The Happy Rooster

Looked good from outside, social atmosphere inside was good (I mean atmosphere created by customers, not staff), temperature was good too (bloody hot outside!) So why the low rating…? 1. No beer on tap, all out of bottle, despite taps being there🤦‍♀️ 2. Barmaid was so uninterested and blunt it was unreal (and unnecessary) she told us no tables coming free for food, we then spotted a back bar, we asked if there were tables there, she said ‘yes, 2 high ones’ these would’ve been ideal for us as we always seek high tables out (due to hip issues), we then asked if they were busy she said ‘no idea go look’. I did, that separate bar was practically empty (she would’ve known this). We decided to just leave. In that time 2 tables HAD become free in main bar. 3. Then joined by another barmaid it was clear they were talking about another set of customers (rudely) - didn’t hear what they were saying but actions and expressions said it all! So whilst the food did look good it was sadly the front of house that let the whole place down. Hubby and I agreed it was worst bar service we’d had in our whole travels of Pennsylvania

I had a great experience at The Happy Rooster in Philadelphia. The food was delicious and came out fresh, and the service was just as impressive. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made the whole visit feel relaxed and enjoyable. It’s one of those places where you can tell they genuinely care about their customers. Whether you’re stopping in for a bite or looking for a laid-back spot with good energy, The Happy Rooster is definitely worth a visit. I’ll be back!

Very relaxed, very small, cozy establishment. Tons of regulars. The food blew me away!!! I was expecting regular bar food, and what I got was exceptional food inside of a cozy bar. I had the crispy chicken sandwich- I got a huge crispy piece of chicken- astounding and so flavorful. The mussels honestly shocked me! Tender and not fishy AT ALL!! My fiancé got the chicken pot pie. Perfect for these cozy winter nights. You can’t beat the atmosphere, however, it’s old, so my booth seat was rocking back and forth quite a bit because of the excited gentleman sitting behind me.

Veronica is AWESOME with the drinks! Made my favorite liquor into a whole drink. AMAZING! Will be back for sure.🫡😎

Fun vibe, great food! Portions were great for the prices. Around the table we had the tuna melt, Cuban sandwich, grilled cheese and soup, tacos, crab cakes and the smash burgers. Everyone enjoyed their food. Love the atmosphere of a small moody location with the energy to match!

Been going here for years and always had great experiences with the staff - incredibly friendly and quick, and I love the atmosphere. Today went back to pick up a card I left the night before, again the staff being very helpful, but the owner stopped me and began interrogating me about the card, treating me like a child, and saying I was being aggressive. At that point I had said maybe two sentences to her, both times answering her questions, and yet in that time she had made up her mind that she would gladly lose a customer over a forgotten credit card. I’d previously brought all my friends and family from out of town to Happy Rooster, but now I’ll find another bar. I wouldn’t recommend spending your time and money here.

Awful service bartender and server screamed in my face absolutely worse service ive ever experienced. Food was amazing though 10/10 calamari deviled eggs. Context: Came in ordered a round of drinks, sat down at open table bc more people were coming. Server yelled at us for sitting with an open bar tab. Said sorry told her id close out but had a drink on the way. Got up closed the tab, grabbed my drink sat back down to order, and she told us to get up bc I had ordered another drink, the same drink I told her I was still waiting for. After being kicked off the table for that altercation we got food at the bar. Food came was amazing. I paid using the same card I had just covered the last tab for and it didnt go through, later Ab 10 mins I tried the same card and it worked (see photo attached) but because it gave the bartender an issue She yelled loudly “ SOMEONE HAS TO PAY ONE OF YOU GIVE ME A CARD” So my friend paid, I paid him out of my account tipped the bartender $5 and left. Ive been in service since I was 16 and this was the wildest Ive ever been treated at any bar in center. I get difficult customers but the staff at every turn would rather boss you around then solve a simple conflict.

The food goes crazy here. We got steak and fries✅, chk Philly✅, chk quesadilla✅. I would have took pics but it's real dark which I really appreciate. I did take this one picture on the wall that was of the original waffle house.

Great small bar, great specials on food and service was fantastic. Definitely will go back for the local feel. It's very cozy dark woods with classic bar.

