The Ranstead Room Reviews

The Ranstead Room delivered as expected. Hidden away in an alley, it's a small dark room that feels like a true speakeasy. It was especially fun to lead my friends down the alley without telling them what was coming. Everyone loved it.

I was here last year when I was in town. Since my travels brought me back to Philadelphia I made sure I made my way back here. I go to a lot of speak easy bars in a lot of cities. This is one of the best. They do a great job of balancing the speak easy feel without seeming too pretentious. The drinks are great and the bartenders are great. I will be back again next tim I am in Philly

After waiting 45 minutes to get in, our drink expectations were pretty high. The Ranstead Room didn't disappoint. I will admit, it was fun getting to know the others who had the fortitude to wait and by the time we were allowed entrance, we were applauded by one and all. Our drinks were great and I recommend trying the bartender's choice.

Seriously LOVE this speakeasy! I love the ambiance, atmosphere, the short food list and the cocktails! This is my new favorite place to go for drinks and light food! Cocktails are the best and you can ask them to surprise you! I did, and it was DELICIOUS! I had the mezcal (sp??) popcorn.....SO FREAKING GOOD! I hadn't expected that! It's not a cheap place or a happy hour place to go though. So don't walk in expecting that. There is no signage for the place, other than the symbol on the door. And you have to wait to get in on busy nights.

If you are looking for a unique and fun place to have cocktails then this is a good option. The "speakeasy" atmosphere is a bit overdone and gimmicky but they do it well. Walk down Ranstead Street (alley really) until you get to the black door with the red RR and walk inside. In true Stephen Starr fashion this bar is impeccably decorated with old fashioned female nude portraits, red fixtures and it is so dark you have to hold the tiny candles on the table right up to the menu. Very fun drink menu with a nice variety. I would say it is not the most expansive menu that I have seem at different "speakeasy" bars but it is pretty good. The bartender's confidence is a fun touch. The waitress will ask you a long list of the type of things you like in a drink to get a profile of what the bartender will think you will like. He nailed it with one person at our table and came up a bit short with another person but the waiter quickly offered to replace with less impressed second person's drink with something else which was really nice. They have a nice little snack menu. The service was good - not great but acceptable. There is no standing here. I'm sure it is disappointing when you want to go and there are no seats but it is nice for those of us who get there and get seats. The place never gets too crowded. Overall this is a great place to go for a unique cocktail experience. Highly recommended.

Cozy hidden happy hour spot. Vintage and darky place. The service was great. The Alcohol menu was really interesting. We took a plate of tapas from El Rey restaurant. It was delicious. Really great spot for a drink out of the ordinary.

Went on a date with my Fiance and stopped by here before dinner. It was already fairly full by 730PM on Friday. They have excellent drinks, and a very cool atmosphere.

Find the door to this speakeasy on Ranstead and time your arrival or 5:59 sharp on the weekend because seats will be full at 6:15! There is good reason for this as the diverse cocktail menu will have you happily twisted in no time. Follow the rules (you must stay seated - this isn't Hooters) and sip on seasonal specific, classic old school and creative new style libations expertly shaken. Large ice chunks hand cracked are a nice touch. Grab a snack - you're not going to want to leave after just one.

So I was introduced to speak easy style bars about a year ago. I have been obsessed with them ever since. I have always enjoyed a great cocktail and a relaxing setting so its like these are tailor made for me. I have been going to them in every city I go to. Of all the ones I have been to, this is the best one by far. They had the most robust selection of drinks and the best atmosphere. I cant wait to my travels take me out to Philly again just to stop by this bar.

We sat at the bar and went with the bartender's choice. All of our cocktails were delicious. A great place for good cover station and great drinks.

What a great surprise last night to have a nightcap at the Ranstead Room with good friends. A "Hostess/Bouncer" greeted us and showed us to the bar from the alley entrance. Only initials on the door suggested we had the right place. Oh, and the red light on the second floor balcony was the other tip. Our mixologist Gabriel was fantastic. After reviewing the interesting cocktail list, I settle on the Verrazano, a derivative of a Manhattan, but with Old Overholt rye, sweet vermouth and violet liquor. Ice spheres were a nice touch. The dark bar added to the art form of mixology. Great find!

