Rate This City: Day 5 - Philly

[Controversy]

@RealCrownHeights If you can swing it, you should book a reservation at the restaurant South: South Jazz Kitchen | Southern Restaurant in Philadelphia, PA

If you want a great margarita and good drinks, go to Copas on 40th & Spruce on Upenn's campus: Copabanana University City: Were the fun happens in University City

If you want a cheesesteak in the trenches, go to Max's on Broad St: Max's Steaks

If you want a lowkey ratchet brunch, go to Cray: Cray Taste Old City - Old City, Philadelphia, PA

Haven't been in quite a few yrs but The Reef used to be a cool lil vibe too: The Reef IG

 

[Womb Raider]

@RealCrownHeights DO NOT HANG AROUND MAXS AFTER YOU GET YOUR FOOD. Get your steak and gtfo from that area

 

[Vandelay]

We're flexible. Arrive Saturday morning and leaving that Monday. Definitely, drink and chill if possible and see some sights maybe

@B1G_controversy is throwing out some good suggestions.

You can try Landmark Americana on 34th and Market for a restaurant/bar vibe.

Vango has a nice three story restaurant/lounge. Not sure if they're still open. Nice rooftop bar.

The Continental is another restaurant/bar that has a 60s vibe to it. Nice Rooftop bar.

Drinkers or Oscar's both downtown are good dive bars, if you just want good cheap drinks and good cheap food.

 

[JoseLuisGotcha]

Bump this.

Headed to Philly for the first time for the Roots festival. I heard people saying there's no nightlife or lounges, is that still the same?

I have some food places listed but any more recommendations would be welcome.

Any other stuff to do? I'm already gonna go to the Mitchell & Ness shop, cop some Muslim oils and get cheesesteak

if you're looking for a poppin spot saturday round up your boys and head over to Woody's on 13th Street …I’d call ahead and book a table if i were you

 

[Ozymandeas]

Bump this.

Headed to Philly for the first time for the Roots festival. I heard people saying there's no nightlife or lounges, is that still the same?

I have some food places listed but any more recommendations would be welcome.

Any other stuff to do? I'm already gonna go to the Mitchell & Ness shop, cop some Muslim oils and get cheesesteak

Try Harp and Crown.

 

[RealCrownHeights]

Just got back from Philly first time visitor. Thanks for all the recommendations, first difference, every uber driver except for the African's were talkative like a mf. One uber driver, tried to sell us weed and tried to tell us next time get a air b and b. My girl said the are she was talking about, her friends got a band b for Beyonce concert and it was in the trenches. Other uber driver was having a full convo on the phone before telling us she should hang around the picnic to get some money and she moving from Philly because of the violence.

People say NY people are rude, but people here were rude af bus driver beeping us, when we have the walk way, Uber was in the lane of the rocky steps, we were coming down the stairs, and the Common looking maintenance man arguing with him and telling him next time he gonna get a ticket. Uber driver and waiter saying oh you from Brooklyn, same shyt as here.

Fiends all over, and surprisingly thick looking white girls around the downtown area. Most of the Philly women I met in college were at least a 7.5 in the face with some body but around the city, a lot of big backed women.

A lot of alley's and houses touching each other and dark spots where I can see it can get active.

Roots festival itself was lit except for day 2, when Camron aint show up and they were unorganized with the line, a girl trying to bumrush, had to separate her from my girl briefly.

Max's was in the trenches like everyone said, unorganized, small congested, nikkas selling trucker hats and def k2 outside. Took a hour to get our sandwich but it was good, almost got into it with someone in line but nothing happened.

Didn't get a chance to visit alot of restaurants due to being at the festival for alot of hours and stuff was closed after.

Overall, not bad, am I pressed to come back, not necessarily, but if I do, I would do more black stuff and def bring a .38 or something.

 

[Dem313wayz]

I was in Philly/Jersey this weekend for a wedding.

It's a cool city but not as nice as Boston. I had real reservations about Boston at first but it was a beautiful city.

Philly neighborhoods dirty as hell lol.

I saw no fine ass hoes in Philly. Was kinda disappointed about that.

Food was good. I stopped at Cosmi to get a Chresesteak and it was good as hell.

Imma try to go back and spend more time in Philly cuz the wedding was in Jersey. Maybe if I can experience more my viewpoint will change

 

[Human Torch]

Went home for a funeral this weekend.

So many turkeys just walking down the block as I drove around uptown and west

 

[Voice of Reason]

I left Philly a few years ago and currently live in North Jersey suburbs of NYC.

Philadelphia makes for the perfect documentary on how racist policies decimate a group of people.

Philadelphia is the epicenter of racism.

Philadelphia, 120 years ago was the most vibrant, most progressive and most wealthy place for all Africans of the diaspora.

They had two prominent banks and the first true HBCU.

As the educational and banking hub, blacks were able to flourish. The banks were destroyed and the school was moved 30 miles outside the city.

Redlining, blockbusting and panic selling were the holy trinity of real estate exploitation tactics used by the government in conjunction with the private banks to box black people into certain areas of the city.

Then, the local and federal government worked together to ensure that public services were limited. The private sector did their part, limiting opportunities and employment.

Without jobs, they could not earn a lot. Without bank loans, they could not start and run businesses. With limited government services, they could not upkeep the neighborhood.

Add in strategic initiatives to introduce drugs, and the blacks banded together with gangs to survive. The Philly Black Mafia was the countries largest and most influential gang at one time. My dad was best friends with the leader, Sam Christian at one point.

Philadelphia is the most radical black city in the country. Radical as in, pro black to the max. Umar Johnson, Marc Lamont Hill, Sister Soulja etc are from here.

Philly is loyal to their IDEA of blackness. They are extremely stubborn about it. Think Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Meek Mill… Philly black people are super proud despite their impoverished conditions.

But cultural wise, their idea of blackness is rooted in struggle and violence and hardship. Subconsciously a large population of Philly blacks unknowingly seek out hardship in order to prove their idea of blackness. This creates a backwards behavior that includes bad habits… it only creates more of the same misery.

Philly blacks are homogeneous; they often do not date out. This is unlike other places more open to interracial dating.

Philly black men want to date and marry black women. There are very few “mixed” chicks in Philly. You’re going to get a lot of brown skinned women who are more or less going to stay true to their roots.

It doesn’t match the IG mainstream ethnic beauty esthetic, so it might be a turnoff for some.

The soul of Philly is being sucked out. Gentrification is heavy here. The wealth gap has widened. You’d be a fool to settle here. The architecture and the history and the food scene is great, but black people in Philly for the most part are over it.

Great comment. Is there a book that touches on this history.

 

[daemonova]

 

[DonB90]

She probably from Deleware

 

[DeuceZ]

Saying Norf Philly and Chester is diabolical

 

[DonB90]

Saying Norf Philly and Chester is diabolical

Then not knowing that Kensington, is in fact, North Philly.

While talking to a Kenzo

Bih got caught in a lie like three ways

Silly girl

 

[Controversy]

She probably from Deleware

Chester come up is Delaware

Uptown come up is Montgomery County

West Philly come up is Delco

SP come up is South Jersey

NE come up is Bucks County

SWP come up is Delaware

North Philly come up is another part of Philly lol

 

[LoMax30]

Saying Norf Philly and Chester is diabolical

That was a wild exchange. Saying you from North and Chester is damn near like saying you from Boston AND New York..then doubling down like "how is Boston not New York?"

The way she was cappin she probably actually from Dover