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- Hours:
Mon-Fri, Sun 4 pm - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
163 reviews for Rum Bar
Review Highlights
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"We had the spicy mac and cheese, and the habanero grilled..." In 6 reviews -
"...drink has always been the Dark and Stormy, which is only of..." In 6 reviews -
"The bartenders are super friendly and knowledgeable." In 24 reviews
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163 reviews in English
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Review from Shawna A.
Oreland, PA
5/7/2012
My party of nine turned into a party of 11 and then we turned this joint into a full out club. The DJ was especially tolerant of us and the rum runners were excellent. The clientele was pretty great too...we even had a photo bomb from a nearby group of party-goers. I love when that happens--it's almost like I'm not about to turn 32 and head back to my little suburb to manage my tot with a hangover the next day.
I have to say, it feels kind of cramped...like, every time I went outside with my husband at my back, I could see him checking if my parts were remotely touching others' private regions...I'm not a complete fat ass, but my recent weight gain made it especially difficult to navigate all these crotches lined up at the bar. The clientele seemed gentleman-like enough in moving their crotches so my booty remained unscathed.
Also, while outside there were groups of very good looking people with a decent amount of drama. My advice was even solicited at one point ("stop being a little bitch about it"), which makes me feel 31 and married (which I am), but it's still nice to feel accepted by random groups of good-looking younger folks. -
Review from Liz F.
4/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Intrigued by rumors of mojito Monday, I had to drop by on a Monday. No lie. Mojitos are half priced all night and they have a 2 tacos for $3 deal. Their mojito list is extensive. Apparently you can get all of them made 'skinny' with splenda syrup. I ended up going with an original guava and it was excellent. Also tried a bit of the rum bar mojito which is made with cucumber rum. Delicious. It would be very refreshing on a hot day.
As for the food, I got two fish tacos. They were outstanding. They put chipotle mashed potatoes in them. Sounds weird, tastes delightful. Tacos are super tiny but I guess that's the trade-off for them being 2 for $3.
Rum Bar is a tiny little space. It's pretty cute inside but probably only 10 or 12 tables. I'm not sure I'd go there for full price drinks and dinner, but I'd definitely go back and enjoy mojito Monday again sometime. -
Review from Joshua V.
4/25/2012
Coined after the name of my favorite type of liquor, Rum Bar delivers for those who are in the mood for rum.
The space is cozy, casual, and intimate. The bar may be crowded on a given night, but you can easily find room to move around. It's a great place for when you want to take it easy, but at the same time get to feeling good if you feel like you want to take two too many shots.
Mission accomplished from my party's end; apparently there was drunk guy dancing involved (there is a relatively large open floor space, so why let it go to waste, right?) -
Review from Wesley P.
Philadelphia, PA
5/25/2012
Dinning room is small, but the food and drinks are great. Go for one of the bowls, but you cant got wrong with ANY of their drinks, they are all very tasty. Their bartenders are mixologist so they literally are mixing all kinds of ingredients into your drinks. No premade mixers or syrups here. The food is also very good, I recommend getting a couple apps and splitting a main course dish. Their happy hour special is also very good. If you are looking for something different in center city give Rum Bar a try. Rum bar has this neat contest, I believe its called passport to rum. The way it works is, they save this passport for you at the bar (make sure to remember your number) for each rum you try they mark it off in your passport. There must be 50 or more different rums to try. The great part is, once you finish you get your name on the wall and a free trip to some Caribbean destination
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Review from Carlo M.
Philadelphia, PA
5/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
Food was average. Started with a very good curry nacho appetizer. Friendly service but needs improvement.
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Review from Lindsey G.
Philadelphia, PA
3/2/2012
Yay Rum Bar! It's a great place to good for a, well, drink with rum. The mojitos are pretty delish, I'm not sure why other people are hatin'. The bartenders are probably my favorite, very personable and very knowledgeable of their rums. I came here on a Friday night with a friend for a low-key mojito, and the ambiance was just what we needed: low-key and quiet. I then returned a few weeks later on a Friday with a group and the place was hopping. Take what you will from that. My only issue is this place is teeny tiny, and it can get cramped. But it's worth it.
