Bud and Marilyn's holds the corner of 13th and Locust in the centre of Midtown Village, a retro American restaurant and bar from Philadelphia chefs Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran that has run the room since 2015.
The name honours Turney's grandparents, who kept a restaurant in Ripon, Wisconsin, and the design follows the memory: midcentury booths, warm lighting and a long bar built for a drink before dinner. Who would love it: anyone who wants comfort food and a proper cocktail in the same sitting, on the block that defines the Midtown Village dining strip. Who would skip it: drinkers after a quiet speakeasy, because the room runs sociable and full once service starts.
The bar is the reason to arrive early. The list leans on handmade American classics rather than long modern builds, backed by an affordable wine list and a rotation of local craft beers on tap, a setup the kitchen describes as straightforward by design. The Infatuation and OpenTable reviewers both single out the bar seats as the easiest way in on a busy night, since the dining room books up well ahead on weekends.
On the plate, the kitchen runs nostalgic American comfort food updated with local ingredients. The fried chicken is the dish reviewers return to, served alongside pupu platters and a short rib stroganoff that lean into the retro theme without tipping into kitsch. It is the kind of menu that pairs cleanly with a Manhattan or a cold lager rather than a complicated cocktail.
Best time to go is the early evening bar window before the dinner rush, or the weekend brunch service when the room is calmer. Reservations are recommended for tables, but walk in bar seating usually opens up on weeknights. The 13th Street corridor puts it within a short walk of the rest of the Midtown Village bars, which makes it a natural first or last stop.
Bud and Marilyn's earns a place on a Center City night out. Compare it against the rooms in our best cocktail bars in Philadelphia guide, browse the wider Philadelphia bar guide, or see how it reads among the country's best on our cocktail bars pillar.
