the food isn't anything outstanding. I am going to go ahead and toss the dice and guess that the chef is French trained, given the amount of butteriness in my chicken dish that no actual Italian would find acceptable, save for a few freaks in the north. Look, the food isn't bad at all, but I just don't believe it merits the high price tag. The good news is that it is made with fresh ingredients by actual people and not trucked in to be microwaved. Sad that nowadays that suffices for the "good news" /"bad news" dichotomy. It's safe, more or less tasty and you'll be fine, however,if you don't like overpaying (even more than the usual dining markup) for these no-big-deal (creativity wise) dishes, think again and just have some wine with an appetizer.
(3)Kevin C.
This place will definitely put a dent in your wallet and while the food is good and the portions generous, the service leaves a lot desired. During my last visit, they were out of there special of the day by 7:30pm which is poor planning by management and I actually had to track someone down because after ordering the food no one asked us about drinks or cocktails. The spacing between apps and entrees was excessive as I waited over a half an hour for any food to come out with only a few people in the restaurant at the time. The service was not of the caliber of the prices charged per the menu and ruined the ambience that this restaurant should convey. Would patron a different restaurant to celebrate an important occassion in the future.
(2)shilpa p.
atmosphere is nice, but the selection isn't that great and service isn't too great either. i won't go again.
(2)Jeremy M.
It's in the hotel I was staying at, I was tired, I knew I shouldn't but I didn't feel like walking, I did it, I won't do it again. Mediocre, overpriced, hotel food.
(2)Lauren C.
Penne isn't appallingly bad, but it's not good either. Coming here is largely a waste of appetite. I went to Penne for lunch (on someone else's dime), expecting to be disappointed. Penne unfortunately lived up to my expectations. To be fair, there are a couple positives. The restaurant has a classy open feel to it, and open kitchens are always welcome in my book. The service was actually pretty good, except for the fact that they ran out of lunch menus. Excuse me, the restaurant is 40% full. How did you run out of lunch menus? It was downhill from there, as the food left a lot to be desired. The bread and the olive oil for dipping both had basically no flavor. I ordered the Twin Burgers ($15), which were undercooked and smothered in too much gorgonzola (a little goes a long way, folks!). A few of the outside bites of the burger tasted okay, but I only ate about a quarter of my entree altogether. And usually I can eat lunch like a champ. The burgers came with a mountain of boring french fries, so although I was underwhelmed I didn't go hungry. For dessert I had the flourless torta, which was small, dry, and had a texture that I can only describe as... mealy? Not good. If you want to have a classy lunch or dinner out in UCity, you're probably better off trying White Dog. If you're feeling sassy and adventurous, you could head west to Marigold. There are too many other great restaurants in Philly to waste your time here.
(2)Erin M.
Penne is the place to entertain if you work at Penn. For that reason, the food never really seems all that special. I ordered the salmon on a bed of wheatberries for lunch recently. I loved that I could get a good whole grain. The wheatberries with sundried tomatoes and olives were good. However, the salmon was so salty I could barely eat three bites. My dessert, a lemon sorbet was nice. At $9, the sorbet was also a bit of a rip off.
(3)Matthew E.
Meh, nah, not for me. It's all ok. average, fine. The place is definately overpriced, the food I got was pretty good I guess, I had the pulled meat ragu papardelle. The flavour was good but should have been richer and more luxurious, the beer I got was ok but the selection a bit thin. This barmaid didnt really know what was on and end up reading the names of the beers really. Ok, so what is that pale ale like then, well it's kind of pale colour. Ok. so you dont drink the products then. The ambience is really good and the service was quick and attentive but could do better is the message I guess. It is the beuatiful Inn at Penn and the hotel actually deserves more from it's restaurant. It would not take much to turn my 2 stars to 4 and I hope the tweaks get made. Start with more tomato passata and ared wine in the ragu !
(2)Kyle C.
My first 2 star review!! Let me explain. The most important thing about penne is their pasta, which was extremely bland. For the price, anywhere else would have been a better choice. Next we'll talk about the service. Our waiter was the only person waiting tables in the whole restaurant. A young kid who was getting yelled at by the manager RIGHT IN FRONT OF US! The only reason we went in was because of a sign that said "half price wine night!". When we sat down they told us the half price wine was only at the bar, which was right next to us. So lets look for a possitive... Bland pasta I got sick from (no), Horrible service (no), Insane wine rules meant to confuse the customer (no), bill rivaling Le Bec Fin (no no no). Damn this should be 1 star.. well um.. The seats we're very comfortable!! We figured that out after waiting 40 min.s for our bland terrible food. haha yay 2 stars!
(2)Kevin C.
