I'm totally biased toward Grace Tavern, one of Philadelphia Magazine's top spots to get a drink. A spot listed within the "Craft Beer" section of the list, (though it would easily fit in the "Neighborhood Bar" section) I can confirm that it is definitely a neighborhood favorite because I live around the corner. A hole in the wall that sits catty corner to South Street on the very end of Gray's Ferry Ave, it's a simple spot to get a great burger, seriously weird and delicious green beans, and to choose from an always exciting craft beer selection.
Here's Philadelphia Magazine's take on Grace: With a great beer list and a full menu served till 2 a.m. (which means frites and sausages right up until last call), Grace is the neighborhood bar you wish was in your neighborhood. It might also be the only place in town that makes us excited to eat green beans.
Because Grace is one of my favorite neighborhood bars, I have seen how it looks it with its make up on, after it just rolled out of bed, when it was grumpy to have company over it did not particularly like, and everything in between. In the case of the company? Saint Patrick's Day crowd. My boyfriend, Ian, and I decided to stroll over to Grace for a beer on St Patrick's Day because we felt sure that Grace was safe from four leaf clover alien antennas and flashing Bud Lite lapel pins. We were wrong. And the bartenders, though clearly silently irritated with the influx of non-neighborhood, hammered, and bedazzled patrons, were very welcoming to us after we told them we were had just moved into the neighborhood. So just act cool and don't try it out on St. Patrick's day, for goodness sakes.
I've seen Grace on an average every day and night, both weekend and weekday, and it's typically busy but not crowded, and there are certainly no bells and whistles when it comes to this place. In the case of the bathrooms, it's more like there are no wheels and breaks to the place if we're staying with the locomotive analogy. Ladies, I hope you don't mind staring into a urinal whilst using the bathroom, because your face will be less than a foot from one here. But it's worth it because the beer selection is out of this world. The bartenders know what they're talking about and are always happy to offer a taste before you commit. When I moved to Philadelphia, I discovered a lot of the local breweries at Grace. I had my first Yards beer at Grace, in fact. The burgers are as good as everyone says they are - really. And the blackened green beans, while the weirdest thing I've had at a divey bar, are also definitely one of the best things about eating at Grace. I've never been this excited by eating something that tasted like burnt grill bits, but somehow here it's delicious.
I've also strolled in with a friend from out of town to have a drink in the middle of the day. I got to know the bartenders and found that they're offbeat, funny, and nice. And you know how I know for sure that this is a neighborhood bar? I ran into one of the bar backs at 7-11 the other day and had a little catch up session about my last trip in.
Grace Tavern is a solid bar with solid food and beer. I always get exactly what the bartender recommends for me - something in a stout or a white beer, and whatever is seasonal. I always have a nice time, and if you just want a bar to go have a drink without any fuss, take the trip over to Center City West/Fitler Square/Graduate Hospital (depending on who you're talking to) and try it out. Yeah, it's dark and dirtyish, and rough around the edges, but I think that's exactly how its meant to be.
Arbitrarily assigned grade: Solid B. Lots of points thanks to a great beer menu & good food. Letter taken off for how close my face has to get to a urinal when using the bathroom.
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