Reader beware: the rum beer. Soo good, will give you such a crick in the head the next day! -
Review from Krystal A.
Philadelphia, PA
Tried twice-- first time restaurant week (food lacked salt and seasoning), second time everything was off-- may be a new cook? Also bathrooms remind me of a yucky bar bathroom not a nice restaurant. I don't think we will be coming back here again
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/1/2012
Just a warning, my hertiage is Cuban, so I am extra picky about Caribean food. The mojitos were… Read more »
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Review from Karina R.
Philadelphia, PA
2/25/2012
Hey if your are a lover of RUMS here is the perfect place to go. I love Rum! My fiancee and I try two different horizontal flights where you can taste 3 differents kinds of rum. El presidente was the best for us!
Service was amazing they are very knowledgable. But the sourprinsing part of the night was the scallop Ceviche the best so far that i've had try in the city. -
Review from Lana E.
Edmonds, WA
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great place to meet up with friends. The mojitos are pretty good but I've had better. The rum punch does pack a punch but yum! Didn't gave any food but what others were eating looked good and had I not had dinner would have had some.
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Review from Sheri H.
Philadelphia, PA
2/6/2012
The drinks and service at Rum Bar are fantastic. The server's suggestions were on point every time, though sadly we decided to stop after four cocktails each. I will be trying to recreate each one at home for years to come, I'm sure.
The food is adequate, and again, the server's recommendations are right on.
This review only applies to Sunday nights, however. Been there twice on a Saturday and was not at all impressed. The quality of service and drinks definitely plummets when there's a crowd. -
Review from Chris W.
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went here for a pre-helium comedy club dinner and was pleasantly surprised with the food and drinks. It was a Wednesday so I tried a few of the half priced daiquiris. They were a little too sweet but our waiter was able to adjust to my liking after the first round. These daiquiris pack a punch so watch yourself.
I tried the nachos and mussels as an appetizer. We added chorizo to the nachos which was delicious. I really enjoyed the avocado cream which worked even better than sour cream. The mussels were also delicious and fresh tasting. Just the perfect amount of spiciness in the broth, good stuff. I also had their version of a burger which came with yuca fries (pretty bland). The burger was made with a couple different kinds of meats and was cooked well.
Overall very pleasant experience so I plan to come back for some of their other nightly drink specials. -
Review from Mark L.
Cherry Hill, NJ
4/2/2012
Hey Now....
We had a living social deal for the Rum Bar, and read the reviews before purchasing the deal so we knew kinda what to expect. On Sunday I called for a res from work, and got no answer the first time so I called back 20 minutes later to make sure they were open. Very personable person who I recognized as the bartender when we arrived.
He took my name, first and last and my number and graciously set our res time. When we arrived the place had 3 people sitting at the bar and that's it! Although I like to avoid packed places I do like to see others dining, really no big deal however just funny.
Ok, other man who could have been a customer but wasn't said sit any where, dropped a couple of menus and said he'd be back. We looked we ordered, Drinks were very good, asked a recommendation on the app and he was right on! The calamari was very good, I ordered rainbow trout that came with white rice and some sort of salsa-ish topping, It was great. My girl had the paella also very good but with beef in it and no chicken ???
The one and only downside was that our server while nice, needed training or was just killing time. No water offered, no plates other than main bowl for the app. and no napkins with our drinks. All in all I would return, would like to see a night with a little more action and I would like to sample more of the menu. -
Review from Angela J.
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
My 3-star rating for what is probably an a-ok place to have a rummy drink is down to a 2-star for the following reasons:
- we had reservations for my friend's bday in the front "lounge" area, and did NOT have a waitress, so everything from drinks to appetizers we had to order from the bar and THEN bus our own dishes back to the bar after we were done...
- the bathrooms were in worse shape than the 8th and Market PATCO stairwell...MUCH worse
- the chicken nachos were drowned in so much sauce that the chips were limp upon arrival, and the sweet curry chicken on the "nachos" just didn't do it for me...