My wife and I are obsessed with speakeasies. Call it a speakeasy and they have pressure to remain hidden, evoke ambience, and craft the best cocktails. Ranstead Room hits all three but each with a major asterisk. Here’s why: Remain hidden: It’s in a dark alley off of Ranstead Street west of Center City. If you go at night, it will feel a little creepy, but don’t fret. Once you get to the black door with their logo in red, enter through it. You’ll find yourself in a dimly red fluorescent lit longue talking to the hostess as if you were in a popular restaurant. She will then take you back to the actual room where food and drinks are served. There’s a long bar and booth seats. Besides being in an alley, it’s a very public bar rather than a need-to-know exclusive speakeasy. Evoke ambience: It’s dimly lit as most speakeasies are, but the entire place feels a little odd. There’s giant paintings and photographs on the walls and in the men’s restroom of naked women making it an odd date spot. Best cocktails: The drinks have the price tag of an exclusive club, but much on their menu seem like more traditional cocktails. Because of that, we went with the bartender’s choice and we were served quality cocktails, but not the top 25 cocktails we’ve had in our lives, which you’d expect at a speakeasy. Also, our drinks were small for a steep price. Ranstead Room was a decent experience, but it’s not in the top 50% of speakeasies I’ve been to.

The most appealing part of this bar is watching the bartenders make drinks, sit at the bar, they make drinks like art. If u don’t find anything on the cocktail menu just tell them what u like and they will come up with something great. We could have watched him make drinks for hours! It’s associated with El Rey so u can eat there first and get ur name on the list for RR to enjoy after

You have to walk down an alleyway to a barely marked door. Inside is so dark that you have to use the light from your phone to read the menu. Inside looks very old time and mysterious! The drink list has many liquors that I have never heard of. The bartender was wonderful. She was very patient and explained everything that I asked about. She even made a drink for me that was not on the list that she thought I would like and it was delicious! The nachos were delicious too!

One of the most unique and detailed creations of craft cocktails I've experienced. Great skilled cocktail staff. Gave them a few of my favorite pallet flavors and they mixed a cocktail - not on the menu - that was a perfect fit to my taste. Also - one of the few cocktail spots I've been able to find a gin based drink with sherry. Outstanding. Well done. Enjoy the fun of finding the door!

If you want a very cool, quiet, dark getaway for a drink or two, this is your place. Quality hand crafted cocktails. Very welcoming bartenders, do yourself a favor and defer your drink order to them. They will not disappoint. A journey to find, but worth it!

If you're looking for a great speakeasy and really fabulous handcrafted cocktails then you need to come here. The bartenders are more like scientists because they know which alcohol and juices mix correctly together creating the perfect concoction that tastes wonderful in your mouth and on your lips. Feel like it's 1940 when I walk into this place and I love that feeling but what I love more is the fabulous cocktails they make.

A side street with an unpretentious, subtly marked door leads to a dimly lit room where very good libations are offered. I tried several of their cocktails and although they do not rank among the best, were still quite good.

We arrived at 7 pm on a Saturday (when they open) and found out they were understaffed and couldn’t accommodate more than a select number of people and were already turning people away (we were one). Told it was over a 2 hour wait. They should’ve planned better on a Saturday night.

Other than having a wait for the bar, we loved the Ranstead Room! The place itself is small (although the photos make it look quite large), and the cocktail list is interesting without being overwhelming. Our bartender was also very personable. We went with bartender's choice, and he asked us what kinds of drinks we liked and then handcrafted two very different cocktails that were excellent!  The room itself is dark and feels like someone's basement in South Philly. We love the speakeasy feel and that it's hidden in a dark alley off of Ranstead. Because this is a small place, it doesn't seem meant for large groups. There were about 9 large groups (over 4 people) who were all on the waitlist. During the time we sat at the bar, only one group of 4 was seated. It's more of an intimate bar good for groups of 2-4. Enjoy!

I know, it's easy to say "right, another bar" BUT, if you have the time for late-night drinks, I highly recommend the Ranstead Room. My sister and I showed up about 15mins before they were opening, and there was already a small line, just a headsup. Yes, it is dark in there, but it's clearly part of the ambiance and we really liked huddling over our table, sipping on our drinks, and recounting our favorite parts of the day (as we were on vacation). I got the Bonesaw is Ready and my sister went with the Bartender's Choice. She said she wanted something that was light and didn't taste overly alcoholic. They brought her something that had basil in it, and she was very pleased with the selection! Mine was delicious. If you like a dark, moody, speakeasy-esque feel, you will like the Ranstead Room.

