Chicks Cafe & Wine Bar Inc

I have been eyeing this cute place since I moved to philly. Of course my friend and I finally decide to come when a tornado is hitting Philly. It’s a cute unpretentious corner joint with a well stocked bar. My friend and I just survived the crazy downpour and got here to find no one in the bar. It felt like we were having a private party and had the whole place to ourselves. Our server was available/​attentive. The place is small, cute, and intimate. We shared the fig/​gorgonzola flatbread, zucchini chips (fried and battered zucchini slices served with garlic aioli– soo yummy), and the cavatelli with duck confit/​spinach/​cranberries. Everything we got was delicious. They had wine, cocktails and beer (bottles and draft) on their drink menu. This place is a gem and it’s probably one of the best kept secrets in Philly.

The wild boar burger is fine. It is definitely not the burger messiah that I had hoped it would be.
The zucchini chips are cut pretty thick compared to what I was expecting. They were fine.
The bone marrow is fine.
Chick’s is fine. Give it a shot.

I enjoyed what I had. I enjoyed the devil’s cocktail but the cocktail list overall was leaning more towards winter cocktails with dark concoctions and lots of whiskey. I enjoy whiskey, but it didn’t match my mood on this fresh spring evening. Food was good though not blow-​me-​away. I had the softshell crab special.

We had planned to visit Chick’s to savor the cocktails everyone is talking about in the reviews. But our dinner plans at another place got postponed to post 9 pm, so we ended up ordering appetizers as well! The cocktails were indeed strong and unique, zucchini chips were wonderfully tasty and the wings were just right. A friend got the day’s special mushroom soup and loved it! Recommended cocktails for girls are Diablo and Dark & Stormy, and guys it has to be «A More Perfect Union» (Bourbon base). Ambience was ordinary, and the service was excellent!

I went here Friday night after a long day and was pleasantly surprised. i ordered fried zucchini and wings. The wings were average, but my fiancé had the wild boar burger which was quite tasty. The bone marrow was good I was told, though huge! Service was good and I would go back again…

Wild Boar burger. Easily the best burger I’ve ever had and I’m not from around here.

As far as updates go, this one is long overdue.
Chick’s has changed substantially since my last review two years ago, embracing their Italian persona and spotlighting chef/​owner Jim Piano’s facility with both Italian-​Italian and South Philly Eye-​talian dishes.
We visited on a Thursday for Jesse Cornell’s company and killer drinks, and ended up staying until close, hanging out with Jim and a few of his friends, the staff, and our fellow bar-​goers. It was more like a party in your cool friend’s awesome house than a night out at a restaurant bar.
A bottle of prosecco started us off ($ 42, dry, fizzy, easy-​breezy) since we were celebrating both a birthday and an engagement. From there our crew demolished textbook Sazeracs, Bulleit Rye Manhattans and glass after glass of a smooth, polished Roero red that I wish I had written down.
Of the eats we tried, the best was the Brussels sprout flatbread, all toasty and melty with cheese, as well as the roasted bone marrow appetizer — two generous split bones full of sexy meat butter to spread on perfectly grilled, thick-​cut slices of bread. The salmon served over a beet farro was also delicious and light.
Noting our scraped-​clean marrow bones, chef Jim asked if we knew how to use them as a shot luge for sherry. Once we managed to eek out a «No,» (I was dumbfounded by this brilliant innovation), Jim graciously poured a delicious sherry through the bone and into out waiting maws.
The sherry picked up some of the fat from the bone, lending the already exquisite flavor a depth and richness that kicked it right over the top of culinary experiences.
This place is not only tasty and makes great drinks, the ownership and staff really understand hospitality and how to make you feel right at home. Thanks to everyone, we will surely be back.

The place is small, cozy, and friendly. I don’t know about the food, but I have been there for drinks and enjoyed the atmosphere, the beer selection, and the service. The bartender is easygoing and open for a chat. The place is tucked far enough away from the energy of South Street to have a relaxed vibe. It’s a great place for drinks and talk.
Chick’s is a good place to have tucked in your mind. And then when you are in Bella Vista with friends, you can suggest this place. If your friends are not from the neighborhood, they may not have heard of it. And, voila, you are the hero for the night.