The bouncer( I think his name is Nigel ) is extremely aggressive and threatening with guest , completely unnecessarily . Wouldn't recommend . Very discriminatory.

I jumped the gun too quickly. I believed I found the best wings in the world, but I was wrong! The very first time I ordered they were fried and seasoned to perfection. The next two times i ordered, yuck! One batch wasn't fried enough and blood was next to the bone. Next batch, the wings were not fresh, which you can tell by black meat close to the bone. Oh well, thats enough for me. Never again!

A tale of two restaurants...we'd d eaten here often in the past and loved it, so expected a lovely evening. Showed up for our reservation on time and were ignored by staff. Finally got seated in our booth. This is a SMALL bar (12 tables) and is located on a corner. There are two doors at the entrance. Both doors close veeerryy ssslloowwllyy. It was 20 degrees outside. People come and go often and each time let in a long blast of 20 degree wind. We had to put our coats on. Finally, we noticed an empty table in a secluded back corner. We asked to be moved there and the waiter refused. That table remained empty throughout our entire frozen stay. Ate dinner with our coats on. Food was lackluster. Ordered the tuna nicoise salad and received bagged lettuce with a can of cold tuna fish on top. Paid the check and left. Walked a few blocks down to the Dandelion. Also located on a corner, but this place has an outer door, an inner door, and heavy velvet drapes. People can come and go with no impact on the temp at the bar. Told the bartender we were freezing and he immediately sent waitstaff in search of a seat upstairs or by the fire place. No luck but he found us a table by the bar, the exact same distance from the door as at Happy Rooster, but warm and cozy. Enjoyed some fabulous cocktails and apps. Moral of the story: It's the small things that make or break a restaurant: the waiter who cares about your comfort; the owner who invests in making a place comfortable; the chef who does more than open a can of tuna fish.

Having walked by this spot for years, a few friends and I finally stopped in last night! There two bar areas to choose from, the entry one has a few seats at the bar with some cozy booths and somewhat of a retro vibe. The back room in which we were seated also has a small bar with a few tables. It was pretty crowded for 5pm on a Saturday so we were happy to have snagged a small table! The draft menu was decent and the bartender was friendly! We weren't there for dinner but did opt to get some fries which were delicious - who doesn't love a salty battered fry? Dinner menu looks interesting, I'd stop by in and try a few items!

I don't want to write about this place because I want to keep it to myself but alas - here I am. The Happy Rooster is, in my opinion, the perfect place. My ideal. A small, unassuming dark bar with amazing drinks, a good selection of beer, lovely staff, and surprisingly good food. I say surprisingly because sometimes dive-esque bars can have just bar food (think chicken fingers and fries), but The Happy Rooster has so much more than that. Calamari, fried oysters, and huge salads are among the menu items with specials on the board. If you're looking for a place to pop in for a pint and some good food, definitely consider here - just don't stay too long and take up one of my seats...

The Happy Rooster was beyond my expectations! I was looking around for a nearby place to grab food because my first plan fell through. We decided on The Happy Rooster because it looked like decent food and drinks. It was absolutely better than decent! I ordered the loaded tater tots expecting that it would be topped with cheese and accoutrements. They drenched it with gravy and cheese (poutine style)! It was delicious and that could have been a meal alone! I ordered the fish and chips for my meal and it's better than some other places I've been to that are known for their fish and chips. First the batter was crunchy and nicely seasoned with salt. It was a tick meaty cut of fish. The fries tasted like they were double fried. However they cook their fries, this is how fries should taste. We ordered a few beers. But their bar seems well stocked and I bet that they can make any cocktail you ask for. Next time I plan on grabbing a cocktail here. The ambience is what I look for at a bar. It's lively but not loud. Everyone is having a great conversations over drinks. It feels natural talking to the staff. I love the social dynamics that this place has. The interior is nicely decorated with little roosters here and there. I like the rooster stain glass door too. I'm going to visit again! What a lovely find!

Currently closed for renovations (May 2024). Not sure when reopening is. Hope it's soon.

