Will H.
Yelp
With a welcoming, come-as-you-are atmosphere, friendly staff, solid food, and good music, McCrossen's essentially checks all of the boxes you could ask for in a local pub if you're in the area. For me, it's everything that I look for in my local spot. It's become our reliable go-to for a quick bite or a drink when we want to get out of the house. If the weather is good enough, we'll even take the dog and sit outside.
We've tried just about everything on the menu and everything has been good. Their highlights for me are the wings (meaty and delicious) and the falafel sandwich, but at worst, the food was always perfectly fine on the pub food spectrum. Considering how often we've been there in the short time we've lived in Philly, I'd say their batting average for pub food is definitely worthy of an all-star vote.
The staff has always been great. Outgoing, warm, and in really good spirits. The service has always been good, as well, which is impressive when considering how busy the bar gets at traditionally-predictable times. Just have a little patience when it's a rush, as they often seem a little understaffed on the floor during those times. The staff will be running around like crazy to compensate, so someone will get to you pretty fast.
If there's one complaint, it's that the music in the evenings can get so loud that it's hard to have a conversation with the person sitting next to you. Of course, if you stroll in later in the evening like we tend to do for a nightcap, it's sort of par for the course.
Overall, McCrossen's Tavern is a fail-safe spot. It's a pub that feels like a local pub. The surrounding neighborhood is diverse, and the bar fully represents that, too, which is nice. Sometimes convenience is enough to bring us back, but thankfully, McCrossen's offers far more than convenience. Which is why we're always returning!