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Generally speaking, you can break down Philly's central nightlife hubs into four distinct areas.
Traditionally, South Street is “where all the hippies meet,” according to the 1963 hit by Philly’s own The Orlons. The area has become a little less artsy in recent years, with tourist-friendly attraction taking over for some independent businesses, but there’s still so much to see and do, particularly along the eastern half of the river-to-river street—packed bars and restaurants, tattoo parlors, sneaker stores, cafés, erotica shops, and more.
Home to the majority of Philadelphia’s historical attractions, Old City is equally popular with party people come nightfall. Like South Street, it can get packed on the weekends, with various clubs, bars, and restaurants serving as draws. The crowd is a mix of tourists and locals, with the latter group heavy on “bridge-and-tunnel” types visiting from New Jersey and nearby suburbs. Columbus Boulevard, in particular, features a high concentration of club destinations.
North of Old City lie Northern Liberties and Fishtown. Both neighborhoods have long been associated with Philly’s bohemian crowd, a target for edgy artists, chefs, and musicians. More recently, however, both enclaves and the areas surrounding them have come into their own as legitimate cultural contenders citywide with great bars and breweries.
Finally, Rittenhouse Square, in the heart of Center City, is the premier hangout for Philly’s moneyed crowd, with a slew of high-profile bars, restaurants, and clubs joining a scattering of under-the-radar gems both old-school and new-school.
Other neighborhoods of interest are University City, with all the standard (and not-so-standard) college-age bars and clubs, plus unique international options in greater West Philly; East Passyunk, a hot strip featuring hip bars and restaurants commingling with South Philly’s old-school Italian population; and Manayunk, a nightlife-heavy area to the northwest particularly popular with college kids and recent grads.
Bars and clubs can sometimes close, change hands, or turn over with very short notice, so stay abreast of the latest by following the entertainment pages and respective websites of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News (philly.com); the Philadelphia Weekly (phillyweekly.com); the Philadelphia Gay News (epgn.com); and Philadelphia magazine (phillymag.com).
In Philadelphia, last call for bars and clubs is 2 am, though there are a handful of places with special licenses that allow for legal after-hours service. Cover charges can range from free to about $12. While Philly tends toward the casual in many of its nightlife venues, there are dress codes enforced in some clubs. Best to check online to make certain if you're venturing into new territory.
People from outside the city might be surprised to see just how popular dancing is here. The persuasive DJ culture has permeated the city, especially in Old City, Northern Liberties/Fishtown, and on South Street.
Philadelphia has a rich jazz and blues heritage that includes such greats as the late, legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane and current players like Grover Washington Jr. That legacy continues today in clubs around town.
Though a number of Philly rock/pop venues are owned by Live Nation, a good variety of touring bands is still represented on a nightly basis. And with the advent of the Fishtown live-music scene at venues such as Johnny Brenda's and Kung Fu Necktie, as well as the popular Union Transfer on Spring Garden, there is a greater variety of live music available than ever before.
A musical flagship in West Philly, WCL's building also houses the radio station WXPN-FM, which emphasizes acoustic, independent, and world-beat contemporary artists. The café also has two theaters—the largest of which, Downstairs Live, seats up to 300 (and can fit more, depending on configurations)—and two restaurants.
This handsome pub is just off Rittenhouse Square, in a refurbished town house with a fireplace on the main floor and a quiet dining space on the upper level. Beer lovers can choose from a solid selection of draft, bottled, and canned beers; the food, including U.K.-style entrées like shepherd's pie and bangers and mash, is straightforward and satisfying.
An intimate hangout off the Avenue of the Arts (aka Broad Street), Chris' showcases top talent Monday through Saturday. The jazz club stays accessible by doing the simple things right—friendly service, fair prices, great performers. The lunch and dinner menus feature some light New Orleans–style touches.
Anything goes during this once-a-week night of improvisational comedy, formatted as a high-energy competitive sport. The troupe hosts two shows every Saturday at the Adrienne Theater, and audience participation is essential to the experience.
A more elaborate offshoot of Stephen Starr's Old City martini lounge, the Mid-Town spreads the cocktail and global small-plate concept across two whimsically appointed floors. The additional room accommodates crowds that swell on weekend evenings.
Even restaurant and nightlife mogul Stephen Starr had to start somewhere—the Continental was his very first restaurant, and it continues to be one of his most popular. The retro-fied former diner draws an interesting crowd, a mix of energetic twentysomethings and longtime regulars. The design, featuring lots of stainless steel and campy lighting fixtures, goes well with the martini-driven cocktail list and global small-plates menu.
