The Strip Joint

I went looking for some action on Saturday night, and ended up at the Strip Joint. Disappointed when I arrived, I settled for some steak (kidding).
I had the Steak Maison and fried pickles. I have to say, I was pretty disappointed in the fried pickles. The batter was too bready and soft. The dipping sauce that came with it was good but not enough to save the dish. The steak was decent and overall with fries and a salad, it’s a value but I prefer the steak frites at Good King’s Tavern for $ 15. There was nothing particularly memorable about the meal.
The place is cozy and service was friendly, but I don’t see myself back in this establishment unless circumstances put me there, ie. someone wants to try it, we’re in the area, SideCar is too crowded, etc.

After several trips to ‘The Strip Joint’ it is time to pass verdict, and it’s sad to fall so low.
So why? On the plus side, you can always get in. On the minus side, in a buzzing neighborhood, you can always get in. I should disclose I was a regular at sowe, so there is some bias.
This place seems to have tried so hard to be different that it has missed the local scene entirely. While some folks will travel in from out of town to visit, according to the positive reviews here, there are not enough out of town visitors to GH to keep a concept going.
Décor is dark and the staff try, but honestly seem desperate and your heart simply goes out to them.
On recent visits the food was so so, mussels and fries loaded with salt, steak over cooked and, well, you get what you pay for. Compared to ASB, Sidecar, Tenstone and the places it wants to be different from, the beer selection is poor and the strength of Sowe, it’s wine, has been lost.
In short, this place has made itself different from sowe. It is a low price, blue collar baby boomer place in a millennial/​gen X professional transitional neighborhood. Sowe was a slightly different ‘me too’ that had a following, if not a huge one. The Strip Joint has missed the target.

Was in a little getaway in Philly and stopped here for dinner. Fell in love with all apps and a coconut drink. The steak was good. Just wished that they had other options than French fries with the steak. Loved the cheese tray, mussels, calamari’s, crab cakes.

I was pleasantly surprised by my brunch experience at The Strip Joint. Cheeky name for a steak restaurant, by the way. I like it. That said, I really hate that they took it a step further and labeled the menu with sections called «something wet» and «happy endings» — ick.
Now that I got that out of the way; four dollar bloody marys and mimosas! That’s pretty sweet. For a deal like that I didn’t bat an eye at my $ 16 brunch selection, which ended up being totally worth the price tag. The crab cake benedict is served over a risotto cake and has a large serving of breakfast potatoes. The sriracha hollandaise, which I requested on the side, was absolutely delish. My fiancé didn’t seem blown away by his peppers and eggs sandwich, but the bacon on the side was pretty great. It was thick cut and perfectly cooked.
Our server was nice and helpful. The bloody marys were very tasty. I’d go back for brunch again sometime.

Great little bar! Went here yesterday with a «friend» for an afternoon drink, and I’m glad this place is around his corner. Jackie the bartender was awesome, and made us some excellent Bloody Mary’s — perfect amount of spicy and vodka. We didn’t eat anything, but all of the good that passed us looked great! Definitely going to need to return sometime soon for some food and more drinks.

Honey! When I am in Philly I am going to a Strip Joint was my statement as I was about to leave on a business trip to Philly. My wife without batting an eyelash said «Enjoy you bloody steak»…knowing full well that for this male human the word strip is almost always beef related (no pun intended!) to my favorite cut.
The Strip Joint used to be something else before this, but I am glad the owners saw it fit to create a steak place with almost every cut under $ 20! Quaint old fashioned setting inside with dark wood and splashes of red evoking an era of the old, all well accompanied by well made cocktails. On this occasion I decided to dine at the bar and found the bartender to be a very knowledgeable and friendly chap who made me a perfect old fashioned while I waited for my steak tartar. This was a really well made tartar with the beef hand cut into tiny cubes and seasoned with dijon, shallots and capers and was almost a refreshing dish. I of course ordered the NY strips which I had to sling back the first time because it was overcooked, but came out perfectly med rare after the fix. The fries were ridiculously good, crispy tender and really worked well with the tender meaty bites of the strip. They also threw in some mushrooms which added the touch of umami to the whole proceedings.
They even comped my a glass of wine since they screwed up the steak and I noticed that they had a nice and varied wine list, again which did not have horrific markups.
All in all a very enjoyable place that I could easily see myself walking into everyday if I lived in the neighborhood. (I made another trip before leaving, and everyone remembered me, including the cut of steak I liked, and how I liked it cooked!.. not bad service I say.)

