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- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2:30 am
Sat-Sun 7:30 am - 2:30 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
169 reviews for Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Best place in the city to watch soccer." In 8 reviews -
"I seem to always have a great time here." In 7 reviews -
"I have to say, I loved Fado more before the World Cup." In 6 reviews
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169 reviews in English
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Review from Tyler R.
5/16/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've been coming to Fado for at least seven years, and I don't think that it has changed a bit. This is a plus and a minus.
The first positive- lots of booze that you will like, and it's served by some very amicable people. The beer selection is good for what ails you, and the bartenders and servers have been always cordial. The downside is that it's expensive to drink there now. A pint of beer is $6.50 outside of happy hour and any mixed drink or shot is $8.00. If you're looking strictly for booze try Fox & Hound on the other end of the block.
Beyond the beer, the menu has improved, too. For the die-hard footie fans, there's breakfast boxty and full English (or Irish breakfast if you're not a fan). For the health conscious there is a large selection of salads. But the majority of the menu are stacked hamburgers and other greasy concoctions. While delicious every once in awhile, it's definitely not fine dining, (though the food is expensive enough to be). They do make one hell of a BBQ chicken sandwich, for $10.75, though.
Finally, the atmosphere has always been relaxed. The space is not pretentious, filled with hardwood features, and just dark enough that you can make a party foul (or life-mistake) and not be noticed. But, it's difficult for Fado to rise above that. Not to mention it's basically a dance club Saturday night's after 10pm (or was for awhile).
Don't get me wrong Fado is perfectly what it is-- a solid Irish pub that serves good food in a relaxed environment, and they show soccer on weekends and has trivia once a week. But if you're charging $11 a sandwich, $6.50 per pint, and a gets raucous and rowdy at times, you need to pony up the goods. Fado gets one star for the food offerings, one star for the great service, one star for soccer & trivia, and one star for it's relaxed feel. It loses a star for price and keeping the environment the same over the last decade. Fado, you're good, but with a little work, you can be great. -
Review from Jeff B.
Philadelphia, PA
5/15/2012
My last visit to Fado on 5/14/12 was extremely unpleasant.
Jody, the bartender, was great, but the manager was a complete asshole. When my group asked him to put the Rangers/ Devils Eastern Conference Final hockey game on a bar TV, I was told that the bar has a strict policy towards only showing the games of Philadelphia teams. Since the Sixers and Phillies games were over and the bar was nearly empty, I didn't see the issue with accommodating a patron's request. Don't they show international soccer matches on the weekend?
Rather than tuning into the game, the manager turned the televisions off and suggested that we try socializing with the other patrons! Some nerve! Seeing no one but two drunk couples to my right, this did not seem like a very appealing option. Our interaction with the manager got my entire group angry and prompted us to immediately leave the bar.
When considering that the entire back section of Fado was taped off due to a police investigation into a theft at the bar, I was really turned off. There are far other Irish pubs in Philadelphia where I can get a $6 Guinness and not have to deal with arrogant, condescending mangers.
Go to Moriarty's. They have better food and less expensive drinks. -
Review from Marissa R.
Philadelphia, PA
5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place has a completely different vibe depending on the day/time that you visit.
I've been here for happy-hour time on weeknights and have really enjoyed the laid-back ambiance, snappy fireplace and delicious bites. It can feel like you've stepped into Temple Bar in Dublin!
However, I have also been here a couple times late on a Saturday night, and the scene is the exact opposite. It is overcrowded and sweaty, and you'll find people grinding to early 90s rock that I thought died. Meh.
Choose your scene... -
Review from Ayana P.
4/25/2012
I've been to Fado a few times with the BF (not in a while though) to watch Manchester United play. Those have been my best experiences here. Soccer, food, beer, and the man...Yes!! If you get here early enough on a Saturday, you can get a good seat with a perfect view of one of the big screens to watch Man. U destroy. This is a really good place for soccer. Good soccer watching experiences earned it it's fourth star.
The food is not bad but not memorable. I'm trying really hard right now to remember what I usually eat when I'm there. I do know that the beer is good. How's that?
