New Kid on the Blockley
Posted by Samantha Lazar on July 30, 2009
The Blockley Pourhouse, a new bar and music venue at 38th and Ludlow Streets on the edge of Penn’s campus, is a welcome and much-needed addition to the neighborhood. It takes its name and aesthetic from the Blockley Almshouse, an old West Philly Insane Asylum that suffered a great fire in 1885, and closed shortly thereafter.
The Blockley’s tagline is “Drinking Institutionalized,” and they certainly do take their beers seriously. There’s a long list of brews on tap featuring a bunch of local favorites, and they also run some awesome specials including $2 Lionshead bottles all day everyday, and $5 pitchers of Bud Light and $1 well drinks on Thursday nights. I haven’t been able to catch a show there yet, but the venue looks awesome. There’s state-of-the-art sound and light equipment, a sweet stage with a backdrop bearing the image of the old asylum, and a central bar that you shouldn’t have any trouble sidling up to between sets. They book various shows almost every day of the week (featuring lots of local bands!) and have DJ’s spinning every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Check out the full schedule of events here.
The food is a step above your standard pub fare. The super-flavorful Chesapeake Bay fries are the prefect late-night indulgence, and come topped with crabmeat, cheddar sauce, scallions, and cheese. If you’re in the mood for more of a meal, their entrée selection is quite eclectic. I tried their Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with brown sugar bacon, BBQ sauce, and tangy vegetable salad. The shrimp were fresh, the hunks of bacon were thick and smokey, and the vegetable accoutrement felt healthy and summery. If you stop by before July 30th you’ll get to try their Dining Days menu (one app, one soup or salad, an entrée, and a dessert for just $25). The Dining Days menu is special, including a bunch of dishes that aren’t on the regular Blockley menu: they’re a bit fancier, and come from the menu of “Mary Oaks,” a new sister restaurant that should be opening up next door this fall. Go during Dining Days, or wait with bated breath for Mary Oaks to open – you MUST try the Jersey Corn Chowder, which comes with a crispy fried oyster and scallion crème fraiche on top. It’s sweet, unique, tangy and fantastic!
The Blockley Pourhouse
38th and Ludlow St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215.222.1234
www.theblockley.com
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