Going to Philly this weekend for a convention so most of the weekend is planned already. We are arriving Friday morning and want to have a nice lunch. We are staying at the new Hyatt down by the water in Society Hill so don't want something too far away. What about the Continental Diner and Martini Bar? Thanks

Best place to check is chowhound.com . The Philly board there is quite active with great information from knowledgable folks.

I would also recommend Buddakan. The best places to go to lunch would be down closer to Rittenhouse Square- which should only be a few dollar cab ride or a nice 45 minute walk. Rouge and Bleu would be fun, right outside on Rittenhosue Square.

Over rated and over priced but Bookbinders has good seafood

WHO keeps recommending Bookbinders??It's an outdated, overpriced tourist trap!! There are so MANY good restaurants in Philadelphia to choose from, why would anyone choose Bookbinders? They went out of style in 1984!! And by the way, the Bookbinders in Society Hill is kaput.
The Continental Diner and Martini Bar is a fairly casual place and ok for lunch, but not the best. Down the street, the Plough and the Stars serves better food. I forget whether Fork serves lunch, but it's one of the better restaurants in town.
Agree with Henly Gold. Rittenhouse Square is a better place for lunch. Walk up Delancey Street until 6th, then cross over and walk up Pine Street (Antiques Row) until 17th, then go back over Delancey til 19th or 20th (your choice--FYI, the house in the movie Sixth Sense was on the 20th block of Delancey), then turn right and head over to Rittenhouse Square (about 2.5 blocks). On the way back, go down Spruce or Locust Streets until 7th, then through Washington Square and then, depending on your mood, either down Walnut or Chestnut Streets for history or down South Street for "funkiness". But no Bookbinders!!

I have been to Bookbinders several times and have found the food and service to be very good. The one on 15th and Locust is still open. Every time I walk by there, there are always crowds of people. If it is that bad, then why do so many people go there? Of course I agree that it is not what you would call a trendy restaurant, and they do not focus on presentation, however they do serve a great meal at a reasonable price.

Why do so many people go to Bookbinders if it's not good? You could ask the same question about McDonald's.

Philly has a zillion restaurants that are better than Bookbinders.

David,

Bookbinders is always full of people from out of town who have been told they have to go there. They never go back. Except you. There are so many better places than Bookbinders. Get out there and try someplace new.

Carley,
I live in the Phila. area. Continental Diner/Martini Bar a fine choice.
Recently, I had a wonderful lunch at Fork, 306 Market St. Telephone: (215) 625-9425 and will definitely dine there again.
Fork website: www.forkrestaurant.com
Another restaurant close to the new Hyatt is Novelty, 15 S. Third St.
Telephone: (215) 627-7885.
Novelty website: noveltyrestaurant.com
If you condiser either restaurant and wish to have lunch early, it may be a good idea to have a reservation (Friday lunch could be busy in Phila.).
Enjoy Philadelphia!

I live in Philly also. I like Friday's on the Parkway. I am bad with direction, but if you ask the front desk at you hotel they can direct you.

Cheryl

i cant believe all this chatter about bookies,its a place i take my aunt bessie to,not for the food,but because she had a great lunch there back in 72...phila has so many great places to dine..you may need to quantify your needs, cost? contentinal? chinese? hip? people watching? there all there for u to discover..take a walk and explore philadelphians dont bite,ask someone they are proud of ther city and will point u in the right direction...GO EAGLES

no bookeys,

If what you say about Bookbinders is true, that only tourists go there, it wouldn't be in business. In order for a restaurant like Bookbinders to be in business for such a long time, it needs to have repeat business. Repeat business is by word of mouth advertising, which if the food was as bad as you say, no one from out of town would even go there in the first place.

Bookbinder's is the equivalent of NYC's Tavern on the Green (but without the beautiful parkside location). Tourists and people like Jammax's Aunt Bessie are what keep it going. Tavern on the Green is always busy, but New Yorkers don't go there.
I too had a nice meal at Bookbinders back in 1981. It's way out of style for Philadelphians (although I live in Europe now, I've lived all over Philly, including Rittenhouse Square, Society Hill, and Chestnut Hill).
Go to Fork for lunch and post a trip report about the new Hyatt!
BTilke (Brussels)

BTike, Please explain to me what "way out of style" means when referring to Bookbinders. If you are talking about decor, I agree that Bookbinders is not a trendy restaurant in the way that Circa, Striped Bass, or Tellers would be. But most of us care more about what is on the plate rather than the ambience.

I was recently in Philly and went to Bookbinders. What a disappointment! There were 4 of us and not one person said they would return.

OK, let's all chip in and get David a gift certificate to Bookbinders. He and Aunt Bessie can share a table.

"If what you say about Bookbinders is true, that only tourists go there, it wouldn't be in business."

Which is probably why they went out of business . . . not enough people willing to fork over $60 for a dry lobster, saltine crackers, and iceberg lettuce.

Thanks to all who gave me some suggestions but do we have to rattle on about Bookbinders. How about some constructive advice. We have been to Bookbinders in the many years we have been going to Philly (our convention is there every year) and didn't find it all that bad. One person in our group was so disappointed when she found out it had closed down. Everyone has their own opinion. We had dinner at fork last year and quite enjoyed it. Any more suggestions.

FYI- Bookbinders is closed and has been for a while now. There is another Bookbinders on 15th Street but it is not the same as the Original that was in Olde City/Society Hill.

Carley, I think you got several suggestions. Bookbinders comes up because it's such a tourist trap, it makes the locals grit their teeth when an out of towner insists on going there. It's like living in the Hamptons and a visitor forcing you to go for a "nice" dinner in Coney Island. I'm not sorry the original Bookbinders closed; I wish the remaining Bookbinders would close too. If your taste runs to 1980s has been restaurants, at least pick a good one--like Frog. Now there's a restaurant I'd like to see return! Or even the Commissary (but better still the next door piano bar). They are gone but not forgotten. Bookbinders is forgotten, but not gone.