- they were out of several rums and also out of GUACOMOLE! It was a Friday at 8 p.m., I would HOPE they had more than three orders of guac prepped for a Friday night...
However, I bring it back up to a 3-star because the drinks were tasty (though not that large), I had a guava mojito and my party had lots of Dark and Stormy's (dark rum and ginger beer...yummm) And the Pico was nice and spicy...
Overall, kinda pricy for a drink (most around $12-14) but they did have a nice selection of rums. -
Review from Herwin T.
Old Bridge, NJ
3/20/2012
The rum bar is the best bar/lounge for the rum lovers out there! Great service knowledgeable/friendly staff, great ambiance, and the drinks are amazing! Go there, you won't regret it ;)
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Review from Morello D.
Bordentown Township, NJ
3/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came across this place when we were looking for a late night carribean restaurent online. I went there after a wedding so could not dine eventough it was our intention. They had special drinks that Sat night and were pretty good. I had a lot of fun with my friends and it was a great plc to hangout and drink. It could get dull after a while (maybe because we were the last ones to leave!!) but you can never go wrong if you are with the right crowd. We planned to go there again for the food but it never happend. Would love to try their Jamaican Empandas..
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Review from Frank D.
Philadelphia, PA
3/23/2012
The butterscotch rum here is the best rum I have ever had. My friends have also agreed about its quality. I don't like the prices so much but at least they can back them up. I dig the booths in the back and atmosphere, sweet location of course as well. Wings were very good too, not the best by far, but still good.
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Review from Nicole W.
Updated - 9/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
There really isnt anything special about this place. I've been here 3 times. The first time we walked in on a Saturday night. It was way too crowded so we walked back out.
Unfortunately this place is engineered much like many other Rittenhouse bars: packing a bar, tiny lounge space, and eating area into a cramped narrow space. There isn't much space between the wall and the bar, so on especially crowded nights its damn near impossible to either get to the dining-turned into dance floor area or to the bar itself for a drink.
The second time i came here with a group of my lady friends. We got here early on friday. That's all explained in my previous post. I'll just recap with: the music was stellar. The DJ was killing it. And I would have been ready to lay down some moves if it wasn't for the brighter-than-necessary-for-trying-to-bust-some-mo ves-and-maybe-grind-up-on-some-dude lighting and the weird setup up of tables around the tiny dancefloor area.
The third and hopefully last time I came here was for happy hour with my co-workers. I admit that the variety of rum is impressive. However, how do you run out of Hennessey? Luckily, I was able to get my drink free since they did in fact run out and couldn't give me a full serving, but really, how do you run out of Hennessey? At a fricken bar? Who does that?!
The happy hour is worthwhile if you can get a seat at the bar or the front lounge area, otherwise don't bother. Because you can't get a table in the dining area without reservations and it's really awkward to stand in that area between the wall and bar, holding a drink and trying to converse with a co-worker or mack on a cutie. And if you come here but don't drink (like my co-worker) and thrive off of virgin drinks, this also isn't the place for you, since the bartenders were quite unhelpful with that. The food is also a bit too expensive for what it is. I ordered the crab cake appetizer for $12. Go grab food elsewhere.
It's $3 for well drinks which is ok, but I gave up on bankers club back in college, so I'd say find a better place if you're looking for something other than rum.Listed in: Do Not Pass Go
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/28/2011
This place isn't all its hyped up to be. I will say that I loved the DJ. He was spinning so great… Read more »
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Review from Kristina C.
Philadelphia, PA
11/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ok where do I start with this....
1 - we were there on a night that wasn't overly busy and there were out of at least 2 of the items that we wanted to order.
2 - our friend had a reservation for her birthday in the front table near the window, and NO waitress....what?! So we had to get up and go to the bar for all of our food and drink, AND we had to bus our teeny tiney side tables the whole night as well.
3 - bathrooms.....::gag:: were ::gag:: h o r r i b l e.
