The Flying Pig, Malvern
121 E. King St.
Malvern, PA
610.578.9208
Rating: 3 silver spoons out of 5
Overview: Great little dive bar in the middle of Malvern.
Food: Standard Pub Fare — Generally high in fat and cholesterol, but so tasty. The pepperoni rolls (slabs of pepperoni rolled up in oily bread) are a sentimental favorite, and the burgers are quite good as well (though a recent one was overcooked). We tried an artichoke and parmesan “dip” appetizer recently that was quite good. Unlike most brewpub style artichoke/cheese dip, this was more like a spread (think bruschetta) and was quite unique and interesting. I also had a sandwich called “The Veal Deal” (or something kitschy like that) which was sauteed veal medallions with peppers and onions on a hoagie roll, all smothered in provolone cheese. The roll wasn’t really “crusty” as promised, but it was still quite a sandwich.
Beer: The Pig is definitely a “beer bar” with a great seasonal selection on tap — during a recent visit I tried Anchor Steam Spring Bock, Troegs Sunshine Pils and Lucifer Golden Ale. The selection of bottled beer is even more extensive.
Ambiance: Small, dark, and somewhat noisy, but the type of neighborhood pub where you can really get comfortable. To be avoided when they have bands — it is way too loud and really ruins the whole point of going there in the first place, which is to relax with some friends and some beers.
Service: Not great, but it doesn’t really matter.
Value: More of a bar than a restaurant, so pretty cheap.
Details:
# of times we’ve eaten there: 5+
Reservations: No
Payments: Cards
Bar: Full
June 6th, 2005 at 8:32 pm
I visited The Flying Pig about a week ago for drinks after a meal at Nectar. Our party of 10 well-dressed people were recieved as clearly unwelcome by the surly bartender, and his attitude did not improve with time or tipping. I was impressed with the beer selection and the decor is fun but the bartender really spoiled the evening.
March 25th, 2006 at 8:49 am
The Flying Pig is a wonderful spot for unusual beers and great bar food. Nachos are a must. It’s a good place to relax at and just be low-key.
April 4th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
I’ve been there twice. The staff treats you like crap, and that’s why I tell everyone I know what a miserable place this is. It’s one of those “restaurants” where you leave and think “did they REALLY treat us like that?” The answer was yes… both times. I hate this place and am never going back. Judging by the staff’s attitude, they probably won’t mind. PLUS the decor make you want to jump off a bridge. Maybe that’s why everyone there is so mean. Maybe spice the place up with a few balloon or someting guys… Cheer Up!
The food wasn’t that bad.
April 11th, 2006 at 12:03 pm
This is not a high-end, flashy bar - if you want that go somewhere else. If you like interesting, different beer, and good old pub grub, this is a great place. Very cozy, and laid back and I’ve always had a great time here.
May 15th, 2006 at 2:41 pm
The “Pig” is a great pub to meet friends for a casual drink (or two) and have a nice dinner. Amazing selection of beers…bottle or draft. I highly recommend the ribs…they’re done to perfection and I’ve never been disappointed. But my favorite…the chicken skewers with peanut dipping sauce! The only downside is that it can get quite noisy (typical pub). Other than that, the staff has always been attentive and I’m a regular for a very good reason! By the way, if you’re into beers, chat the owner up…he has an absolute passion for beer!!
May 24th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
I agree with the comment about the live music. The bar is small and gets very loud when music is playing. You can’t enjoy a conversation with the people at your own table. Overall, the bar has a great ambiance to it, great food and a hit with anyone who lives in Malvern.
October 18th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
That older male bartender there is the WORST! Great beer selection..Horrible service-and since service is key..I will never go back..Way too loud with a band there..
Ive told my experience there to quite a few people..and everytime i tell the story..they know exactly which batender i am talking about. Order soup to go ( i heard amazing things about their soup) Skip the cranky bartender…
October 24th, 2006 at 6:30 pm
smokey smokey smokey.. Open the front door and let some fresh air in the place. Place also smells like a deep fryer…
January 18th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Was there before and it was great. They had a good band playing and there were a big crowd of Irish guys up singing and dancing. It was crazy. Great bar. Great Beer
February 8th, 2007 at 9:09 am
I go there regularly and its a great spot. I’ve never experienced bad service, but of course, when its busy you can’t expect someone to be hovering over your table waiting to answer to your smallest whim. Its not as if you’d go there solely for the food (Although its not bad - they have an extensive menu of bar food - sandwiches, finger food, etc), you’d go there for the beer and friendly atmosphere. So don’t let the negatives put you off. Its well worth a visit if you are in the neighborhood. If you like unusual beer then this is the place for you. They even pour Guinness properly and have a huge selection of bottled beers. Check out the board at the back of the room for their up to date selection.
