The Victoria Freehouse Reviews

Excellent authentic pub atmosphere around the corner from the more expensive fare on Market Street. Great selection of beer from the British Isles. All the pub favorites, scotch egg, Welsh Rarebit, Bangers & Mash, Fish & Chips and even Chicken tikka masala at reasonable prices! Food quality was great and comparable to pubs in London. I would highly recommend this place for a great British pub feel and meal. Came here with the family after a play so can't comment on the bar scene. There was another table with several families. Our server Richard provided great service and the food came out promptly. Portions are large - lots of chips with the fish! I would also recommend the marmite wings.

We got here around 2 pm (it was a late start to the day) but we were coming in for brunch. The place had barely anyone - as the previous soccer game had just ended and folks had left. Service was quick and great the food delicious. The TV was a bit loud but the barman was friendly and turned it down at our request. I requested a minor substitution to my dish and it was taken care of off without issue. I really enjoyed it.

Great place for a happy hour, beer was excellent and service was prompt, and food was unique and delicious! Plenty of parking right on the water, and a great view of the fireworks at the Riversharks stadium!

The food was tasty and authentic and the beer selection was good and priced reasonably for happy hour. The sausage rolls are perfect: my son had three. Nice decor. The barmaid was friendly in a Philly way and offered us tasters of drinks.

This place had good reviews, but when we visited it was a little dead. The service was a little slow and the beer a little flat. And whilst i know many people love a pub quiz - I don't.

The family decided today would be a great day to try out a new restaurant, The Victoria Freehouse on Front Street in Philadelphia. We've been waiting to try it since it opened last month. We figured we should give them a few weeks to get sorted out after launch so we could get a good feel for them. The idea of a proper English Sunday Roast seemed like an ideal reason to try it out. Unfortunately, maybe we should have waited even longer..... We arrived at just after 4, when Sunday Roast was set to begin service. No problem getting a table as only one other was occupied along with a few people at the bar watching the phillies game. The waitress, Amanda, promptly sat us and got our drink orders (founatin soda, 3 British canned sodas and a glass of wine). When the canned soda arrived for our kids my wife and I examined the label to find it sweetened with saccharine. No diet note on the label anywhere. This might not mean much to many readers but i was sort of taken back as this is not a good ingredient for any child to be consuming and without any idea that its in the soda, i thought it a fo pa on the restaurants part. The music playing was a variety of dance and pop which seemed out of place in a traditional pub atmosphere. It was actually sort or distracting and inappropriate but not worthy of wrecking the meal. We ordered a soup and two appetizers including the recommended Welsh Rarebit and Tikki Pizza. The soup was good but was a bit lacking in flavor. The Welsh Ratebit was fair. Not bad. Not great. Not offensive. The Tikki Pizza was good. We then waited. And waited. And waited for our dinners to arrive. If the restaurant had been busy, I would have understood but the other table left and two others showed so the 40 minute wait between the appetizers and dinner was a bit on the long side. I chalked it up to the change in service (from lunch to dinner) and left it go. Dinner arrived. We ordered 3 Sunday Roasts (today's was beef), a fish and chips and a shepherds pie. The shepherds pie my one daughter ordered presented well. Nicely browned potato topping but a fork full revealed a fairly bland lamb and vegetable base. My Sons fish and chips (large portion) has extremely good chips (fries) if a bit heavily salted. Fantastic in fact but unfortunately cold. The fish was flakey and the batter crispy without being too greasy. It also was good but not earth shattering. My bigger issue there was for $17, the fish portion was very, very small. I'm scared to think what the small size would have been. My youngest daughter, wife and I all ordered the Sunday Roast Beef. Presentation was excellent. It was served medium rare which is just as we like it so no problem there. The roast was accompanied by minted peas, Yorkshire pudding and duck fried potatoes. The beef was beautiful with good flavor but again, luke warm at best. I didn't want to send it back as I knew this would spell doom for the cook level. The peas were fine but frankly tasted like well seasoned supermarket frozen peas. The Yorkshire pudding was good and medium to small muffin sized. The duck fried potatoes were hot when they arrived but actually weren't nearly as tasty as the chips from my sons meal. Even with 3 teenage children, we as a family are not huge volume eaters but we were all still hungry after dinner so we opted for desert as well. We ordered 3 sticky toffee puddings as suggested by our waitress, a bread and butter pudding and the lemon special pudding. We also ordered a scotch (MaCallen 15) and a tea. After another unusual 20 minute wait the puddings arrived. The bread and butter budding was good. The lemon pudding special was excellent. The sticky toffee pudding seemed to be of the canned variety found on your local wegmans store shelf. Fair but not up to the acclaim which had been given it. So basically we cake away with a general "meh" feeling with service slow (we assume it was the kitchen not Amanda) and smaller serving sizes with average food until we saw the check. $220 before tip! I get that the scotch and glass of wine were $30 of that but still that seemed awfully steep for a dinner we all walked away from still hungry. After a 15% tip we had broken the $250 barrier for a meal that simply didn't leave us feeling it was anywhere nearly that special. We regularly eat at restaurants costing this much or even more but it's been a long time since I've felt so ripped off. There were positives but not nearly enough to overcome the cons. Not that I wanted to make this a promotion for another restaurant but I couldn't help but think of The Ship Inn in Milford NJ and their similar theme which is better executed or even the Miller's Ale House chain who's Fish and Chips are as good tasting for half the price. I really wanted to like The Victoria Freehouse as I think the concept was excellent but the execution just didn't live up to the potential. I won't be going out of my way to return and unfortunately with some changes, I don't see this place lasting any longer than a few months. I hope they right the ship but I'm not hopeful.

