10 Arts Lounge

should have gone to Applebees and saved $ 100 on the bill…
The food was way too salty, and our server didn’t ask if we wanted a second glass of wine when clearly ours were empty. At the end of the meal he asked «if we were done with our food»… like we were in a mess hall. I expected much more from the Ritz. The music they had on in the dining room was 80’s rock. Instead of a $ 130 bill we should have just gone to Applebees and spent $ 30.

Tastes of Philadelphia signature cocktails are $ 15. Got the 10 Arts Old Fashioned (old fashioned made with cranberry bitters). It tasted okay, couldn’t really taste the cranberry. Had basically no booze in it. The primary ingredient should be whiskey. Would not recommend.

Good drinks and nice atmosphere. But it should not take almost 30 minutes to get a drink!

Having eaten here many times with the previous chefs and management, I was hoping the new staff could live up to the previous standards…
Carpaccio: sweet ketchup-​berry like sauce ruined this dish. Its an interpretation, not a traditional style. You may like it, but be warned its not what you are expecting.
Tuna nicoise has a dark and heavy dressing, the tuna was over cooked, whole dish was way too salty. Def skip this menu item.
Gnocchi was ok, not much pumpkin flavor and the toasted seeds are overpowering. It’s not a dish I would ever order again.
Smoked duck breast wasn’t cooked properly. The fat wasnt properly rendered and the outer portion not seared correctly. This left chewy and raw/​silvery veins of fat in the meat, and raw duck has almost no flavor. The in-​house smoking of the breast was overwhelming in flavor. The brussel sprouts served alongside in the cast iron skillet were burnt and had a charred taste to them.
Overall, a very disappointing dining experience that now has me warning fellow Center City friends to avoid ever going back here!
Biance, still feel like a public space, too noisy from the hotel lobby. Poinding bass plus loudlix of voices in ateium
Cheap wine list

Came here for Happy Hour Friday evening. Boy, when I walked in did I feel like royalty! It probably didn’t hurt that I’m friends with one of the managers {but this is an honest review}. After having the door held for me, I was immediately offered cider or champagne at the door. Ooooo. Ritzyyy! There’s lots of bar tables, or lounge tables with sofa seats. I sat at the bar with the friendly Foussey.
Split their famous hot chocolate with my friend. It’s a large cup and comes with all these toppings in a cute box, fondue style. M&M’s, whipped cream, sprinkles, hazelnut, etc! Like I don’t even like hot chocolate but it was SO COOOL.
Their happy hour includes $ 4 wine. I’d sip on that unless you are a true Ritz Carlton-​er and can ball out on the $ 15 cocktails. In which case, hit me up, I’ll go with you.
If you’re looking for experience and impeccable service during happy hour, here’s your spot!

Since the day it opened, the 10 Arts Lounge (and its predecessors) has been on our short list of favorite venues for smart cocktails and happy hour. One would be hard-​pressed to find a space in Philly more grand than or better suited to people watching than the glorious domed 10 Arts Lounge. A bonus is that on virtually every visit, we have seen a politico, celeb or other distinguished Philadelphian. Worth a stop for the architectural wonder (as fellow Unilocalers have observed) even if you are not staying for cocktails.
Among my favorite summer cocktails is the white sangria, which is chock full of seasonal berries. We also enjoy test driving the happy hour drink specials and have had some rather delicious wines for $ 5/​glass.
A quick word about happy hour is that it reached its apex under Chef Eric Ripert. During that (sadly, now concluded) era, 10 Arts offered myriad happy hour apps for $ 5 a plate. Some of which (e.g. the sliders, cheese plate) were out-​of-​this-​world. On many occasions we had such a great time enjoying the delicious apps that we just skipped dinner. The new régime, however, has significantly ratcheted back on the happy hour offerings, and we, consequently, find ourselves at 10 Arts less frequently. Under Chef Ripert, 10 Arts warranted a 5 star rating. Under the current régime, it gets 4 stars (and that rating is based in part on historic good will and sentiment).

The location is pretty cool… in a huge open area of the building; lots of marble and very high ceilings. Overall, very impressive. A good place for a drink and a small bite to each. The food was decent, but a bit inconsistent; some of the appetizers we got were pretty good, especially the dumplings, but others were just OK. An interesting place to see and be seen, but the food is just OK.