This place gave very mixed feelings for different reasons. Firstly I do want to acknowledge its bar food so expectations were not that high to begin with. I will give credit to how extensive the menu was however because it had some interesting items. The wings were good, they were just wings but they did have a little kick too them with the Buffalo sauce. The lobster quesadillas were a bit bland as far as the meat was concerned and could've used something. I did discover beer I was a fan of in this bar though being their $5 lager. **This bar seemed like a hook up spot, and I was made aware of an older guy getting handsy with a lady up until he noticed we started watching him and he left. Not completely certain who he was but just be aware as with any bar.**

In Phillybfor the weekend and found this place. My daughter and I stopped in for lunch. Really cool neighborhood pubatmosphere and the 2 waitresses/bartenders were great. I had the lobster roll and it was perfect. Didn't want to get to full and it really hit the spot. Not a big fries guy but their fries were great and I coulda got another round of fires. My daughter had the Spicy Fried Chicken sandwich, which of course I tried and man that was juicy lightly fried and just the right amount of heat and pepper. Washed both down with a "Priests Collar" (Guinness and Cider). Great spot for a quick beer and bite.

I love the Happy Rooster, this place has a great vibe. The bartenders are fantastic and attentive. The food was delicious. I recommend checking out this place around the holidays.

On my way to Honeygrow I approached a restaurant my significant other brought me to on our first date. The food was scrumptious. Not so much now. I was truly disappointed and glad I decided to get my food togo since I hate to complain it sometime imply to SOME you want a discount or something free. Not at all. The calamari was super salty. Seriously I thought perhaps it's that way to pair with the dipping sauce. Not at all. The brussell sprouts were yummy til you reached an ultra salty sauce. Not at all what I expected. Now the buffalo shrimp is difficult to mess up. It was tough and you got it SALTY! There was too much salt and the food before was perfectly made. I'm not sure if they got rid of the chef but currently the best part of my meal was the Stella Artois and the prompt waitstaff. Otherwise I wasted nearly 50 bucks. I was really disappointed and felt like my food was cooked by a non cook. My entire meal was salty salty and over cooked. Not the brussel sprouts but the calamari and buffalo shrimp were. If you come here taste test before you leave I'm just saying you may get home completely disappointed. I should've kept walking an saved 40 bucks since I gave the waitstaff 10 bucks for prompt service.

Quirky corner bar with worn leather booths. Staff was friendly enough, but not as welcoming to non-regulars as one would think. Service was prompt. Got the Rooster Burger, which wasn't anything spectacular. It had too much bun for the amount of burger and the bun was rather dry. The fries were skinny and overly salted. My date got the buffalo shrimp, which he said were tasty (how hard is it to mess up buffalo anything?). $3 per shrimp with no sides seems steep tho. The beer and dark and stormy were good enough. Alcohol is probably the strong suit here. I can't see myself recommending this place or returning.

Great Lamb burger! Bartender was nice after some warming up. Good beer selection. Good after work for drinks kind of crowd.

First time at this place in Rittenhouse but we really liked the vibe and the bartender was amazing!! The menu is not huge but all of the food is made from scratch and I had the soup special and it was really good and my girlfriend got the Rooster burger and it was really good and she is picky. Not a fancy place but perfect atmosphere.

This place is a true atrocity. Went here on a really cold day with my date and it was huge mistake. The server that was taking care of us that night was VERY drunk and was stumbling over himself as he was trying to light the propane tank that was meant to warm us up outside. As the server walked away, the propane tank started to leak and whistle and me and my date just left without paying due to the dangerous circumstance afoot. The waiter then chased us down the block and told me that i need to pay for the sparkling water that he poured for us. I simply told him to go fuck himself.

We love coming out to the "Rooster" for a late night drink after dinner, or just to hang out on a casual night. The owners are great, servers are really nice, its just a laid back place. There is a few outdoor tables, and they built an outdoor gazebo which is nice to expand the outdoor seating. When you walk in, there is the bar and some booths you can sit in, and further in there is a second bar past the curtains. Very cool place, check it out! FYI, you might want to check ahead of time because some nights they are closed or closed early.

Exactly what my wife and I were looking for. A neighborhood Philly bar that was friendly, had a good selection of beers and an outstanding burger. The Happy Rooster exceeded all of these and made for a great experience. Add in Jules as our server and we couldn't have been happier!! Go, you won't regret it!!

