We haven’t done a blind item for awhile now but they’re always fun.

Care to take a guess as to what “charming BYOB restaurant” is for sale for $160,000?

Charming BYOB restaurant for sale in the University City area of Philadelphia. 7 Years established, LOW DOWNPAYMENT with Seller Financing to a Qualified Buyer! Needs to sell due to personal reasons. This is a great opportunity for a new owner operator to break into a turnkey establishment with minimal out of pocket expense. Established 7 years ago with rave reviews for food quality, preparation, freshness, and atmosphere. Great location in the burgeoning area of University City. Long term lease available, starting at only 2k per month. Employees willing to stay on. Seller willing to train. Currently seats 40 in and up to 40 people outside during warmer months. Owner not the chef, who should stay. However, some minor changes and a new owner can put their stamp on the restaurant.

We hear that two very prominent restaurant partners will be parting ways in the very near future and divvying up their considerable culinary empire between them.

We’d cry a tear for this sad separation if one of the partners weren’t so good at doing it himself.

From the annals of Craigslist comes this blind item. What restaurant do you think is described in this poorly spelled ad?

Read the rest of this entry »

What bistro is behind on its bills? We hear purveyors will no longer deliver to this well-received spot and that dishwashers are not paid and walked out.

Is the location jinxed or the owner?

Over the past two weeks, we’ve mulled over unfortunate restaurant names and discussed our inability to stop patronizing places with bad service and delicious food.

This week we’ve been pondering the phenomenon of The Emperor’s New Restaurant and we want to hear what you have to say about it. Not sure what it is? The definition after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

The Inky’s Michael Klein has tucked a delicious morsel into an otherwise innocuous post on Finn McCool’s today:

…talk is growing that Jason Evanchik of Vintage on 13th Street is planning to renovate a watering hole on Sansom into something considerably more stylish and (lest I identify the existing joint) less Teutonic.

Please, Jason Evanchik of Vintage, do not add any stylishness to the hideous wonder that is that Teutonic joint on Sansom Street. Clean it, improve the food, tidy up the beer list and, for Pete’s sake, keep the dirndls. For inspiration, you might look to the new and improved, yet still appealing Ortlieb’s.

Midtown Village has enough style, it needs a little old-school quirkiness to keep it real.

Finn McCool’s, reborn [Food and Drinq]
Vintage [Official Site]

Looking to open a cafe? Savory Off South on 5th between South and Lombard is for sale, turn-key.
Great Turn-Key Cafe off South St for Sale [craigslist.org]

How about a restaurant? Palate restaurant on Spring Garden between 10th and 11th seems to be available
Restaurant, Turn-Key, Seats 32 w/Full Basement & Large Rear Yard [craigslist.org]

Maybe a nightclub? One Fourteen in Old City is still on the market.
Old City Restaurtant/Bar [craigslist.org]

Well here’s a fun twist on our occasional blind item. This one from City Paper is about a mobbed up South Philadelphia restaurant.

There’s a little restaurant in South Philly that some consider a mafia hangout, but nobody in law enforcement is quite sure what mob the guys there belong to. Some patrons are Italian immigrants who regularly travel between South Philly and southern Italy. They speak English with thick Italian accents and a few dress more like European bankers than street-corner toughs.

Anyone dare to guess????

Ganging Up? [City Paper]

Here’s a good blind item. Restaurant and bar for sale in the city’s Fairmount section.

Price: $5 Million

Fabulous historic restaurant and bar in Fairmount section of Philadelphia. Original bar dates to 1915 with original bar, mosaic floor, tin walls and ceiling. There are two bars, fine dining restaurant seating 50, sidewalk dining, weather permitting. Second floor has a Banquet Room with adjoining cocktail lounge/breakout room for 125 people. In addition there is a private catering room on the third floor, together with offices and space for roof deck. Three floor elevator and dumbwaiter. All rooms have separate HVAC. New copper plumbing (2004). 600amp three phase electric. Sale includes all equipment, fixtures, goodwill, and computerized ordering system. Incredible city skyline views from second and third floors.

This South Street restaurant property and liquor license is for sale for $1,500,000.

Here are some more details:

• Bar and restaurant on first floor, rock lounge on second.
• Completely refurbished in 2006.