Thursday, January 27, 2011

Pub Review: Sticks and Stones

Sticks and Stones on East Passyunk near our house has had a neon sign up since almost when we moved in 3 years ago.  They finally opened a month or so ago, and claimed in their press releases that they would be a beer bar but also a neighborhood hangout.  I have been eagerly anticipating this opening with the hope that this bar would straddle the line between hipster beer bar and local place a bit better than some other places around here, though South Philly Taproom comes close it is West of Broad.  Not to be lazy and picky but I was hoping to have a place right around the corner that was my ideal bar.  So maybe I set the "bar" too high.  But Sticks and Stones didn't even come close to it when we visited for the first and probably last time the other week.  

Walking in, I liked the decor.  A big picture behind the bar of what is apparently the owners grandfather or uncle in South Philly circa 1920 or maybe even earlier (just guessing on the year).  The walls are lined with white subway tiles and chalkboards containing the beer lists, and the taps come out of the back wall rather than the bar itself, which was kind of different/interesting.  The beer list was solid, I had a Bells Oatmeal Cream Stout that was quite nice, and Victory Schwarz Pils, a dark pilsner which wasn't my favorite but an interesting style.  The taps and bottles were a nice mix of locals and out of state heavy hitters such as Bells.  Our bartender was friendly enough, if slightly inattentive.  So where did Sticks and Stones go wrong?

The food, mostly.  My wife and I both opted for the burger.  My thinking is, if you are going to have a burger on your menu, it should be solid.  It doesn't necessarily have to be special but cooked to order, well seasoned, and with decent cheese and probably an option for bacon.  I'm not even picky about the roll.  The Sticks and Stones burger comes with a bleu cheese and a fried egg on top.  I ordered it medium rare and it came out well done.  We were the only people in the bar eating, as it was January 2 and most people were home recovering, so in my mind there is no excuse to screw up that order.  I felt like the egg was just a gimmick trying to cover up the fact that I was eating a mediocre patty of under seasoned, overcooked beef.  The fries were a mixture of sweet potato and regular fries with some sort of aioli haphazardly squirted on top of them.  At this point I was disappointed.  And then Elvis walked in.  I thought he was the owner, some commenters have alluded to the fact that he may be just the manager.  It's a small point but I was surprised to see him wearing a Chargers hoodie in South Philly.  He was friendly but he rubbed me the wrong way; he was loud and obnoxious, flirting with these girls at the bar and flinging obscenities like nobody's business.  I understand it's a bar atmosphere but as someone associated with the bar I thought his actions were a bit unprofessional.

The worst part is I saw him at my barber in Cherry Hill the next week.  He asked me how my experience was and I said "Good."  I didn't have the gumption to confront him.  Live and learn. 

Update: I've actually been back to Sticks and Stones and had a better experience.  I didn't order food as I had already eaten, but the service was good and they accomodated our rather large party quite well.  I'm sorry if I offended anyone who is a fan of Elvis or the bar, I should not have made my disappointment personal and I admit that I should have talked through my complaints with Elvis when I had the chance rather than through my blog.  I stand by my review of my experience and my first impression of Elvis was not a good one.  I am not saying he is a bad person I just didn't appreciate the foul language and atmosphere he created when he entered his bar.

18 comments:

  1. I find this very funny , writing a blog is cool i guess . How you have a Wife is what you should be blogging about. To call out someones name like that and to call someone a "slob" , in my eyes is a No-No. Maybe you should get your Gumption together Aka "Balls" , maybe stop back in there , give your fingers a rest! But No-No dont have the "Huevos" for that.. to call yourself a blogger is pathetic i feel sad for you , and im glad that a person like you would never step foot in Sticks & Stones again ! but if you do!!! My friends and I would love too see you there ! wheres your Gumption at Internet "Cool" Blogger Guy! oh wait Hi im Greg : About me : Greg
    I am a social worker living in South Philadelphia. In addition to drinking, I love following Philadelphia sports teams, especially the Fightin' Phils. Publications I regularly read include the Economist, GQ, and the Amazing Spider Man. WWWWAAAITTTTTTT. this guy is CLASSIC "in my Alan from Hangover Voice" , So as you read this in your " Spider man PJ's " as your wife is waiting in the bedroom calling greg... greg... "with a Strap-on on"....." dont forget the KY "....Thank you for your input , ill be sure to let my buddy Elvis know... glad you have a picture on here too... see you around Buddy!

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  2. I have had nothing but great food at Sticks & Stones. We have been in to eat twice and ordered take out. I can't wait to go back again.

