Whetstone Tavern

I wanted to give this place a higher review — one as high as my hopes but, unfortunately, the experience didn’t quite meet my expectations. The food was pretty good overall but the service was not up to par. If not for that this might have earned itself a solid 3-​stars with potential for 4.
It was a Friday night and this place had been on my radar, primarily for the cheese selection. My group decided to split a bottle of wine, a cheese plate and then each order the 3 course menu option. $ 40 for a soup/​salad, entrée, and desert.
We ordered a bottle of wine and the server seemed awkward about what bottles were available. She went to the bar and returned a few minutes later stating that the wine menu was in transition and there are some on the list that are not available — when prompted she couldn’t identify which they did (or didn’t) have. Guessing is always fun when you are trying to order dinner — so we settled on a bottle of the wine that was featured as their by the glass special for the evening — guessing that it would be available. It was, albeit a different year than indicated on the menu. At that point, I was just happy we guessed something that was available.
The cheese plate was good but when asked which of the provided accouterments would best accompany the cheeses ordered the server clearly had no idea. Most of her suggestions made no sense and she was very obviously guessing («I guess you could try the blue cheese with the gouda?»)… which was also how she made suggestions on the entrees. Example, «Uh, well the rabbit has been on the menu for a while so it’s probably good» and «People seem to like the short rib.» I expect my server to have some familiarity with the menu and be able to provide recommendations that make me believe that she’s actually tried the food.
I had the kale salad which was good but SUPER garlicky but not bad. The Boar Ragu was pretty good. Definitely fresh pasta with a full bodied flavor to the sauce. The desert was STELLAR. The Lemon Meringue cheesecake was to die for — worth giving this place another shot even.
I am willing to possibly give this place another chance but the service needs to step up the game. There are lots of other options in the area and this experience doesn’t have me running back for more.

I really enjoyed! I’ve known Chef Nolen for years, so perhaps I’m slightly biased, but Whetstone was a really enjoyable time!
The bartender Molly is an absolute professional, and was kind enough to make me a virgin cocktail off menu. She also suggested their house salad, which may seem simple enough, but was a real hit. Chef Nolen has always mastered amazing textures in his salads, and the addition of peas and cucumber to a standard house salad was a delight. I also enjoyed the steak tartare appetizer, which, covered in egg with crunchy chips and baguette slices, was awesome. Tartare done well is a joy! Pro Tip: Get the maple custard desert. Jess Nolen hit the ball out of the park on this one. Walnut crumble, rich yet light texture, and prepared to perfection.
What sets Whetstone apart from other local places is their attention to detail. The design of the place allows one to peek into the half-​open kitchen (as us foodie-​voyeurs like to), the sleek bar is welcoming and warm, and the beautiful old whetstone above the visible cheese cooler is a nice touch. What I really like is Chef Nolen’s charcuterie slicer right next to the bar and the host stand; we were able to casually chat about cheeses as he meticulously sliced (what I think was) speck or prosciutto.
They really set up a great local place here with a top notch staff, great pricing, and a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy the eats! You’d be silly not to check it out. Slam Dunk.

I thought the plaid shifts the staff has to wear were cute ! stopped in just from walking by and sat @ the bar. bartender was interested in a group of people sitting there when we arrived so was kind of short with us. we ordered a bunch of
small plates and the portions were really nice ! had to take a lot of stuff home because our eyes were bigger than our stomachs.

Have been back 4 or 5 times… place is consistently good… I’ve eaten my way through most of the sandwiches… all very good… today I had the creamed chipped beef and home fries… as usual everything was very good… the home fries were excellent… my only complaint is… come on guys… be a little more liberal with the creamed sauce of the creamed chipped beef! The home fries smothered in the creamed sauce would have been fantastic!

Fantastic beer variety, which makes a small selection go a long way. The atmosphere is on the upscale side of casual. Rabbit was fantastic. Pepperpot soup could have used a bit more kick.
I ate here shortly after they opened. Service was top notch. Meat and cheese plate looked good enough to tempt me, and I never order those.