I came here most recently a few weeks ago to meet friends. It was my first time on a late night. I had no idea it got so crowded. I could barely move. The good thing is that when we did make it to the bar, the bartenders were pretty fast at taking orders and getting us drinks. It wasn't really my scence and it was way too crowded, but I liked the early-mid 90's hip-hop with sprinkles of top 40 they played all night. That, with the friends and drinks, made Fado a good time. -
Review from Mark N.
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Nicer than the average Irish Pub, quite nice place with nice atmosphere, clean. on a Saturday night around midnight it was very crowded with a mostly 20-something clientele.
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Review from Justin B.
Saint Louis, MO
4/22/2012
What a great pub!
Might have made the experience better because my Spurs won and it was on the big screen, but that's neither here nor there, haha.
The staff is friendly. My girlfriend and I were greeted at the door, and we chose to sit near the big screen to watch Tottenham. I got the chicken fingers with what I think was honey mustard, that sauce was awesome! And a Guiness of course. My gf got a bagel with salmon, cream cheese and capers. It was good as well.
The kicker was just as we were about to leave, someone ordered the Guiness BBQ chicken wings.....as soon as we smelled them, we had to try them, and they didn't disappoint.
Great atmosphere to watch some good footy! We will be back! -
Review from Amanda C.
Ardmore, PA
3/30/2012
I am a frequent patron of Fado. In fact, I think I've been to Fado more than any other bar in my entire life. It would be a lengthy review to detail all the reasons I love this place, and I hadn't even thought to review it until I had the pleasure of ordering dinner the other night. I will occasionally get appetizers, but I most often enjoy a pint of Guinness or Strongbow, or a tasty layered combination of the two, the Black Velvet.
For dinner, I ordered the lamb dip sandwich. It came on a soft, slightly crusty French bread, and was served with a savory au jus, just salty enough to make my mouth water for more. The lamb was tender and well seasoned, and the dish came with steak fries (I believe in the UK, they call them chips?!) which were just crispy enough to make them a perfect pair to the sandwich. I was impressed. Other great things to try: pub sliders (mini versions of my lamb dip), homemade potato crisps (delectable), flatbread bruschetta (I think that's what it's called- tomato, basil and balsamic reduction- amazing). I've been told the burgers are decent as well - not the best in Philly, but pretty darn good.
Coupled with the attentive (always attentive) service (I mean your glass is rarely empty, until you say it should be), the upbeat music, the warm atmosphere, and the unexpected game of Quizzo that began at 8 (Wednesday nights!), I had yet another fabulous night at Fado. If you go, and you're a fan, I would recommend connecting with them on facebook - they've got great special events, contests and parties. I know the crowd can get a little frat-i-fied on weekend nights, but for happy hour or a meal, this place is the leprechaun's pot-o-gold. I promise you a good time. And if you don't have a good time, you can track me down and tell me yourself. You can probably find me at Fado. -
Review from Michelle C.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm still going with the old A-OK for Fado. It's not a place that would become a destination on a regular night out, but when I revisited last week for Marcello's Flyers Faithful event, I had a good time. The bathrooms are still kind of scrummy and haven't been updated since my previous visit, but the rest of the place is all right. The sound system was impressively loud. Maybe a little too much, but I guess it was better to be a tad too loud than not loud enough considering we were all playing a game.
Our server stopped by regularly and split checks without even being asked, which was appreciated. I munched on fried pickles and sipped diet coke so I don't have much to say about the food, although I did like their version of fried dill chips. This bar holds a definite spot in my past but I'm okay with a return visit from time to time.Listed in: The Chain Gang, Dancey Pants
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Review from Jim H.
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
For years, my friends and I went to Kildares Irish pub to do Quizzo on Tuesday nights. It remained the highlight of my week for a good 6 or 7 years. Sadly, we all eventually grew up, popped out kids and generally just lost the time and energy to keep attending. We all kept busy with our lives and had the memories of that wonderful time to recall during bad days.
This past week, I attended the Flyers Pub Quiz, to support Ed Snyders Youth Hockey presented By Flyers Faithful and hosted by Fado Irish Pub. Let me just take a minute to give a shout out to Yelps own Marcello D, for putting together an amazing and successful event. Turns out, amongst the many great decisions Marcello made, choosing Fado as the venue was one of the best.
