Atmosphere excites, but Philly’s food doesn’t impress
By KELLY WILSON
Get Out

The spot: Philly’s Sports Bar & Grill, 1826 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe

Happy hour: 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and reverse happy hour from midnight to 2 a.m. nightly

The vibe: AC/DC and Green Day tunes are cranking from the stereo at Philly’s — which sits on the Tempe/Scottsdale border — on an early Friday night. About 50 people in their 20s to 60s fill the sports bar, which features Golden Tee, a couple of pool tables and a spacious patio.

The food deals: $3.95 appetizer menu

The drink deals: $2.25 well drinks, domestic bottles and drafts and $2.75 wine

The review: The scrumptious potato skins are served in an order of six and topped with melted cheese and bits of bacon. They also come with a large side of sour cream. The creamy spinach dip, which comes with tri-colored tortilla chips, doesn’t fare as well with us. It has a spicy kick and leaves an overpowering aftertaste in our mouths. Since we’re at Philly's and we’re from Philly, we decide to split a Philly Cheesesteak, even though it’s not on the happy hour menu. It’s packed with strips of beef and melted cheese but is mediocre at best. It doesn't hold a candle to Longhitano’s, our favorite restaurant for East Coast flavor. Our friendly waitress warned us ahead of time that the bar recently hired a new cook so we’re willing to take this into consideration and give Philly’s a second chance.

The inside scoop: The bar features daily drink specials, which include $2 Miller High Life, $2 Dos Equis Amber and Lagers, $3 Long Islands and $4 Vodka Red Bulls.

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