Had dinner here. Food was ordinary (but that is not unusual for pub grub) but there was a reasonable selection of UK beers on tap. Overall the Plough and Star where we ate the previous night was better food nd better value.

My wife and I are Brits who are now US CITIZENS. We were visiting Philly and found the excelent reviews about the Victoria freehouse so we went there for lunch. We were surprised that the place was empty on a friday but were so looking forward to British pub food we decided to eat. The British beers were a delight to a jaded british pallet. But the food was awful. We had the curied cheese fries which were reheated an wet and limp. I had the chicken mushroom pie which had a pastry crust that was uncooked underneath. My wife ha th chicken tika marsala and the chicken was over cooked and dry. On the good side the service was great and friendly. BUT this place will unfortunately be in danger of convincing americans tha british food is bad. .

This is a very well-priced, well-sited pub. The decor isn't overly "British," with tons of tacky stuff all over, but rather something you'd actually find in the less touristy parts of London. The food was delicious, and not too over-the-top, and of good quality. Service was also excellent, especially since we went during the week when it was slow. I would recommend this to anyone visiting Philadelphia.

I cannot give a -rating on this app... Bathrooms are terrible. Not enough staff to clean them. Not off to a good start.. no table settings. Drink put on the paper we are supposed to use for the show... OMG what in the world is in The Who killed the cook??? It tastes like a dirty rag. Show was to start at 7:30... it’s 8:09 and the characters are talking/fanning amongst themselves at the bar... out of Riesling and Chardonnay before 8:30... only house white they cannot be identify... 30 mins between salad and entry and counting.... Luke warm meal... not delicious at all. Why isn’t it hot???? Also my wife is still waiting for the chicken dinner 15 minutes after I got my cold beef ... sigh. They should REALLY STOP DOING THIS .. Stop. This is miserable... please stop. I asked why it wasn’t hot. I was told it was fresh. When I challenged that because THIS food is not fresh I was told “We make it in batch” she said... that’s why it’s not hot? No answer... bathroom pink ketchup bottle... sigh. I’m supposed to touch this after someone else wiped themselves and squeezed this? Invest in a dispenser! The hygiene is questionable here. i appreciate the apologies but we will not be back again and would not recommend this at all.. sigh.

My husband and I stopped in to the Free house over the rainy Labor Day weekend. It was quite relaxing having lunch listening to the rain. We had the scotch egg and sausage roll to start. Both were outstanding. Particularly the scotch egg. The beer options are mostly lagers, ales and bitters in keeping with the Anglican theme. Service was a little slow, but we didn't mind. Great place to have a pint and a bite to eat.

The food and service was great! Our server knew the menu very well which is always a plus. We had a Scottish egg, Chicken Tikka and Shepherds Pie. They give you plenty of food and the prices are reasonable. We hope to be back again.

We enjoyed late night drinks here and a lovely sticky toffee pudding as well. Fun bartender and interesting venue upstairs featuring some kind of transgender burlesque show the night we were there. Great draft craft selection including Old Speckled Hen on Nitro (!), and some other interesting offerings from London Pride and Belhaven. Will def return the next time I'm in Philly.

Taken to this "Pub" by some friends while on vacation, it certainly was not a replica of a British Pub environment, that aside it was a very satisfactory occasion. The food was excellent and certainly had trad. British bias differing only in presentation. The range of beers was first class, both bottled and draught. Very good value for money and a place not to be missed in Philly.

Great place with a really good array of british beers. You can also find some British favourites on the food menu. Have been here twice and enjoyed both visits, the servers and bar staff are always friendly and helpful. Will definitely be returning!