This isn’t much of an update since I’m still giving it a 5 star review.
That being said, I haven’t been since my last review a year and a half ago (why did it take me so long to come back??) and it’s still an awesome place to eat and drink.
My boyfriend and I came late on a Sunday night for some appetizers and cocktails. They were running a special on the Rossini, which is champagne and strawberry purée… I may have had more than one of those (ok, 3– but who’s counting?). My boyfriend had one as well, but they really weren’t his scene so he switched to a dark beer that he really enjoyed. We also had the tagliatelle with fava beans, asparagus and goat cheese, and a plate of the seared scallops with citrus salad. The pasta was amazing, creamy and cooked perfectly al dente. It had dill in it as well, which I have never experienced, but I love that flavor and it was perfect with the goat cheese sauce. The scallops were very fresh and flavorful. The salad accompanying them really made for a great balance.
And obviously the ambiance is second to none. Gorgeous tin ceiling and candle light. With the door open and the summer breeze coming in, it made for a relaxing Sunday date night. One I hope to have again.

I rarely write a 5 star review. When I go out to dine, I’m looking for a place to live up to its reputation and earn a 4 star review. Such a review means that I left quite satisfied. In order to earn a 5 star review, I feel that a restaurant has to far exceed the expectations that I had in mind. I’m happy to say that that is what happened at Chick’s on a Saturday night.
Our trio arrived at 8 p.m. and we were immediately seated in what I found to be a surprisingly tiny dining area. I soon came to realize that great things do come in small packages. One waitress and one bartender worked the entire floor of about 6 tables and a full bar. The service was excellent from start to finish. At no point did we have to wait for drinks and the pace of the meal was just right.
As fine as the service was, the food was even better. We started with two appetizers. The ladies shared the Cape May scallops with a tasty blood orange and grapefruit salsa. I went with the brussel sprout flatbread that was absolutely incredible and drizzled with a zesty fontina and mustard seed sauce. If you go, get it!
Our entrees were every bit as good as the appetizers. Ravioli plate and the stuffed chicken for my companions but I must say that it was I who chose the wisest. I’ve become a slave to any lamb dish on a menu and at Chick’s I must highly recommend their New Zealand Lamb Shank. Perfectly prepared, splendidly tender and served with an incredibly tasty gremolata. This was an absolutely delicious entrée.
I expected good at Chick’s and I got great. I can’t say enough about this little gem and I can’t wait to get back to this place.

Chick’s is our date night closer bar, and I absolutely love it.
We usually swing by on Thursdays when Jesse is working (but we’ve experienced great cocktails under the care of George as well). Just one drink always turns into several, and how could it not with great conversation amongst staff who have become friends.
The bar is typically quiet later in the evening and there’s never any trouble getting a seat. There’s usually a character or two which adds to the laughs. If you haven’t checked this place out, hit your bookmark button and give them a look next time you want a nightcap.

My husband told me that if he could leave me for food, he would leave me for their ravioli. This place is AMAZING. At first glance you’re not really sure what to expect, but the food is absolutely fantastic!
Murray’s Chicken — consistently moist and delicious! Portion size is just right, which then allows me to order dessert– and you do NOT want to leave without ordering dessert here! The beignets are amazing! They come with honey butter and nuttella dipping sauces and OMG every bite is better than the last. The Chocolate Truffle Tart with salted caramel — honestly– need I say more? So good!
Everything has been absolutely delicious, excellent portion size, and pricing is quite fitting. Absolutely recommend if you’re a foodie or if you’re trying to impress a date. The place can have a romantic vibe.

Chick’s was a nice quiet spot off South Street for drinks. They have a great list of cocktails, beer, and wine to choose from. Our bartender was attentive and helpful. I enjoyed my wine (a pinot noir), and the others in our party had a few beers (Green Flash IPAs) and cocktails. It’s not inexpensive though and they do not have any happy hour specials. I don’t know if this would be regular destination for me since it’s a bit cost prohibitive to spend a lot of time here.