4 - the food came in really small portions, for the price, totally not worth it.
the saving grace for the evening...
the drinks tasted good and they have a good selection of rum (shocker since it's called Rum Bar)!
Either way, I definitely won't be going back here when the 2 bars to the left I know already are WAYYYY better. -
Review from Michelle C.
Philadelphia, PA
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had a $20 Rum Bucks coupon from an event I went to last year that I finally put to use last Saturday. The rum list was huge, but I flipped to the cocktail section of the menu to make my decision. Right away I noticed a skinny mojito, made with Splenda syrup instead of simple syrup. Unfortunately, there was no Splenda syrup made. Did I mention it was a Saturday, just after opening? I sucked it up and went with a regular mojito instead. The drink was tasty, I even had two, but I don't see myself dropping $12/drink there regularly.
The decor feels dated but it's still a nice looking place. But the tacky pirate in the lounge area up front has got to go.
If you aren't in the mood for a fancy drink, the happy hour specials are pretty recession-friendly and are offered seven days a week. Also, the bartender was nice, which certainly isn't a given these days. I don't know that I'd go out of my way for Rum Bar, but if I were in the area and the mood hit, I wouldn't object to going back.Listed in: Cocktail Bars
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Review from Ashley G.
Philadelphia, PA
2/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I brought my dad here for a good drink Friday night during restaurant week, the bartender was absolutely phenomenal. He was able to whip up drinks that were not on the limited menu in small quantities for us to try. He said he worked Saturdays so my friend and I came back the next day. He served us great drinks. There was a good DJ playing classic greats and nice mix of hip hop, house, pop, and dance music. It got a little crowded after ten. It resembled a club more so than a restaurant. The food was great, the empanadas are very flavored, the nachos are filled with great seasonings and avocado cream. The crab cake sliders also were pretty good. I couldn't complain about anything here. It was absolutely a great time. A nice spot in center city to frequent to wind down or up depending on what you're looking for!!
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Review from Sean H.
2/26/2012
Blah. That's about all I have to say here, but I'll elaborate a bit. The ambience is decent, but the drinks just don't live up to the name of the place. Much better mojitos can be had elsewhere. If you go on Monday, however, they're half price, which makes them a decent choice if you're in the neighborhood and in the mood for a painful Tuesday morning at work.
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Review from Darryl C.
Philadelphia, PA
12/4/2011
Decided to check this place out on a recommendation. I have to say that I was impressed with the atmosphere. Dimly lit, classy set up and reggae in constant rotation. I checked this place out on a Friday night.Sure, their impressive collections of Rums is out of this world. (They have 230). But it was the bartenders willingness to share their favorites and educate the drinker that was great as well.
This is the perfect place if you're looking to take a young sophisticate out on a the town without long lines, heavy cover changes and attention seeking young 20-somethings that are looking to get hammered. I look forward to trying the food next time. I would recommend giving Root and Zaya a shot. And a word to the wise, spring for the doubles. Usually a double will only cost you 3 or 4 bucks more than a single. -
Review from Kayla B.
Washington, DC
12/10/2011
The dark and stormy here is AMAZING! Get it.
Rum Bar is pretty small and seemed like it got pretty crowded, but its a really cool place to try different and new rum based cocktails.
The nachos here are pretty good too :) -
Review from Mark M.
King of Prussia, PA
12/14/2011
This is a pretty decent, but tiny, place. We had reservations and used our Livingsocial voucher here ($30 for 1 app and 2 entrees). The drinks were expensive but good, most are in the $10-13 range. The food was also good, as was the service.
For the money, there are probably less cramped restaurants in the area, but the food and drink were on par. -
Review from James S.
Updated - 10/8/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Was in for my second visit last night to redeem my Living Social gift certificate. Even more impressed second time around. We got there an hour before our reservation and hung out at the bar. As usual, the gigantic book of all things rum captures your attention. We spent about five minutes looking through before we were able to make a decision. I went with a mojito and my fiance chose the Bahama mama, which came in the funky tiki mug. Both were outstanding. That was where we splurged for the evening, moving to the $3 rum & cokes and bay breezes for the remainder of our stay. We also grabbed some chips and guacamole to snack on while we waited. The guac was really nice. Had a spice to it that was a nice break from the more mild guac I'm used to. The chips were nice and hot too, which is always a plus.