Called in for a drink on our way back to hotel on our last night in Philly. Didn't expect the service we got from the barman. Made us feel really welcome and had a great sense and understanding of hospitality. ofton said that the staff make the venue and the time it's true. Well worth the visit.

We were a group of eight, who visited on Friday. It is a cozy English Pub-style restaurant. I went outside of my comfort zone and ordered the French Toast: two thick slices of bread edged with Nutella and topped with Pastry Cream. What a splurge! No regrets. Hubby had a Carlsberg and the Roast Beef sandwich, with a healthy order of fries. Thank you to our server Ashley! The only negative is that the rest rooms need a lot of work. We did have a great meal.

Hubby & friend wanted the Sunday Roast, but the rest of us wanted the Fish & Chips. Walking into the restaurant it was nearly empty at 6:30 on a Sunday night so made me a little nervous. We needn't be, as food was delicious with generous portions. Food came out as it was cooled rather than waiting for all 15 meals to be ready. It was fresh and hot and the best fish & chips I've had. Luckily I read others reviews previously, so I knew to share a large order of fish & chips with my friend ...both of us were full. We walked past the restaurant on a Wednesday night and it was very crowded...guess Sunday is a slow night.

Stopped here for lunch and it was great! Our server/bar tender was very friendly and made a great cucumber cooler. Fish and chips were perfect and my husband said his roast beef sandwich was very flavorful. We would definitely return and I highly recommend it!

My mister and I had been once before but only had an appetizer, so when the opportunity presented itself to go for dinner we did. The curry cheese chips was a large tasty portion. The Fish n Chips were good though sadly the cut was not in the traditional style making it a little harder to enjoy especially when it's served on top of the chips in a basket and with paper as the barrier. I found the fish a little oily even with the crispy batter, which caused a hole in the paper and I ended up with a few chips on my lap. He had the Bangers and Mash, which he enjoyed. The beer selection is quite impressive and having 1/2 pours available, it allows trying different beers more fun. I had a shandy which the bartender made since they don't have it on the menu and found it quite palpable. The Sticky Toffee pudding was delicious and I devoured it and wanted more. The service was a little slow as there was only one bartender and one wait staff; however, there were only 3 tables including us, so the wait wasn't too bad. It's the only place that has proven itself capable of actually having English puddings (desserts) true to form, so I'd go back if for that alone.

Been here a few times and enjoyed the real pints of British beers ( 20 oz glasses). Food was decent, people friendly and the atmosphere nice. But there Beer Week special was a bit of a disappointment. Four Scottish 10 oz brews along with pub snacks for $25. My wife and I sat down and ordered the special and the bartender opened a 12oz bottle and poured it into 2 goblets. 2 x6 = 12 not 20 oz. So be it. 5 minutes later he brought out 2 bridies (lamb patties in a light dough) which were very good. Then the rest of the beer but no more bar snacks. I thought that the beer was paired with a different snack but was told it wasn't. I said there were supposed to be bar snacks and he said they weren't. I was really annoyed. $50 + tip for 8 small beers and a bar snack? A bit much. To make amends he offered another bridie but we politely refused. In a few minutes a small platter was brought out with toasted bread, a couple slices of a radish, 2 slices of fried potato and some cheesy food in dough. Not a good experience.

Stopped here for a date night dinner/theater. Food was good, good service. I recommend finding out if there is a pub crawl in effect before you go here. Crawlers can be obnoxious and loud, which goes along w/ drinking a bit too much maybe. Nice evening though and will probably go back.

This is a pub so you are drawn in by the great selection of craft beers. But you'll miss half of the goodness if you walk out without ordering something to eat. Whether you're looking to snack on something lite or if you have a bigger appetite and are ready for a large, tasty burger, Victoria Freehouse has a nice variety of menu selections including your typical British Fish and Chips or Sheppard's Pie. But whatever you do, do not leave this pub without trying the "Devils on Horseback". One plate of these and you'll be hooked! Add the Curried Cheese Chips, another unique item, to a few starters or a burger and you're set. Service is excellent and they know their beers and wine. Tips: There is convenient, metered parking across the street and it's just across the bridge from Penn's Landing. If beer isn't your thing, they also have a decent selection of wines.

Excellent meat & cheese boards! Delicious black pudding and good selection of English beer, too. Highly suggest the bangers and mash for a twist of familiar comfort food.

If you get a hankering for English Breakfast (and I do), this place is your spot. Every Saturday during Soccer season, this place gets mobbed. Fair warning, Liverpool supporters have laid claim to this little gem, but they are friendly to all comers, except maybe Everton :) I drag myself out of bed just for their Bubble and Squeak with Sausages (or Rashers if you prefer). Definitely worth a visit.

