Irwin's, Philadelphia PA

The drinks, small dishes, and ambiance were great. The pasta was so bland and tasted similar to box pasta in broth. Everything lacked flavor and substance. Unbelievable they charge $30 per pasta dish that is very disappointing. Service and bar were great though

Seriously excellent. Every dish was extremely flavorful and so different. You could really feel the care that went into making everything.

My partner and I sat at the bar and ordered the tasting menu. The food, service and ambiance were excellent- we were just not prepared to spend $85+ each. The menu didn't specify that the tasting menu was per person, so we specifically asked if it was enough for 2 and were told yes. In the end though, we were charged for 2 tasting menus and had to take home some leftover food. It makes sense, but we probably wouldn't have went for it if it hadn't been for the confusion. As you can probably tell, we are newer to those types of fancy dining experiences:) So this is just a warning for folks in similar situations. Like I said though: the food was excellent and we had a really nice time. The view of the city behind the bar made it a really special experience even though we didn't have our own table.

Really just a phenomenal experience. Unique location, great food. Excellent service. Can’t find anything like it.

It was good, but overall did not blow my mind. I really liked the blood orange mezze, the wine was great and the view is amazing. The other dishes did not have that special touch I was hoping for.

I'm a wedding photographer in Philadelphia and one of my couples had their microwedding at Irwin's this past year. What can I say!? It was the perfect intimate space, both indoors and outdoors, for their dinner party wedding. The food was out of this world and the hospitality was top notch. You must get the Gnocchi Sardi and Trofie. And with it being inside of Bok, we were able to use all the other wonderful spaces (gymnasium, auditorium, Machine Shop) for portraits and family photos. If you're looking to have an intimate gathering with amazing food and views, Irwin's is the place!

Some delicious dishes but a major disappointment with the gnocchi. The eggplant sauce was rich and wonderful but the gnocchi leaden, clunky, chewy with too much flour. At this price point that’s pretty embarrassing.

Good, but WAY, WAY too pricey for what it was. It was $250 for two people, which might be the most I’ve ever paid for a meal in Philly. The portions of pasta are 3 oz/6 oz and range around $15/$30 respectively. Not all are made in house either, which isn’t a huge deal except for the price. We got 6 oz portions which ended up being about $5 per bite, then. I love the atmosphere there and the service was nice, but probably won’t be back.

Service that is beyond & memorable fare that stay with you. Thank you for the kindness & warmth. Will certainly be back! Also, honorable mention to the playlist & the unparalleled view of the city!

Irwin's is fantastic! The food was delicious, the location in the old Bok Technical High School is unique, the view of the surrounding city creates an elevated experience, and the overall vibe of the restaurant is very cool. My husband and I shared the olives (meaty and flavorful), crudo (refreshing and tangy), and the swordfish (Nashville hot chicken in seafood form) for appetizers. We also shared the fennel salad, eggplant gnocchi, and a whole fish which was perfectly prepared. The vanilla panna cotta dessert was very unusual but so delicious. It had just a hint of sweetness and was actually savory with rosemary and basil flavoring, and freshened with pomegranates and some other fruit I could not quite identify (seemed like a pear or apple poached in something). I would recommend any of these dishes. The only dish we had that was a disappointment was the chocolate mousse dessert - it was quite gloppy and gelatinous, and covered with way too many nuts that were much too big. We took a bite or two and left it - they definitely need to work on that one.
One other note - for some reason the elevator does not go up the restaurant, so to get there you take the elevator to the 6th floor and then you have to take the stairs to the 8th floor. As long as that does not deter you, highly recommend this restaurant!

I had dinner here for my birthday and the food was delicious! Great wine selection too. Definitely coming back!

Very cool environment in the old school building. My favorite dish was the rabbit. Also loved the scallop appetizer.

Phenomenal dinner and service. We loved everything we tried, especially the blood orange salad, squid start, rabbit entree, and all of the pasta. (And our group was divided over the best dessert, but I will die on the mountain that it was the olive oil cake.) Great vibes, great building. Can't wait to be back.

This place deserves a Michelin star. Chef Michael layers flavors in a tight, bright kitchen. Everything was delectable and perfectly cooked. The caponata was a blend of savory and sweet. It was exactly the right texture. Our scallop crudo special was striking in its freshness and simplicity. Pastas were absolutely on point texturally. We ordered the Sunday night special wine and accompanying sardine toast with a savory sabayon. Like nothing I’ve ever eaten before. Salty with a gentle creamy gush on crisp toast. Swordfish was done up like a southern fried steak. So balanced. Spicy, crispy, savory, inventive. Fennel salad shaved thin and dressed to kill.
We had three of the four desserts: cake, tart, mousse. All tops. Wonderful service that didn’t miss a beat. At our comfortable bar seats, we felt like we were at a private dinner party hanging in the kitchen. The staff danced out the orders. Upbeat, loving and delicious. What else do want already?

Would give 0 stars if I could. Food is objectively bad, no flavor. Small portions, overpriced. Service is very rude. Save your money, go to bok bar and then head elsewhere to eat.