Its outside walls decorated with famous Franks throughout history (Frankenstein's monster, FDR, Sinatra, Zappa, etc.), Dirty Frank's is a Philadelphia classic. An glorious mixture of students, artists, journalists, and resident characters crowds around the horseshoe-shaped bar and engages in friendly, beer-soaked mayhem.
Fergus "Fergie" Carey is the jovial proprietor of this casual, cozy, and beloved bar, which has been around longer than most establishments of its ilk in Philly. The taproom, which serves solid craft beer and comfort food, hosts regular entertainment, including music, poetry, Quizzo, and even live theater. There are no televisions on the premises, as Carey believes in the lost art of conversation.
Pete's, in Queen Village, could easily be mistaken for just another neighborhood watering hole, but the menu is eclectic, featuring a regularly changing lineup of creative food alongside the requisite wings and burgers.
Stephen Starr's big, loud, and lively beer garden brings a bit of Bavaria to Fishtown's nightlife scene. You and your crew can sit outside at one of the largest picnic tables, or hang indoors when it's frigid. Draft beers, many of them German, come in half or full liters, accompanied by rib-sticking pretzels, wurst, and schnitzel.
A former supper club that attracted movers and shakers of yesteryear, the updated Franky's is now under the watch of Mark Bee, architect of N. 3rd and Silk City. A kitschy dining room decorated with Bee's Technicolor flea market finds gives way to an upstairs performance space used by DJs and live acts. They serve food until 1 am nightly.
The wine bar at Ristorante Panorama, a polished northern Italian restaurant in the Penn's View Inn, stands out for its staggering vino selection—more than 150 wines are available by the glass, thanks to a cruvinet preservation system touted as the largest in the world. Other oenophile hooks include "Wine Wednesday" specials and personalized flights.
A funky, welcoming bar, restaurant, and music venue, JB's epitomizes the bridging of old and new frequently found in Fishtown. A local beer-heavy tavern, complete with billiards, blends seamlessly into a solid casual restaurant downstairs. Upstairs hosts an edgily booked lineup of performers in a diversity of genres.
A block removed from the major intersection of Frankford and Girard, KFN hosts indie music acts in a small, moody barroom hidden underneath the elevated tracks of SEPTA's Market-Frankford line. They book both local and national bands.
A long-running destination set right on the banks of the Schuylkill River, this brewpub offers a well-rounded selection of ales and lagers brewed on the premises, as well as some diverse food options, including sushi and pizza. Check out the patio in the spring and summer.
For longevity alone, McGillin's stands proud. Open since 1860, it's the oldest continually operating pub in the city, as well as one of the oldest in the country. But though there are nostalgic touches, it's a modern watering hole, featuring a bevy of TVs for sports and hugely popular karaoke nights. The beer list, featuring 30 choices on draft, tends toward the local, including a series of signature house ales brewed by Adamstown, Pa.'s Stoudts.
This Mount Airy favorite has a fantastic choice of craft beer on tap, plus good burgers and fish-and-chips.
A pioneering beer bar in this part of town, Memphis offers more than 18 diverse beers on tap, plus 2 in casks; they're equally liked for their food, inventive gastropub grub with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Their adjacent beer garden, featuring a stationary food truck and a projection screen for games and movies, is a favorite in the warmer months.
Head to the Mermaid, as the Northwest Philly locals do, to hear excellent live music (folk, blues, rock, jazz) and drink from an interesting selection of bottled beers. Depending on who is playing, there may be a cover charge of $10.
The city outpost of the coffee house and recording studio in Ardmore, MilkBoy Philly features a down-to-earth café and bar on the street level, with a narrow, intimate performance space up top. It attracts mostly indie rock acts, both locals and touring outfits.
To its devoted Queen Village clientele, the New Wave is more than just the place to wait for a table at Dmitri's, the always-crowded seafood restaurant across the street. The regulars come to this long, narrow bar to unwind with a local Yuengling beer (referred to, simply, as "lager"), play a game of darts, and enjoy the oft-changing gastropub menu.
Cleverly located in the thick of Northern Liberties' Second Street scene, this boozing-friendly bowling alley delivers in the tenpin department. The large, colorful space serves a snacky menu, featuring a big selection of wackily topped tater tots.
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