Had lunch there yesterday, food was appalling especially what they called a ploughmans lunch, nothing like a British ploughmans, bread was stale, crisps out of date…everything else tasted re headed i.e: chips (french fries) would not recommend.

This British pub is a recent entry to the Old City scene. Located at the corner of Front/Chestnut, Victoria Freehouse exemplifies what one would find in Jolly Olde England. It is a rather sleek and modern interior: a long room dominated by a shiny bar. There are tables along the opposite wall and towards the back. But the beer selection .... excellent taps, including Speckled Hen Nitro, of many British beers. They offer two sizes: 10 ounce and imperial pint. The bottle list goes way beyond the normal though with several hard-to-find stuff. Belhaven Stout in cans, anyone? Of course, we all know the joke about "British cuisine" being an oxymoron, but the food is hearty and delish: Fish n Chips, Sausage n Chips and many favorites. They have Sunday roast beef specials and offer those lovely English puddings for a dessert. One could pretend to be in a Dickens novel with Oliver Twist approaching the bartender asking: "Please sir, could I have more .... porter?"

We tried this restaurant/bar on Halloween day so it was fairly noisy as the night went on. The wait staff was pleasant and provided recommendations. We ordered the scotch egg as an appetizer. I tried the fried fish (1/2 portion) and my husband ordered the lamb shepherd's pie both based on the waiter's recommendations. Both were very good on the heavier side though. Will come back when in Philly again.

I really want there to be a great authentic British Pub in my city. Victoria Free House has al the makings, but falls short on delivering on that message. I was incredibly disappointed in their Christmas dinner offering of what was supposed to be a "English Christmas dinner with all the fixings". I was concerned when we entered and the place did not seem at all decorated for Christmas. Additionally, and very important, the music blaring was stuff like Sting Prince et al, not a note of a Christmas carol. The meal was good, the beer was great. But it appeared that they had an idea which they were not able to fulfill.

Always pay a visit when im stateside and now they have Carlsberg on tap, proper size pint glasses and great staff, why go anywhere else. My favorite bite is the curry cheesy chips and the trivia night (on Wednesdays) is brilliant.

Stopped in after a night of pub crawling and it was near our hotel. Only one other couple in the place. Long shaped building but did not look like a pub. Kind of smelled like fish. Did have a good pint of Boddingtons and the wife was happy to see a Flake candy bar which she purchased and a good price. Bathrooms were down a steep stairway, don't know what you would do if elderly or handicapped.

Dark. Food like pub food at home. Good selection of beers. We enjoyed a shared snack. Enjoyed a Scottish ale. On the front but does not make the most of its location

This is a great place for a relaxing, casual meal in a warm pub atmosphere. There is a great variety of tasty food - something for everyone. Service is friendly and knowledgeable. They feature British beer and spirits that are hard to find elsewhere. The food is very good - creative interpretations of British fare, but with a modern, local twist. We will be back!

My husband and I had a wonderful dinner at the Victoria Freehouse when we were visiting Philadelphia in January. The food was very good, I had the Fish & Chips and my husband had the Bangers & Mash. The servers were friendly and efficient. The atmosphere was comfortable and we were able to relax and enjoy our meal together. We will definitely visit again when we are next in Philadelphia.

New restaurant in Old City. Great beer selection including two on hand pump. English food such as fish and chips, bangers and mash and shepherds pie. I had the fish and chips which was very good - large white fish in batter and chips or French fries. Located just off market street on Front street it's easy to fish and there was plenty of street parking. We went on a weekday evening and walked from train which is a good idea if you want to try some of the great beer selection. The space is nice, newly renovated for the opening and the service was friendly. I will definitely go again to try something different from the menu.

Stopped in just to check this place out since I have been on the e-mail list for months and hadn't visited. I signed up for the list after dining several times at the Freehouse's sister restaurant, The British Fish & Chip Shop, in Haddonfield, NJ, and enjoying the British fare offered there. But sadly for its being in a dry town - there is no bar in the Haddonfield establishment. Hence my desire to try the Philadelphia place, where I hoped we'd get a more authentic "pub" experience. I wasn't wrong! . At the Freehouse, we limited ourselves to bar snacks and a drink, since we were actually on our way to dine with friends and just drove by the Freehouse on a whim. We got the Welsh Rarebit and Devils on Horseback. Both were outstanding. A bottled English cider and a Hot Toddy served in a mug were just right to go with the tasty food on a very brisk day. Both were suggested by the friendly and knowledgeable barmaid - whose name I sadly forgot to write down. But she was working the bar alone at mid day on Valentine's Day, 2014, - so I think that should be enough for the manager to identify her. She was terrific... and kept us engaged and happy and well-served during our too-brief stop. The Devils were rich and creamy and full of bacony juiciness - just what I'd hoped they'd be. The Rarebit - for this daughter of a Welsh-born mother - was spot on. Our drinks gave that feeling of being back on British soil. All in all, we will return when we can stay longer and try a few of the delicious-sounding entrees. If they are as good as the appetizers, it'll be worth the trip.

