Center City Sips Review Week 6 (for us): Ladder 15

Finally up to date. Last night we tried Ladder 15. This is the newest addition to Sansom St in the old firehouse. Specials: $2 Hook & Ladder Pipe & Drum Irish Ale (only downstairs), Blue Moon, Bud Light bottles. $3 Beaulieu Vineyards Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir. $4 Mango Sansom (Parrot Bay Mango, Triple Sec, Pineapple & Orange Juice, splash of cranberry on the rocks) and Cherry Water Ice (Three Olives Cherry, lemonade, served up over Cherry Pop Rocks [yes you read correctly]). $7 Black Truffle Flatbread (fontina, parmigiano reggiano, sea salt). $4.50 Buffalo Style "lollipops" (Drumette Confit, ranch).

When I walked in (at 10 past 5) downstairs was very crowded with no free tables or seats at the bar. Luckily Matty had gone upstairs (shown in the pic) which was empty and we got a booth since we were expecting a few more. The Hook & Ladder was only available downstairs so we both started with Mango Sansoms. Essentially fruit punch with rum. I would say sickeningly sweet but then I had a Cherry Water Ice and realized that that was what sickeningly sweet tasted like. It was like drinking a melted cherry Jolly Rancher. Mixed with pop rocks. Not good, just sweet and fakely cherry. So Matty made a run downstairs for Hook & Ladders. By then it was what I would consider "crowded." The Hook & Ladder is good actually. Though not nearly as much flavor as one would expect from the appearance (very dark ale-like). So we stuck with Blue Moon for the rest of the night in order to avoid moving because between 6 and 7 it went from crowded to frighteningly packed. Like we didnt think we would be able to get to the door if we had wanted to leave. Downstairs was like a frat party - shoulder to shoulder packed. The crowd was decidedly young college kids to dress down professionals. The high ceilings (35 foot) and the enormous crowd made it really hard to hear anything at all. We tried the buffalo "lollipops" which were essentially buffalo wings with the bone scraped to hold, served with ranch. They were good but nothing special. I do not imagine we will be going back. Too young, too loud, drinks are too sweet and prices aren't terribly awesome. We might try it for dinner (the menu looks interesting) but I would much rather go to Nodding Head two doors down I think.