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Summer Associate Lunch Suggestions: Philadelphia

Lunch.jpgWe enjoy writing about food here at ATL. Justin Bernold has been running lunch-related surveys, while Kash has been collecting restaurant tips for summer associates. See all of our food coverage here.

During our recent stop in Los Angeles, we discovered via comments that L.A. restaurants may give non-"Movie Biz" folks the shaft, even senior partners.

So we're moving on to PHILADELPHIA, where we imagine attorneys get the mad respect they deserve.

When not chowing down on cheesesteaks, where do attorneys and summer associates dine out in Philly? This is Philadelphia Magazine's Best-of List. Which places make the lawyerly list?cheesesteak.jpg

Kash's gastronomical tour is winding down, with remaining stops in Texas and the Pacific Northwest. If you want ATL to stop in your city for restaurant suggestions, let us know in the tips.

Best of Philly 2007 [Philadelphia Magazine]

Earlier: Summer Associate Lunch Suggestions in Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; Chicago; New York City; Boston; and Los Angeles.

Comments
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1 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:02 PM

Philly Boy Roy loves the hoagies from WaWa's

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2 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:06 PM

Capital Grille has a great lunch menu M-F until 3. My fave is the steak sandwich ($17).

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3 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:06 PM

Alma de Cuba - or anything by Stephen Starr, for that matter.

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4 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:11 PM

Fogo de Chao (or however you spell it). Brazilian steakhouse that has a flat fee lunch special ($25 if memory serves).

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5 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:14 PM

Barclay Prime - $100 kobe cheesesteak

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6 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:17 PM

Brasserie Perrier

Susanna Foo

Matyson

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7 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:19 PM

"So we're moving on to PHILADELPHIA, where we imagine attorneys get the mad respect they deserve."

Because there is nothing else going on in Philly..... Not like LA (showbiz), NY (finance), SF (tech), etc.

At least there is some city where lawyers can be the top dogs.

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8 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:20 PM

I live in NYC, but have always been curious about Morimoto's....anyone been there?

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9 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:22 PM

1:19 - I've never heard the term "LA Lawyer"

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10 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:23 PM

I was at Morimoto's last year -- it was great. Dinner, tasting menu. Fantastic (and the same meal would have cost maybe 50 percent more in NYC).

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11 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:24 PM

street meat cart on the corner of 18th and JFK

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12 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:25 PM

John Kerry is an enormous D-Bag.

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13 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:25 PM

Rouge

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14 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:25 PM

these SA lunch suggestion threads are dull. who cares? (unless the SA does something really inappropriate at lunch)

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15 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:27 PM

We would never allow "street meat carts" in LA.

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16 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:31 PM

Isnt Philadelphia a village in a third world country?

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17 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:31 PM

le bec fin

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18 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:32 PM

The Continental (either location).
Buddakon (Kobe sliders are awesome).

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19 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:34 PM

Devil's Alley is quite good.

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20 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:37 PM

1:31: Isn't there an apostophre in a contraction?

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21 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:38 PM

Nodding Head on Sansom. Also the Oyster House in the same building

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22 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:41 PM

Vietnam (not Vietnam Palace)

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23 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:52 PM

1:37 – Kill yourself. For if your only comment is in regards to someone's use or failure to use an apostrophe, the world would be much better off without you. Not that anyone in the world has noticed you to begin with...

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24 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1:54 PM

Morimoto's? What about Mikimotos in Wilmington????

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25 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:01 PM

Delilah's Den. Two beers and a chicken parm for $10.00. The "tattas" are free!

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26 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:01 PM

Pat's, obviously.

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27 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:10 PM

Previous commentators either (a) don't live in Philly, or (b) aren't Biglaw. Table 31 all the way. Expect nothing less from an associate with an expense account.

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28 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:18 PM

Second on the Buddakan rec.
Also, Washington Square was good for dinner (another Starr place I think), but I think it's closed for "renovations." Not sure if it's reopening, or new management, or what. . .

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29 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:20 PM

2:10 is a Table 31 employee. If I wanted to eat with Comcast employees I would not have gone to law school.

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30 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:21 PM

Washington Square is reportedly reopening, with a new theme (Indian?). In the meantime, its kitchen, and that of Stephen Starr's other shuttered restaurant, Angelina, are apparently doing the cooking for the Starr organization's catering business.

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31 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:22 PM

Philly residents are fat and have low self esteem.

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32 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:25 PM

1:52 has even lower self-esteem than Philly residents.

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33 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:27 PM

Devon on Rittenhiuse Square
El Vez on 13 and Samson
Amada on Chestnut between 2nd and 3rd
There is another mexican place near 16th and locust i cant remember the name - it's very good

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34 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:29 PM

Amada - amazing tapas.

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35 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:29 PM

I hate Philly. People who live in Philly hate Philly. Even AU grads hate Philly.

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36 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:31 PM

Rouge
Matyson
Table 31
John's Roast Pork

If you order a cheesesteak with lettuce, tomato and swiss, and proceed to eat it like you have never eaten something with your hands before, you might want to stay in Boston.

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37 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:35 PM

Definitely Buddakhan.