My expectation were set this was an English pub , but alas no it was an American bar with English beer and a few English dishes . its Also very small the bar only seats about 20 people and there are some booths as well . I had Boddingtons beer and they did have larger and black for my wife . The bar lady was very jolly but i was not to impressed with her frequent swearing. A bar for the local who want some different beers to try.

I had a Saturday off whilst I was over on business from the UK, this English pub was showing the Champions League Final so I thought I would walk down and have a look. All the staff were very friendly and my food was lovely. Liverpool FC games are shown here too and the day I visited was Liverpool's 125th birthday, somebody had made a cake to celebrate and the cake was handed out to whoever wanted some which I think shows how friendly these guys are. Thank you and I hope to see you again soon!

Came here for a quick bite as it was convenient and I instantly became a regular visitor. The food was really good. Had the best roast beef sandwich ever and the Hot Toddy was perfect for the chilly day. Great location, awesome staff. Stop 17 on the hop on hop off tram.

This little gem is hidden away on Front Street but should not be missed. They have a great rotating draft happy hour and the best beet salad a girl could want. Go see Taylor on Monday or Tuesday; she will treat you right, be helpful with suggestions, and is a very personable young lady. I always go twice before I write a review and I will be back tomorrow.

Took my wife there for a meal. We were welcomed with blank indifference by the barman. (TV was turned up to the max which for a small pub was insufferable!) I asked about the beer and was referred to a poorly scrawled blackboard with no information about beer styles, alcohol constant or prices. The surly barmaid asked me what I wanted and told me that all the beers were from the UK. This was clearly wrong as they had a Saranac beer on tap. I then asked for a Sly Fox Bitter (brewed in Pennsylvania) - she TOLD ME! to sit down and then brought my pint over and walked away without asking what my wife would like!! After perusing the chalkboard and getting no help from the barstaff she decided not to have a beer. The beer itself was cask conditioned from a handpump which sounded promising but it had been poorly looked after - I suspect it had been sitting in the cask for some time. The final outcome of this unfortunate experience was the worst bit - we didn't stay for a meal (what a surprise!), I went to pay for this dismal pint and was asked for $7.50, I pointed out that on the table it clearly stated that between 4 and 7 pm pints were $5, she told me that this only applied to the beers that were written in red. Having said to her that she didn't point this out she was very rude but accepted my $5 dollars as if I'd robbed her. Very disappointing and very embarrassing especially as we are from the UK and my wife is called Victoria! We found a much better bar round the corner - 2nd Story which has just opened - tons better and we passed the Victoria later on to see that it was deserted.

Lucky for us there was only 3 other people in the pub when we got there as I believe the guy that works there cooks as well as being the server and bar man. The food was really great though and the beer and cider selection was terrific. So glad I picked it as a must visit. Definitely returning if I go back to Philly. The food was pretty reasonably priced and very much worth it. The menu had so much on it it was really tough to decide. We go the Full English breakfast, Bubble and Squeak with rashers, and a sausage roll. Cooked perfectly and came out quick. My girlfriend's parents are English and said the food was great. This is definitely a place I would frequent; also helps they are obviously big on Liverpool FC as there was a scarf behind the bar and a flag behind where I sat.

Easy spot on front street with friendly service and British Isles beer and food. Fish and chips, Welsh Rarebit & more! Bartender is very informative.

Food was good and our waitress was nice. Nice setting near the Delaware River. We are glad we stopped in.

Authentic looking pub you might find in England. When we first arrived Ben Franklin was giving a talk which was very entertaining. Our waiter was nice and helpful but the waitress was rude and pushy. Our party got fish and chips and the chicken and chips, both were excellent. There is a nice selection of beers and the ones we got were very good.

We bought an Amazon deal and went this past weekend. The place is really nicely decorated, in an hip part of the city, and within walking distance of PATCO . The Tikka Pizza was awesome - we both loved it. My husband got the lamb burger special and said it was delicious and my vegetable curry was great too - the portion was large enough that I ate the 2nd half of it for dinner at home the next night. Beers were between $5.75 and $8.00 but all were imported and most were ones I'd never heard of before so it was fun to try them (and they were all pretty tasty). We both agreed we would definitely go back again.