It definitely gave me warm flashbacks of my Irish Pub Quizzo days. Sipping Guiness while debating a trivia answer has a certain spot in my heart and Fado delivered in spades. I only tried the wings and pickle chips, but was pleasantly envious of some of the other foods, that I saw nearby. A return trip is inevidible, as well a more fleshed out review of what Fado has to offer.
Until then, I will bask in the glow from my great time at Fado, with great company and good food, and even though my team stumbled over a few rounds, I was doing what I love and for a good cause at that. -
Review from Glenn M.
Lititz, PA
4/11/2012
I had my first visit to Fadó on April 10, 2012 before a concert at the Kimmel Center. I was very impressed with everything about Fadó, from my initial phone call to inquire about reservations to the service and the food. Upon entering, my friend and I were greeted immediately by Colleen (who also turned out to be our server).
Great first impression, friendly yet professional. Since they weren't too busy on a Tuesday night we were allowed to seat ourselves and we picked a table in a semi-private room off the main dining area. We were told about the specials and asked about our drinks while we waited.
Good selection of beers and drinks available and they were brought quickly. The food was very good. It was served promptly and looked terrific. We had the Shepherd's Pie and the Corned Beef and Cabbage Boxty. Excellent!
The entire time we were there, our server checked back with us, made sure we had refills on drinks, and asked how everything was. All in all, it was excellent service, but at amazingly reasonable prices. I will definitely come back to this restaurant again. -
Review from David T.
Conshohocken, PA
5/9/2012
I love Fado. It gets a little packed on the weekend, but it is still a great place to grab drinks. The music is always good, and it is a young, professional, attractive Philly crowd that frequents Fado.
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Review from Grace M.
Ottsville, PA
5/16/2012
Went once after seeing riverdance. The fish & chips, shepards pie & corn beef boxey were tasty & good. We enjoyed the bread pudding top with ice cream. I felt the price were average. Service was nice and pleasant. It was a Sunday afternoon and was just starting to get a crowd. I would go again.
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Review from Adam B.
3/6/2012
I cannot say I've been to many "Irish" pubs in the US, but I've been to a few in the UK. Because of this I'm basing my review on my personal experience there as well as observations from the many dozens of times I've walked past.
During my time in Philly I lived literally 1 minute from Fado, walking past in the day time it looked rather quaint. People seemed to be enjoying sitting outside munching on their food. Now I should have tried going during the daytime, because I ended up going in the evening.
My first attempt going here was with my girlfriend (whom had been and enjoyed it before) was not overly exciting. It was very empty. A few people at a few tables. We decided to abort.
Our second attempt was more promising than the first attempt... until closer examination. It was packed, the usual Friday night crowd from what I was told. Essentially that translated to obnoxious, drunk, confrontational student crowd. Especially from the guys. Now while I don't like to do reviews based on the crowd as it is such a wild variable, but when you go to a pub/bar in the evening, the crowd makes the establishment. The girls seemed to be acting fairly decently, but the males were dancing aggressively, knocking into girls, essentially acting only in their own interests. Even upon being asked politely to mind ones space (something a decent person does in a packed establishment) I was told to *insert impolite insult*. At which point I had enough and we decided to leave. Hopefully that is not every Friday.
Fado probably doesn't care about what the crowd is like on days like Friday nights, but the establishment itself is nice, convenient and visually welcoming. If my experiences were nicer I would probably have frequented it a few nights a month.
All this in disregard, if I ever return to Philadelphia I would like to patron Fado during the day and enjoy it as a proper pub setting, and I suggest you do the same. -
Review from Rachel G.
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I like Fado for the cozy nooks and crannies typical of a decent Irish pub. You can catch whatever game is on, and there are several TV's so that if you want to watch something OTHER than the Eagles game, they can usually accommodate you.
I don't like Fado's menu, as it's not very gluten free-friendly. Most pubs have a menu where I can get around the GF thing and figure out something appealing that's not a salad, but the last time I was at Fado I really had very few choices. I had a good salad while I was there, but I was disappointed that I had almost no other choice. The chicken on my salad was freshly prepared - hot on my salad, which I really enjoyed. -
Review from Kelly W.