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38 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:37 PM

I love Philly!

160K starting salaries
Great restaurants
Decent nightlife
Low cost of living
Quick access to NYC and DC
Great museums
Great performing arts centers
Four sports franchises...

Ignore the haters!

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39 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:38 PM

Wait, Justin and Kash are officially dating?

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40 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:45 PM

2:37, there are VERY few shops (none of them based here) paying 160 here...

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41 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:51 PM

Philly sucks.

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42 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:52 PM

2:45 - OK, $145K. That's still a king's ransom in the PHL.

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43 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:52 PM

2:45 -

My comments were directed to those that would qualify at one of the firms here that pays 160 to start. All things being equal, 160 goes a lot further in Philly than in NYC or D.C.

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44 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 2:55 PM

Seriously, why is so much hate directed to Philly (and NJ)? No one's saying Philly is better than NYC or LA. Chicago, DC and Boston, yeah.

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45 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:12 PM

1:52 - who says "kill yourself"? dork.

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46 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:15 PM

2:55, b/c people are ignorant. i say that's fine. let us enjoy it. people who like to rip on philly generally fall into one of two categories: those who have never been here; or those who were last here in the early 80s.

my favorites:
Devon
Matyson
Continental
Susanna Foo
Devil's Alley
Marathon
Coventry Deli
Brasserie Perrier

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47 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:18 PM

2:27, you're thinking of Tequila's. and yes, it is good.

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48 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:20 PM

I love Tequiza!! It's my favorite drink. Oh, you said Tequila.

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49 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:20 PM

Philly is not a nice city. I think I would rather live in Baltimore or possibly Cleveland.

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50 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:20 PM

Tangerine -- ate there for a Weil recruiting event
Buddakan -- got our judge to take us there for our clerkship farewell
And if you want to eat well not on the firm's dime, go to a BYOB -- Pumpkin or Dmitri's

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51 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:25 PM

Baltimore or Cleveland? Really?

NY is not that cool, by the way.

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52 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:28 PM

um...2:45...both of the firms that start at $160 are Philly based firms...

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53 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:29 PM

Philly is not a nice city. I think I would rather live in Baltimore or possibly Cleveland.

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54 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:38 PM

3:28 -- name the philly based firm that starts at 160K? news to me...

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55 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:46 PM

Assbill Philly pays 170.

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56 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:48 PM

Dechert & Morgan Lewis...

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57 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 3:52 PM

Seventh Heaven in Conshohocken. Stay for the lunch show!

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58 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:03 PM

For god's sake, 3:20 PM, we'd all like to flee to the Cleve and have lunch with Little Richard but we resist those urges!

Bistro St. Tropez is incredibly good but somewhat far from where most of the law firms are (save for Dechert).

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59 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:04 PM

I would rather live in Allentown or Scranton than Philly.

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60 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:04 PM

I took Kash to Seventh Heaven when we were dating. - Halverson

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61 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:05 PM

For summer associates:
Tequila's
El Vez
Amada
Continental Midtown
Alma de Cuba

For regular lunches:
Su Xing House
Devil's Alley
Marathon Grill
Nodding Head

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62 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:11 PM

Does Dechert have a Philly office?

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63 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:12 PM

Chickie' and Pete's!

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64 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:13 PM

Love Mikimoto's wilmington! Washington Street Ale House right next door isn't bad either.

In Philly, I reccomend the White Dog Cafe adjacent to Penn's campus. It's kinda hippy-trippy, but the food is excellent, and as a bonus the socialist owner is being sued for interfering with her employee's unionization effots. Gotta love the limousine liberals.

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65 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:15 PM

dechert and morgan starting salary is $145.

and what is table 31? i've never heard of it.

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66 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:25 PM

Blank Rome starts at 160

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67 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:26 PM

Flamington's Bistro; Oxygen 7 and Maguppies are all Philly stalwarts.

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68 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:26 PM

Do San Diego next!!! We have great food.

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69 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:28 PM

Public House

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70 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:30 PM

Where the hell is "Maguppies?"

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71 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:36 PM

Monk's Cafe.

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72 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:48 PM

Cafe Bistronom on Lombard Ave.

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73 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:55 PM

Tubesteak Rita's, and Carrie's House of Griddle Meat.

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74 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 4:56 PM

Rose Tattoo Cafe
Happy Rooster
Tinto
Matyson

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75 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 5:04 PM

I love the burgers at Good Dog!

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76 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 5:24 PM

Morgan Lewis is Philly's BigLaw standard bearer !? Yuck, say no more...

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77 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 5:25 PM

wait? blank rome pays 160 and dechert doesn't? i dont believe it

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78 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 5:36 PM

some (possibly all) of the firms mentioned above pay 160 in NYC to 1st years, but none is paying 160 in Philly to 1st years

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79 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 6:25 PM

5:36 is right. none of those firms pay 160 in philly. that said, $145 still goes a lot further in philly than $160 does in NYC.

there are a few non-philly firms that pay $160 here, such as Hogan.

uh-oh...6:20! time to jet.

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80 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 6:29 PM

Osteria

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81 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 9:07 PM

hogan is in philly?

