Looking for a yummy restaurant for a group dinner for 40 in Philadelphia...October
 

I'm going to a conference in October. On October 20 (Saturday) there will be a group dinner for about 40 people and they've asked me to find something. Last year, the gal in charge said it cost $40 per person, which included appetizers, entrée, dessert, wine and tip and bar fees. (I wasn't there but I *think* they ordered a bunch of shared appetizers.)

It doesn't have to be an upscale place, just nice enough to be somewhat special as we will have some students with us (aspiring to be us? yikes). Preferably someplace that offers food that Philly is known for. Somewhere that you would take out-of-town guests, maybe?

I hope that's enough information. Thanks in advance!

Melissa, I tend to go to small BYOB's in Philadelphia, but I poked around on egullet for you, and found these recommendations: Fork on Market St in Old City has a room that seats 40 people and they are very well regarded. Cuba Libre on 2nd Street has room upstiars for a group your size. It's a fun restaurant and the food is pretty good.

How does the BYOB custom in Philly work? .... Discreet brown bag required? A corking fee added to the bill? If so, a big one? OK to take away the leftovers, in the unlikely event there are any? I'll be there soon so would appreciate the info, and perhaps Melissa will too.

Suki, that's great stuff! I will show the choices to our committee chair....

Philadelphia has a huge BYOB restaurant scene. It is not common to have a corkage fee nor do you have to be discreet. These are generally chef-owned and operated restaurants without a liquor license. PA has arcane liquor laws and there are a limited number of licenses. It is OK to take away anything you have not drank.

There is a map on www.gophila.com that allows you to search for restaurants by location:
http://www.gophila.com/MAP/?maptype=7&mapcat=223

Ralph's Italian Restaurant is a Philly legend and I believe they have an upstairs room for private parties. It looks exactly like one of the restaurants in The Godfather in 1910 -- black & white tiled walls, tin ceiling, etc. Fabulous food. Also, I don't know if where you're from has a Chinatown, but Philly has a great one, and if you're interested in that, you can get a fabulous meal for way less than $40 a person. I can recommend some good ones if that's up your alley.

By the way, I think the food at Cuba Libre is mediocre, but it's fun.

oooh, love that mafia stuff! (But that's just me.) I'm from Hawaii and the others are from all over the West Coast, so I don't think Chinatown would be huge for us...or would it? Hmmm. Sure, why not throw out some recs, I'll propose them to the Western District chair and see what floats his boat. I'm Chinese, though, so eating Chinese food while travelling doesn't appeal to me.

I love Philly and when I go always make sure in my plans are Cuba Libre and or The Continental on 2nd street. Both are great places and a different experience. Cuba Libre also has dancing and music and the best mojito's. The Continental is fun as well with a swanky eclectic feel and you share all of the entree's which are placed in the middle of the table. Either way you'll have a great time. I also recommend the Philly Pass for sight seeing. Have a blast!

How is Audrey Claire these days? It was all the rage when we lived around the corner and the last time I was there (about 18 months ago), it was still going strong.

Philly is known for all kinds of great food, not just cheesesteaks and hoagies. You could pick almost any type of cuisine and find somewhere in Philly that does a good job with it.

Fork sounds great but can they do a multi-course dinner, inc. drinks for $40 a person?

Another option (keeping your budget in mind) is the Plough and Star, which has a group fixed price dinner menu for $33.
http://ploughstars.com/old_city_phil...ixe_dinner.php

Although it's technically a pub, it's not pub grub, definitely "real" restaurant food. (They used to do a fab "high tea"--NOT "afternoon tea"--but it's been discontinued. Bummer)

What do you think of the City Tavern? (Ralphs is not available to groups on Saturdays). I know, it's getting close....chaiman was waffling and this suggestion came up.

City Tavern has lots of little rooms for private parties so I think it's a good idea. Food ranges from truly exceptional to sometimes just OK, but service is good and there are plenty of dishes on the menu that you just won't get anywhere else. And of course the site is wonderfully historic. I suggest you talk personally with chef/owner Walter Staub to personalize your event and get a good price.

Just to report: we ended up at the Plough & Stars last night. the food was so good! They were apparently good to work with UNTIL it was time for table service. The waiters weren't happy because 6 people showed up for our party (who had not rsvp'd), making our party slightly larger. I guess in retaliation, they decided to give bad service. One guy spilled a drink on my friend and was unapologetic. Another gal is allergic to olive oil, asked if she could pay extra to order something not made with olive oil, and was told there was nothing on the menu not made with olive oil. Later, a waiter downstairs told us that was silly, of course they could make something sans olive oil! Hello? Anyway not to be so negative....the food was great but the service for a large party needs help. it was still a good choice! thanks all!

mahalo M!
We had lunch at the Plough and Stars way back when we were living in NY and spent a weekend in Philadelphia.
I liked it for lunch on a chilly day- with the fireplace and all.
Too bad about the oaf spilling his drink and the olive oil business..makes you wonder ....
but glad the food was good :)

sorry- lol, aloha, not mahalo :D

haha....I knew what you meant, I think! I was kind of surprised that they would be so mad that we had 6 extra people, making our party go from 35 to 41. I mean, I know it's a slightly higher burden on the waitstaff--I've been a waitress myself--but hey, it's more money and a bigger tip, right?? ah well. We walked back to the hotel and stopped at the Liberty Bell to take photos, and just then my senator was calling to say my niece's theatre production (in Hawaii this weekend) was fabulous! So appropriate....I was stoked.

Melissa, I'm coming to this late, I'm glad the Plough and Stars worked out and that the food was good. Sorry about the service snafus, there's no excuse for that. I hope you wrote or spoke to the managers so that they can either make those servers shape up (or get rid of them) and that no other group has to put up with such nonsense.

When we lived near Rittenhouse Square, my favorite thing to do on a snowy winter afternoon was to walk down to the P & S and have high tea by the fireplace (yes, I do mean high tea, not afternoon tea). Their high tea was terrific and the price was a bargain, probably the reason they stopped serving it. :-(

We didn't like the P & S on week-end nights, though, it was always mobbed with suburbanites who'd come in to party.