Philadelphia, PA
3/26/2012
yep this is one of our annual st. Patrick's day stop, food is pub grub with an Irish taste, beer is cold and people are warm. only 50 week till the next st. Patty's day pub crawl
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Review from Lin Z.
Philadelphia, PA
4/2/2012
Get Fish and Chips! It's great. I went with my friend the day before St. Patrick's Day. It was a very nice dinner. Great service! Also, the Irish coffee is really good! Definitely gonna go more often!
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Review from Dayna R.
Philadelphia, PA
3/15/2012
I went here for quizzo a few weeks ago, and was ecstatic (still am) when I won a tshirt! It can be a little loud and it's a little too dark for my taste, but the questions and the rounds are all pretty fun. One thing I don't like about their quizzo, however, is the team sizes they allow. One team, I was pretty sure, had about 11 people, which is too many brains for it to be considered fair, in my opinion. Aside from quizzo I got the cheese dip and wedges, which I am still craving.
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Review from Krista P.
10/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I hate to even put this on the internet because I'm ashamed of it, but here goes: Fado is my guilty pleasure. The first time my friend suggested we go to Fado at 11pm on a Friday, I died a little on the inside. Lucky for her, we'd been at a beer festival for hours, so I begrudgingly wing-womened up and went to Fado.
And wow. I had NO idea they had a dance party. And definitely had no idea I was going to have so much fun in it. Yes, it's ridiculous packed and normally I would hate that - but somehow, every time I go (which is really not that often as it is a GUILTY pleasure) I somehow manage to have an amazing, sweaty time. And there are always foreigners there. Which is always a plus in my book. -
Review from Siv L.
11/21/2011
Came here on Sunday with my boyfriend and sister to watch the Chelsea/Liverpool match. Good spot to watch games. Being a pharmacist I also thought the decor was cute (but couldn't figure out the correlation to Irish and pubs).
Menu was pretty extensive. I ordered the shephard's pie, my sister ordered the smoked salmon on a bagel with cream cheese, and my boyfriend ordered the breakfast boxty. All were pretty good.
Would come again if in Philly and in need of a place to watch a game!Comment from Ellen P. of Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant 12/21/2011
Siv - thanks for the review. fyi - the decor is a nod to… More » -
Review from Jess D.
Philadelphia, PA
12/9/2011
Great Laid-back place to catch up with friends over some great beer.
I ordered the burger the first time I came here and have not ordered anything else because it is just that good. The fries are delicious too.
Service is average and they really cater more toward guys taste. They do have a few fun drinks in the summertime though.
Great Quizzo but it's pretty packed and often pretty challenging. -
Review from Ashley B.
Laureldale, PA
3/4/2012
Me and my boyfriend LOVE Quizzo. I don't know how we really got started playing but our new favorite spot is Fado. They seem to actually care by having workers walk around looking for cheaters. Out of Fergies, National Mechanics, and Mac's Tavern we have finally found a winner! They have tons of rounds and a nice atmosphere. The fish tacos are delicious (although I have never came across a bad fish taco). They play good music which sometimes includes throwbacks from my pop-punk years. We will continue to frequent this place on Wednesdays for their wonderful Quizzo.
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Review from Jessica A.
Brooklyn, NY
11/6/2011
I have never been to a Fado location before, but this weekend on a getaway to Philly I found myself gathering a group of friends here for a drunken brunch....and holy...moly...
Their Bloody Mary's were strong, their food was off the chain, and the ambience was dark and cozy. We sat around a large wooden table and sipped on oversized cups of joe while downing deliciously Irish breakfast fare - bangers and rashers and boxties galore!
There were a lot of patrons watching the Arsenal game, which made our morning even more eventful. We went on and had a successful day of day drinking and shopping - thanks, Fado!Comment from John P. of Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant 12/29/2011
Jessica- thanks for the cool review, made me chuckle. Stop… More » -
Review from april M.
Cherry Hill, NJ
9/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been here three times now in 3 different situations and each time Fado has exceeded my expectations.