Penne has a few good things going for it, like their dessert and extensive wine selection, but their very high prices and faux-pretension is just a bit too much to handle. My first experience was last year when I took my fiancee here for a Valentines dinner, and while it wasn't a negative experience by any means, it also certainly wasn't an overwhelmingly positive experience either. To start the meal we each had a glass of Merlot, as well as the Lobster Bisque, with the bread they provide on each table. The wine and bread was fantastic, however the bisque seemed to be something that came either frozen or from a giant can. It was way too salty, didn't taste anything like it should, and was room temperature at best. For the main course I had the crab ravioli in a cream sauce, and my fiancee had the sirloin with a side of vegetables. My dish was once again room temperature at best so when I asked the server to heat it up just a little he responded by saying, "Want me to just nuke it?". Needless to say I decided I'd rather eat a lukewarm dish than one that was microwaved so I kept it and made do. My fiancee's steak (ordered medium rare) was so overdone that it was almost impossible to cut with a knife and chewing was an arduous task. We decided against sending that back as well because we were afraid to know how they would try and remedy that dish after offering to microwave mine. Dessert was pleasant, I had the cheesecake and she had the tiramisu, and both our coffees were good. I've been back once since my first visit and the food quality was much better, but it still isn't worth the price (in my opinion). If you're staying in the hotel above it and want a nearby Italian place, maybe give it a chance, but just know that there are much better options in Philly and you probably won't be 100% satisfied with your decision not to venture out further.
(2)Grace S.
Very gracious staff but terrible pasta. I mean, it's handmade but the pasta and sauce were both very bland and my sausage pasta had way too much parsley in it. The cappuccino had grinds in it and the tiramisu is just a giant hunk of cream--and not yummy cream. Just a giant mound of whipped stuff. I was dining with all vegetarians so the only things they could really have were the salads. The ravioli looked very substantial and again, pretty dry and bland. The iced tea and bread w/ olive oil were good though!
(1)EricaLynn J.
Teehee. This place *used* to be called, "The IVY Grille". The word "Ivy" was bolded and italicized and so everyone who dined there was reminded - in case they forgot, since it is smack dab in the middle of the University of Pennsylvania campus - that Penn is an Ivy League institution. Then, apparently, there was some rumor floating around that the folks at the IVY Grille (since I can't bold or italicize here, I will obnoxiously capitalize, which I assure you does not mean I am YELLING AT YOU!!) were receiving some pressure to perhaps undergo a little bit of a facelift in order to tone down the snooty and be a little more mainstream... Penn parents only visit once in awhile and the restaurant is right next to the bookstore... so perhaps it would better fare if it were geared more towards the students. So the place closed for a little while, the menu changed to a more Italian-focused theme, and PENNE was born. How creative! Penne.. on Penn's campus... wow! So we went from snooty to, "oh dear." The food was decent. Overpriced, still. I never, ever saw students in there, or any young people, really, without parental accompaniment. I think this is basically a great place to go for family birthdays, or perhaps a graduation dinner. But other than that... I think Penn's campus would be better suited having the Steve Madden store come back or something in its place.
(2)Neal E.
I went down to the bar in restaurant for an evening drink or two - as it was a Monday night - the bar was empty and there were only two tables with diners. My bartender was Anne Marie, an elegant older woman. I ordered a Vodka Martini, dirty, extra cold with an extra olive - made with Ketel One vodka. Delicious! Anne Marie set out a glass full of mixed peanuts for me to munch on. Afterwards, I had a Sam Adams beer. The bar was dimly lit, which was appropriate - it gave a rich, yet soft, eclectic feel to the place. I commented on one weird thing to Anne Marie - the TV at the bar - it's set up way higher on the wall behind the bar than is comfortable to look at. She agreed.
(4)Dave M.
Food was overpriced in my opinion. The ravioli and risotto I had were not too great. The sauces & seasoning certainly needed some work. Even though it was a wine bar I was never once offered a wine paired or not with my meal. The service was sluggish for a slow night.
(3)Dale B.
Mediocre food with a hefty price tag. Go here if you want to eat expensive food and hate it. Or if you've got a date who's paying for you that you don't like. I can't imagine that this place has too many repeat customers.
(2)Candace C.
first, the good. the service here was impeccable! and the place is cozy and romantic. unfortunately, you go to restaurants to eat. and the food is so incredibly bland! the veal was overcooked, and the crab pasta was just really unimpressive. i think i could have done better. this place stays open because penn professors love to come here for some reason!
(2)Carolyn B.