The selection of British beers on tap is impressive and rotates fairly often. This allows one to try new beers or stick to old favorites. The service is very good and attentive --both the servers and the bartender. I have eaten here several times and the food is very good. I especially enjoy the fish and chips as well as the bangers and mash. This week, I stopped in for the Sunday roast, which featured a generous portion of roast beef and a lovely Yorkshire pudding, along with the veggies. This is right now a hidden gem, but will no doubt grow in popularity as word gets out.

Wife and I came here with some friends. We split time between the UK and US. So thought it might be nice to get a taste of UK since we have been in the US all summer. We had the fish and chips, a sausage roll, and a scotch egg. The fish was very delicious. Proper batter like in the UK. The chips were a bit burnt/dark, but ok. The scotch egg was done right. But had a strange slightly sweet taste. But overall wasn't bad. Just not quite exactly like it's done in the UK. The sausage roll stole the show. It was done right and tasted like a legit British sausage roll. I'd come back and get a few of these. The beer list was good. Nice variety of authentic British Beer, including Fullers, Wells, and one of my favs, Wychwood Hobgoblin. It was empty when we came in. Service was fast and friendly. Nice atmosphere. Great little place. Would definitely return if in the area.

I had a Sausage Roll for an appetizer. Dinner was a Steak and Bacon Pie. Both were very tasty. To drink I started with Tellamore Dew on the rocks and finished with a 10oz Magners Apple Cider at Happy hour pricing.

This was an excellent find. After reading about this place in some online "best British food in Philly" article, I decided to check it out. It's a small, quaint pub in a quiet section of Front Street and we got there just in time to take advantage of their happy hour specials: $5 draft beers (I had the ESB on nitro...excellent), half priced pub snacks and buck-a-shuck oysters. We shared an order of oysters, which were fresh and cold and served with cocktail sauce as well as an order of the scotch egg. The egg was only ok, as I generally am a fan of soft-boiled eggs in my scotch eggs...this one was hardboiled and lacked the creaminess of a runny yolk center. I also had the bangers and mash as recommended by our waitress and was able to taste some of my girlfriend's shepherd's pie. The bangers and the spicy mustard-infused mashed potatoes were great and drizzled with rich onion gravy. The shepherd's pie was also very good, though it did have a bit of a tomato-rich flavor in the filling, which surprised me. Overall, this was a homey and relaxing pub with a lot to offer. FYI they also have quizzo on Wednesday nights...we will definitely be back!

With all the other options in a short walk, there is no reason to go here, except if you really stretch it and want to drink at the closest existing bar to spot where the Tun Tavern stood, but even then I would recommend elsewhere. Service is lackluster, atmosphere is uninspired, and the food is just lousy.

Great atmosphere. Excellent service. Delicious food. I always enjoy visiting the Victoria Freehouse!

Took my wife for dinner before the early New Years eve fireworks in Philadelphia. Had been past several times but never stopped in. Smaller place than I thought. More contemporary fell than the name might imply. We did not make reservations because the website said reservations only accepted for parties of 6 or greater. We were told at the door that we could sit at the bar because they see booked up for the next 2 hrs. We watched from the bar but most tables were empty. Being New Years eve, the staff was very small and bar service. Was very slow. Several people left because teh wait was so long. We stayed and were rewarded with some great food. I enjoy fish and chips at pubs so I tried it here. Wonderful is all I can say. Light batter, fish done perfectly and the chips were very good. Wife has bangers and mash. Very good. Will we return? Time will tell

By all means go to Front Street and eat/drink at the Victoria Freehouse. Very friendly pub, good beer, good food and good service. Try the mushy peas! And the fish and chips.

We have been here twice. Parking is free around 4:45 pm and on Wednesdays. The food is very good and so are the drinks. The downside is the wait staff sort of have an attitude. They aren't but act as though they are doing you a favor. We also saw one waitress eating off customer's dirty plates. I would give it a 5 if their wait staff were friendlier but it is fun to visit and they don't frown upon young children.

Came for dinner on a Sunday, went in at 5:30pm and was the only patron. Never got crowded, which was nice. Ordered a pint, which was on the pricier side at $7.50, and the Shepard's Pie for $19. While I felt the price for the pie was high, it was absolutely delicious. I love Shepard's Pie and I would certainly go back for this meal again. The ambiance was nice, they had a few TVs, it was dimly lit, and the staff person working was very nice.

We enjoyed our lunch here. The service was friendly, fast, and personable. The portions were adequate, but smaller than the typical pub food we were expecting. Nice flavors though. We were glad to have used a groupon.

Great bar to watch Liverpool soccer. Menu had standard Britain pub food but quite expensive. $13 salads? $20 Fish and Chips? $14 fish sandwiches? Not worth it Place has two floors but most people gather on first floor. It’s a fun environment for soccer however They Need more updated Televisions and need to upgrade from the (3) 38inch TVs above the bar. They have a good draft list. -parking lot outside the bar - WiFi isn’t strong - unisex bathrooms are in basement

Dinner at the Victoria Freehouse wsas very good. Fish and chips. The beer selection was great, also the soda selection was more specialized. Nice place to stop in for a bite and drink.