My first experience here was meeting a friend here on a Saturday night. The dance floor was in full swing while it was still possible to order drinks at the bar relatively easily. The night grew fuzzy but we all had fun drinking and dancing.
The second time I had to suggest a Sunday lunch spot and chose this for the simple fact that it's right by the train and I knew where it was. I had a bagel breakfast sandwich with potatoes which was hit the hungover spot to perfection. The bartender was very nice and chatted me up while I waited for my date.
Third visit was earthquake day after a job interview; I was stranded in the city til the trains to NJ started running again. I stopped in around 3pm and the place was packed due to everyone waiting on patco. I hadn't yet had lunch and they make their drinks strong here! I had a captain and diet double tall and felt a buzz halfway through. Definitely no watered down drinks here!
Based on these 3 visits I'll definitely make a 4th! -
Review from Errynne B.
Morristown, NJ
8/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was visiting Philly and a friend took us to Fado's for the night out... and I'm not really a fan.
We arrived at 10 and the place was empty. By 10:45, the place was packed! It's as if the vibe changed exactly at 10:30 and the bar became a totally different place. The lights dimmed, the music changed, and the crowd changed.
There was way too many people there, they need to consider stopping the line a bit sooner. I couldn't move at all. I felt like I was in a mosh pit! I love dancing, but I want to by able to move my arms somewhere other than straight down or straight up.
Trying to get a drink is like fighting wolves. There's too many people crowded around the bar and you end up getting mashed up against it. I didn't go back for a second drink because I didn't feel like fighting for it.
Don't go here too late. Stop in for happy hour or dinner, then leave before 10:30. -
Review from Stephanie S.
Philadelphia, PA
2/14/2012
Overpriced. Over rated. Decent beer selection but the food is horrible American version of Irish and not recommend. Best thing about this place is the location. Go somewhere else. Mcgillians, Moritarys, Tir ne nog, are all better Irish pubs in walking distance than this place. Oh, and avoid on Fri & sat nights if you're over 25. Place turns into an overcrowded dance party filled with youngins.
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Review from Vinny P.
5/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I think if you come here during the not packed time, you're going to enjoy yourself.
I stopped in recently for happy hour on a Friday and I was pleasantly surprised. When my friend suggested Fado, I sort of groaned thinking back to the one other time I had been here at 10:30 on a Saturday and it was "party mode". Not the case this time.
We sat outside and drank our pints of Guinness. The service was prompt and I was able to just sit back and enjoy the conversation. We sampled their wings (not very spicy but nicely cooked) and their boxtie chips with hummus. I enjoyed the boxtie with hummus more than the wings.
I've heard that Fado opens up special hours to show international soccer matches. I think that's a cool feature and maybe one day I'll let someone drag me to one of them.
Also, special note, I stopped in here one other time for a beer and to kill some time before going to a byo. Seeing that I had a bottle of white wine with me, the bartender offered to refrigerate it while I enjoyed my beer and beat the heat. That was a very considerate move on his part. -
Review from David B.
7/4/2011
This is a review for the bar and night service (no food ordered):
Service was slow (with the bar only 25% to capacity at max) and beers upwards of $6 for standard drafts. Thanks, but there's better in the surrounding vicinity. -
Review from Louis D.
1/10/2012
Being only a few months out of college, I can handle college-type bars, and this place is basically just a frat scene. Meh. On Saturdays it's crowded, there's really no where to really stand. They play decent music but beers are pretty expensive. You have to really be in the mood to enjoy this place, and if you're in that type of mood, there are probably better/more fun places to go. There's nothing really wrong with the place, but there's nothing great about it either.
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Review from Sarah B.
6/6/2011
Some friends and I stopped by Fadó for lunch on a Sunday. It was empty so we had our pick of tables (there were nine of us) and the restaurant, after a bit of confusion, finally seated all of us comfortably.
My friend and I ordered the lunch portion of fish and chips ($10) to share after giving serious thought to the Shepherd's Pie. The fish came out great - not very greasy with just enough flaky crust. My friend pointed out that the batter-to-fish ratio was excellent, and it was! The chips were also cooked well. (I'm glad I had a good fish and chips experience after my crappy meal at The Bard's a few weeks ago, blegh.)