This was one of the worst meals we’ve ever had in Philadelphia.
4 of us went to dinner — started simple: 2 beers and a pitcher of «house-​made sangria.» The sangria was appalling. It was like watered down bad Chardonnay with apple chunks added at the last minute.
When ordering, we asked the server (who was nice but not very observant considering we hated almost everything) what a strip loin was vs. a strip steak. He described it well (a total lie but a great sell) — «it’s the tenderness of a filet with the flavor that comes from the strip steak.» Then we asked about the signature sauce which he said was a cream sherry brandy sauce. All around the «steak maison» sounded great. It was NOT.
When we got our food (2 steak maisons cooked medium rare, 1 strip steak cooked medium rare and a burger) we were disgusted mainly by the inability to chew (let alone cut) the meat. The steak maisons were the worst. One person described it as trying to eat a rhino’s skin. This was completely accurate. A RHINO’S SKIN. That’s how bad the steak was. The burger was equally gross — so overcooked the meat was crumbling. The only piece of meat that was even edible was the strip steak. We basically fought over it.
Other things —
Fries: good
Cheese macaroni gratin: very good
Sautéed wild mushrooms: ok
Rhubarb lovin lemonade: terrible
Ambience: lovely — we sat outside on a gorgeous night
Strip steak: ok
Burger: terrible
Steak maison: God awful
Sangria: disgusting
Our stomaches are already dreading having to digest the meat from the strip joint. Don’t do it.

Recently moved into the area and my GF and I love having a neighborhood steakhouse just a few blocks away. We have eaten there a bunch of times already and we will continue to. The wait staff is always on point and super friendly. They definitely make you feel welcome. I highly recommend the food, and the price.
–Seth

Though my memory’s a little foggy seeing as I was here about a month ago, I do know I enjoyed this place a lot.
It’s very chic and swanky, yet without being pretentious. It could pass for your typical neighborhood corner bar, but a little classier. The low-​lit, romantic feel was a nice touch.
My friends ordered full steak meals here, which looked bangin’. I think the menu offered something like $ 19 steak meal deal, where you get a salad to start and fries on the side included in the price. There were different chops and styles to choose from, but the New York Strip is what they’re known for, hence the name.
I munched on crispy, seasoned fries off the bar menu and they were delicious. Not only that, but they were only $ 4 and came in a giant bowl.
I would like to try the steak or other main entrees or maybe even the often talked about brunch before bumping it up a star… until then, I’m looking forward to my next visit!

The service was so wonderful — and I rarely rate on service. We sat at the bar on a reasonably busy night and bartender was just so friendly and professional. The food was very good and just what we were looking for.
We enjoyed some lobster Mac and cheese as well as a solid and reasonably priced steak and pork chop.
I tried several drinks off the menu and each was well made. At one point the bartender went to the back to find Russian Standard vodka for me because I told him I liked it.
I have recommended this place to friends as a cozy and casual place for a good meal. We intend to return for brunch.

