08/07/07

Not worth the trouble

by jackhole101

Atmosphere is just horrid, No one talks, people boozing in and out. Priced way to high, and take unbelievable amount of time to get your food.

I went to this place a while ago, better service, and it was new so it was ok. The restaurant's personality has now grown into the annoying, "regulars" type place and is definitely not a place for families.

• Pros: Food is pretty good
• Cons: Terrible service, people

08/06/07

Descending Service and Client Quality

by def5199143

I have to say, the first few months were fantastic. Then, like happens too often, it goes down. The turn-around time for food is unreal, at least 50-55 minutes to get a burger, let alone a fancy dish.

The bar crowd is now the worst. I experienced 1 harassing situation that lasted 35 minutes with no one in the place helping at all. Leading me to have to leave the drunk man who continued is negative attacks simply because it is "his place to drink".

The next visit netted an attack by one of the bar crowd saying children should not be allowed at the bar. While sitting at the bar in restaurants where the average entre' is $25-$30, is hardly the place to have a beligerant drunk making such deteminations in the middle of the bar area. Again, no help.

While I have to say the food is very good, this is no place to go for the prices they charge when you need to endure the wait and bad element which frequents the restaurant. If you want to pay for good food and not have to endure such uncomfortable situations, try NOLA Cafe on Head House Square, guaranteed to not have the bad element.

05/07/07

Sorry Excuse for a Meal

by carnivalrex

This place is terrible. My girlfriend and I dropped by for Sunday brunch to find the large dining room mostly empty. The hostess was flustered and suggested we sit outside, since "it's just crazy inside!" She mentioned this emphatically several times throughout our meal, how nuts things were inside, as an excuse for a long delay. I promise you there were only a couple of small groups with mostly empty tables and plenty of wait staff. I was looking for flooding or something seriously chaotic, but everything seemed calm. How unprofessional is it to keep harping on what a tough time they're having serving us? We should have known to just leave (don't want to feel like a burden, just want brunch), but we stuck it out. They didn't have any of the sides we wanted to order. My oyster po-boy was mediocre, and we ended up paying about $8 for my girlfriend's sandwich, which couldn't have taken more than 30 seconds to throw together (though in all we waited more than half an hour): her sandwich was a few slices of bread with huge thick blocks of cheese and a tomato in the middle. The presentation was awful. When I asked the waitress/hostess what was so "crazy inside," she kind of laughed (must have realized how ridiculous it was) and replied that they had served one large group earlier that morning. With such a large a dining room, it doesn't seem to me that should have been a problem, especially with the ample wait staff working. Maybe the kitchen was overwhelmed? In any event, this was a truly disappointing experience. I can't believe I fell for it. Don't make the same mistake.

• Pros: nothing redeeming about this place
• Cons: unprofessional service, mediocre brunch, overpriced

01/20/07

Want to go back now!!!!!!

by crab1492

Six of us recently went to Crescent City on a freind's request who absolutely raved about the place.... thank god for that!!! From the time we walked through the door we were very impressed by the ambiance, it was warm, rich and inviting and the impressiveness of the experience continued to escalate. Our waitor (Chris) was on the mark and made our experience the most it could be (witty, warm and obviously a pro). The Chef came out to greet us - he was very nice.

Then the food........From the appetizers - shrimp in a peppery butter sauce, shrimp quesadilla, and the barbeque pork egg rolls, to the entrees - (I had the Lamb Chops on suggestion and tasted my wife's filet..... FANTASTIC!!!!!) to dessert - Bananas Foster -Excellent.!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Going back for restaurant week - can't wait! It's a sure bet for a great dining experience. Woops... wife reminded me - extensive wine list.

• Pros: Food, service ambiance
• Cons: They ran out of our wine

12/18/06

Trouble @ 9th and South

by def519

UPDATE - Returned once more after speaking with Chef about recent problems --

The results are not so good again. Now, the restaurant , once presented as a child friendly place with kid menus at the bar, now, according to Randy their bartender, "is not a place where he would like to come after work to see toddlers". The employees here continue to impose their opinion. This same bartender

the first time around said "it is illegal " to have kids in bar area now says well places can have policy.

This bartender, while another employee was standing there, says "hey, by the way, we read reviews on Crescent City. Actually, attacking me in front of other customers for my opinion after I though this was settled.

I am officially done and I suggest you stay away or risk unpleasant regulars and ignorant employees and a place which changes their policy for happy hour alcoholics.