After an hour we decided to take our seats for the dinner reservation. Got the Cuban eggrolls with mustard aioli for our app. The taste was ridiculous. Definitely sad when it was all gone. For dinner, I got the paella, which had of chorizo, chicken, mussels and calamari. Now I was questioning my decision a little because last time I got paella with calamari I nearly lost my appetite. Don't get me wrong, I love calamari, but there's a big difference between fried and not fried calamari. Was ecstatic to see that this paella had small rings, not the gigantic ones I had elsewhere. As for the overall taste, it was delicious. There was a very noticeable taste of curry that I really enjoyed. Wasn't the biggest meal but the flavor was through the roof. Finished our meal with some tres leches cake that was the perfect way to wrap things up. Great taste and texture.
Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience. Can't complain about any of the drinks or the food. Everything was great. This may quickly become one of my favorite places to go in the city. Can't wait to get back here.Listed in: Heart of Philly
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/19/2011
First time here was last week. Was expecting a much bigger place, but I kind of liked the cozy feel… Read more »
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Review from Amanda N.
Spring City, PA
8/11/2011
Hands down, my favorite bar. Adam, the owner (the bald guy), is friendly and exceedingly knowledgeable. My two favorite of his daiquiris weren't on the menu the last couple of times I've been there, but he made them anyway. I highly recommend both the Kraken and Spiced Honey daiquiris. Ask Adam if you don't see them on the menu. If you're lucky enough to be there when the Bananas Foster Martini is on, get it! It's one of the best drinks I've ever had, but it has ingredients that have to be prepped ahead of time, so it's only available when it's on the menu. The only drink I wouldn't recommend (and I've tried many) is the Hemingway. It was cloyingly sweet and slightly cough-syrupy. He may have changed the recipe since.
We had a terrible experience there once, but when I told Adam about it, he was so apologetic that he gave us a free round. Every bar owner should be as awesome as Adam. Frequently manning the bar himself, enjoying his work, brimming with knowledge, amused by drunks, chatty....
I haven't tried the new food menu. I was unimpressed with the old one and the desert portions were very small for the price. They also close the kitchen too early, 9pm, I think. It's not somewhere that I go for food, purely for drinks....which, again, are excellent.
I'd also warn against going when there's a dj (I think it's Thursday nights) or live band. The place is very small and tends to be crowded. Having a performance space means taking the round table out of the booth at the back. It cuts the seating way down and partly blocks the way to the bathrooms if the singer is energetic. I saw one reggae singer back into a small woman trying to come back from the bathrooms. Awkward for both of them. To his credit, he didn't miss a beat. -
Review from Stacey H.
Hammonton, NJ
2/10/2012
If you want a great night of drinking and fun, Rum Bar is the place to go. The venue is pretty small but the bar is in the middle of everything and the music is always enjoyable on a Saturday night. They had delicious $5 dollar specials and Zack and Lee were great bartenders! The Mojitos and Rumbarrels are crowd pleasers and Zack was fantastic. A great place to go to have a drink and hang out with friends!
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Review from Nikki O.
Bensalem, PA
4/3/2012
Great people and the food was AMAZING!
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Review from Niyant S.
6/28/2011
My girlfriend and I went here for dinner during restaurant week a few months back. While we were "limited" to items on the pre-fixed dinner menu, it really did not affect our experience.
By the time we left, I was beyond stuffed, and I even finally got to try monfongo, which I had heard so much about! The kind of food you can get here is pretty unique; you won't find stuff like this at most other restaurants in Philly.
I took a star off for two reasons:
1. Our waiter tried to hard to be friendly, at times he started acting like he was our best friend and it got to be a bit awkward (not gonna go into detail about what was discussed).