«Come on Mia, lets go and get a steak.
You can get steak here daddy-​o.» — Pulp Fiction (1994)
What an odd little steakhouse with out any pretense. I found this place searching on Unilocal for a place for my coworkers and me to go on a night after a long day working — one guy wanted steak and the other good cocktails. This place made me laugh with the name and once I looked at the menu, it was a must!
Our waiter was a card — full of personality and not afraid to show it. He was over the top and after we got used to it — he grew on us. The cocktails were delicious… not too strong, but nice a stiff. We started with the cheese board. Nothing too impressive, but a good starter nonetheless. They were out of the brussels sprouts, but otherwise we had carte blanche with the menu.
I opted for the Filet Mignon with the mushrooms and asparagus as my side (the substitute for the Brussels). And luckily, my friend ordered the mac and cheese. The steak was properly prepared, but it was an odd cut of filet and I will say I have had better steaks in many places (including my own grill). But, the horseradish sauce was phenomenal and was a much welcomed accompaniment for both the steak and the frites (which I didn’t want, but came with the steak anyway). I also loved having the mushrooms to add that earthiness and to pump up the steak flavor.
The asparagus was nicely grilled and not overly cooked — I prefer a nice bite left to it. The mac and cheese was the star of the side show. Crunchy bits of breadcrumbs on top and a rich, sharp creaminess — Mike won with his side selection.
We planned ahead and saved room for dessert. Our server talked us into the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding — he said it was the best dessert. Well, it was good. I got the Bananas Foster flavor, but it was undercooked in the middle, a bit too rich and the «fresh bananas» that were I guess sauteed, were mealy and under-ripe…so they had NO banana flavor at all. Very disappointing.
Overall it was a good meal and I would probably go back again.

Came back to The Strip Joint to take advantage of the outdoor seating and enjoyed the burger and portabello mushroom dish. Both were fantastic, but the burger really stole the show. At $ 16 it’s not cheap, but it’s HUGE and had excellent flavor. We will definitely come back for that! Our drinks were a bit disappointing on this trip (they’ve changed the drink menu and while they all sounded delicious in theory, the two we ordered were meh — and seemed pretty weak). Owen has been our server twice now and he’s fantastic! Super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.

Classy but cute, cool little steakhouse. Came here as last min find, was lucky to be able to get a seat, when all other steakhouses were booked on this Saturday evening. We were happily surprised as too how nice the staff was, clean calm environment and food was delicious at a reasonable price! Next time I’m in Philly definitely will be back.
I only eat fish and their salmon was cooked perfectly, and my boyfriend loved his steak, highly recommend.

My family of 4 (two adults and two kids) were here last night. It was honestly just okay. The concept is great, but didn’t quite deliver.
The good– The price. $ 21 for a steak (with signature sauce), fries and a salad is a great deal.
The sweet and spicy fried pickles were the highlight of my entire night. They were deliciously delicious and I wish I got more than just 4 of them on the plate!
The fries were yummy.
The spinach salad was fresh and very tasty
The dipping sauce choices were delicious and great for our fries!
Dessert was good, although there were several changes on the menu that evening.
The bad– You’d think that a place that specializes in steak would know how to cook them to the right temperature. We had 3 NY strips on the table, all ordered Medium and none of them were cooked the same! One of them was VERY obviously Medium Well, close to Well Done. One was Medium on one half of the steak and Medium Rare on the other part. And my husband’s…his was rare, very rare. We did mention it to the server, but chose not to send it back, because it was already getting late.
The meatball appetizer wasn’t fantastic and not extremely hot in the center.
The service was friendly, although I’m pretty sure she was the only server in the restaurant (it’s small) so things, like getting a soda or the check took quite a long time.
I was most disappointed in the brussels sprout side dish. It’s labeled as roasted brussels sprouts… they didn’t have much roast to them… when I roast brussels sprouts they’re usually charred a little… these weren’t at all. I have a feeling they may have been frozen at one time or another. Also, they oddly tasted like they had an asian flavor to them. They would’ve gone very well with any chinese dish in another restaurant, but I didn’t think they paired well with my steak dinner at all. This was also mentioned to the server, who asked the chef and was told that there was only olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. There is no way that’s how they were prepared… unless that’s how they prepared them after they came out of the freezer, already seasoned.
I don’t believe I would go out of my way to return for dinner. Their Brunch menu looked interesting, we may try that one day, maybe…

This is the former SoWe Bar with a new restaurant concept. I have to say initially I was not sure the neighborhood needed a steak house. After enjoying a soft opening and a number of brunch meals, I have to say it is needed. Where can you go in this city to eat a decent steak dinner with apps for the price this place has? zero places. SoWe had some competition with other gastropubs, and even though more often than not SoWe had beat out the other gastropubs in terms of food, I think people just didnt walk south enough on 22^nd street to find out.
I am honestly excited, they have probably the best service staff on this side of Broad Street. Its great to walk in and after a few visits to be almost first name basis. The food is stellar, the place is comfortable, and the bar staff knows their drinks. The owner knows what the people want, and it’s clear with her new restaurant.
If you want a solid date night for a decent price, come here, we do. It is a bit out of the way, but it’s worth it. I have no idea why everyone waits outside of Sidecar, when they can prob get a better experience 1 block south.