If you're stuck in University City looking for a nice restaurant, go to the White Dog Cafe. If you're stuck in Philadelphia looking for Italian food, make the jump to center city and go to Vetri. If you absolutely must go to Penne, then here are some recommendations. The pasta, although hand made on site, is generically bland. Depending on the season, Penne offers a new type of pasta that uses fresh and seasonally ripe ingredients. Last time I was impressed by this was during the Thanksgiving season when they had pumpkin ravioli. Otherwise, not the best pasta I've ever had. The service is top-quality, but that should be expected as it is a Hilton Hotel affiliated restaurant. I'm sure they have most of the guests of the Inn at Penn eat at Penne and are therefore catering to such a clientele. If you are not a hotel guest (I guess even if you are), I would recommend going somewhere else. Unless you are looking for white-glove service and expensive & bland meals. But I digress. Overall, the food is so-so, the prices are too high for the quality of dish, and the tastes are bland. However, the service is impeccable and the ambiance is refined and classic.
(2)Aruna A.
Weird that their address is Sansom - they are definitely on Walnut street. Anywho - I have gone here twice now - both times out of conveience. It was near campus, they were fancy diners, and we needed a space to accomodate more than 4 people. Both times - somewhat surprised by hotel food, but not really blown away. The wine list is pretty good - and there are definitely decently priced bottles you can get to enjoy. The app's are generally hit or miss - or REALLY simple. The main dishes - so so. The dessert is what does it for me here. I had a mango sorbet here that was to die for. I wish the tiramisu had more of a coffee flavor, but beyond that it was good. The rest of the desserts were surprisingly awesome. I recommend going here for dessert and a drink. NOT for a main meal.
(3)Annie C.
Dinner was on a law firm, but I still wouldn't go back! I can't speak too much about the atmosphere of the place, since we were seated in an upstairs conference room. Only bit of atmosphere related remark I can inject is that the white gloved waiters were serving soup, not by the bowl, but rather ladling the clam chowder from a large silver soup dish. Very old school. Maybe their efforts should be focused elsewhere. Now to the food. The mixed salad was quite nice. Baby arugula blend with a refreshing lemony vinaigrette. All salad, no toppings, but it makes you feel healthier for the day. Grilled salmon and risotto - shouldn't be too difficult, even for a 6 person order. My salmon was seasoned fine, but was incredibly undercooked. I love sushi, but I don't like fish with a millimeter of cooking and inches of lukewarm middle. If I weren't eating with potential employers, I would have sent it back to the grill. The risotto was also undercooked - reserve the al dente for the pasta and veges please. My dessert was a "chocolate dome." Chocolate mousse inside a chocolate shell, with raspberry filling, on top of a chocolate crust. That wasn't bad, but it came on a round, tasteless digestive cookie. I was really confused. Were they trying to sneak in some additional fiber? Won't go back, especially not on my dime.
(2)pauline l.
Um, yeah. Don't go here. Don't let your parents bring you here. The food is good, but the portions are tiny -- particularly for the price -- and the service isn't anything special at all. (The food might still have justified the price despite the small sizes if it was actually inventively executed, but it was merely decent.) Even though the dining room was 60% full at best, it took the hostess ten minutes to seat us. The server was fine, but she made it seem like the pasta that we ordered came with a salad -- but it didn't, and a frickin' Caesar salad was $10. It's sad to say that I would not have been full if I hadn't ordered that salad. Definitely a place for rich alumni who aren't at all picky about getting a good value for their restaurant dollar.
(2)Marc K.
We have tried to make Penne work on three occasions and been disappointed 3/3 times. It's a shame because it is so convenient to the Annenberg Center across the street where we have season dance tickets. On our most recent visit the pasta special was bland and overcooked. I never send food back, but my wife and I both sent it back. It was replaced with an equally bland set of dishes. For good restaurant prices, there is no way anyone should come to Penne for the food. On the plus side, they always have an excellent selection of wines. In that department, we have never been disappointed. But these guys are in serious need of a chef!
(1)Alex C.
Penne is the Italian restaurant located within the Hilton Hotel on the University of Pennsylvania campus. It's quite a nice looking restaurant with its standard fancy hotel restaurant furniture and large windows looking out onto Walnut street. It's good pasta. I just think it's a bit pricey for their offering. Philadelphia has so many good, high value Italian restaurants. Unfortunately, they aren't at Penn.
(3)Daniel F.
It's hard to know how to judge Penne. Do you judge it against fine dining options in Center City? Against its U-City kin? Against hotel restaurants? Context is everything. Here is what I think is true about Penne: They have superb quality pasta made on site. That feature makes them stand out among Italian restaurants. Their pasta sauces range from solid to superb - the simple, vegetarian tomato basil is worth writing home about. Wine options are very good. The atmosphere is a little formal and service can be quirky - but at dinner, it's usually very good. But this is nothing like a hotel restaurant - it's clearly a chef-driven operation. In the end, in my view, it's a very nice place for a quiet - even romantic - dinner in U-City. But it's definitely a grown-ups restaurant. It's not going to appeal to your 19 year Penn-child, seeking a cool night out.