The mushroom burger is amazing. Literally a burger made of mushrooms — no meat. Crab cake was really good as well. Excellent fries. My only gripe is that is seems most things (bites that I have had of friends food) are extra spicy for no reason. Ketchup — no need to be spicy. Side of roasted broccoli — no need to be spicy. I think that they should cut down on the spice factor (or give you the option) Other than that, love it there!

This place is a great addition to the Queen Village/​South Street area. Prompt and attentive service.
Food is is comprised mainly of highly competent burgers, crab cake sandwiches and the like. Nothing too fancy. Only downside is that the wine is a bit too pricey – both by the glass or full bottles. Wide selection of reasonably priced craft beers though.

My lovely family took me here to celebrate my birthday and we all really enjoyed our dinner here.
There were so many pros and no cons, so Whetstone is well deserving of its 5 stars. The atmosphere is best described as urban farmhouse chic. There is a small bar area, a main dining area and then a smaller back dining area (which is where we were sat.)
We all started with a cocktail — which we all enjoyed — and shared a 4 cheese plate (you can pick and choose meats and cheeses to build your own plate). Some in the group got appetizers or salad — again no complaints. I had a pasta special, which was outstanding and a huge portion (but so good I had to ask for a doggie bag). Dessert was an amazing end to the meal. I had the lemon cheesecake.. . which was one of the best desserts I’ve had in recent memory. We all left feeling happy and very full. Overall the food falls into the modern American category.
The wine and beer menu was nice, certainly something for everyone. Our server was really sweet.
I definitely want to return for a more casual dinner or a lazy happy hour sometime.

Was shocked to walk-​in and be met by a fresh american style «tavern», almost something you’d expect to see in New England. Cool dark blue’s accented by crisp whites, it’s classy and casual at the same time. The menu is anything but casual, it’s something a foodie would go out of their way to find.
The food is hearty and well seasoned, I’ve tried most of the things on the menu and can pretty much recommend it all. The cheese plate is especially nice!
Cocktails are good, but if you’re coming here for just mind-​blowing unique cocktail creations, you’ll be disappointed; they’re well made classics and go with the food perfectly with a few specialty cocktails. Beer list is nowhere near what you see at their other property (Bauhaus Schmitz), but there are a few solid selections for beer fans to still be happy spending an evening here.

If you are local to QV, you know that many restaurants have come and gone from this address, and they usually don’t last very long. With that being said I have been watching the Whetstone Tavern conversion over the last year and anxiously awaiting it’s opening.
I went to dinner with some friends shortly after they opened and left just feeling so-​so about Whetstone. I have noticed that they are constantly crowded for dinner, so hopefully they are still improving their menu.
Whetstone has a great beer list, maybe that is the initial attraction. Since I was not that hungry, I shared the appetizer special (root vegetables) and had the Whetstone Salad. The appetizer was kind of strange, and I did not enjoy the herbs/​spices that they used with the veggies. The salad was good — fresh, light flavorful dressing, hard to go wrong there.
My friend had the crab cakes, another had a burger, while another had the short rib entrée. Overall the consensus was that the food was good, but a bit underwhelming.
I debated between 3 and 4 stars for Whestone and decided to go with 4 because they have a great beer list, great bartenders/​servers and an interesting menu. Perhaps it was an off night or they just needed to make some tweaks in the early weeks. I will definitely give it another try!