Wow! This place was great! Where in philadelphia can you get a whole strip steak, eggs and French fries for $ 12?! The steak was perfectly seasoned and perfectly pink! The fries were great and had just enough salt! The eggs however were requested over easy and came over hard. I honestly didn’t mind too much bc the steak was so good…
Most importantly. THE BLOODY MARY… Hands down one of the BEST that I’ve had EVER! I think I make a pretty good bloody (secret weapon mud) but this was amazing! Again the prices are so good! $ 4!
Definitely recommend checking this place out! Will be back for dinner!
Great job!

Was looking forward to trying this concept as I was always surprised by the good food and so-​so service at SoWe. The décor is nice, warm, intimate, and «sexy» (which is what they are going for with the new concept).
The food
The fried pickles were heavily battered and thick pickle slices. I always prefer a nice crunch and a thinner slice.
They were out of
Burger on the menu, was a new blend and new topping
Fish — delivery did not come
Cheesesteak
We split the Steak Maison and 6oz Filet.
The salads were good, nice white balsamic dressing.
The Steak Maison had excellent seasoning and came with a sauce
The Filet was disappointing. For a filet, it has no seasoning and almost no taste. It was also pretty gristly and tough even for medium (which was more like medium rare)
The fries were good. The brussel sprouts were roasted but not as well done as I would have liked. They were also seasoned and a bit sweet.
The service was nothing special.
Drinks were 20% on our bill and there was a good selection of drinks.
Love the neighborhood spot, has potential, but I do not see myself returning. There are plenty of other better food spots in the neighborhood. Plus, if I want a steak, I can go elsewhere with much better quality for a small premium.

In every city I visit I look for the local places. The corner bars and hidden little restaurants that are known only to the locals. They are the true gems of any city. Philadelphia has a stunning new gem.
The Strip Joint has chosen a niche that I have not found in any other restaurant. Superbly chosen ingredients, fantastically prepared, at a price that will make you question your sanity (In only the best ways). It is a steakhouse that can easily be compared to the best in any city.
The space, formerly known as SoWe has been transformed into The Strip Joint. The décor brings to mind an older time, when a place known by this name would be a man’s place; deep reds, soft gold, weighty greens, woods, and slightly muted lighting. It is certainly no boudoir but the tone is there. They carry the theme through the menu as well, with headings like «Teasers» and «The Main Stage», «lil’ on the side» and of course «Happy Endings» fun.
The menu choices are as stripped down as the name implies. They keep it simple and do each of them right. Period. A short selection of appetizers from musslels to stuffed balls. A simple list of entrees that includes your choice of sauces (included in the price). The selection of 6 different side orders (added to the meal ala carte) is simple and excellently chosen.
Do NOT get me started on the dessert choices… yet.
Everything is carved, cut, baked, or prepared in house.
Steak tartare — buttery and balanced with crostini and peppadew.
Stuffed Balls — surprisingly done marinara sauce (gravy for the Italians among you) light and well touched with basil and parmesan. The smoked cheese buried inside was a delight when it snuck into my third bight.
Salad — a nice perfectly sized pile of mixed greens with cucumber and carrot case, with a light coating of a white balsamic vinaigrette, flavorful and just right.
The Steak Maison — a 10oz coulotte cut, cooked to perfection, a perfect blue rare. Tender and crusty and flavorful. I added the Signature Sauce a soft creamy dijon based sauce that fit well with the crisp seared edges of the meat. All served over a bed of perfectly sliced and cooked shoe string fries. When so many places are serving some sort of frozen, flavor coated potato substitute it was a joy to taste a perfectly done french fry.
I also sampled the filet with the Sweet & Spicy Horseradish sauce. I find that it is easy for a filet to lack flavor and it is not one of my first choices of cut, but this one was a impressive; full of flavor, and, again, perfectly prepared. The sauce however caused my eyes to roll back into my head in sheer pleasure. The balance of sweet and spicy was exciting. The texture of their secret ingredient was evident (you have to go taste it and ask them for yourself, its really not a secret but you have to taste it).
Sauteed Wild Mushroom — full mushroom flavor complimented by the herbs. Excellently done.
Spicy Fried Pickles — a young, house pickled cucumber was sliced, fried in a tempura style batter, and served with a slightly spicy dipping sauce. I had two minor issues with this side. First, I would have liked just a little more spicy to the dish, but then I like things hot. Second, they are too tasty, I wanted an order twice the size! A great dish.
And the desserts. A choice of 4 decadent «Happy Endings» and house made ice cream or sorbet; certainly NOT an overwhelming list, but still almost impossible to make a choice. I am a sucker for anything key lime done well, so the Key Lime Cheesecake was my immediate choice. It was light, creamy and just the right amount of key lime. Exceptional.
Add to all of this the value, yes, value. The price of the salad, steak, and fries is $ 19.99. That alone would have been a beautiful meal. The wine list has no bottle over $ 30.00 and the house wine, Steakhouse Red, is delicious. Simple, balanced, and a perfect wine for this amazing little place, and at just $ 8.00 a glass, truly appealing.
The missing piece is usually service. In this case it is not missing. The staff is attentive, knowledgeable, creative, and smiling. Who would have thought making a virgin mojito would be possible with no mint, but Kollin, the bar manager created something delicious, basil instead of mint… great work Kollin. Jamie, the waiter, was fantastic. He knows his stuff, he engages his guests, and he is smiling the entire time. 20% is not enough for service like this.
Taking someone out for a great steak dinner just got better and The Strip Joint is the place to do it.

