10/16/08

Music, food and atmosphere....ALL SUPERB!

by lovehaus

My husband brought me here for my b-day. When we pulled up in front of a very unassuming building, I didn't know what to think....then we walked in! What a wonderful place! The decor went perfectly with the vibe of Ortliebs. The ceilings look like seat cushions...what a neat touch! My husband had the wings for an appetizer, which were quite tasty, and I had the seafood bisque. It came out with a Treble Clef made from a delicious and sweet balsamic vinaigrette in the middle of the bisque! DELICIOUS! For an entree, I had the Cajun steak with garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. I asked for my steak medium; it came out well done and was a tad bit tough, but it was good nonetheless. The mashed potatoes were great and the asparagus were very good. My husband had the roasted chicken; he almost ate the bone! I had to stop him! He also had jalape?o cornbread which was a nice mixture of sweet and spicy. For dessert, we shared a delightful chocolate, raspberry, bread pudding.

BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE! During our meal, there was live jazz from a great band whose name I forgot (we went on a Saturday night, so maybe they are always there). I got lost in the sounds, the atmosphere and the food. What a great night!

The only downside is they charge a $10 cover charge on Friday & Saturday nights even if you are dining. It was a small price to pay and you won't be sorry. I have become a life long patron after just one visit and you will too!

• Pros: Music, food, atmosphere
• Cons: $10 cover charge on Saturday night even if dining

07/13/08

Superb Joint!!!

by NkemJoy

I absolutely LOVED Ortlieb's when I first went on a Tuesday and then later on a Thursday evening!!! There is no cover during the week, so that was an immediate plus. It's a VERY cute place, cute as in it's small size and perfectly dim lighting. The music was INCREDIBLE!!!!! When I went the band played a great mix of jazz and funk, which kept the mood very festive, plus, the musicians themselves were very personable. The music was very loud, but I actually liked that. I sat at the bar the entire evening, and I agree with an earlier reviewer, every seat is truly a great seat. To be honest, I prefer to sit at the bar instead of the tables, since there's very little space between tables. Also, sitting at the bar affords one the opportunity to actually hear the person sitting next to them, since the musicians play right in front of the tables.

The bartender was really friendly, the drinks were good and reasonably priced, the wings were EXCELLENT, and there was even a plasma tv there for me to watch the NBA playoffs!!

What more can I say? Great atmosphere, friendly people, and best of all, FABULOUS MUSIC! I highly recommend Ortliebs to everyone!!!!

• Pros: no cover during the week, plasma tv, great music
• Cons: didnt really enjoy it when I went on a Sunday; the crowd was much older, and the music was rather slow and practically put me to sleep.

06/18/08

ORTLIEB'S CHANGES and NEW ADDITIONS!!!

by ericortliebs

As manager of Ortlieb's I'd just like to clarify some changes that may be overlooked due to some older reviews, etc.

-We are currently NON-smoking (as Philadelphia restaurants are required nowadays).

-Our business hours are 5pm-2am Tuesday through Sunday

-We only add gratuity to parties of 6 or more

-Our menu is PHENOMENAL and we are still the premiere venue for jazz entertainment in Philadelphia

ALSO.....

Every Tuesday through Friday, from 5pm - 7pm, Ortlieb's Jazz Haus offers $5 appetizers, $3 draft beers, $5 Cosmopolitan Martinis, FREE order of our Haus Wings with any draft beer pitcher purchase, $10/pound WEDNESDAY NIGHT SNOW CRAB LEGS, as well as all-day every-day $2.50 Jameson shots.

We also offer a wonderful fixed price dinner menu for $20, every Tues/Wed/Thurs, from 5pm-8pm. This includes a select choice of appetizer and entree!

Please see our schedule of nightly entertainment - Tuesday through Sunday - on our website.

COME BY ORTLIEB?S AND DROP OFF A BUSINESS CARD TO BECOME ELIGIBLE TO WIN A SPECIAL HAPPY HOUR FOR YOU PLUS 20 GUESTS FROM 5PM ? 8PM!!!! OUR WEEKLY DRAWING WILL AWARD EACH WINNER AND HIS/HER GUESTS FREE WINGS AND QUESADILLAS, $2 YUENGLING LAGER DRAFTS, AS WELL AS OUR NORMAL HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS FOR AN EXTRA HOUR!!!!!