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  3. You just made a lot of enemies. It's okay to criticize an establishment for it's food and content, but to call someone a name or say so and so looked like this or that is totally uncalled for. Where's your etiquette?

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  4. So let me get this straight... you are scrutinizing Sticks and Stones, a "beer bar" in which you call it (aka...“An establishment that does not brew its own beer, yet is microbrew-friendly... meaning, it has a good selection of microbrews and/or imports and is a good spot to hang out and enjoy good beer.”) for its food...oh and lets not forget your hatred for anyone who happens to like a different team than your "high and mighty" aka rude, arrogant, and insufferable self and a 'different' look than your used to or like. I guess its too bad that stick and stones doesn't meet your "sub-standards" because they aren't close-minded and pig-headed like you...they are much better than that...
    Maybe next time you should curb your biased opinions and leave the criticism to the ACTUAL critics!!!!

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  5. If you are going to call anyone out please do it to their face. You had the chance to, but your balls went to your throat and the only word that could come out of your mouth was "good"?! Also you may want to get your facts straight, Elvis does not even own the bar. You wouldn't know that because again you have no "gumption" to do much, but talk shit and personally attack someone over the internet. Like Phil said, you just made a lot of enemies with this blog post. I will not even give you the satisfaction to read anything else that you blog about, because that type of publicity is for someone with class. Which you sir do not have. I will sign with my name, that way if we ever meet you can grow some balls and say something worth while to me. Hi Greg, my name is Joe Crowe. Please come talk to me :)

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  6. I guess everyone said what I think of you already! I think you are just one more piece of trash that gives South Philly People a bad name. Sorry that you find it so offensive that someone was wearing a Chargers Hoodie,you have to be one ignorant bastard for that one.
    If you didn't like the food is one thing, you are entitled to that kind of opinion, but calling out people like that is just wrong. I'm glad you are not going back, a friendly bar like Sticks and Stones does not need people like you!

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  7. Okay, let me respond to the backlash. I should not have called Elvis a slob, that was rude and I admit it and will modify the post. Also I should have told him my opinion to his face, he was very friendly when I met him and gave me a fair chance to voice my opinion. I still didn't like the place, though, and didn't like the way Elvis acted in the bar, I am not judging him as a person but I think it's rude to sit in a bar that you operate and use obscenities every other word. I actually did wind up back in Sticks and Stones and had a much better experience. Our server was very friendly and they accomodated our large party. I didn't eat bc/ I had already had dinner, not bc/ I wouldn't try it again. For the record, I'm not from South Philly. I moved there bc/ I love the neighborhood and cool bars and restaurants. I just think Sticks and Stones doesn't quite measure up to some of the others nearby. It has some things going for it but on the whole has some weaknessess in my opinion. Ariana, there are tones of beer bars in Philly that do a great job with food, earning the title "gastropub," and I think Sticks and Stones has the potential to do that but doesn't measure up to others, even others in South Philly.

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  8. So you posted your "blog" without including that you had returned to the bar and had a better experience. This, in my book, is called lying by omission. You're only sorry because you got caught cyber bullying. I wonder how your employer would like to know that the great social worker who works with special ed kids insinuated in his blog that he had encountered a person he deemed not intelligent enough to open a bar and choose a beer list?

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  9. H, I just recently returned to the bar, the initial post was written long before my second visit, and I have edited it to include my better experience the second time around. I don't see how I was "cyber bullying" but I did admit that my comments got too personal and modyfied them. Also the beer list is the best part of the place. I am not sorry I got caught, I am willing to take your criticisms into account and have admitted where I crossed the line. I think a bunch of people ganging up on me in the comments section is more under the definition of cyberbullying than my posting openly about my experience at Sticks and Stones, but again, I have taken these criticisms into account and they are fair to a point.

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  10. Funny how you say not better then bars in the area ! Your blogs seemed to be the same for just about everyone "Greg" . Do yourself a favor and just stop blogging ! If I had not came across this no one would of known , and I'm sure the one other person that has read this is most likely your "wife". Or wait maybe its 4 people as your were writing this during your circle jerk with your buddies, wonder who came first ! You are part of the select handful that has had something bad to say about the Awesome Sticks & Stones, so with that said DORK* fuck you go to Wendys grab a Burger , stop at bella vista grab a case a Budweiser , go home back to your circle jerk and talk about how you know Food/Beer with your jerkin freinds ! Oh and " to help you out" don't use the same hand to eat your classic double nor to drink the "king" of Beers! Thank you! Your mouth is not a VIRGIN!