The Victoria Freehouse is on Front Street not far from the historic district. We had fish and chips which was tasty but nothing special. This isn't a bad place to eat but nothing particularly memorable.

The two of us stopped by for an after work happy hour drink & snacks -- cask ale (Well's) along with devils on horseback, welsh rarebit and potted trout hit all the right notes. We will be back to try more of the menu items and other beer selections.

As a Brit who is now a US citizen. I've spent years exploring so-called British pubs in America, only to be disappointed by the offerings and lack of knowledge about British pub food and beer. But finally an establishment with an authentic menu (curry dishes aside) and real British pints of draught beer such as London Pride and Old Speckled Hen. And the small menu reads like the menu from a traditional British pub: Shepherd's Pie (delicious), Fish & Chips (delicious portions of flaky fish), Bangers & Mash (delicious) and so on. Service is good, staff and locals are friendly. On the down side, the pub is rather dark but its biggest problem is location. It's located in an out of the way spot by the river around the corner from Market St (but alongside I-95) so it can't pull in passing traffic. We only found out about it from a billboard round the corner near one of Philly's top cheesesteak houses.

Tons of traditional English food fair, typically on par with lacking spice or flavor. Fish of the Fish and Chips is amazing, but the chips/fries tend to have a 'cooked in old oil' flavor, being mushy and cold most of the time. Be prepared to drop twenty bucks for this fare. The beers are also some of the higher priced for the neighborhood, averaging around 8 dollars a pour. Even locals like Yards or Sly Fox are 2-3 doors more than neighbors, which is pretty ridiculous when you think that Yards is literally a mile or less away. Lunch hours the place is pretty dead, with never more than 4-5 people there. Happy hour tends to pick up toward the end of the week, but I still don't think I've ever seen it packed. Decor is nice, and clean. Barstaff have been light on beer knowledge in the past with beers spelled wrong on the menus and boards, and barely knowing the difference between beer styles. They are British heavy on the brews as well, which might suggest why you're paying 8 bucks for a Boddingtons, but still I have a hard time swallowing that.

This place opens early, puts footie on the TVs, serves breakfasts with generous portions, and has a bunch of quality english beers. A great place to be on a Saturday and Sunday morning.

Visited here twice during our vacation from UK.Couldn't fault it.Food was good and they had a fair selection of ales.The staff were very friendly and really attentive.The first visit we went they were having a Harry Potter Quiz night which was fun.Definately worth a visit.

A great bar by any standards but if you support L.F.C. and there is a game on you must go! Good beer and food with a warm welcome.

We had dinner and drinks with family and friends. The beer selection is excellent. The food was wholesome , simple and well prepared British favorites. Great service and atmosphere. Will definitely return.

Very nice pub with a menu full of real British classics and great beer selection with a few cask ales. People complain about the service but we had no problems. Our waitress was nice but to the point, answered my questions but didn't feel the need to chat away. Very much like the service I have had in the UK. Full English was very good and welsh rarebit a treat.

Stopped by on a Saturday evening prior to a concert at Festival Pier for a few drinks. Service was quick and friendly. Tried the Curried Cheese Chips and they were amazing. Definitely stop by if you get a chance.

We wanted a bit of dinner but nothing fancy. We kept seeing the sign on our way back to the hotel. It was a block away from hotel. We walked in, now if we knew it was Pub trivia night we would have signed up to play and came a bit earlier. Trivia game was ending second going into third round. The trivia host was great. The service was great, the fish and chip was good, my husband had the sausage and chips. I had tea and my husband had a beer I don't remember the name of it . The décor was nice. They didn't rush us we knew the answers to the trivia questions if we played. It is a nice place for some good English pub grub. It was my birthday weekend I had ice cream for dinner and fish and chips for dessert. Because I could. For rating purposes I labeled it as dinner.

Went for dinner with the family on a rainy evening. Victoria treehouse was relatively empty ( only another table was occupied and another single patron at the bar). Despite the sparse audience it was a challenge to get service, order and get drink refills. Very disappointing. On the flip side - the food was excellent. We ordered for appetizers the beet deviled eggs - amazing, a real step up from the standard deviled eggs that really made it special. We also had the charcuterie with cheese and chicken Pate which was also excellent - especially the chicken Pate. It also came with excellent butter. For entrees we had the fish and chips - good and greasy with restaurant cur fries. Such a rarity and expertly done. We also had the shepards pie which was one of the best restaurant made I had. Finally the burger was also excellent. For dessert the sticky toffee pudding is excellent. One of the best desserts ever. All in all - this could be one of the best places in philly - if they just invest in service. This could have been a 5* easily.