2. The restaurant is TINY, and the seating area is even smaller, making for the dining experience less intimate than one may have hoped.
Other than that, this is definitely a place you should check out for something different than your usual fare -
Review from Autumn E.
6/22/2011
I don't like rum outside of a pina colada. But I went here with a friend for good company and comped cocktails, and we both got something delish in cute-like vases or something. One of the drinks we got was the Zombie, and it tasted like Ambrosia salad. Like exactly. It was incredible how much this drink is the epitome of ambrosia salad.
Also, you have these "Rum Passports"... and I don't like rum! BUT I WANT MY NAME ON A PLAQUE ON YOUR WALL SO BADLY.
Oh hey also, they have this Rum Barrel Lager... it's a house choice lager mixed with a little rum. I tried my friend's. It was festive. -
Review from Jan T.
6/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
We stopped into the Rum Bar as part of a recent SIPS happy hour in midtown and were pleasantly surprised.
While we did not eat here, the drink selections were excellent, and the plates that passed looked and smelled delicious, requiring a future visit for actual nourishment.
The place itself was beautiful, if a little tight. You have to get past the bar to get to the tables, so getting in and out on a crowded night can be a challenge. There are, however, very few tables, so the actual seating area stays somewhat more quiet, allowing the waiters to be efficient enough.
Very nice from the looks of it, and a certain repeat.Listed in: Two Weeks in Philly
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Review from Jessica S.
Philadelphia, PA
5/13/2011
Holy hell the music is bad. There's absolutely NO way that at 12:30am on a Saturday night "Take it to the House" by Trick Daddy ft. Trina should EVER be played. I felt like I was at an undergrad engineer party. He played each song from beginning to end. I heard parts of "Baby Got Back" that I didn't even know existed.
DESPITE the music, the drinks were good (I tried a dark rum that kinda rocked my socks) and the people seemed nice. The bartender was personable and, though I waited for at least 8 minutes at the front of the bar for him to acknowledge me, when he finally did the interaction was surprisingly more than pleasant. I probably won't be returning unless there's live music happening (or maybe a BYOiPod type thing). -
Review from Stephanie P.
Pomona, CA
6/27/2011
#103 I've made plenty of trips here in the past year and I'm primed to make one last trip back before I head to Cali. I love the atmosphere at Rum Bar - because everybody is friendly, there's no need to try too hard to impress the people around you (like so many other haughty places in the city). Also, the waiters have no problem with you sitting at one of their tables and not ordering food, while the bartenders are super quick with your drink orders. Sitting at the bar is also treat because the bartenders are incredibly chill, not pushy or arrogant at all if you happen to have some questions. You'll likely find a regular or two who are more than eager to chat you up. =)
My favorite drink has to be their Chili Coriander Mojito because there just aren't that many places out there that can make a mean, spicy cocktail these days. We usually try to make it over here on Mondays since it's half-off mojitos, but we've also come on Wednesdays for their daiquiri specials. We're also fans of their $3 well-drinks during Happy Hour, which are cheaper than most places, and they make them strong. Unfortunately, we've never gotten around to their food, but we're still fans! -
Review from Devin D.
7/28/2011
Rum Bar, Rum Bar, Rum Bar... ahhh, you have so many great qualities. You are almost perfect, but your one flaw is something that's not really your fault. You're stuck in a narrow center city space, and sad for me, I don't like sharing. Rum Bar, you are so great when you're not packed full of thirsty drinkers. So I give you five stars ON CONDITION, that one comes here when it is not. All the Daiquiri's are amazing, there's a gargantuan variety of different rums to try, and the food looks and smells delicious (although I haven't had the chance to try any yet). Service is great too. Bartender Lee has never taken us awry.
I could tell you my favorite day to come to Rum Bar, but I'd rather keep that to myself so I can keep giving this place five stars. -
Review from Liz B.
Collingswood, NJ
5/14/2011
About 6 months ago, I bought a deal from "Living Social" for Rum Bar. Like many addicts of online deals, I forgot about it until the very last minute. Tonight (5/13/11) was the night the deal expired. And so I was bound and determined to get myself there. I got there, and I was not disappointed.
