village whiskey

i had promised linda that i would take her to village whiskey to have a foie grasburgerfor her birthday, which was during easter weekend.

the fries with short rib and cheddar are a meal in itself. awesome. theburgerwas great, juicy and tasty. service wasn't that friendly but the manager was very accomodating when my wife's order didn't come out correctly. overall good rating.

just happened to wander by tuesday and was very glad i sucked in out of the rain. after a day like that, a manhattan was most definitely in order.

the place is warm and welcoming, the bar staff awesome. manhattan was spot on and most needed.

theburgerwas awesome. and who could say no to duck fat fries? will most definitely go again and recommend you do the same!

really good casual vibe. went here for a work lunch break and it was a real treat! i got the pulled porkburgerand my dad got the original beef. really good feed and good service! like the interior too!

born in chicago to ecuadorian parents, iron chef jose garces is a major part of philadelphia cuisine. he owns seven restaurants in philadelphia including tinto, chifa, amada, jg domestic, garces trading company, distrito, and of course, village whiskey. the gf and i have been to the last five of the list - each with its own distinct flavors.village whiskey is an american-style tavern that offers great food without any pretense and offers over six dozen of its namesake libations including double-barrel bourbons, 21-year rye, and a 25-year single malt. they offer whiskey flights as well. but as usual - the gf and i were here to partake in some of the food ...

villageburger($11), jasper hill cheddar ($3.50)
8 oz. burger, sesame roll, tomato, boston bibb lettuce, house-made thousand island

i went with the villageburger- cooked to a perfect medium, with jasper hill cheddar. the aged cheddar imparted a sweet caramel and nutty flavor to the burger, though there wasn't enough of it to leave a lasting impression. the half pound patty of beef was perfectly seasoned and melded together nicely with the house-made thousand island dressing. the buttered sesame roll held the entireburgertogether nicely.

if you're interested in indulging even further? try the whiskey king - it comes maple bourbon glazed cipollini onions, blue cheese, applewood bacon, and wait for it ... foie gras! pure decadence and perhaps over the top - but something i can see myself trying in the future. fyi though - you're talking about a $26 price tag.

chicken sandwich ($10)
long hots peppers, mushrooms, sharp provolone

the gf's chicken sandwich was perfectly juicy and well seasoned. the provolone added the necessary sharp notes to awaken what can easily be a simple dish. the mushrooms imparted an earthiness to the dish which was contrasted nicely with the long hots peppers. this sandwich came with huge potato crisps which were light and airy.

short rib & cheddar fries ($12)

but the real reason we were here (or at least i was)? the duck fat french fries with cheddar sauce and short ribs. this came served in a cast-iron skillet and was purely decadent. the duck fat added extra richness to the fries, which were thick-cut. while they weren't as crisp as i had wanted them to be,  the cheese sauce drenched the fries nicely and with the added element of rich short ribs - this is a must-have dish.

overall - if you want a taste of an iron chef - check out village whiskey. their cocktails are great and their whiskey is aplenty. and of course, the food is great for a reasonable price. located in rittenhouse square - iron chef jose garces' tavern is a great destination for a working lunch or a lazy afternoon. and they recently opened up a new outpost at the revel casino in atlantic city - i think it's safe to say that great food has reached the jersey shore as well.

had the villageburgerand lobster mac. both were fantastic! theburgerwas cooked perfectly and the glazed onions, bacon, and fried egg on top were to die for. the lobster mac had giant pieces of lobster. we also ordered the french fries that came with pork? those were disappointing. the s'mores shake was killer!

i’ve been wanting to sample the famous whiskey king for a year now. thisburgeris layered with bacon, bleu cheese and foie gras with a spread of caramelized onion for sweetness. it did not disappoint – juicy and melt in your mouth goodness.

it takes me a while, however, slowly but surely, i try to get around to all the stephen starr restaurants and all the jose garces restaurants in philly. this post features two from garces: back in april for a belated easter meal, i took my aunt to dinner at garces trading company (1111 locust street) .  and 2 weeks ago, i was treated to a belated birthday dinner at village whiskey (118 south 20th street) . see below slideshow for descriptions and tine ratings: you know me, i'm happy just to be out there dining and taking in the atmosphere.  however, my overall impression of garces trading co.  - the tin roof makes for an entirely too noisy dining experience.  at village whiskey, the cost of the sides to top one'sburgeris a bit over-the-top considering theburgeritself already cost $11. here's some past write-ups from others around the city: philadelphia magazine - of all of philadelphia’s multi-concept restaurateurs,jose garces might be the most original. whether at spanish-inspir

everything we expected. friendly staff and only $15 corkage. have the kingburgerand duck fat fries....great atmosphere...cozy and comfortable

the deviled eggs suck, but theburgerwas very good.

the service was great especially at the bar. the food especially the house specialtyburgerwas great. one of best in the east. they do a great job with the whole menu

stopped in for theburgerbefore the game yesterday. a short wait spent nearby, an efficient phone call and we were seated. something they do with the ground beef makes theburgerexceptional. good service and great food!

the very best manhattan. period..burgerwas excellent. be sure to add cheese...

whiskey king!!. i was very skeptical about the whiskey kingburgerbecause of the price, 24 dollars!!!! but it turn out to be the most amazing and tastiestburgeri've tried. so if you have that extra cash and you want to enlighten your taste buds...try the whiskey king your truly from your iron chef america, jose garces.

another garces gem. i have been to village whiskey twice now over the past 2 months and the only reason i haven't been there more often is because i've been a sorry excuse for a real diner. whether you are going to get a few drinks before a show at helium comedy or going to get aburgerand a few cape may salts, village whiskey is quickly becoming a tough place to find a seat.

forget the fact that it's size rivals that of the first class area of a boeing 737, it's well worth rubbing elbows with complete strangers to grab a bite here. i can see exactly where garces was coming from; a prohibition-style "hole in the wall" place with outrageously good food and complex and sometimes scary drinks. it's almost a bit intimidating to someone who is not either a) an alcoholic or b) a world-class scotch connoisseur but the staff is cool enough to walk you through different drinks and help you make the best selection from the wall of scotches, whiskeys and bourbons.

the food is some of the best i've had in the city, and i'm no bobby flay but for a greatburgerthat starts at 9 bucks, you can't beat it. besides the burgers, everyone is talking about the amazing fries as well, but don't forget about the oysters and some of popcorn shrimp either.

it's small, loud and a few too many drinks can put a dent in your wallet and probably in your car if you attempt to drive home, but it's exactly the kind of place you'll probably know the names of the bartenders and come back time and time again.