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Via Locusta Philadelphia Reviews
Went for brunch and lived it! The food and the drinks and
Went for brunch and lived it! The food and the drinks and the service are all excellent. Will definitely be back for dinner and happy hour!
Took the whole family here and everyone left happy (and
Took the whole family here and everyone left happy (and full). They have something for picky eaters and foodies alike, which is rare. Extra points for the kid-friendly menu.
Gone here a few times for brunch.
Every time the service has been super personable, light hearted, lovely and charismatic. I can't remember their name, but they had fun piercings and big curly dyed hair. The crudo, this restaurant group (Schulson Collective) remains consistent in producing great raw fish appetizers at almost all of their restaurants. Clearly a background in East Asian culinary. The snapper crudo was impeccable. Lots of yummy pasta and a swanky interior, with beautiful greenery and outdoor seating area. Alex at the bar is also an absolute treat, one of my favorite bartenders in the city, wonderful personality. Great brunch spot, or evening dinner date!
TOOD LOUD
TOO LOUD! The decibel level was off the charts & even the outdoor seating had speakers blasting music. People don't go to restaurants to listen to music; they go to enjoy conversation & good food. A fine menu destroyed by a painful level of noice.
The food here was fantastic.
We had the focaccia, which came with a honey butter that I wanted to eat with a spoon. We also had the asparagus and two pastas- the tagliatelle and the spaghetti with crab. The tagliatelle had a creamy tomato sauce that we dipped into with the bread- delicious. The spaghetti with crab was flavorful and fresh. Our waitress was kind and the ambiance was great for a nice date. Prices were totally reasonable. Would definitely come again next time we're in Philly!
Service was attentive, personable, quick! , and informative.
Our server knew the menu inside and out. Food was DELISH. We had the baby gem ceasar, focaccia ( straight from heaven!), hamachi crudo, and sparkling water. For mains hubby had the branzino and I had the cacio e pepe. Loveee the decor- very meat packing district NYC; exposed brick, subway tile, dark wood. Soft lighting. Make sure to park in the lot right down the block to avoid issues!
Came here on a weekday evening for dinner with friends.
We started off sharing the Foccacia with honey butter and bee pollen, which was some of the best bread I've had. The honey butter served on the side was actually mouthwateringly good, a little sweet and a little salty. I also got the Cacio E Pepe, which was creamy with the right amount of black pepper but maybe a bit too much salt. Service was okay, a little bit slow, but I really liked being able to sit outside and watch people walk by on a warm spring day. Would come here again if someone else wanted to try it - veggie options are pretty good in the pastas and sides category but not as many mains.
On the pricy side but worth it.
We ordered Burrata, Tuna Crudo, Ravioli, Polenta, and Branzino. Their dishes come with a complex palate, you will taste layers of flavors. Our favorites are the Ravilloli and Tuna Crudo. We will for sure come back, maybe for the tasting menu.
Food here is delicious!!! I recommend the chef's tasting
Food here is delicious!!! I recommend the chef's tasting menu if you are there with a party of 2-3. You get your money's worth and get to try some amazing dishes! Happy hour is also great. If not doing these, it can be a little pricy for the portions. The service is great in my experience, wait staff is experienced and attentive.
All the pasta was delicious, but our favorite thing was the
All the pasta was delicious, but our favorite thing was the focaccia bread. Loved sitting outside in the air conditioned booth.
Visited for the last time last night and had a great
Visited for the last time last night and had a great experience overall. Our server, Ren, was incredibly welcoming and did a great job introducing the menu and guiding us through our choices. Since it was late and we'd been eating all day, we decided to skip the tasting menu and share a few dishes instead. Ren thoughtfully suggested pairings based on what we ordered and ensured our courses came out in a way that made sense, even swapping out plates and silverware between rounds small touches that really elevated the experience. The first round was the clear winner: Focaccia with butter, Burrata, Heirloom Carrots, and Tagliatelle Pomodoro. The carrots were bright and flavorful, the butter with the focaccia was absolutely decadent, and the pomodoro was simple, fresh, and perfectly done. I would happily order this entire set again. The second round included the Agnolotti, Pork Chop, and Crispy Cauliflower. The Agnolotti was rich in the best way and paired well with the pork chop, which unfortunately fell flat in comparison slightly overcooked and lacking in flavor. The cauliflower was also underwhelming and under-seasoned; I wouldn't order it again. Despite a few misses, we had a great time and I'd definitely recommend this spot especially for the first set of dishes. If you go, ask for Ren!