For some reason, we were not feeling this wine bar. It was just ‘ok’. To summarize, I think that Chick’s is better experienced sitting at the actual bar and ordering some mixed drinks before or after you go somewhere else. We expected a larger wine selection for a wine bar. We were disappointed in the food menu (small menu and not very innovative). It has been a long time since we had ‘buyers remorse’ but after the two of us dropped $ 140 + 30 tip, we had a empty feeling inside… we kept on saying to ourselves ‘we could of gone here & here instead’. It’s not like Chick’s per-​wine glass or food pricing are anymore expensive than some of the other wine bars we have been to… we just like the overall selection/​ambiance/​experience of other wine bars such as Tria, Zavino and Vintage a whole lot better.
What’s nice about Chick’s is that it is a nice reprieve from the other sometimes annoying/​noisy establishments in the South Street area. Chick’s seems to be a nice place to bring a date for a couple of drinks & actually be able to hear your significant other. The lighting is semi-​dimly lit. The joint is cozy.
Our server did not have the most outgoing personality, he was quite the serious fella. However, he was very professional, attentive and on-​point. Our water-​glasses were constantly refreshed without having to ask. He gave us the right mix of attention and space. The ‘Grilled Eggplant and Chick Pea Hummus’ app was good. The ‘Meyer’sFlat Iron Steak’ and ‘Murray’s Chicken’ was good but not ‘out of this world’. The bathrooms were clean.
Look, I can see other Unilocalers have really liked this place. So, I think you should still give this place a shot and try it for yourselves! I’m giving it a solid 3 stars. I would come back again and have a few drinks at the bar… I just wouldn’t go out of my way.

We were trying to decide where to go for drinks before our dinner at Supper. We were deciding between Chick’s Café and Wine Bar vs. Brauhaus Schmitz German Bar. We decided on Chick’s and headed out there for our pre-​dinner treat…
Food/​Drinks: 3.5 stars
We didn’t try the food so this review is just for drinks. When we were looking at the menu, my eyes lit up when I saw that they served a Dark and Stormy. The Dark and Stormy was good but not great. A combo of not enough alcohol and too much ice made the drink average. My fiancé had Proseco which she enjoyed. We got a glimpse of the entrees being ordered by those around us and they looked great.
Service: 4.0 stars
Bartenders are fast and attentive. They take care of your drink requests quickly.
Ambiance: 4.0 stars
A very classic, old school wine bar feel. Its a vibe that I was not expecting to find on South Street. We were definitely enjoying the quaint, historical feel. It a wine bar that I would expect to find in NYC more than in Philadelphia.
Location: 3.0 stars
7^th and South (just south of South Street)
Price: 3.0 stars
A little steep for the drinks we got. We spent over $ 40 on four drinks. I would be ok spending that much if my drink was stiffer than it was. A little disappointing when the bill comes into play.
Overall: 3.0 stars (for now until we try the food)
Good wine bar to start off dinner or to have dinner at. A little pricey but the vibe is unique and enjoyable if you catch it on a night when its not packed (I’m not sure if it ever gets packed). We will probably be back to try some food there and will keep in the back of our minds for pre-​dinner drinks if we dine down in South Street again.

I never say words like, «quaint,» or «charming,» out loud. If I did, I know I’d make a sarcastic face… but do I think these worlds sometimes, when I’m not being a monster… and I do think that Chick’s is quaint and charming.
Dimly lit, intimate, pretty bar, stained glass… It’s the kind of place where you can have a conversation over a nice bottle of wine. We tend to order from their small plates. Good variety of Spanish, French, and Italian cheeses and charcuterie.
Chick’s is cozy business.