Was out looking for a quick night cap, and wandered into this hidden gem. I had never heard of this place, but my buddy has, and suggested we stop in. It's located down an alley, and has no sign or any other means of identification except a double RR on the door. It is owned by Steven Starr at the back of his restaurant El Rey. It is very small and dark inside and the pictures on the wall really give you the old speakeasy feeling! You are escorted inside as long as there is room for you to sit at the small booths or bar as there is no standing allowed. The bar menu is VERY limited, but since we were not there for the food, it was no big deal. You HAVE to try the specialty cocktails, which are really cool. The wife asked to have a surprise and told the bartender what she had in mind and created a Strawberry Snow White, which she loved. I had the 'Ichabad Flip", made with scotch, Port, egg yolk and pumpkin beer, topped with fresh ground Nutmeg. Mighty tasty. All drinks have not just ice, but portions hacked off from a BLOCK of ice, really neat! Really enjoyed the visit and look forward to a second trip where I can stay a little longer. Maybe Elliot Ness will be there!!

First visit. We we were scouring out places for an upcoming private event. Unfortunately not big enough for that group. Anyhow- bartender was awesome. Some really unusual drinks. Felt like you truly were in a speakeasy. Small so go early and have dinner after. This place is connected thru the kitchen of Starr's El Ray.

We came for a short drink and remained pleasantly surprised! Such a cool place, great interior and cocktail yet even better service. Barmen helped a lot in choosing the right cocktail for my mood at the time and the girl on the entrance was very kind and friendly.

I went here a few nights back hoping to get an "off menu" itm that I had a few years back.I was informed that they don't have the ingredients for that special meatball sandwich (ground beef,mexican rice,seasonings etc.). The ambience is still cool w/ the dark lighting and coed restrooms. But i was a litte disappointed tat they didn't still make that killer sandwich. Ugh!!!

This "speakeasy" was on a tour that we did through City Foods or otherwise you would never find it. It is down a little alley/small street with no signage except for a door marked RR. They have great drinks and the bartenders are fabulous. We had some of their special popcorn and that was wonderful. This is an old bar and very small with booth tables for four adults. There are pictures on the wall that bring you back to a speakeasy so very unique. It is extremely dark - we needed candles and cell phones to see drink menu. Very cool for a visit but probably not someplace I would frequent often.

Ranstead Room combines a few things I have really come to hate about the "mixology" trend. The first is the unappetizing cocktail list that I have to pretend to enjoy, with the secret option of getting anything I'm in the mood for if I ask the bartender. Sometimes, I don't know what I'm in the mood for; but I know that it isn't jalapeno-mint-bacon infused gin with a raw egg and muddled strawberries over crushed ice. Maybe that makes me a simpleton, but I don't care. Also, if you are trying to be a speakeasy, be exclusive. Isn't that the point of a hidden bar? All pretension aside, I've just never had a good time here. I really, really, want to, but it really doesn't deliver atmospherically - unlike their mother restaurant El Rey.

Stopped in for drinks before a show. I was worried there would be a wait since it was a Friday night but we got right in and only waited 10 minutes. It's very dim and intimate with small booth seating on one side and a full length bar with seats on the other. The bartenders are old fashioned in their dress and drunk prep. Everything is precisely measured and done with a flourish. I opted for bartenders choice (they have a full drink menu but you can let them make you something special after asking your preferences) and had the Boulivardier, which I can best describe as being better than the best Manhattan I've ever had. Then I had a Brooklyn Smash, which I'd call another variation of a Manhattan. Its was very deep and complex. Super good. My friend had a rum drink which was gorgeously presented, then a vodka drink which was equally sexy. We also had a cheese plate and an olive salad. Both were above average. They couldn't tell me what types of cheese they were though and I was a little disappointed because I'm a cheese freak and wanted to look for the one I liked most at the store. This was so different than a regular bar, it felt exclusive but was very relaxed and not loud. The atmosphere is very grown up and sexy. It would be a great place to take a date before or after a shown - I'd be impressed and wowed. It's great as a destination in general. I'd go back tomorrow.