Please call us with any questions, to make dinner reservations, or to find out more about our daily entertainment schedule.

Ortlieb?s Jazz Haus

847 North 3rd Street

Philadelphia, PA 19123

215.922.1035

02/16/08

Loved this place.

by lenipa

Great atmosphere, great food, great music. Very quick and attentive service without being "stalk-y", our drinks where always full. Not a huge vegetarian selection, but what WAS available was absolutely fantastic. The seitan dinner gives Horizons a run for there money. Much larger portions, less expensive, just as delicious(if not more). If i lived in the city i'd go to Ortliebs once a week. Highly recommended!

Hot jazz and spicy dishes six nights a week.

by Contributor

In Short
Dark, smoky and as well-worn as the baby grand that dominates its stage, this narrow bar-restaurant may be Philadelphia's most important jazz institution. The club has an authentically underground feel to it, even though the schedule features some of the city's most important and respected players. Six nights a week, casual music fans and jazz scholars alike crowd into the tightly spaced dining room to listen to the likes of Bootsie Barnes, Sid Simmons and Mickey Roker.

02/15/06

very good place

by tspielman

went on v-day!....cool little hangout it looks like an old rowhome turned bar/rest. service is good waitresses/waiters dont hastle you the live music is awesome every seat in the house is a good seat food is good ive had better but is was good....for two people with the 18% automatically added tip my bill 50bux for dinner and live jazz cant be beat oh another hint music starts at 9!....if you dont like crowed places this might be for you the tables are really close together!

• Pros: live music, food, inexpensive/parking
• Cons: crowded

11/07/05

I love this place!!!

by mzkelkel

I started going here when I was college and now that I'm in my 30'2, I still love it. Great place to go to listen to jazz and have that classic jazzhouse feel. This is how Zanzibar used to be before they moved. I must say, that in all the years I've been going I've probably only eaten once; I usually just stay at bar. But you are to have a great time and meet some great people.

• Pros: music, people, vibe
• Cons: smoky

10/08/05

good music...mediocre dining

by onionhead

I took my lovely date here for dinner and a show and if it wasn't for the music or my date i wouldn't go back. The suprise cover of $10 a person for dinner guests was an amazing turn off and we almost walked out before we even sat down. I've never heard of charging people who are eating, a cover for a supper club. Outragious!!!! Then we noticed that they add a pretentious 18% gratuity for all checks...not just large parties. Last time i checked, tipping is at the customer's discretion. The entrees were nothing spectacular nor was the desert...although the apple cobbler was pretty good. Musically, it is fantastic and makes up for aformentioned shortcomings. In short, go late in the evening, grab a drink at the bar, and enjoy the music.

• Pros: music, atmosphere, my date
• Cons: cover 4 dinner guests, gratuity included, pricey for quality

08/29/05

Excellent On All Fronts!

by mrsmellywright

I took my husband to Ortlieb's for his birthday, and it was absolutely the best time we've had in months. The restaraunt's dark and cozy candlit tables create a sexy, intiamte atmosphere, ideal for an extremely romantic date. The service was wonderful -very friendly and very fast. The jazz musicians are passionate, genuine talents who only multiply the intensity of a setting already so stimulating to all the senses. Our entrees were fantastic, and beautifully presented -- he had the ribs; I had the jambalaya. Our dishes, along with appetizers, soup and salad, cocktails, a bottle of wine, and dessert, came to only $87, including the 18% gratuity the restaraunt adds to each check. In short: excellent food, excellent service, excellent atmosphere, excellent music, and an all-around excellent experience. Our eyes, ears, mouths, bellies -- everything left happy! We will no doubt be back soon to do it all again!

• Pros: Intimate, Friendly, Reasonably Priced
• Cons: no happy hour jazz

11/08/04

money honey

by kiki024

After reading the review on this site I was hyped to go. The walk from the subway was shady at best. My friend and I arrived with an average amount of money and were slapped with an 8 dollar cover charge, a minumum 10 dollar per person food charge and a built in 18% tip per person. And it's a good thing the tip was built in because our server practically ignored us and everything we ordered came later than expected. If not for the decent music, I would say avoid this place all together.

• Pros: Good music