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Great beer and great ribs. A lot of regulars. Cons- The smoking can get stifling and disgusting.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
I love this place. The beer selection is terrific and the live music is always great! The Steve Liberace Trio rocks and I like to catch Johnny Myers when he is here too. I wish it was smoke free though. Overall, good times here!
March 18th, 2007 at 11:15 am
Great place but get drunk and get a DUI…the cops watch this place…on month in 06 there where 6 DUI’s and O7 is looking to be the same…key is, don’t get drunk in this place
March 22nd, 2007 at 6:18 am
Great Place, great food, and awesome beer! However, the owners and staff SWALLOW not suck. I have been going for 4+ years and they have maintained the same employees. They are really lucky that there really isn’t another pub in town. Say “hi” to Ren and Stimpy who own the place - idiots!
April 2nd, 2007 at 11:19 am
Love the place, but I really miss the brie in a pastry shell. They serve it plain now and it just isn’t the same. Awesome selection of beer. The only real problem I have is the smoke — it is just awful!!
April 5th, 2007 at 1:19 am
food is regular bar food, but thats not why you come to the flying pig. if you are looking to enjoy a couple cold ones and I mean real beers not miller lite and bud specials (if you want that go to Maddies) — they have 23 beers on tap and rotate a good number of them so you never know what youre going to get. extensive bottle selection and decent prices. ive seen some complaints on here about a sour bartender — one guy said it was because of his nice suit — it has nothing to do with that, the guy just isnt all smiles and bubbly…but who cares? he gets you your beer quick and doesnt give you any unneccessary BS. go in there on a sunday or monday night if you want to talk to a friendly bartender.
April 5th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
The Flying Pig Sour bartender makes you NOT ever want to go back there again..Who needs a bad attitude and nasty language..Every place along route 30 sells cold beer…without the attitude….
April 8th, 2007 at 6:41 am
You won’t get better beer anywhere on the Main Line. The food is bar food. I wish I lived down the block from the Pig.
September 4th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
I will have to agree with the amount of smoke but I can say that cigars are now banned soo a little better. I do know the sour bartender we all are talking about and he’s not that bad when customers aren’t rude and snotty. Other than that service is interesting as well as the staff. I will have to say I’ve stopped in there on a saturday or sunday afternoon for a one and done and ended up staying until the sun went down. The two weekend afternoon girls behind the bar can almost always turn a boring day into let’s just say an interesting one. Not to mention the crowd they bring in is very entertaining. Don’t hurt the eyes either
September 12th, 2007 at 7:48 am
I dig the Pig. First I have to admit I have yet to eat here. I seem to roll in after having already put down a big meal. So this is a drinking review and the Pig is a great place to do that. The atmosphere is classic neighborhood bar no frills and gimmicks here. This isn’t pulling up a barstool at Applebees. On a recent busy Friday night I arrived with a group (6 total), got a table no problem and we all soon had our pints. The BEER is the reason for any beer lover to venture here. The tap selection is one of the best in the area (along with TJs and Teresa’s N.D.). They have a changing selection of great micros, Brooklyn, Sly Fox, Left Hand New Holland, South Hampton…to name a few, plus an extensive bottle list. I bounced between South Hampton Pumpkin and Dogfish Raison D’ Etra all night. The staff was attentive and friendly and with no band we didn’t strain to hear each other at the table. If you want an awsome beer selection in a place with that comfortable old neighborhood feel, the Flying Pig is the place.
November 13th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
BEWARE! If you get the blonde waitress BEWARE! She is awful. This is the second time I have had her as a waitress. She improperly cleaned the table from a previous costumer, leaving dirty napkins and food on the table. She seemed annoyed when asked about the menu. She also seemed annoyed when asking for another beer. Last time I checked I was in a bar, I’m in there to drink. So naturally I will want another beer. She’s a smart A$$. If you don’t want to enjoy the great selection of beers offered, or have a good time at The Fly Pig, request her as a waitress.
