Wine Thief

[stock]

We went there just before the official opening, it was byo that night but the food and service were very good.

I've since heard reviews from several other folks who all had good things to say except that the wine selection was kinda small considering it's a "wine bar".

[NCtransplant]

I'm not a "wine person" and so can't speak to the wine selection (I *can* say that the serving size looks a tad small). The food's excellent, and prices are reasonable (including desserts, which seem to have become a profit center at some restaurants lately). The big negative is the noise (we heard tonight - July 2 -that they are going to install some noise-dampening panels on the walls, so give them points for being responsive to their clientele).

[NWPhillyRealtor]

What kind of food do they have?

[borntochill]

What kind of food do they have?

It's New American. Menu here: Menu

[NWPhillyRealtor]

Thanks borntochill. Nice looking menu.

[toxigal]

and holy mcmoly, it was good!

i had a special, pork porterhouse with mashed sweet potatoes and grilled peaches. my dining companions had the soft shell crabs over daicon slaw special and the fried chicken. the server did a fine job helping us select a wine and we had a fabulous tres leche for dessert.

[HomeGirl]

We made an entire dinner out of appetizers and desert. Fabulous cheese plate (no boring, run of the mill cheeses and nice cracker selection); couldn't resist ordering the eggplant cheesecake (which was a good choice), incredible mussels (we opted for the Thai curry sauce) in a deep bowl that seemed endless. Can't wait to go back and try the other options!

[sleepygirl]

Yum. We had the ahi roll appetizer- delicious! Also caesar salad, grilled ahi and buffalo meatloaf- all tasty. The tres leches is to die for. Can't wait to go back and try some other items!

[D-man]

Ate here last night with the fiancee. The wine selection was a bit scant, but I like that they offer half-carafes. Sometimes we're not in the mood to split a full bottle of wine. We both has a Thief Salad which was excellent, and we both had the organic fried chicken. The fried chicken and sides (collard greens and a cornbread stuffing) were very good and the portions were huge. I only wish that they offered wet-naps because I made a mess eating the chicken pieces and I felt like a slob in such a nice restaurant.

[NWPhillyRealtor]

My wife was there with five of her friends last night and she said everything they ordered was fabulous. I got a couple of clients gift certificates, but have yet to have a chance to try it out. Can't wait~!

[HappyTransplant]

My husband and I ate there last night for the 3rd time since it opened and as always, the food was excellent, and the wine quite good. The BEST thing is that the owner listened to all the comments about the loudness and has now installed noise abatement panels on the walls, which seemed to help tremendously. We came for an early dinner (Sunday nite) and by the time we left, the place was completely full. And we could still hear each other tallk! The only negative is that close to half of the white wine selections were out and the waitress explained that they were "special orders" and would be re-stocked in the next day or two. We will definitely keep frequenting the Wine Thief and recommending it to everyone, but do be aware that it is not inexpensive if you order more than just an entree and a glass or two of wine--appetizers and bottled water add up quickly. But it is a GREAT addition to Mt. Airy and the Avenue!

[JasonMcElroy]

We went to check it out on Friday evening.

It was nice to see a healthy crowd, short of a line out the door.

They've done a good job with the space. It looks much larger than the outside of the building would have you believe.

The good:

- half carafes of wine are perfect for a quick dinner for two
- the service surpasses most places we frequent in Phila
- as mentioned by others, the noise level is fine given the crowds
- the collard greens

The less-than-good (not outright bad, just weaker):

- the seafood cioppino was mostly pasta. The menu should note that it's a pasta dish. No other seafood cioppinos I've eaten contained pasta. The flavor was nice though.

All things considered, it's a solid place and a great addition to the neighborhood.

We'll go back.

Jason

[CitizenX]

I noticed the other day that Wine Thief is now having Eagles Game Day "PBR and Shot" specials. This makes no sense as they are not a bar and encourages reckless drinking behavior. What is the deal? Did I read this wrong?

[Malloy]

LaBan checks in:
Wine Thief deserves a reprieve | Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/25/2009

2 bells. Do you agree?

[phillyhound]

have to say, i agree completely w/ LeBan's review. it's almost like he was sitting with my wife and me at our meal.

we went over the summer and had some of those same dishes, with the same results. it's a place i really, REALLY want to like; for that reason i'll give it another chance but it might be tough to convince my wife to do so.

the space and decor are great. it's a bit loud, but that's OK with me.

but the service was unimpressive; the food ranged from OK to not good; the wine list advice was lacking; and the wine was WARM...as in: the bartender poured it from a bottle that was sitting on a shelf on an 80-degree day. i'm not one of those people who drinks cold red wine (eww), but there is a proper temperature range, and this wine wasn't in it. the first glass of wine they brought me was either from a bad bottle or one that had turned; to their credit, they immediately replaced it w/ a glass from a fresh bottle, which had apprently been kept at the right temperature.

that said, i will go back eventually to see if the kinks have been ironed out.