I made reservations online, which I confirmed via phone, for 9pm. I brought a good friend (she drove, which makes her an even better friend).
Upon entering, the first thing I noticed was how cramped it seemed, and how it appeared to be much more a 'bar' crowd than a 'dinner' crowd. It didn't even seem that there would be room for us. I was wrong.
We gave our name to the first available server, and voila! We were seated. The seating was a lil' cramped and not 'stiletto friendly', however this was soon alleviated by our first drink order. My friend got a "Classic Mojito" and I got a "Mai Tai" (I had asked the server what drink was strongest but still tasted yummy).
My drink was nice. Just nice. My friend's mojito, however, was bangin'! I usually shy away from mojitos because they are usually either too sugary or too minty - - this one was perfect!
Then came the appetizers. Cuban Style Calamari was awesome. The calamari itself was simply good fried calamari, not overcooked, not over breaded. But the SAUCE was to die for! Spicy raspberry coulis and balsamic reduction? Yes please.
My friend got the Cubano Egg Rolls. They were delicious, but a little oily (this happens when things are fried, I realize, but they were a lil' drippy). But the flavor was great.
Entrees:
I got the Mofongo, which is "plantains mashed with garlic, onion, cilantro, and bacon, topped with white wine lemon sauce." Now, from that description, I pictured mashed plantains (thought they would be liked mashed potatoes with random "fixins"). What I got was a delightful, almost "thanksgiving day stuffing" consistency, topped will grilled shrimp. It was heavy, but delightful.
My friend got the Curried Chicken: "Jamaican curry, coconut, and spices". In her words after savoring the dish: "the flavors were very mild and in my opinion, very well balanced." I couldn't agree more. It was delicious.
We ordered 2 side dishes: Guacamole with chips, and Maduros (plantains). The guacamole, while I thought a bit watery, was very well seasoned. A clear hit. The plantains, we saved for "dessert", as we knew with cinnamon and sugar they would be a great way to end the meal.
Disclaimer: I swear no one is paying me to say these things. I simply had a great experience. The manager came over no less than three times to check on us, and the server was prompt and friendly.
When we were initially sat, the dining area was completely full. By the time we were done our appetizers (nearing 9:45pm), the dining area cleared. After ten to 15 minutes of talk-time (it had been loud, so we were glad for the change in volume), the dining area started filling up again with late night diners, and the restaurant had a 'second (or third) wind'.
The 'newbies' who were sat to our left and right were friendly and sociable. I know that is a matter of coincidence, but it made our night that much more fun, so I thought it worth mentioning.
We were already thrilled, but I wanted to bump it up a notch, so I ordered a flight of rum (after all, it is a RUM bar). They have so many to choose from, I didn't know what to pick. So I went with a "horizontal" flight of spiced rums. (Note - 'horizontal' means rums of the same kind - spiced, etc. 'Vertical' flights go by year, by age, etc.- - I did not know this. If you did, I apologize for my ignorance!)
I do not remember the exact names of the rum (other than Kraken, which I have had - and much like the mythical octopus beast, can kick your ass). I do know that each rum was distinct, and it was wonderful to note the different flavors in each of them. I am fairly certain that HAD I asked for a "Coke" to go with THESE rums, I would have been slapped in the face (or at least given the 'evil eye'). These were sipping rums, to be savored and appreciated. Which I did.
Lastly, the check. Yes, I had purchased a deal online, but I had no idea how MUCH the deal would cover! I have purchased Groupons, Living Social deals, and others. Sometimes I am disappointed. Tonight I was not. Indeed, I was very happily surprised. And I have the leftovers to prove it. ;)
If you love good food and drink, and don't mind getting friendly with the strangers sitting next to you, I would most definitely recommend Rum Bar. If there was a 4.75 star rating, I would give it!
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Review from Emma N.
Dover, DE
8/17/2011
I can always count on Rum bar for good drinks and conversation with friends. However the food can be a hit or miss.
