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Oct 12, 2022 · The best clubs in Philadelphia are all about throwing shapes all night long. Nothing is typical here; the innovative restaurants and curious museums are further proof, but the clubs are on...
- 1 The Dolphin Tavern
The Dolphin’s glowing neon-lit wall is highly...
- Bars
From cocktail bars and hip dives to neighborhood staples,...
- 1 The Dolphin Tavern
- Andra Hem. Touting Scandinavian style and nearly a dozen original cocktails, Andra Hem has caught the attention of the New York Times and Esquire alike.
- Bar Bombón. This cozy Rittenhouse Square bar specializes in plant-based authentic Puerto Rican fare (the buffalo cauliflower tacos are a must-try). Grab a seat at the colorful tiled bar and sip on any one of their six varieties of margarita or another classic cocktail, like the caipirinha or mojito.
- Bob & Barbara’s Lounge. The originators of the Citywide — that is, a PBR and a Jim Beam shot — Bob & Barbara’s has been a South Street staple since 1969.
- Booker’s Restaurant & Bar. West Philly’s Booker’s Restaurant & Bar exudes warmth, especially at the bar area with its exposed brick and plenty of natural light.
- The Best Cocktail and Wine Bars
- The Best Neighborhood Bars
- The Best Bars For The Holidays
- The Best Bars For Singing, Dancing, and Playing
- The Best Restaurant Bars
- The Best Dive Bars and Taverns
- The Best Brewery and Distillery Bars
- The Best Sports Bars
- The Best Whiskey Bars
Bloomsday sits like a welcoming pub overtaken by wine nerds, beer-bottle philosophers and cocktail alchemists. It’s a place where all the deep thinking on booze — its provenance, its footprint, its utility, its charm — comes to a sharp point, with Kelsey Bush and Zach Morris from Green Engine Coffee and notable wine guy Tim Kweeder putting together lists upon lists of faraway pét-nats, local ciders and smart cocktails for all hours of the night (and day). With its all-day cafe format, solid k...
The former Root went through a transformation recently, from a full-fledged wine bar to a full-fledged cocktail bar (and a new name). Seasonally changing menus by barman Aaron Deary, tasty snacks from the kitchen, and a quiet, grown-up atmosphere push it straight to the top of the city’s best cocktail joints. 1206 Frankford Avenue, Fishtown.
Gray and bunkerish on the outside, comfy and welcoming on the inside, with a 100-year-old bar and an attached bottle shop (Tinys), the Lunar Inn is like a study in what would happen if you assembled a multidisciplinary dream team of industry pros and let them all loose in a neighborhood in transition with the goal of creating the perfect bar. So whether you think “perfect” means PBR and a plate of chicken wings or a tofu banh mi and a glass of natty wine, Lunar Inn is it. 3124 Richmond Street...
Bright, weird, cluttered, occasionally sticky — the place looks like a craft store exploded inside, but it’s full of cool people, great beer, fun food, and unusual cocktails that all defy logical description. 530 South Street, Queen Village.
A dependable bar on a sleepy corner just off East Passyunk Avenue where owner Jonn Klein and his staff run an incredibly friendly, no-B.S. operation. The menu is heavy on craft beer, the kitchen stays open late doing standard pub fare (plus some not-so-standard game-meat specials), and there’s a game room upstairs that, on the best nights, you’ll have all to yourself, with a pool table, darts, and an old Pac-Man machine. 1712 South 10th Street, East Passyunk.
Twenty-eight taps with interesting brews, a curated wine list (and shop!), lots of whiskeys, and tenders who know the difference between mixing with Schweppes and Fever-Tree — add it all up (it’s a really comfortable place to drink, too) and you get a 2018 James Beard semi-finalist for Outstanding Bar Program. That Teresa’s didn’t win was a crime. 126 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne.
Sometimes you want your bar to be open during the holidays, and sometimes you want your bar to be decked out for the holidays. And for those times when you want both, there’s Tinsel. 116 South 12th Street, Midtown Village.
Yes, it has great Ethiopian and Eritrean food. Yes, it has a bar. But on Tuesday nights, Dahlak is also a destination for West Philly karaoke fans looking to get loud. 4708 Baltimore Avenue, University City.
It’s a 12,000-square-foot ping-pong club and bar with a pub menu, scratch-and-sniff wallpaper, a manifesto (something about uniting the world through table tennis), and drinks named the Topspin, the Backspin and the Fishtown Throwdown. Sure, it’s a chain out of New York. But it’s still a fantastic night out. 211 South 15th Street, Center City.
Ideally, there’d be an Ortlieb’s in every neighborhood — a place where local chefs can pop up with their newfangled concepts, where there are taco specials some days and bingo and karaoke nights on others. And for those times when we’re jonesing for something new to do, something exciting, there’s Ortlieb’s small stage — at times, the first stage for many of the city’s young musical talents. Call Northern Liberties lucky. 847 North 3rd Street, Northern Liberties.
On Oloroso’s best days, the bar smells entirely of sherry, giant shrimp and pigs’ heads are scattered everywhere, and everyone’s teeth are stained red from sangria. Nice, right? 1121 Walnut Street, Midtown Village.