Super Awesome food and service.
I am a vegetarian and don’t eat fish. They made me a spacial zucchini risotto which I am dying to have again. Very good food and of course good service and ambiance :)
Also, I am in love with their french lentil soup xoxo

If you want an escape from your middle class life, why not roll into the Ritz Carlton on a Saturday evening? I think opulent is the correct word, or impressive. Maybe I don’t frequent high class establishments enough.
Drinks were expensive, as expected. However, they had a decent beer selection for $ 5 – 7. I guess even the Ritz can only mark up a beer so much. Only MAJOR complaint was some of the patrons were being a little rowdy. I’m all for getting drunk and loud, but not over $ 15 cocktails. And if you are going to bother having a dress code, enforce it. Sweat pants are not ’ dressy casual’. Sometimes you need to save the idiots from themselves, before they annoy the customers who almost have this place a 5 star rating.
Now I know reviews on Unilocal are a little misleading sometimes. How can the bar at the Ritz have 3 stars while Oscar’s Tavern has 5 stars? Its about perspective and expectations. I come here, slap down $ 30 for 2 drinks and want to feel special. And Besides the building/​surroundings, I didn’t get that. It felt like a Manayunk bar in expensive sheep’s clothing. Don’t get me wrong, I live in Manayunk and frequent the bar scene routinely, but again, its the Ritz… expectations.
I just want to know where a couple can go to have a quiet drink when they want to get all fancied up? Is that so much to ask?
All that being said, I’ll throw on a tie and attend $ 5 happy hour and feel important for a couple hours. C’mon… It’s the freakin’ Ritz.

Man oh man this place was a scene when I stopped in for a drink on a Saturday night a few weeks back. All you’d ever want from a hotel bar in the Ritz-​Carlton. Let me explain:
— Well dressed older men with women they OBVIOUSLY were paying to be there? Oh yes, like a 50 year gap. Filthy, thinly veiled foreplay. Beautiful to observe.
— Well dressed groups of younger (30s-​40s) folks? Yup. Stuck me as non-​Philly people. This is because they were, as stated, well dressed and also attractive. In a fake kind of way.
— Well dressed people carrying small plants? Yes. And I have no idea why.
— Cathedral like setting? Like sipping wine in the Pantheon. Not the Parthenon. Did you know they were different? I didn’t until just now.
— Expensive drinks? Of course, it’s the Ritz dammit.
Summary: People were well dressed, could pay for pleasure, liked small plants, and drank expensive drinks under a large dome.

This is the best kept secret for Happy Hour. Great prices, solid snacks and good wine. The best, and most obvious thing is the space itself: It’s GORGEOUS.
The only reason for the 4 star review rather than 5, is that the service can be spotty at times, and I be needing my cheap wine and snacks in a timely matter. lol.

This is the best hotel bar ever. And I have been to quite a few this year.
Just remember, this is part of a hotel so the music, etc may not be the best.
Great cocktail list as well.

This is going to be my least useful review.
I was here with friends for Center City Sips. The space was nice… maybe a little tacky. The drink and appetizer menu was okay at best. The food was fine, but overpriced for the serving size.
It seemed a little overrated. I would go back only by invitation.

Summary: Okayish drinks (possibly due to Sips event), Great apps, Good service
CC’s Sips event was coming to a close, and we wanted to try some of the places that would normally be cost prohibitive to go to, so 10 Arts Lounge got the bid.
The lounge looks very nice, located in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton Philadelphia. Huge room, wonderful dome ceiling, and towering Roman columns all make this palatial room have a great ambiance. Mood lighting just sweetens the deal.
None of the drinks were that great, as everything seemed watered down and very weak. Granted, this could have been because of the huge attendance for the Sips event, but it was still a bit off-​putting. Drinks were 3 $ for beers, 4 $ for wines (Chardonnay and Cabernet), and 5 $ for cocktails (one with vodka, the other with rum).
Nevertheless, the appetizers/​food more than made up for it. The oysters (from what I heard) were fantastic, and are priced at 1.50 a pop (instead of their usual 3 $). The pretzels (5 $ for Sips, normally 8 $) were warm, buttery, and delicious! Fantastic stuff, and the dipping sauces (spicy mustard, jalapeño jam, and nacho cheddar) that went along with them really sealed the deal. The jam was a tad too sweet for my liking, but the fiery kick at the end (from the jalapeño) definitely made me appreciate it. Our order of fries (5 $ for Sips, normally 8 $) was predominantly crunchy and awesome, and was seasoned perfectly. Sadly, they were served with a simple ketchup.
While definitely pricey at their normal rates, the prices during Sips were a lot more manageable and we got away with our wallets relatively unscathed. Service was good as well, and while a little slow, it was certainly to be expected with the volume of people that our poor server had to deal with. If anything, my only gripe with the service was that they should add 1 – 2 more floor attendants to expedite the cleaning of tables as they free up.
All in all, it was a great experience, and I’ll be sure to come back some time in the future to try them again (hopefully for another special event)!