I've been coming to Rum bar on and off for the last 5 years. Last time I was there was a week ago. I had the Paella and the Ceviche. The Paella was okay...came out more like a glorified jambalaya than a paella. I must have eaten 3 different types paella from the menu under the same name. I know they have gone through different chefs over years but some consistency would be nice. The ceviche was so spicy that all i tasted was the hot peppers and nothing else.
It's a good thing I had a rum bar lager to chase it down with that day, and not a mojito cause i'll go broke trying to lower heat in my mouth on the Scoville scale. -
Review from Rina P.
Philadelphia, PA
5/11/2011
I've only been to Rum Bar once for drinks and dancing. My friends and I had a great time dancing. The dj played a great mix of old and new. They had $5 drinks specials, which my friends tried and said were really good.
One big negative about our night- on our last trip to the bar, we had a terrible experience with the bartender (which is why I rated the bar 2 stars instead of 3). We were ordering a number of drinks amongst the group, some of which were the same drink. To make things easier on the bartender, I ordered for everyone. He came back expecting me to pay the entire bill and when I explained we'd be paying seperately, he said "Seriously!". As one of the girls was pulling cash out of her wallet, he said "Come on girl, I don't have all night". SO RUDE and a complete turn off to this potentially great bar. -
Review from p p.
Philadelphia, PA
11/29/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Love their weekday happy hour specials! Too bad...the bar area is small when it's over loaded with customers. They do not skimp on the drinks but I don't care for some of the entrees. I really enjoyed the beef patties. Wednesday night specials has been the best so far.
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Review from Nancy P.
I'd say I'm a fairly reasonable person so I didn't want to blame my bad experience at Rum Bar on a bad first impression. We all have our off nights. I decided to revisit for half off mojito mondays and $3 assorted tacos.
Now I understand city prices (especially NY) but the normal price of Rum Bar's mojitos are about $12-14, so I guess half off is better than full price. I ordered the Classic Mojito and my friend got the strawberry mojito. As much as I stirred the drink, I could not get my mojito to taste better. Now my qualm is they advertise the "fresh" strawberry mojito with 2 whole strawberries, 10 mint leaves and 2 lime wedges...We received the drink and there was absolutely nothing in that drink (no lime, mint or even any strawberry pulp). If I felt ripped off at $7 (half off), I feel bad for those who pay full price for that...
Now the food..we started off with the assorted tacos...both fish and beef. The fish was pretty tasty and had some nice spices to give it a kick. The beef was chewy but I did like that they gave us a lime wedge for the tacos. Unfortunately they were so tiny and not worth the price.
The Caribbean mac and cheese tasted like easy mac with red pepper flakes and chipotle seasoning. The calamari was too thin and the batter was flavorless. The sauce normally comes on the calamari but I'm glad we got it on the side. It was way too candied. Lastly the crabcake sliders..nothing special.
All I was really grateful for was the service improved. I guess if you are a rum drinker, this place would be your candy store. But as for the food, I'd save my money and belly space.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/11/2011
This place is so terrible I was empowered to review this while I was in the restaurant. Horrendous… Read more »
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Review from Kevin X.
Philadelphia, PA
4/25/2011
Stopped by here for a Monday happy hour with a couple of friends. They
had half off mojitos and $3 tacos.
The mojitos aren't anything special nor were they the best tasting I've ever had around here in Philly. The strawberry mojito with "fresh" strawberry tasted more like strawberry syrup. The classic mojito lacked flavor. I couldn't taste any sweetness, citrus or mint, just rum.
The $3 tacos aren't anything amazing as well. We got one beef taco and one fish taco. The beef cut in the taco was brisket I think, and very dry. I actually really enjoyed the fish taco. They added mashed potatoes to it to add texture. My gripe about the tacos were that they are too small, about the size of one of those cardboard beer coasters.
I'm giving this place 2 stars because they do have a pretty extensive rum/drink menu. All in all, there's nothing about this place that makes me want to go back unless I want to get trashed and pretend to be a pirate. "But why is all the rum gone?"