Another friend ordered the chicken quesadilla, which I got to taste, and for an Irish pub, Fadó did not disappoint. Everyone else's meals looked delicious (a few Shepherd's Pies, some soup & sandwich special combos) so I'll be back!
Bonus: Fadó participates in Center City SIPS and offers Quizzo on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m.! -
Review from Jill T.
8/15/2011 3 Check-ins Here
With so many Irish Pubs in the city, it's hard to stay loyal to one. I find that with Fado I'm completely indifferent. Nothing about this place really stands out to me, other than it's convenient location.
The food isn't very good, but let's be honest- if you're going to Fado, you're going to drink and they're certainly not going to run out of beer anytime soon.
I was there recently for Quizzo. i was told by other teams that the guy hosting Quizzo who looked similar to Seth MacFarlane, was not the guy who had done Quizzo in the past. I'm hoping for the sake of Fado's Quizzo he's not doing it in the future. He literally sucked the fun out of Quizzo and his obvious elitist attitude was not only annoying but unwarranted. -
Review from Chuck R.
Blue Bell, PA
1/8/2012
We have been going to Fado ever since they opened way back. I am a lover of good shephard's pie. When this placed opened, their pie was about the best in the city. Good Oxo gravy, and vegetables incorporated into the minced beef. The potatoes they used were always fluffy and had only a hint of crisp over the top. Excellent!
We went last night before a concert. The place had changed since we were there last. Of course I ordered the shehard's pie and was very surpirsed to have a dish put in front of me which was sub par. To start, the portion size seemed to have shrunk. Then I tried to put a fork into the potatoes. I could hardly break the surface. The potato top was as hard as a rock. Devoid of any moisture at all. Secondly, the steam I usually see escape from the hot filling was not there. Was this a previously frozen product? It seemed so to me. The minced beef was also very dry and over cooked or processed. Gravy? Not much and certainly not anything like it used to be. I think when we need a fix of our heritage comfort foods we will have to go elsewhere now when we are in center city. -
Review from Ryan W.
Collingswood, NJ
6/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been here a few times with friends after work and it's consistently been good to me.
Fado (when I've been there) provides a nice place to converse with your friends. It's not too loud. The beer selection is solid and the food always looks/smells fantastic, I've yet to order anything.
Although the beer selection is good, it's quite limited. I am, however, impressed that they have beer-specific glassware for just about every beer they carry.
Another sad point is that they don't have any drink specials. I've been there a few times and they have happy hour food specials but did not tell us about any drink specials, so I am led to believe that there are none, so drinks can get fairly pricey.
The atmosphere is nice and the servers that I've had have been attentive and quick. I'll definitely return here. I was not blown away by the beer selection or price, but the atmosphere and the ability to go to a pub, have a few good beers and talk without having to worry about loud music or loud people are what will bring me back. -
Review from James S.
5/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pretty solid spot to go for a drink or a bite to eat. Weekends the place is super crowded with a lot of young people. It's a decent time, but I prefer more room to breathe. I really like the food and atmosphere here though. Accomplishes the Irish pub feel for sure. Lots of soccer fans or football or whatever you want to call it. Again, not my thing, but kind of cool there's a spot for those who do like it.
If you're going to eat I can give you some suggestions. The cheese dip and wedges are incredible. I'm nearly certain the wedges are potato but they just look like pita triangles basically. They're amazing with the cheese dip. Also, the quesadilla is made with these same wedges and that really makes it special. I enjoyed the pulled lamb french dip as well. Great lamb flavor. Not too much going on, just a simple sandwich. The best thing to get is on the dessert menu. If you are craving something sweet then the black and tan brownie with Guinness ice cream is your dessert! I know it sounds odd, but the flavors are no where near overwhelming and if they were, I would not order it. Love the mixture of warm and cold. Definitely in my top five of all desserts in Philly. Its amazing. Looking forward to visiting again. Cool little pub. -
Review from Christina P.