DO NOT GO!!!! This place is filled with shady characters, red-faced drunks at the bar and belongs about 5 blocks down on south street with the rest of the trash.

------------------Adjustment to Review----------------

I went back with my kids to eat. The restaurant has always allowed us to sit at the "bar" like tables and have never had an issue. Aside from the fact that 30 minutes went by for Mac n Cheese and a Burger, a group who this place has allowed to become their watering hole, began ranting and causing all sorts of trouble because my kids were at "their" bar.

The fact is that this place is suppose to be an upscale restaurant and full menu is served throughout the place in ALL seating areas. The "bar" they refer to is not a bar but an extension of their dining room and a place for people to wait for their other seating or those who want a less casual experience.

• Pros: nothing anymore
• Cons: drunks at bar harassing people (multiple times) and over an hour to get food

12/12/06

I absolutely loved this restaurant

by drg28

This has to be one of the best meals i've ever had in Philadelphia...romantic, delicious, and great service...try the Chipotle Rock Shrimp with Char-Grilled Alligator Sausage as an appetizer, it sounds a little out there, but trust me, it was amazing! I would definately reccomend this place in the summer time, they have their entire store front open to the street allowing for a beatiful outdoor feel, and romantic breeze.

• Pros: Great food, outdoor feel in summer time

11/11/06

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!

by metaylor

Recently, we celebrated my mom's 60th birthday at Crescent City....it was amazing....I couldn't of imagined anything more. Mike Duplantis, Mike Munoz and the staff treated my guests like family. From starters...1/2 lb shrimp, calamari, bbq pulled pork egg rolls, shrimp and avocado quesadillas, to the entrees...crab cake, filet mignon, pork tenderloin, wild striped bass, to the dessert...chocolate sensation, oatmeal cookie and peanut butter cream pie....my guests were elated with every bite!! Duplantis' creations are fantastic!!! The combination of his seasonings are so well balanced, without a doubt I've never tasted anything as unique as his cuisine. Crescent City is a class act that made my mother beam on a special day in her life. Thank you Mike and Mike for making this experience ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!! We will be back again and again!

• Pros: Fantastic Food, Beautiful Ambience, Wonderful Staff, Amazing Owners

10/02/06

Nice look in a New Orlean way.

by xanadu728

Having expepienced big easy food on sveral trips to N.O., crescent city has the look and feel right. The staff was attentive and curteous.The food was OK. The Gumbo was a little too salty. All in all, I'll give it a second try.

09/19/06

Southern Charm in the Most Classy Way!!!!

by taara

My God this place is Awesome!!! I had one of my best dining experiences in this restaurant. First I must say I did visit CC during Restaurant Week & most restaurants put their best foot forward but it was so much more. From the moment that my party & I entered we know this would be an interesting night. My party size was five on Friday Night. We were seated in their private area, which I would say could seat about 20 comfortably-Beautiful!! We had a server & two busers to meet our every need.

But the food------was ammmmazzzzzing! Every course was delicious & very fresh. One of the cool things about this restaurant is they have no salt & pepper shaker on the table. The snapper was perfect. That is because the food does not need it at all. All desserts are homemade (I recommend the chocolate sensation).

If you really want to revisit South Street but really not be in the mix of the youngsters this place located on the more mature part of the street. The decor is beautiful with rich colors & great B/W photos of the one of the coolest cities in USA.

Food is delivered in a timely manner. Don't expect to be in & out, enjoy your dining experience!!

Mike 1 & 2 you guys are great!

• Pros: The Entire Dining Experience!!

06/27/06

Very slow kitchen; overcooked food

by mrspruce

We went for dinner to celebrate a birthday on a Friday night. Service was unbelievably slow, even though the place was not completely full. When we complained to the waitress she said one of the cooks was out so the kitchen was short-handed. The owner came out and told us the exact time we had placed our order and said their goal was to make sure everyone received their entrees within one hour of ordering. It was just about that long when our dinners came. We had ordered two different cuts of steaks, to be cooked medium rare. Both of them were somewhere between medium and well-done. When the waitress asked how the steak was, the person who ordered it said "horrible" because it was so overcooked. The waitress was apologetic but offered nothing to correct the situation. Otherwise, the food was good, but I wouldn't plan on returning anytime soon.

• Pros: interesting menu
• Cons: long wait to eat