If you love steak (and what crazy person doesn’t?), then you will love The Strip Joint.
This new restaurant in the Graduate Hospital /​Southwest Center City area of town gets so many things right. The food is excellent. I had a NY strip steak that was very generously portioned and cooked perfectly. It was a close your eyes and say «mmmm» experience. Loved it. The French fries here are delicious, crispy, and well seasoned. The house salad that comes with all entrees is just the right size and is topped with julienned veggies that elevate it beyond your typical side salad. The steak tartare is awesome, tasty, and different from your standard bar food fare. Finally, the dessert options are mouth watering.
The prices here are right on. You can get an appetizer, a salad, a steak and fries, and dessert all for $ 35. It’s like restaurant week here every day. Seriously though, there is nowhere else in the city that you can get a steak dinner of this quality for only $ 19. You get the quality of a Center City steakhouse with the prices and convenience of a neighborhood gastropub. It’s just a phenomenal deal.
The service is friendly and enthusiastic, and the new décor is a much welcomed addition. This restaurant straddles the line between casual and sophisticated, and so it would serve as a great environment for a romantic date, a birthday dinner, or a graduation celebration. But it’s also informal enough for a relaxed weekday dinner.
I was a big fan of Sowe back in the day. It went through a lot of changes tweaking things but what was always consistent was the amazing food. The Strip Joint carries on that tradition, but with STEAK. I haven’t tried the new brunch menu yet but I hope to soon. I will be returning here, soon and often.

Let’s be honest, this concept for this neighborhood is amazing. There is nothing like coming in and getting a fantastically priced meal and awesome service.
While I loved the place is was before (SoWe) this new creation is nothing but the best. Where else is this city can you have an amazing steak crafted for $ 19? These steaks are on par with anywhere else in this city full of overpriced and over complicated steak houses.
Don’t forget to try their brunch. They we’re known for their brunch menu before, but now it has everything you really need for a fantastic meal without the over complication.
Also, Tuesdays with Jamie for quizzo, you really can’t miss with fantastic specials and great entertainment!
Go and check this new incarnation of a fantastic place to eat and hang out. You surely will be happy and enjoy your meal and time here.