My fiancé and I checked out Whetstone one night for a change of pace in the neighborhood. The experience… was… notgreat… I know this is a popular place to like… but I really just didn’t enjoy it!
We dined al fresco on a lovely late-​summer day, and began on a high note with beer of course. From there, the bread came out, and while it seemed fresh-​ish, it had been re-​heated in the oven such that it quite literally had armor. I’ve never seen a roll so hard. I fought mine and ate it. It was ok. My fiancé gave up. He didn’t even bother.
We ordered a half dozen oysters as a starter. First they brought us a dozen… and when we pointed out the mistake, they took them and put them on another table! Good thing we legit didn’t touch them. Then they brought us out 6 fried oysters… which wasn’t quite right either… so alas 3^rd time is a charm– 6 oysters… and they were fine.
I ordered another beer right before they brought our dinner… and it arrived as I finished my dinner like 15 minutes later. By then I was full and just kind of done.
For my entrée, I had Mom’s Clam Cakes. It was okay… kind of dense… but I haven’t had a lot of clam cakes to compare them to… so maybe I’m just not a clam cake fan? I got a side of broccoli rabe too which was tasty. The fiancé had a white fish which looked good, but was on the smaller side… in he went home and heated up leftover pizza upon walking in the door.
Then there was our waiter… who honestly was a really nice guy. I’d love to go meet him for a beer… but he injected himself into our conversation pretty frequently… to the point where my Saturday date night had a 3^rd wheel. I’m usually quick to engage a friendly server, and I appreciate that personal touch… but this straight up exceeded that. He dominated our conversation… and redirected it… kind of a bummer.
All in all– we’ll stick with Brauhaus. Aside from being cute, this place didn’t blow my skirt up.

Snagged a seat at the bar on a packed Saturday night.
Got a cider and the crab cake/​fries. The bartenders are friendly and pleasant.
The crab cake was a bit of a letdown– I wish they grilled the bun or had a better sear on the crab cake. It would’ve been great with a small change… as it was it was only tasty, but texturally lacking.
I had a nice time though and would recommend it to friends.

I am rethinking my continued use of Unilocal after October 14^th’s hard-​hitting South Park episode «You’re not Unilocaling»
Anyone here that hasn’t seen it– the ep really does call into question the benefit of this constant « Unilocalful» critiquing.
As clever and helpful as we think we are– maybe… not so much.
So, I won’t be Unilocaling for a while after the following positive and no-​nonsense review–
On Sunday October 18^th Whetstone gave us a great brunch served by upbeat people in a pleasant atmosphere at an affordable price.
Period.
Thanks Whetstone– see you again soon.

Whetstone is a very nice addition to the nighborhood. My friend and I came in for a late dinner and drinks and sat at the bar. The atmosphere is modern and refined but also warm and comfortable at the same time. We felt great sitting there for a few hours.
The bartenders provided some of the best service we had in a long time. They were super friendly and fun, also clearly into the restaurant and its food/​drinks.
The beer and wine lists are good, but we tried a few of the signature cocktails and loved them all. They have a few cocktails that change with the season, and a few stead fast ones. We tried a lot (good thing we could walk home) and I would suggest them all, but the cider cocktail was my favorite.
The food — just yum. Good portions, good local ingredients. The burger was one of those overly exceptional burgers that you can’t really compare to the others because you’ll always want this one. The crab cake sandwich is just chocked full of crab meat and a great zesty sauce. I can’t wait to return and try more.

Eh. I had high hopes for Whetstone Tavern, and unfortunately it let me down.
After reading about Whetstone in an article featuring the best new restaurants in the city, I could not wait to try it out, especially after looking up the menu. I really liked the idea of keeping the dishes old school American with a twist.
I found myself in the area on Saturday and stopped in. It wasn’t too busy, so I asked to be seated by the window inside as it was a little too warm to sit outside. Not long after I was seated, an employee came over and told me that I would need to be moved because they were saving my seat for a group of 4. They told me that the only available seating would either be right next to the kitchen door or outside. Reluctantly I chose outside.
As I said before, I had read the menu prior to going, so I knew that I wanted to try the baked oysters, steak tartare, and french fries. I put them in with the waitress, and the french fries came out shortly after. The only great thing about them was the burger sauce. They were not crispy, and I found the straight-​up malt vinegar to be off-​putting. I felt that it didn’t work as a stand alone dipping sauce for the fries unless I mixed some of it in with the burger sauce. The sriracha ketchup was nothing special either.
The oysters and tartare then came out. I really enjoyed the tartare, except they forgot to put bread on the plate and it took forever to flag down my waitress to get some. Other than that, it was very delicious, especially with the raw egg yolk in the middle. The meat was a perfect grind/​texture and it was seasoned well. The oysters were pretty good at first, but unfortunately all I tasted was butter, and after eating a couple I began to feel an uneasy sensation in my stomach. Needless to say I didn’t finish them.
The service was not great, but that is to be expected with a newer restaurant, so I won’t be too critical. I do feel the need to mention that I really didn’t appreciate being asked to move to a different table, especially since I noticed that only two people were seated at the table I was moved from, not 4.
All in all, it was just an ok experience. I will probably go back and try some other menu items and hope for the best.