I cannot figure out why people are jamming themselves in to the bars on Market street and waiting forever to get a drink when this place is just around the corner. Nice beer selection with great cask beers on tap. For there late and they let us order from the regular menu. Not expecting much for the last call on dinner but wow, amazing food and good portions. Did the cheese platter, except some small slices like other places, no way, they were huge and delicious with the walnuts, chutney and bread tossed in. Also for the wings, again impressed with how good they were. The place is where Swanky Bubbles was (am I showing my age???), I hope it does better than that place did. Will be coming back.

Yes, the wonderful Fuller's ales - London Pride, Porter and ESB - can be found at this fine establishment. The Victoria Freehouse has a solid pub menu, well executed and with some fun twists like Devils on Horseback (delicious bacon wrapped dates). The Scotch Eggs were tasty also. I've included a photo of them, which was difficult because the table wanted to dig in. They didn't last a minute. EPL on tv, a convivial crowd, a friendly, fun and quite good wait staff. Habit forming. Now part of my Philly visit rotation. Enjoy!

I had been dying to check out this place since signing up for their email list. I received an email about their New Year's Day brunch specials - drinks for $5 and Full English Breakfasts and bacon pancakes for $10. I went here with my husband and another couple. The service was slow, and I'm not sure why because there were only 2 other parties in the group. (Maybe management only had 1 waitress working?) I had to ask for napkins, butter, condiments, sugar, etc. Even so our server was nice and pleasant. The food was pretty good, but the special prices were not honored even after I mentioned the email advertising the brunch prices. I didn't see our waitress for awhile after, so the 4 of us just paid the full price which we weren't happy about. The only reason I went there New Year's day was for the special. So I'm not impressed with this place and won't be returning - they should fix their PR and email list and management should communicate with their staff better.

Lackluster yet huge portions of ersatz British pub fare. Tasteless bright green "mushy peas" seemed more like Birdseye than British and were inedible. The cheerful bartender removed them from the bill at least. Texas Toast posing as Welsh Rarebit comprised two thick slabs of slightly toasted white bread with a thin coating of something resembling cheddar cheese. Chicken and Chips were nothing more than chicken fingers covered in a greasy batter and deep fried. The Chips themselves were hugely portioned yet nothing special at all. I would not recommend this place to anybody, especially anybody who has actually been to the UK and may have sampled a pub lunch there. two words: Bloody Awful.

Every time we stop in here, it feels so personal. There never is a large crowd of people here. It is the perfect place to sit down and pour back a few and catch up without the loud crowds. They always have a great music selection playing. The place just gives that nostalgic historic feel. The staff is on point keeping the drinks coming. A definite stop when we visit Philly.

I really hate leaving bad reviews, but I guess when you only leave honest reviews, leaving a bad one is bound to happen at some point. Basically I went to Victoria Freehouse on a hot Sunday night for dinner with my wife, and we were disappointed with the food and the service. My wife and I shared a burger, and the chicken and chips, along with the mac and cheese appetizer. The mac and cheese had no flavor whatsoever, the burger tasted strange and gamey, and the chicken really tasted like fish. At first, I thought there had been a mix up, and I had gotten fish, but no, it was just chicken that tastes exactly like fish. The food was disgusting in an otherwise clean looking place. I was also denied any sort of dipping sauce for the chicken, and was essentially scolded for wanting to use a dipping sauce. The waitress, who I also suspect owns the place, insisted that the chicken tenders have enough flavor on their own, ordering me twice to eat them without any sauce. (Maybe using dipping sauce is not the traditional English way to eat chicken fingers, but I'm trying to choke down chicken that tastes and smells exactly like rotten fish, PLUS we are the only two customers in here at dinner time, so why are you being to nasty to me?!?!) The same waitress/owner kept hovering over us, and when we had started with eating the fries before our main courses, she came over snapping at us about why we weren't eating the food yet. (Just starting with a few fries, what's wrong with that?!?!) Then, she just kept coming over, and making comments like "See, I told you that you didn't any dipping sauce," with a fairly bad attitude. Overall, it was just a terrible experience with terrible food, and terrible service. My wife and I got out of there as quickly as possible, and will not be returning.

We only came here for one drink but Rita made us feel so welcome we stayed there for the night. Only had drinks but had a good night.

This is a great little British style bar with great food and a good selection of beer. I was here for the Super Bowl and the atmosphere was great and friendly. Staff were happy to chat and recommend food and drink options. Would definitely recommend this bar.