Am I am at the Ritz-​Carlton? Why are he drinks not a million and one dollars? I am confused. However, they are a thousand dollars… Kidding aside, they are tad pricier than normal.
I hate being in a CROWDED bar — and this place is NEVER super packed, but it is «vibrant.» I like that you can usually find a place at the bar or the couches that are in the huge atrium lobby. They also have table service so I appreciate that.
They participate in Center City sips, which I was shocked, so +10 points for 10 Arts.
Next time you are looking for an after work or late night drink — this is a good place.

I was completely blown away by the happy hour special here (Mon-​Fri, 5 – 7). All of their apps are only $ 5 (with the exception of oysters). I tried the grilled flatbread with spinach and saloumi. It was the perfect size and it was extremely good. The striped bass ceviche also came out to our table. It was incredibly flavorful, fresh, and wasn’t overly fishy. For drinks, the wine by the glass is only $ 5, but we opted to go with their cocktails. I had the bubbles and berries and was also able to have a couple sips of the cucumber martini. Both were very pricey, but amazing nonetheless. Even though there was a reception going on here, I was surprised how quiet it was. If you’re in need of a swanky happy hour, look no further. 10 Arts Lounge brings their A game.

I think my current Duke status is pretty amusing considering that I have been here twice. The first time was following the Rittenhouse Row Spring Preview Party that was happening at the Ritz. The second was for happy hour. I do love the happy hour. It’s a swanky setting with $ 5 all apps and $ 5 glasses of wine, which is pretty great and the pours of wine are solid. Get the cheese plate. Oh, and how could I not mention the awesome couches. Anyplace that wants to serve me delicious wine and let me sit on a couch is a 4 star place to me.

I’m actually loving 10 Arts Lounge more and more every time I go. The bartenders are pretty awesome, and they make some good drinks.
I go for the pretzels. Seriously. Those $ 8 little pretzels. They are amazing. The drinks are pretty good too (as I mentioned in my previous review) Not to mention the place is just flat out gorgeous at night.

I finally made it to 10 Arts. Well, I made it to the lounge, anyway. It was a Thursday, later in the night and we arrived to a pretty lively scene. A DJ was situated in a corner and ladies were dolled up like it was prime time on Saturday.
Our threesome grabbed one of the only high tops available, and we perused the bar menu while ordering martinis and Manhattans. While I personally found the prices to be on the high side, we were undeterred as we had already imbibed and on empty stomachs no less. We ordered some oysters, some pretzels and a flatbread pizza.
The oysters were so perfect, so delicious, that we ordered another round. At $ 3 a pop, they add up quickly. The pretzels, while tasty when dunked in the spicy mustard and cheese sauces, were probably not worth their eight dollar price tag.
I will definitely return for another swanktified evening, but more likely for happy hour or the final drink of a night out.

10 Arts Lounge[1] at the Ritz-​Carlton is worth a visit. Their immense rotunda is its most impressive feature, regal, and absolutely appropriate for a ritzy[2] night out. While there is no formal dress code that I’m aware of, the setting simply demands classy attire.
Speaking of classy, I ordered shots at the bar. We appreciated the bartender’s heavy hand, especially considering the price per shot. Table-​side, Olena provided on-​point service. Someone popped open a bottle of champagne, and I sipped away, my eyes constantly pulled skyward.
Their bar isn’t all style, there’s substance too; during my last visit, a bartender mixed me a divine screwdriver, prepared with gin instead of vodka.
[1] Thanks to a friend for hosting her birthday reception mixer (that’s a mouthful) here — I wouldn’t have known it existed otherwise.
[2] I couldn’t resist.