Swung by during lunch. It was cold inside and needed to wear my jacket for a little bit. I got the rooster burger. It comes with bacon, caramelized onions, and a fried egg. Side of fries or salad. I don't particularly like burgers where there is so much bun vs. meat. This burger has a big ratio of bun to meat. The burger was cooked to my desire. The fries were extremely salty and a bit soggy. I've had better burgers in the city.

Ordered my food at Tapster before the deadline and didn't even receive my food and all I got was an apology and was told by Tapster that they probably don't know what they're doing and that they pick and choose when they want to stop taking orders but the group we were with ordered food at the same time and received their order with no problems

This review is for atmosphere and cocktails only. We had stopped in here last year and had a cocktail in the back room bar and just loved it. We came back before a dinner nearby this weekend and the back room wasn't open so we sat at the bar in the main room. The place is super cute and they make a great cocktail. The bartender was awesome on both of our visits. Next time, I'll try the food, which looked pretty tasty.

Word of wise for the owner, please consider adding an allergen warning and/or statement to your menu. Yesterday I ordered the spicy fried chicken wrap -as you can see from the photo, there was no mention of peanut butter as an ingredient. It wasn't until I was half way through the sandwich that it became clear to me that peanut butter was in the sauce. Also, the sauce and the title of the sandwich are extremely misleading, there was nothing spicy about this sandwich. I won't be returning!

Great location from our hotel - Club Quarters. Small-ish place but looks like they have a 2nd bar in the back which might open during busier times. The cuban sandwich was ok. Few TVs located behind the bar. Bartenders were friendly - we came back for round 2 around 10pm to see if the kitchen was still open. It wasn't but they were kind enough to direct us to another spot that had food still. Overall it was a decent place. Little too dark/small

Loved the rustic ambience. We had a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon along with deviled eggs and Mac and cheese..no complaints at all..food was good and the people were quite friendly. Also, the waitress offered us a sample tasting of blanton's bourbon whisky

Very good steak highly recommend this place is kinda old school staff are great and amazing cook ‍ good place to have a good time gotta luv philly

Came to philly Wednesday night called the bar a little after a hour and and talked to the owner who was very friendly. I told her I would tryna my hardest to make it to this place. I'm here now and I just did not feel welcomed at all. Thanks Veronica!! U should find somewhere else that makes u happy

it was just ok. at 1230 on a Friday my lunch mate and i were the only ones there. i had the chicken cheesesteak, bartender said it was the best thing on the menu. it really wasn't any better or different than i could have bought at a lunch truck

Pretty quick weekday lunchtime service, especially with only one individual serving the entire place--good thing it's not that big! Though we were the first table in, the place filled up quickly. The Turkey Club was large and served on bread (seemed like a French Boule) that was quite evenly toasted and buttery. The turkey itself was a bit dry, but the avocado assisted, and the bacon was nicely crisped. Some of the fries were slightly limp, but overall they were well seasoned. Fellow diners enjoyed the Spinach Salad and the Salmon Toast special, though the latter was quite messy to eat, as the toasted bread did not cut easily, even with the steak knife our server kindly provided. Note: The banquette seat we were in was loose, so that it rocked see-saw style depending how the two occupants shifted.

The owner, Debbie Reid, is a lot of things, but a good businesswoman is not one of them. She became aggressive, throwing her hands in my friend's face attempting to disrupt her videos and photos being taken. That is 1.) Unnecessary and 2.) a childish attempt to upset guests. She claimed that she was harassing patrons, but that simply isn't true. Debbie continued to argue with my friend and followed her outside after paying a large tab that honestly should have been walked out on. Reading the other poor reviews, it's pretty obvious that the owner and a lot of the staff are just simply miserable individuals. Debbie resembled a belligerent individual intoxicated off of alcohol and Xanax, argumentative and relentless. Debbie, please go to therapy. If you are projecting your insecurities and aggression on people you do not know, you must have problems that are far greater than what's happening at the bar. I feel bad for your staff, who has to constantly put up with you and walk on eggshells. Don't give this person/ place your money. They probably would have bullied you in high school and put gum in your hair on the playground. Your money is better spent at an Arby's or a Papa John's.