We loved our evening at Ranstead Room the other day. It's a very intimate and small place so I would go early. We went at 7:15 (15 minutes after they opened) and there were a couple tables filled when we got there, but by the time we left it was packed with every seat full. I got the Bartender's Choice and recommend doing that because it's kinda fun answering the questions and wondering what you'll end up with. I loved my drink.

Wow, the Ranstead Room's mixologists are amazing. We left it up to our bartender to "surprise us". She asked what we liked and then created elixirs that were delicious. Neat atmosphere, very dark, romantic. Great for a first (or second or third) date. It is located behind El Rey, so most of the menu is quasi-mexican

The Ranstead Room is a hidden gem that you might just miss if you don't look closely. Great drinks and cool style. Sure to impress a date!

It's fun to take your unexpecting out of town guests to The Ranstead Room. They'll be a bit uneasy as you lead them down an alley to an almost unmarked door. Once inside the mixology behind the bar is exceptional. Fresh juices, fruits and berries mixed into one of many outstanding cocktails. Or just tell the bartender the type of spirit and your preference of sweet, citrus or stiff and they'll make you a bartenders choice. Either way it's a phenomenal experience.

Pricey, but great cocktails. If you chose the bartenders choice, they will ask you a few questions about your preferences and whip you up something that you are sure to live. The bartenders are true mixologists!

Guys choice was Holts Cigar Bar. Girls Ranstead Room. It did not disappoint. Great mixologists. I ordered their version of a Manhattan the orange zest was a welcoming accompaniment. Go at 6P when they open and the staff has all the time in the world to concoct something divine for you.

Visiting this bar is a mysterious trip to the era of the prohibition, ones inside the decoration is cousin and up style, the service is good and the variety of cocteles is huge.

Although this is not an original speakeasy, the place is still worth checking out. The interior decorating is spot on, followed with food and drinks.

The Ranstead Room is a hidden gem that is owned by Steven Starr and located behind his El Ray Restaurant. It is an old style speakeasy with a fabulous atmosphere, dark inside, great bar area and several tables. Bar offers a wide variety of drinks but you must try one of the house special drinks. You can even tell the bartender what your preference is such as vodka, scotch, etc. and they will make you your own special drink! Some food is offered including a delightful cheese platter, mixed olives, popcorn, and more. Opens at 6:00 and get there early because this place fills up in a hurry. Great concept, great fun, and the bartenders are very engaging! I can't wait to go back for my next visit to see what concoction I will get to enjoy!

My wife and I were in town to visit our daughter and went here for after dinner drinks. I love the speakeasy type atmosphere. Our waiter was fast and attentive despite having many tables. The drinks were well balanced. The bartenders are true artists. The drinks are on the high side but worth the price.

We were looking for a place to grab some drinks in the city. Ranstead didn't come up on the app when we first looked, but was recommended by friends we were with. We found the street pretty easy and the door was "marked" enough to figure it out. Just walking in set the mood for a great time. Our bartender was like a one man show most of the night but still managed to make some awesome drinks and provide us with great service. When things calmed down a little he even talked with us for a few minutes.

Went here to unwind after a concert at First Unitarian. Loved the atmosphere and the drinks were good. Price of drinks was high but for a special visit it was nice and worth if for the surroundings.

Great drinks, great atmosphere! Good apps too. A trip back in time and feels like you are in an old Carry Grant movie. Unique drinks made with care by attentive mixologists . Truly a hidden gem in Philly. A perfect location for date night, you are sure to impress by including this place for drinks!

Very speakeasy... Kinda dark (took awhile for my eyes to adjust) however amazing drinks and friendly service! Our bartender nailed it each time with the drinks leading us only to get more... Great spot for a good old fashioned drink!

So happy to have found this place! It was a little off the beaten path but EXACTLY what we wanted and exceeded our expectations. The ambiance inside is romantic, the textures and lighting made it dark and mysterious. Loved the decor. Our server was good! Drinks were delicious- had a negroni and an old fashioned. Definitely a must do in philly! Intimate and small- good for a date or small group!!!

Good scene and drinks best for groups and couples. Solo no bueno. Franklin Bar better. Still a Philadelphia classic!