Chad and Hanna Williams turned this longtime institution into a New American powerhouse with a fantastic drinking space downstairs. Black-and-white tile, a marble bar top, and an ever-changing list of cleverly named and brilliantly mixed cocktails. 261 South 21st Street, Rittenhouse.
The restaurant itself is amazing at all hours of the day. It seems almost unfair that the bar is so good, too — spiking its list with Middle Eastern flavors (za’atar, saffron sugar, orange-blossom water) in a way that could have felt stunt-ish but instead comes off like genius. 1528 Frankford Avenue, Fishtown.
Tony’s, like so many Delco dives and taverns, opens early and closes late. But what sets it apart are its friendlier-than-most crowd (in other words, the record won’t scratch when you walk through the door as a first-timer) and the tiny one-person kitchen that puts out some of the best roast pork and other Italian sandwiches around. 1002 Woodlawn Avenue, Collingdale.
It is, and will always be, the same windowless, sin-colored bunker with the same cheap beer, the same crowd of regulars, and the same one-and-a-half-cheesesteak deal. 1524 Sansom Street, Center City.
Anyplace that’s survived to 2018 with “Lounge” in its name must have something special going for it. At the Del, it’s the easy bartenders and a crowd that’s just there for the juke, the pool tables, some cheap drinks, and a little conversation. Plus, the back patio is nice when the nights start turning cooler. 304 West Chelten Avenue, Germantown.
A gorgeous space with windows that look right into the heart of the distilling operation. You can get a tour if you like, or just hang out, drink a couple G&Ts, and have a snack. 25 East Allen Street, Northern Liberties.
These guys make some amazing beer. They don’t ever repeat themselves, which is rather remarkable. And with a recent expansion into the space next door, they now offer cocktails, live music, room for larger groups, and a short, tight menu of bar snacks and small plates. 55-61 North Main Street, Ambler.
For a long time, these folks were schlepping their cider door-to-door and from event to event. But now, they’ve got their own taproom where they can show off their straight-from-the-orchard PA ciders (plus some local beers and spirits) and a short menu of snacks done in collaboration with Good King Tavern. 613 South 7th Street, Bella Vista.
It’s the only sports bar in Chinatown, yes, but it’s also the only sports bar in Philly where you can watch a game at a table full of craft beers and sake bombs, munching on grilled chicken gizzards, bacon-wrapped quail eggs, shrimp dumplings, and, if you so please, as many bowls of pho as your heart might desire. 101 North 11th Street, Chinatown.
Pulled pork, whiskey, and a giant 10-foot media wall. The sports bar Holy Trinity. 1322 Chestnut Street, Midtown Village.
The South Philly stalwart went through a somewhat-recent ownership change (it’s now owned by the folks behind Uncle Oogies, another South Philly institution) that’s turned it into a destination sports bar in its own right, with dedicated wing and taco nights from a kitchen that does cheese pierogies with bourbon-glazed onions, spicy fried chicken sandwiches, and crab fries topped with actual crabmeat. (Better luck next time, Chickie’s and Pete’s!) 1631 Packer Avenue, South Philly.
It’s tiny. It’s half-hidden in a space above Abyssinia. But if you’re a serious beer nerd or dedicated whiskey drinker, you already know all about Fiume. 229 South 45th Street, University City.
Whether you’re sipping an Eagle Rare, working your way through a Jack and Wendy (Four Roses, sweet vermouth, lemon and apricot), or throwing down with the house Citywide (the Lloyd — a High Life and a shot of Old Grand-Dad), Lloyd is the place for brown spirits. 529 East Girard Avenue, Fishtown.
The biggest problem with this place is that it’s crowded. The second problem: It ain’t cheap. But if it’s expensive and still drawing a big crowd, imagine what that says about the whiskey selection, cocktails and menu. 118 South 20th Street, Rittenhouse.
- Independence Beer Garden. Cold beer, games and tasty food steps from Independence Mall... Open spring through fall. Overlooking Independence National Historical Park and The Liberty Bell Center, Independence Beer Garden offers a 20,000-square-foot outdoor retreat to grab a drink right in the heart of the Historic District.
- Morgan’s Pier. Perfect alfresco dining and nightlife on the Delaware River waterfront... Open spring through fall. Facing the Delaware River waterfront and the beautiful Benjamin Franklin Bridge, Morgan’s Pier is among Philadelphia’s most popular summer hot spots.
- The Continental Restaurant and Martini Bar. An ever-popular Old City institution... The creative cocktails and imaginative décor at this diner and martini bar create an atmosphere all its own, making it one of the hottest night spots in Old City.
- The Olde Bar. Jose Garces' Old City seafood spot... Jose Garces’ Olde Bar revives the Old Original Bookbinder’s, a landmark mid-20th-century Philadelphia restaurant.
Top 10 Best Bars and Clubs in Philadelphia, PA - April 2024 - Yelp - Raven Lounge, Concourse Dance Bar, Brasil's Nightclub, U Bar, The 700, Ihlphilly , Pulse Night Club, Time Out Sports Bar, Midnight & The Wicked, Voyeur Nightclub
May 21, 2024 · These are our picks for fun drinking spots in Philly right now, from non-pretentious wine bars to crowded neighborhood hangs and dives where you can marathon through Long Island Iced Teas with someone who accepts your chaos.