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82 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 9:47 PM

sort of...10(?) attorneys doing FDA regulatory work.

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83 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 10:13 PM

I think blank rome is 145k for 1st years in the philly office.... still goes very far in Philly!

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84 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 10:59 PM

Don't leave Philly without having a meal and a couple of beers at Standard Tap - especially the octopus.

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85 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, June 4, 2008 11:32 PM

Philly has the most aggressive homeless people I've ever met. Some say they were shipped here by Giuliani in the early 90s, but I think they must've gone to Widener and now can't find work.

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86 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 9:04 AM

The Fountain at Four Seasons. On my own dime, Goodburger!!

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87 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 9:06 AM

Casablanca - just 20 minutes down I-95 in Wilmington, DE. Traditional Moroccan cuisine. They even have a belly-dancing show on the weekends.

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88 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 9:16 AM

Goodburger is outsourced NY crap. Go to Good Dog. Burgers stuffed with Roquefort. Mmmm.

2:52: Nice try with the attempted elitism. Don't worry, no one will forget how hard you worked at Drexel undergrad / Widener Law to "qualify." Ass.

4:15/5:36/6:25 are correct, for those trying to figure out who pays what.

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89 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 9:21 AM

9:16 -

I didn't take 2:52's comments as elitist.
Sensitive much?

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90 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 10:14 AM

A buddy of mine lives in Old Town, just next to High Society Hill, or something like that. Tons of restaurants and bars in that area. My favorite so far is Eulogy.

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91 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 10:26 AM

Five Guys!

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92 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 10:52 AM

Old Town? HIgh Society Hill? Does Philly really name its neighborhoods like that?

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93 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 11:29 AM

10:52: close, but not quite. The neighborhoods are Old City and Society Hill respectively.

I've also got to give big ups to the Good Dog burgers. I'm guessing most SA's won't be eating there on partner lunches, but it's a great place to go if you're with a couple young associates.

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94 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 1:15 PM

Philadelphia is vile. Worked in CC for 10 years at "large" mid-sized firm. Vile. Vile.

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95 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 1:15 PM

Philadelphia is vile. Worked in CC for 10 years at "large" mid-sized firm. Vile. Vile.

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96 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 1:41 PM

Question: if you accepted the job with Firm #1 in Oct '07, why were you continuing to interview? How did the offer with Firm #2 come about? I'm sure your fellow students would be really happy to know that you took interviews they could have had, after you already had a job...

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97 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 1:46 PM

Which is worse: Philly or Detroit?

Little late on this one, but I'm conducting a rather unscientific survey, and I'd like to get your thoughts.

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98 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 2:11 PM

Philly firms only take you to lunch at crappy restaurants. Places like Morimoto, Stripped Bass, Barklay Prime, Lacroix are all reserved for end of summer dinners and associates can only pick ONE. Philly firms suck and are cheap. Blank just fired a bunch of attorneys too...

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99 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 3:31 PM

Philadelphia is wonderful. I love living and working here. Wonderful. Wonderful.

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100 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 3:43 PM

1:46 - having lived in or near both, Philly is a hell of a lot better.

have you ever been to either?

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101 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 4:24 PM

The pervasive misinformation about Philly is awesome because it keeps real estate prices low for me.

I'll happily go home to my Society Hill condo with 14 foot ceilings and hit NYC on the weekends.

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102 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 4:41 PM

3:43.

Unfortunately, yes. I live near Detroit (first ring of burbs), and my brother goes to school in Philly. I agree with you that Philly is much better, I'm just curious about the general perception of the two.

-1:46

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103 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 5, 2008 5:08 PM

1:46 - the general perception of both is probably worse than the reality.

4:24 has a good point...philly sucks! stay away!

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104 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, June 6, 2008 4:04 PM

i forgot to post this before, but there used to be a byob italian place on 22nd and Locust called Porcini's (I think). Run by two southern italian dudes and REALLY small. Best italian food of my life.

I am a Geno's person for steaks, btw. I can't believe this post didn't incite the rivalry. I guess nobody cares because they are too beat-down by their Philly firm life. Sucks, because I think it's an awesome place to live if you can get used to the locals' attitudes.

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105 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, June 7, 2008 12:08 AM

Geno's and Pat's (and Rick's, eviction notwithstanding) are not, well, good. Tony Luke's, John's, D'Allesandro's, now we're talking. Proof that marketing triumphs over taste, I suppose. It's not a rivalry among the best - if you go to 9th and Passy for a sandwich, you've already admitted defeat. I'm taking summers to John's on Tuesday, just because I think it's delicious.

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106 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 12, 2008 1:16 PM

Aren't Dechert and Morgan both based in Philly?

Anyway, it has the best bar food in the country. Monk's mussels and fries. Philadelphia Brewing Company. Yards Philly Pale Ale. There are good things here.

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107 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 12, 2008 1:43 PM

So who's actually hiring transactional attorneys in Philly? Anybody know?

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108 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, June 12, 2008 1:47 PM

Nice picture of Kerry. I wonder if that has the "swiss cheese" he asked for. They even made a West Wing episode alluding to his cluelessness.

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