(4)Kyle D.
Got there at 7pm on Sunday and the place was near dead. I should have checked yelp before we ordered. Service was slow, but not dreadfully so. The waiters were not rude, but certainly not friendly. The bread was too crunchy and crusty. The warm mozzarella appetizer was delivered without bread at all. Our entrees -- rigatoni alla bolognese and risotto with scallops -- were passable, but not nearly worth the price. The risotto only came with 3 scallops and the meat in the bolognese sauce was very dry. The side of carrots was delicious. The atmosphere was quite nice, but the tables at the booths were uncomfortably tall. Overall, I certainly will not be coming back.
(2)Blanket T.
This place offers pretty decent Italian food, although outrageously overpriced. I was here once hoping that it would be a better experience than it was. Pros: Beautiful decor, location, open kitchen so you can see the chefs preparing your food, nice service, light flavors which were not too overpowering, fresh pasta Cons: PRICE! Definitely one of the more expensive Italian restaurants I've eaten at...come on, $14 for a panini?? I usually don't complain about portions either, but the pasta I ordered hardly filled me up and for the price I paid I would have expected it to. Don't come here if you expect to have amazing food and keep money in your wallet. This place just seems to cater to the rich people who send their kids to Ivy Leagues...
(2)KJ S.
If you're looking for Italian food above the level of Olive Garden, this is your type of place. I had the butternut squash soup, sweet potato ravioli, and tiramisu, and I was pleased with all of it. I was especially happy to find tiramisu that is probably the best I've ever had. The prices are on the high side for Italian food, but the atmosphere is nice enough to justify it for a nice night out. The portion sizes are on the small side, but I was stuffed after 3 courses.
(4)Hoa T.
There are so many restaurants in Philadelphia that I think it is such a waste of time to come here trying to find good pasta because you won't. I ate here twice and was twice disappointed. I tried it the second time because someone told me that it was under new management. Either way, I know now to stay away and spend the same amount of money and the many amazing restaurants that the city has to offer. The only upside to this place is that it has a very good wine list.
(2)Zachary D.
Eating at a hotel restaurant I did not expect much, but boy was I surprised. I was there for lunch and had the sweat potato ravioli. One of the best pasta dishes I have had in a long while. Only complaint was that the portion was too small.
(5)Katherine R.
My family and I were in a jam on Saturday night. Late for a show and starving. We went into Penne hoping we could be in and out. We arrived at 6:50pm. I told the hostess our situation and she told me they could in fact have us out by 7:30pm!! After that we were greeted by the server quickly who was already aware of our situation. Our soups where out and amazing. Our second course soon to follow. The presentation and taste of our meal is yelp worthy. The service was top notch!!!
(5)David T.
I've been to Penne with my wife a few times now. We've never actually paid for our meal - both were business dinners that were paid for by her employer - and I doubt we ever will. The food is decent but very overpriced. The whole vibe smacks of a place designed to attract Penn parents who want to take their college-aged kid out for a fancy meal on parent's weekend as well as business dinners such as the ones we've participated in where the diners do not care about the prices. The service definitely outshines the food - the servers we've had have all been friendly and knowledgeable. It's a shame that the food doesn't match up. I wouldn't turn down another free meal at Penne, but I also certainly feel that my own money would be better spent elsewhere.
(2)Anna Marie C.
i'm going to give this place 4 stars because i didn't pay for it (mad props to some visiting scholar...whoever you were). if i paid for it, i'd give it 3...or maybe 2.5...because it's ridiculously expensive. that said, the food is good. the fried calamari comes with this sweet and spicy dipping sauce...i could eat plates of that. sweet potato ravioli and sea scallops were on the menu, also quite tasty. the paperdelle was not good, and neither was the tiramisu. the service is mediocre. decent sized wine list. so yes, if you're in the penn area and someone else is paying, this is a place to go. i guess it's for those penn kids whose parents are in town.
(4)Chris W.
Chef Roberta Adamo is truly a master of Italian cuisine. Her gnocchi is one of the best foods on the planet. Just to be treated to her amazing gnocchi is worth the trip from northern NJ for my wife and I. We started with the calamari which was cooked to perfection. Many restaurants either had too heavy a batter or it is overcooked, but not at Penne. It is light and cooked to perfection. My wife had the ravioli primavera which was also amazing. Definitely a 5 star experience. We hope to return soon. Compliments to the chef and staff at Penne.
(5)