Branzino Italian RistoranteGarden area is MagicalBranzino is always consistently excellent. We did have an issue getting seated. When making the reservation on Open Table I requested a table outside in their garden area. (If you haven't dined in the Garden in nice weather, you should!)
I know the Garden is first come first served. No problem. I arrived at the restaurant 30 minutes early to put my name in for a table. The hostess (speaking broken English) suggested an inside table only. (We were having a translation issue.) I asked for the manager. The second hostess and I had similar issues until I demanded to wait for an outside table. Magically 10 minutes later I was seated outside. We had a wonderful experience. Great food. Great service. Great ambiance!6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place with good foodGreat place with good food and nice that it is a byob. I would definitely bring people here in the future.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMStrip Steak???2nd time at restaurant - 1st time strip steak was excellent. This time it was full of gristle and fat. Told the owner about it.
Otherwise, everything was delicious.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMThe quality and creativityThe quality and creativity of the food has certainly improved with the addition of a talented new chef. The rooms are still a bit dated and the service is decent, but the food more than makes up for those shortcomings.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, service not so muchWe had dinner at Branzino last week and liked it. The food was delicious, everything came promptly and as-ordered. The service was pretty rough around the edges, though. Our waitress was new (we think) and we had a tough time understanding her accent; the overall staff left a good amount to be desired when it came to polish/politeness. Nothing was particularly wrong, per se... But lots of small stuff added up. An example: we definitely were uncomfortable when we asked to have our (very large) appetizers packed up so we could bring them home, and then had two big plastic bags with our food put right in front of us on top of the table a minute later; we obviously moved them under the table so our entrees could be put down in their place.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a find!We understand why there are so many "regulars" at this restaurant. We will join them! We loved meeting the owner who lent his personal touch by conversing with us and sincerely soliciting our feedback. My husband is French and very scrutinizing in his critique of restaurants, not only the food, but the ambiance and service. He has definitely become a fan. Naturally we all had to try the traditional Branzino dish which was spectacular - perfectly cooked and beautifully presented.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMBYOBDon't forget to bring your own wine! We forgot, but managed to share with the table next to us who brought an extra bottle. That was our problem, not anything negative about Branzino. The food was interesting, well-prepared, well-presented and tasty. We will definitely return, being sure to bring the wine.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMA Great TimeVery good atmosphere and the service was very exceptional and friendly. Would definitely go again.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMLovely restaurantcharming outdoor patio in the rear, enclosed city garden/patio area. Good Italian food. BYOB like many Philly italian restaurants.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was really very good.The food was really very good. There were seven of us and everybody said his or hers was great. We had chosen Branzino with the desire to sit outside but it was too cold. The restaurant itself, however, was so warm that diners were walking outside to get air. Eventually, the air kicked on and it was comfortable. We were disappointed with service. Six out of seven main courses were delivered at once. Some were finished their meals by the time the seventh arrived. The server did apologize but something else should have been offered--removing the meal from the check or an offer of bread or salad to the gentleman who was in that awkward position.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect choice for dinnerMade reservations for our group of eight and all in the party were impressed with the quality and presentation of their meals. The staff was very attentive, the selections were generous and the setting ideal for our pre-show dining. I had the soup of the day, a salad and a primi pasta; all delicious!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGood Time was had by allThe food was delicious. The halibut was better than the branzino. Our waiter was attentive and knowledgeable.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent meal and attentiveExcellent meal and attentive service. Only distraction was the noise level from a large group.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have dined there in theWe have dined there in the past, but now they have a new chef, and the food is even better. Best mussels I have ever had; plump, juicy and tender. The whole Branzino was not over cooked and just melted in your mouth. Very attentive service, and great dessert selection.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was wonderful!Everything was wonderful! Best gnocchi I've had in a very long time.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always, our go-to placeAs always, our go-to place for delicious fish and pasta.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved our dinner at Branzino....TheLoved our dinner at Branzino....The crab ravioli was awesome and my husband loved his veal chop. Excellent service and ambience. Love that it is a BYOB.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were in town for our anniversaryWe were in town for our anniversary and found Branzino online and took a chance. We had a really lovely evening with wonderful service and delicious food. We would happily return. Our only caveat is that the larger, upstairs room in the back of the restaurant is quite noisy. At first we were going to be seated there but after listening to the noise level asked to be seated in the smaller room at the front of the restaurant. Once we were seated below, we had a wonderful 28th anniversary dinner. The BYOB is a great way to go.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful restaurant featuringWonderful restaurant featuring grown up food for sophisticated palates. Old World service coupled to a very contemporary palate. The roasted butternut squash ravioli were of Michelin quality. Place to go when you want the real deal in terms of service, sophisticated ambiance, and a kitchen that knows the importance of perfect preparation.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful dinner. The fishWonderful dinner. The fish was perfection. Still one of the best and most dependable restaurants. New chef hasn't made an impact yet. Will wait to see what his vision is.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMWOW, WOW, WOWHad an early reservation in one of the smaller side rooms and requested seating conducive for conversation so the ambiance & noise level were wonderful. The main dining area is beautiful and can be lively so depending on the "reason" for your dinner you may want to ask for specific seating areas. The food and service were incredible~ two of the three party members order the signature Branzino fish. WOW, WOW, WOW. This is BYOB, a rare find in Philly,so we were inclined to order appetizers & dessert~ which we did and were thrilled.
We will be back.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were a large group forWe were a large group for dinner and it was really nice. The ambiance was pretty and confortable. The meal was delicious and attractive to the eye. The wait staff was courteous and mindful.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was a Sunday night visitThis was a Sunday night visit and I want to point out that, although the food is awesome any time you go there, service and ambiance is quite different on a Sunday night from an average Friday or Saturday night. This night, the back dining room was closed, so all diners were seated in the smaller front dining room. This created a much cozier,more intimate ambiance than one experiences on a Saturday night, when the place is likely to be very full and contain several large groups. I like it either way but I really enjoyed this quieter experience.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a wonderful time lastWe had a wonderful time last night her for my birthday. BYOB, Mozzarella Salad, Arugula Salad, Risotto, and Pappardelle, are all delicious. I highly suggest this restaurant!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMa charming restaurant witha charming restaurant with delicious food. Ihad forgotten it was byob-so a word of warning -do bring yor own--really pretty restuatnat good people watching and truly delicious3/4/2013 12:00:00 AMI have eaten at Branzino severalI have eaten at Branzino several times in the past 4 months - each time it gets better and everyone that we take to this lovely BYOB enjoys it just as much as we do the food and the service are outstanding and the prices are very reasonable.2/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWent during restaurant weekWent during restaurant week - great service - wonderful foot - a true treasure that is hard to beat! Even a great BYOB when it is not Restaurant week - fish/meats/pasta all are excellent at this gem.2/1/2013 12:00:00 AM