The Bar Tenders and the brunette waitress are fantastic!!
December 21st, 2007 at 12:30 pm
I have to agree with the comments about the very good beer selection, and that is probably why I went there more than once, but that is where the positive comments end. One look at the extensive beer selection gives one the impression that he is in a quaint, “cheers” like neighborhood pub. Then the wairess comes to the table and the facade becomes apparent. While I will concede that the bartenders are generally polite and efficient, the service provided by the waitresses is appalling. An accurate depiction of the service would be Carla, but without actually getting the drink thrown on you. Then again, at least Carla actually brought a drink to the table. Ordering a second round is a chore, and it appears that unless you are a regular and screaming for service, you’re better off getting your beer to go. There is one silver lining in this dining disaster, a brunette waitress named Maura was cordial and knowledgeable of the extensive beer list and even provided me with some excellent Belgian selections. I hope someone in a position of authority will consider my candid remarks and realize that (s)he has a gem of a bar that is being undermined by the surly staff.
December 23rd, 2007 at 6:47 am
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January 19th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
The comments posted here are accurate to a T. Good beer selection with lousy service; the bartenders greet you with a scowl and the waitresses take forever to get one’s table.
If you choose to sit at the bar, good luck getting a drink from Mike or Tom, hands-down the 2 worst bartenders I have ever come across. They, like the waitresses, get annoyed when they have to do their job and act like you are an inconvenience to them. The horrors! And as it has been remarked, tipping does NOT improve the service or friendliness.
A Malvern Police Officer summed it up best: ‘it’s a loser bar’
This is an especially poignant remark considering that it comes from someone who has to deal with the bar’s patrons on a regular basis.
January 28th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
This place should be called “The SMOKING Pig” rather than “The Flying Pig”. We walked in, looked around for about 3 minutes, our eyes started watering and it was hard to breathe so we had to leave. Our clothes and hair reeked of smoke even though we were there only a few minutes. Truly, unless you smoke a pack a day or want to inhale enough second-hand smoke as if you did, don’t try “The Pig”.
February 8th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I have to agree w/ a lot of the posts about the bartenders being surly. When I got carded (I’m 34) it felt more like an attempt to not have to be bothered to serve me than in keeping w/ LCB regulations. Huge and yummy beer selection though.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Let’s hear about the Pig from someone who has actually been there more than twice. Try and admit to yourself that everyone can have off days and dealing with trashy, snotty, or drunk people is obnoxious. I admit the Pig gets smoky, mostly due to people like me who smoke a lot when they drink. The bands can at times be too loud, however, all a person has to do is ask and the owners will have it turned down. The owners, not Ren & Stimpy at all(what a stupid reference!) -are laughing all the way to the bank. They are actually smart guys or the Pig would have closed a long time ago. I do LOVE the comment about the decor. Put up some balloons? Are you kidding me? This isn’t Chuck E. Cheese, it’s a damn bar! It’s called the Flying Pig so there are Flying Pigs everywhere. EVERYONE is carded if they appear to be too young because it’s the LAW(which I would think is a compliment). As far as the Malvern Police Officer goes, everyone makes fun of the Malvern Police because they do absolutely nothing all day and as a professional who has been to the “loser” bar many times, I can assure you that while there might be a few “less than desirable people” there at times, the crowd is mostly young to middle age professionals. I am noting the disclaimer at the bottom of the page that says reviews will be removed for personal attacks. Well, almost all of those people before me attacked the bartender, waitresses, and some even named them and their reviews are still there. So maybe this review won’t be removed and people will realize that if you can’t lighten up and have some fun, the Pig’s not for you. It’s a neighborhood bar that’s relaxed. If you don’t like it, go to Fridays. And oh p.s. “Mavlernite?” Learn how to spell Malvern.
March 8th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
I doubt they are laughing all the way to the bank. The bar can hold 8 people. They have more taps than stools. Once again..Get rid of the rude bar staff..The loud bands….expand the bar.Keep the great soup Great beer..You will get more business. PERIOD…
April 2nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I agree with everything that Beck said. She is absolutely right. They are laughing all the way to the bank, and the bar holds a lot more than 8 people. I have never been treated badly there, it is an extremely fun place to hang out, and they have great beer! Not to mention the hot waitresses to boot. Try going in on a Friday night, the two waitresses that regularly work are great and sweet on the eyes.