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Silk City smooth hangout in Center City

“Welcome to Silk City, where all your dreams come true,” said the bouncer to a group of St. Patty’s Day revelers, who strolled up to Silk City’s doors around 11 p.m. in fine dress clothes.

The men of this group responded with a resounding “Woo!” as a man wearing shades and a large green hat reminiscent of the Mad Hatter’s walked by.

“Cool it, guys,” said the bouncer, eyes piercing, yet friendly behind rectangular glasses. “You ain’t getting lucky tonight.”

The party laughed and everyone was ushered inside the diner while a new group filled their place in line and got jeered for wearing sunglasses at night.

On the inside, multi-color lights were strung about the perimeter of the ceiling and the hip-hop music that poured from the speakers created an atmosphere resembling more of a club than a diner.

“Silk City is sort of schizo,” said Nicolaos Vissilis, self-proclaimed fanboy of the eatery. “It’s a diner that serves food you won’t see in other diners, a lounge and a beer garden.”

Silk City, located on the corner of Spring Garden and Fifth streets in Philadelphia, is owned by Mark Bee, once a janitor for Silk City, who bought and renovated it when the original owners sold it, according to assistant manager Scott Hunter.

“Before, it was a 24-hour diner that sold greasy eggs,” Hunter said. “We stopped that and now it’s going good.”

The diner is open every day from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., drinks are available immediately, and dinner starts at 5 p.m., according to Silk City’s website. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Hunter said.

Upon entering, patrons will see the bar and lounge area to the left, where dancers, conversationalists and shot-lovers are welcome, said one female patron who chose to remain anonymous.

According to Hunter, DJs fill the lounge with a variety of beats nearly every day. Thursday’s regulars Sammy Slice and Cool Hand Luke entertain with their show “Mo Money No Problems” while local legend DJ Deejay runs “Anything U Can Shake YrHips2” on Saturday nights, Hunter said.

DJ Deejay’s dance party features hip-hop, 80s rock and 90s dance, according to Silk City’s website.

The diner itself, opposite the lounge, has been featured on an episode of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” hosted by Guy Fieri, which focused on the fried foods featured on Silk City’s menu.

“I’d recommend the tuna burger and mac and cheese,” said Chanise Thompson, a patron of Silk City. Thompson has been making frequent trips to Silk City for the past two years after hearing about it from a friend, and said she enjoys the homecooked taste the selection has.

“The menu changes once in awhile,” Hunter said. “Really all that stays the same are the crowd favorites.”

Overhead was a red, ambient light that seemed to float in the air among the Christmas ball ornaments and televisions displaying the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships.

In the other booths and at the bar sat an eclectic set of adults, wearing anything from plaid shirts to leather jackets and others in the previously mentioned fine dress attire. They ordered drinks from a neon-lit, chalkboard style menu hanging from the wall.

As the night got late, the crowd grew loud.

Observing the packed house, Hunter said, “The thing we have that our competitors don’t is we’re smaller and therefore more intimate and accessible.”

Outside in the beer garden there was a handful of men sitting in tropically colored chairs discussing the Phillies upcoming season.

“It is a great place to unwind,” said Jack Gallo, a Silk City patron. “Especially when it’s warm out.”

It may not have been warm that St. Patty’s night, but the group of men said they were looking for quiet.

Said Jaime Conklin, a cousin of Gallo’s, “Let’s say you want the food,” which incited yelps of approval. “You want to hang out, but it’s not a good night for dancing or a crowd. Silk City has you covered.”

Their pal Mike Zuckerman, added that Silk City entertains, feeds, and nurtures its customers and is always fun.

At 2 a.m. Silk City ends its three part experience, at which point everyone goes home, “content and drunk off their back,” Hunter said.

“I’m not sure of any direction,” Hunter said, referring to future plans. “But we are always trying new things and so far, the people love it.”

Contact Robert Tierney at communitarian@mail.dccc.edu

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