SIPS at Via Locusta
We went for SIPS, and unfortunately, got there right when they stopped seating. However, the kind manager found us a table that had a canceled reservation. The table was perfect, as was the restaurant. Very nice atmosphere and SIPS menu. We would love to return for an actual dinner.
Lovely from start to finish.
What a delight. I went out for a dinner with my daughter and her boyfriend. They have been raving about the restaurant, so we finally got to go when I was visiting. The food is anything but ordinary. It's so nice to go out for a meal I can't make better myself.(I am not bragging, just like well-made food). The focaccia, the asparagus with a crunchy topping that I realized was bacon (outstanding), a delicious beet salad, cacio e Pepe, a DEE-licious branzino (yummy sauce) and a perfectly cooked NY strip that one of us ordered. Even the dessert was wonderful; strawberry mint sorbet and a hazelnut mousse dessert (not sure since it wasn't mine) was also delicious. I was really impressed that the food I really like was elevated to something special. I am a fussy eater and don't like crazy unusual ingredients, so for me, this was a really wonderful meal. I also have to admire the staff. They are well-trained and professional and not all over you. They take your order, bring the dishes and disappear without hovering. The restaurant itself is a lovely spot, not huge and nicely decorated. I told my daughter that of all the restaurants in Philly, I like this best.
Great expectations... but...
I was very disappointed with the restaurant. While the menu options sounded incredible, the dishes didn't deliver. The ricotta gnocchi with lemon sauce tasted like dessert to me. There was an excessive amount of sweetness in the sauce that truly spoiled it for me. The broccoli appetizers had a strange sauce over it that did not enhance it at all. It was too salty and detracted from the taste of the broccolini. The pasta with mushrooms was okay and so was the green salad. I had hoped for a much better experience.
Disappointed
The menu looked really good. But the broccolini appetizer was mucked unnecessarily with a garlicky brown sauce, and the polenta was over salted. The gnudi were... simply not right: too salty and too garlicky. The agnolotti were good but too salty. The green salad was good. Service passable.
Bery Good Itilian
The Chianti wine was so delicious. We had several starters that were very tasty. The crab spaghetti and the branzino were cooked to perfection and tasted very good. I plan to visit again when I return to Philly.
Great brunch on Sunday
We had a nice brunch at Via Locusta..some interesting menu options and drinks…at 10:30AM everybody was having cocktails in this place…service could be better…staff has to be more customer focused
Comfortable and delish!
We had an early dinner before a show. Got to take advantage of happy hour for drinks and shareable plates. I usually can pass on the bread, but the focaccia was way too good! Branzino for my main meal was one of the best dishes I’ve had. Very welcoming place and staff!
Delicious!
We made a reservation online in advance. They confirmed the day before by text. The service was good and the food served was delicious! We recommend the bread and the burrata cheese to start! Only criticism would be that it was rather noisy!
Wonderful Northern Italian Meal near Rittenhouse Square
We booked a reservation for a Sunday night dinner here. Turned out to be a great choice. The service by Samantha was on point. Very attentive, engaging, and knowledgeable about the menu. John, the manager, was also very engaged and attentive which helped to make the experience good. We had the Tuna Crudo which had a great mustard and lemon juice undertone, the Little Gem Salad with a Gorgonzola dressing, and the Suckling Pig. The food was outstanding; very flavorful with all the right notes. We paired it with a 2002 Chateau Musar that we brought. The corkage fee of $50 is a little stiff, so make sure you bring a bottle of wine worthy of that type of corkage fee. They do have a very nice wine list although like most places, their wines are young and most of them either need more bottle age or should be opened much earlier in the day. Industry issue, not a restaurant issue.
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Let's say Peter has a great morning and decides to take his three friends to Via Locusta Philadelphia at 6 PM the same day.
He checks the restaurant's website and sees that no reservations are available. He then looks at the Via Locusta Philadelphia page on AppointmentTrader, but finds that there are no user postings either.
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* Peter really wants to go, so he increases the bid (or reward) to $200.
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* FamousStation67 picks up the bid, meaning they will now work on securing the reservation.
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* Peter can now enjoy the dinner with his friends at Via Locusta Philadelphia!
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