It’s Friday night. You pick your girlfriend up and come home on a cold, blustery evening. You’re both famished, tired and in need of food and alcohol (in no particular order)
Chick’s did the trick.
This was not my first time at Chick’s. I’ve drank there a few times and always liked the bartender and feel of the place. Last night however was my first time eating at Chick’s. I was pleased.
We went with a bunch of apps and the meat/​cheese plate. The tuscan fries had rosemary and garlic with them. The dipping sauce was unnecessary. The two bowls of potato leek soup were really creamy and flavorful. Someone put some work into those.
Next came the 2 meats and 2 cheese. We settled on one each from Spain and France. Delice de bourgogne and Serena for the cheeses. Jamon Serrano and Rosette de Lyon for the meats. The portion of Serrano was surprisingly large. Personally I would have liked thinner slices but that’s my only real gripe. The Delice was very creamy and served with a fig jam. The Serena was semi firm and had possibly an apricot spread with it? It was all really good.
We finished with the shrimp and chorizo. They were served on skewer with the shrimp wrapped around a small piece of chorizo and perfectly grilled.
All in all, a very enjoyable, spur of the moment meal. I love that I can just walk a few blocks to a place like Chick’s for a tasty and satisfying meal.

I went here after reading great things on Unilocal and Menu pages. Some people mentioned it as a place to go AFTER a meal at Horizon’s or some other establishment, while other people simply mentioned this as the one for all spot. I would advocate the former of these two options.
My family and I went here for dinner because we had read that it was cozy and not too loud (my dad is hard of hearing). I’m not going to lie, we were up for a fancy dinner and had decided to go here instead of our favorite, Parc, because of the noise factor alone. Other places we were considering were Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Alma de Cuba (we decided AC was too expensive for that eve).
When we walked in I was a little surprised. I don’t know why, but the tile floor is really off putting. It reminds me of a bathroom floor and not in the cute little octagon pattern way that you now see at little restaurants in New York, but like in a suburban bathroom kind of way. There is something about it that just doesn’t mix with the words wine bar, it almost seems contradictory. This is sad, because they have these interesting walls that are tiled and painted silver and, with the right floors, could have brought the restaurant to the next level in interior design.
As mentioned earlier, the service was good. We felt very well taken care of and never had to wonder what was going on as everything took place in an timely manner.
We ordered cocktails first. I was annoyed because many of the cocktails I’d seen listed on their site were no longer on the menu. My mom and I ended up ordering what was likened to a perfect manhattan and my dad ordered a martini. They were all watery and unexceptional.
We got the shrimp and chorizo ($ 9), the beet salad ($ 12), and the fig and gorgonzola flat bread ($ 9). The top amongst these was the beet salad, which, in my opinion, is hard to mess up. It was served with goat cheese, spiced walnuts and a champagne vinaigrette. The shrimp and chorizo was probably the most disappointing dish of the evening. It was simply bland. The fig and gorgonzola flatbread was a favorite at the table, but I have tasted such better flatbreads that to me it was so so. The flat bread had a wafer like texture that I didn’t really like, making it feel too light to be flat bread.
Surprisingly, our entrees were a lot better than our appetizers. This almost never happens, and it’s funny because you’d expect the entrees to be better since you eat so much more of them. I got the short ribs, which are not listed on the menu, and which are strange because they were picked off the bone when they were given to me. They were still very tasty, and they were served with this amazing polenta/​mash potatoes like substance that mixed so well and deliciously with the meat. My mom had the Grilled Flatiron Steak and Fries ($ 18) which was pretty good. It was served in a truffle jus which I think really brought out the flavors. It was really buttery. My dad had a salmon dish on pasta with tomatoes. The pasta sauce had a very delicate basily taste which was really unique and subtle. My mom and I kept scooping pasta bites off my dad’s plate!
We ordered a bottle of primotivo with our meal. I also tried a sangiovese, but that tasted like it was deflated of it’s flavor. The primitivo was certainly not exceptional, but it did have some interesting flavors as we traveled through our glasses and it opened up a little more. Overall, it didn’t have any punch or complexity. Not like that cherry vanilla raspberry glass of 2007 Occhipinti Nero d’Avola wine I recently had at Heart Wine Bar in San Francisco (Le Sigh).
In any case, the intention behind this place is good. My note to you, though, is if you are out to get an stand up meal that you can only get once in awhile with your family you go somewhere like Parc, Friday Saturday Sunday, or Horizons. This place is a bit too casual and will disappoint if you’re looking for food that will blow you out of the water.