Our work crew came here often for drinks and karaoke on Thursday's - Philly is loaded with wonderful singers! I've only eaten here a couple of times and got the burger and pasta both of which were good, but I have not had their signature items. The bathrooms are downstairs - the Founders must have had smaller feet than mine, because I was not the only one tripping on them. :)

The rooster is one of the great "local" spots in center city Philly. You'll find friendly people, great drinks and some of the best food in Town. Try the chicken cheese steak!

Had the tuna melt. Just wow. The avocado was perfect and would never have considered. Salad side was just such good complement. And 14 bucks! Thought there was inflation problem in us. Old fashioned was solid. Can't beat the quality cherry.

The Happy Rooster is a great no frills spot for drinks and apps. I can't comment on dinner but every time I've been here the apps have been tasty! All of the servers and bartenders are really nice! Deff recommend for a chill spot to grab a beer or a mixed drink.

If possible I would've probably given no stars or 1/2 star at max. My four friends and I went to the happy rooster to get quick brunch and when we arrived we were told to choose a booth. The room was almost empty, there was one other group there. After being seated the waitress told us there was a slight wait since other groups had come in. We ordered our food almost right away and then we waited. Our wait ended up being over an hour for food. OVER AN HOUR for very simple to make breakfast food. And none of the staff bothered to tell us that this was the waiting time. In the time we were there I saw three groups come in, sit down at a booth, then get up and leave without ordering. I wish I had noticed whatever tipped them off, then I wouldn't have wasted an hour and a half of my life for mediocre brunch.

UPDATE: Shane reached out to me directly and could not have been more genuine and apologetic. If that is how Happy Rooster staff respond to incidents and issues, I am so impressed. I will definitely be back. I might still order an old fashioned lol. Great team you've got here! ----------------- I've been to the Happy Rooster a handful of times. Always had a pretty positive experience. But needed to give a warning: don't order an old fashioned. Apparently making this drink is beneath the older, male, blonde bartender in the back room. He will tell the other people sitting at the bar that this is the "douchiest drink you can order." No sir. I could have ordered: Sex on the Beach A Grasshopper A Virgin Cosmopolitan A Citywide Special, hold the shot "This lemon thing I got in New York. Do you know what I'm talking about? *giggle*" Kamikaze shot Fuzzy Nipple People who order those drinks are assholes. We should stand united against them. Don't get pissy about an old fashioned. It wasn't out of line. We still left a tip, cause people have bad days and shouldn't miss rent because of that, but I hope that attitude isn't a regular thing. I've brought family and friends here before including this time and probably won't again.

Sansom's filled with tons of options and it becomes hard to pick one for the night. The Rooster is one of the cozier places. It has two separate halls: the main bar area right as you walk in and a dining area in the back. The low ceilings and dark lighting make it the perfect place for a quiet evening. We only stopped in for drinks, and didn't get a change to try any of the food. The drinks were good and a bit priced but basically the same price as everywhere else on the street. There's nothing really amazing about this place and can't really say anything bad about it either. Going it an average three stars.

Came by as it was nearby. However it was simply a candle lit place that ignored us even entering. We bought a drink and then just left. Not very inviting or open.

I've been wanting to try this spot for a while because I always walk past and their specials board sounds so yummy, so after a visit to Christmas Village my mom and I went to give it a shot for some drinks and appetizers. At first it seems small because it's a narrow room with a few tables and a bar but turns out there's another room in the back (it happened to have a private party while we were there). The hostess/waitress was very friendly and we just grabbed seats at the bar since the tables were all reserved. The bartender didn't greet us, offer us menus, or share any drink specials with us. The bar was about half full when we sat down so it's not like he was busy and running around. The menu they have hanging outside doesn't really match the one they gave us for dinner so that was disappointing but we ordered lobster bisque and cheesesteak dumplings to share. The lobster bisque tasted good but was barely warm. The cheesesteak dumplings were just okay. I'm glad I gave it a shot but overall was pretty underwhelmed with the service and the food.

My girlfriend and I come here almost every Tuesday just for our usual waitress - Mackenzie. She's super chill and down to earth, great service. We've never had an issue with the order or anything. The food is always great. I'd never thought I'd say it about salads in general, but their salads are amazing. Eggplant fries and calamari are too. The place can get kind of loud due to the more usual regulars, but that doesn't impact the experience at all.