Great new addition to the Philly food scene. Very farm to table style dishes as evident by the yummy beets and carrot appetizer. Good beerlist thanks to brahaus. Lots of outdoor seating. Since it is off Bainbridge it is a little quieter than being right on south street. The roasted corn soup and rabbit entrée were musts. We also got the tri tip steak which was good but would have been better without the vinegrette. The maple custard was delicious, creamy rich and the whipped cream tasted like real whipped cream.

Holy fantastic meal.
Similar to Brauhaus: Love everything.
Dissimilar to Brauhaus: Basically everything else.
Beer list was respectable. Décor was modern, airy, warm and welcoming.
There was a peep window into the kitchen area. And by «peep window,» I mostly mean I just avoided looking through the large glass in the back of the dining room because I’m weird and would’ve felt uncomfortable watching people work. I don’t want people watching me sit in my cube. But… I realize I’m missing the point of the peep window here so let’s move on.
Food! Yep. Get the food. Go to Bainbridge if you just want drinks. The half chicken was pretty darn spectacular, and I even ate my peas. I do not generally eat peas.
Tried a bite of my friend’s crab cake sandwich and that was also pretty good! And this is coming from a non-​sea-​eater.
Dessert was also phenomenal, but if you get the blueberry cobbler, you are now warned that you will walk out with a bright blue mouth. You’re welcome.
Also, get the cobbler.

Don’t let the name fool you. This is not your typical neighborhood tavern, it can be best described as modern, comfy place with a touch of upscale and refined American classic menu. Unlike its sister restaurant «Brauhaus Schmitz» that is more beer-​orianted, Whetstone Tavern focus more on wine and few hand-​crafted cocktails.
The classy bar, lime green walls, modern lighting and the alluring atmosphere won’t exactly scream that are in a tavern. It is causal enough for drinks in a relaxed atmosphere, yet an upscale dining experience for the foodies out there!
As the soothing décor and the friendly service was wonderful, the food was delicious too. I had the Crab Cake sandwich. A very flakey and tender crab cake between martin’s potato roll halves and topped with heirloom tomato, iceberg lettuce slaw and homemade pickled vegetable remoulade sauce, served with french fries. As a huge lover of Reese’s peanut butter cup, I got the Chocolate-​Peanut Butter Cake. It was the star of the show.
I can’t wait until I go back, and see what the brunch menu will look like, it will be served seven days a week. I’m so excited.
Four and half Unilocal

New (ish) hot spot in a great fun part of Philly. Lots of restaurants, shops, bars, bakeries in this area.
The menu was decent, had some fun options. We started with the burratina which was very good… creamy, good flavor.
I ordered the crabcakes. They were just ok. A little fishy and just didn’t seem super fresh. They had quite a bit of «fillers» and not enough lump crab meat.
My friend ordered the veggie burger and loved every bite. Her side of fries were long, hot and crunchy. Very good.
The dessert menu was awesome. I tried the maple custard pie and it was divine. It was like a cross between flan, chess cake/​bars and an almond tart. It was just amazing.
The service was pretty decent. The price point is pretty average.
I would return. They definitely have a good thing going.

⁷⁄₁₃ Soft opening first impressions. Will update later.
A departure from the successful Brauhaus and Wursthaus Schmitz, Whetstone has a very different feel in it’s atmosphere, draft/​bottle/​wine list, and menu.
Request to take interior photos were declined at this time, but the cozy bar area is slightly separated from the well-​windowed dining area.
They are on OpenTable and accepting reservations.
Good luck with this new endeavor, Chef Nolen!