Philadelphia, PA
5/3/2011
Fado is dark, weirdly set up (no matter where you are in the bar, you always feel like you're in someone's way) and overpriced. Most draft beers i've ordered there have been $6, and I don't think i've ever seen them have specials. It gets pretty crowded at night, and the largest part of the dining area turns into a dance floor, complete with disco lights.
My friends and I always end up here and then wonder why we came in the first place.... -
Review from Chris C.
3/6/2011
The only food that you should order here is the kind that you drink.
Most of the time I am there is to catch a soccer match.
Their food is, at best, average.
However, I must say they have one of the best Chicken Tenders in town. Unlikely most places where they are made dry, hard, thin and dull, the ones you get at Fado are crispy, juicy and tender. If you don't think they are awesome, I will fight you.
I am basically there every weekend.
The End. -
Review from Andrea F.
Philadelphia, PA
7/20/2011
I've only been here on Friday or Saturday nights for the drinks and the dancing, so I don't have any opinion on the food.
Come here after pre-gaming for a bit and it won't be so bad, but come here sober and you'll end up spending $6.50 on a beer that would normally be 4 or 5 bucks anywhere else.
The DJ plays the normal top 40 radio tweeny bopper shit with the occasional 80's or 90's throwback. I've heard Whitney Houston here more times than I would like to admit.
The dance floor is hardly a dance floor (it looks like they just clear a few tables out of the way to make some room) and even if the AC is blasting, it becomes a hot box where you spend most of your time jostling the crowd and trying to balance your drink in your hand.
As for the crowd, it consists of a lot of well-dressed yuppies, your typical Christian Audigier bros, and the annoying couples who decide to plant themselves in the middle of your circle and make out.
Overall, nothing special. Maybe it's just meant to be a good day-drinking pub. -
Review from Stephanie P.
Pomona, CA
5/5/2011
#12 I've only ever gone to Fado with the sole purpose of having fun with the girls and I have yet to be disappointed.
The first time I went to Fado, we ordered from the bar and the bartenders were great - friendly and super quick. It might have helped also that we were right by the cash register, but they rang up our orders with speed! The dance floor was pretty good between 10-11, but there was barely any room after that. I loved the crowd though and everybody was clearly there to have a great time on a Friday night.
The second time was a bunch of old friends meeting up so we made a beeline for the back tables, near the kitchen. We found one that fit the 6 of us quite nicely and it was far enough away from the dance floor that we were able to have a real conversation. The music did get louder around 11, but that's to be expected on a Saturday night. Our server was really nice, bringing out our drinks around with haste, though it was pretty obvious that he was disappointed we weren't ringing up a larger order. Once we got the drinks in, we headed to the dance floor. As a large group, we were easily able to stake out a large area, but there was constant coming and going. The music was top 40s, which isn't bad if you want to get some dancing in.
Overall, it's a great place to be. I have no opinion on the food, but if you're looking for some fun, I'm sure you'll get it here. -
Review from Erica A.
Manhattan, NY
12/21/2011
Fun place, love the set up and the music is usually pretty good. Well whiskey is nasty, stick to beer or upper shelf drinks.
Comment from Ellen P. of Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant 12/21/2011
Frederick! "whiskey is nasty" ?? Blasphemy! lol...Happy… More » -
Review from Gloria C.
5/3/2011
I always enjoy an Irish Pub - I've missed them since my trip to Dublin a time ago.
Then I remember that they are mostly dark and crowded with drunken people, even at 4 in the afternoon which I presume is prime time to get started on being hammered.
Our server had a serious case of the emo-angers. She abruptly changed our seats, gave us menus and left us without coming back for another 15 minutes.
The food is pretty standard - I did share a Bangers and Mash with my friend, a dish which was fairly large - suffice to fill both of us up. It would have been way too much if we ordered that ourselves.
Their bread pudding dish is pretty sweet though. Their own brown bread ice cream tops off the bread pudding quite well. -
Review from Micah B.
Philadelphia, PA
3/7/2012
Good atmosphere, decent drink selection, and an overall good place to come out for a drink or two. Don't come expecting to have quiet or important conversations as it is far too loud for that...come for beer,and beer alone!
Comment from Ellen P. of Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant 3/12/2012
Thanks for the review Micah... its gonna be a bit loud on… More »