My favorite bar and restaurant in Philadelphia. Tons of cool history (look it up) and the staff are characters. The owner is awesome and makes everyone feel at home. During COVID they set up nice outdoor seating.

Pretty friendly service. Good food. Full bar. Chic decor. Indoor and outdoor seating.

This could be a great bar....nice cozy place, good food etc....HOWEVER... The female bartender in the afternoon is the most miserable bartender you will ever encounter anywhere. She makes it apparent that she doesn't want to be bothered waiting on you. Apparently no one ever told her the service industry is based on service...as are her tips....she is the worst bartender I've ever encountered anywhere, and because of that will not be going back.

The tots appetizer was super good! Place was mildly busy and comfortable. They could've pumped in more A/C. Friends had rooster burger, and chicken cheesesteak both of which they enjoyed. I had chicken milanese which was covered in corn and a bit of crab but over loaded with garlic. Can still taste it! The place could be a lot cleaner. One booth had issues with stability. Anyone who sat there (behind me) would bounce around and annoy. Both the booth and table need to be repaired. Another issue were knats and flies. Having worked in the industry, it's from lack of true cleanliness behind the bar. Floor Mats need to cleaned daily. Fruit and other garnishes cleaned and stored properly. All floors swept and cleaned daily. Bathrooms were pretty rough. The doors barely close. Small and dirty. Needs attention. Still all in all, we enjoyed ourselves. Service was great and personable

Excellent meal! Friend and I stopped here for lunch as we waited for our hotel to be ready for check in. We both got soup (cream of mushroom for me, lobster bisque for her) and chicken cheesesteaks. Soup had several different kinds of mushrooms, and the creamy base had a rich and excellent flavor. The bread was really good for the cheesesteak. I also loved that the chicken was chopped up so it felt like something different than a typical grilled chicken sandwich, and the banana peppers added a unique and interesting flavor. Finally, the fries were super crispy.

Service seems to have declined, or maybe it was not a good night. The server I had tonight was on their cellphone the entire time I was there, and it was hard to get any service. When she wasn't on her cellphone, she was eating mozzarella sticks at another table. Won't be back for awhile.

Hidden gem ! Went for brunch on a Saturday and had unbelievably good pancakes and the chicken cheese stake w Caramelized onions was out of this world . Place is tiny but very charming , mimosa was great , fresh OJ. A bit pricey , but taste def made up for it , and perfect location to everything . Don't let the terrible exterior or logo outside fool you ... Very cute little frenchie vibe , and amazing food !!!

tried to go there yesterday 1.21.23 and they were closed. online said they were opened. we wanted to do a bit of pregaming before eagle's divisional game. too bad for them. we went to Oscar's where beers were ice cold and affordable

I try not to give negative reviews on Yelp, but I feel like Philly restaurants needs to start getting feedback from customers about "rules." This place is fine for having some drinks - a bit pricey, but a great atmosphere. It's also been around forever. That being said, they have a rule that you cannot sit at a table unless you are ordering dinner. Since there were no bar seats available and multiple open tables, this seemed bizarre. So, I had to quickly decide if I wanted to eat or not. (This is really a silly policy to enforce on a Monday night at 9pm.) I wanted a snack, but given the rules and all, we had to order food. It was mediocre at best and overpriced. (The lobster bisque was just gross - it was lukewarm and had started to congeal on top.) Plus, I felt as though we were just renting a table for the evening. Staff was inattentive. Fine for drinks and maybe bar snacks, but dinner is not their strength.

My sister: this is the worst meal I've had in two years. This review is a reminder to myself (and to the world) that the food here is just not good. And it's overpriced. Just avoid it for food. I've eaten here several times and I've always been disappointed. The gyro-meh, the octopus- more meh, the lobster bisque- cold and meh, the pork belly-downright not good. The Lobster Mac was passable but it should be for that price. Everything looks like it would be good but it's just not. The bar is lively but last time I was there it was filled with lots of obnoxious bros who looked like they got lost on their way to Ladder. Service is slow and not that friendly. There are better places in Philly.