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  11. Greg, Elvis here. I really wasn't going to even justify you blog with a response, but in light of things, I should. I am from Philly, born and raised. Irish son of a 33 year vet of the Pennsylvania State Police. Temple graduate 2003. Do I like the San Diego Chargers? You bet your A$$. Do I bleed green with my friends every Sunday when the Birds are on? See answer #1. You don't know me, but yet you call me a slob? See this week started with me counting the minutes until I came across you somewhere, so I could knock your teeth down your throat, because nobody talks to me like you did. But, I digress. If I did that, you would win. I don't care what you think. I opened a great bar in a great part of the city and I am proud and LOUD about what I did. I have friends, family and co-workers and patrons in this city that read your work and they will continue to voice their opinion so that you should be ready for. As far as you slighting my business acumen or drive and knowledge to open a bar and write a beer list, you are spot on. I know nothing about beer and spend my days throwing darts at pictures of beer and pick the ones I hit to put on draft. I have been really lucky so far. The bartender, Gardner, filling in for me as I came off 6 straight double shifts. The girls, Nat and Cassie. Hitting on them? Nat is my ex and I hadn't seen her in quite sometime (pssst...She loves the Giants and Mets!) You don't like my bar, that's fine. As for me, I was 9 months beween haircuts, because I was spending 18 hours a day in the bar trying to get open, so you, like the rest of the buy it cheap, next big thing, South Philly transplants would stop writing about the neon sign being lit. I am not a hipster bar, never will be. Deal with it. The boys at Pompadours(Michael/Alan's) have been cutting my hair for the last decade. Sorry I didn't have time to freshen up my look for you. I let them know about your blog too, because they own a business and they should be careful not to upset you, you may call them slobs becuase they have Playboy and Maxim in the lounge. I could write all day, but according to you, I don't have the skill set to do that. One thing before I go. Head over to Charlie's on McKean(right around the corner from your house. Yes, I know) and tell them they shouldn't like the Kansas City Chiefs. See how they feel about your "opinion". If you are still breathing (and I doubt it) head over to O'neal's (3rd and South) and tell the gang in Steelers Alley they shouldn't like the black and yellow. If you hit one stair on the way down, I would be really impressed. I am going to close with a quote from my friends the Suicidal Tendencies. "Can you say feel like sh*t? Sometimes I do feel like sh*t, but I'd rather feel like sh*t than be full of sh*t. And if I offended you, well I'm sorry, but maybe you needed to be offended, so here's my apology with one more thing, F@CK YOU." You can't bring me down.....

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  12. Check out Sticks & Stones Bar On 1909 E.Passyunk Ave , The Beer and Food speaks! Come hear what it has to say ! no matter what this clown says!

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  13. I have sat on this post for a few days now trying to understand where you were coming from. I still do not get you. Why do you care about a sole person in the bar? Why would you walk into this bar thinking it was for hipsters? Trust me, if they went for hipster joint you'd have a much shittier experience. Elvis is a close and great friend of mine. He broke his back getting this place to where it is. If it were not for Elvis, you would still be looking at an unlit neon hanging at 13th and Passyunk. You need to walk in there and personally apologize to him and his co workers. I also feel that you should remove this blog from your listings as it is just attracting a lot of poor publicity for you. My name is Matt Lesko and I approve this message.

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  14. Just to back up Elvis's comment, I am Natalie. It was my best girl friend and I that were there that night and we were definitely making up for lost time. I, in fact, totally dug the food and beer selection. Elvis is an outstanding host, and if you're offended by "rude language" maybe a bar is not the place for you.

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  15. Fuck Fuckity Fuck Fuck Fuck. I love foul language. If it weren't for foul language I wouldn't know people were talking to me.

    J to the Crowe

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  16. A fried egg on a burger? Blech, I say! Is that a Philly thing? I hate an overcooked burger, it's not even edible.

    The rest of the place sounds great though. Sometimes the cook is just having a bad day, and cursing doesn't bother me. I think the only thing that would keep me from going here is the group of people that the bar seems to attract.

    Keep reviewing, Greg, it's nice to hear educated opinions from people who have decided to share their experience on restaurants/pubs, before I decide to try.

    Haven't skimmed through everything, but if you frequent Fishtown, my girlfriend and I are always looking for good local places near her, since she has two kids, and doesn't get a chance to get out on her own.

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  17. "I guess blogging is cool." Lol, I don't even know what that means. Anyway, I'm interested to try this place now. I feel like I know the history and the people. I love a burger with blue cheese. Hopefully they don't somehow deduce that I know Greg and attempt to ruin my food somehow. I'm sure my spidey sense would alert me if they tried anything.

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