Indisputable, undeniable perfection in every way.
The interior is gorgeous. Pressed tin ceilings in a dark, lush color, leading down to subtle beadboard. Sconces lilt over the scene in flirty glass shades and slinky cloth-​covered chains. Each window holds a handsome plant in a reassuringly heavy ceramic pot. At sundown the black marble tables pick up evening light and shine.
I ate, drank, and read my way happily into the late hours, aided by faint ambient light and two hard-​working votives in glass cubes, offered to me by a lovely woman who appeared out of absolute nowhere, in what I recall to be a particularly glamorous ensemble.
I got several small plates, each of which was outstanding.
Shrimp with chorizo (5 large, delicious skewered shrimp, each wrapped around a fiery, orange-​red disk).
Eggplant hummus with grilled bread (seemingly an entire loaf — yum).
French fries, in rosemary, with cold mayo (fries are my oxygen) — not match-​sticky thank goddess. Just wonderful, and exactly what you hope they will be.
Roasted golden beets with spiced walnuts and goat cheese (ground pepper brought it together perfectly).
For wine I had one, then two, OK finally THREE glasses of a crisp white called Pansa Blanca. Think of it as liquid turn-​on.
Not wanting to put the breaks on my caloric rager, I finished off with the mascarpone cheesecake with honey-​poached pear. INSANELY DELICIOUS!
Finally I got to have George the bartender, server, and man of the evening be my (unknown to him) imaginary boyfriend. Likelihood of becoming reality: zero. But that’s what imagination is for!

Had beets and the sardines. Beets were excellent golden and sweet. The sardines were fried and no fish was evident? Tasted good but not the pan fried that I expected. Was served on bed of fennel.
Decent wines by the glass and got to sit outside on a nice cool night.

We had intended on going to a different place for tapas but it was booked and boy am I glad because otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to eat at this wonderful, cozy place.
We got a couple small plates that were superb as well as a selection of three cheese paired with different jams. Our server was psychic and always knew when to tend to our plates, offer the next course, or bring more bread.
For dessert we had the dark chocolate crème brûlée with carmelized bananas and the French Market beignets that come with Nutella and honey butter sauces for dipping. FANTASTIC.
I wish I could bring this place back to my home town!

For fans of The Franklin, Southwark, Noble, Oyster House, and Apothecary, Chick’s is a must. Enter the dimly-​lit, cozy woody space, belly up to the bar, and check out the cocktail side of the menu. Phoebe, the bartender, created a diverse selection of clever concoctions, each more intriguing than the next (one of them blends muddled red peppers and blackberries!).
Cocktail enthusiasts take note, Phoebe shops at Reading Terminal Market every Tuesday and picks out the freshest produce to then use in the night’s improvised cocktails. I really appreciate any restaurant that gives its bar program the same diligence it gives the kitchen.
All the drinks I tried were perfectly balanced and I think this may be my new favorite cocktail bar.

We dropped in on a Thursday evening to enjoy some small bites and drinks. The bar was nearly full with what looked to be locals enjoying all sorts of drinks… a good vibe.
We ordered some Spanish meat & cheese… the Lomo was a dry-​cured pork with some great herbal flavor… my wife swore it had thyme in it. They served our Raw Sheep’s milk cheese (La Serena) with some honey and olive oil. Decent size for the price and the cheese was up to room temp like it should be.
I had a Spanish Tempranillio Rose, mineral and thin-​bodied cherry. My wife picked the better light wine, with a Sardinian white.
We also had the flatbread with Fig, Gorgonzola, and caramelized onion… the basalmic vinegar in the onion made for an alternative to pizza sauce and the figs were a treat. Best of all were the Valderon cheese stuffed dates, wrapped in bacon… yeah, it’s a staple of wine bars, but they got the bacon wrapped just right with no oozy cheese.
The service was attentive and concienscious; at one point the server re-​arranged the table quickly, turning a 4 top into a set of 2 tops so that another couple could have a cozy corner to themselves.
Mixed drinker out there in the crowd seemed impressed by the bartender… she whipped up an interesting cocktail with absinthe while we were dining that had the table next to us all a-​glow.