Press Release

23 SPOTS FOR A LAID-BACK NIGHT IN PHILLY
Philly’s Frill-Free Nightspots Are Great Places To Meet The Locals

PHILADELPHIA, January 22, 2008 - Some nights call for bottle service, prix-fixe menus and pulsing house music, and other nights are made for jeans and Pabst Blue Ribbon. Whether it’s enjoying a Guinness at a local Irish-style pub, listening to an emerging band at an indie haunt or nibbling on lamb burgers and hand-cut fries at one of the city’s gastropubs—or perhaps some combination thereof—there are endless options for laid-back fun in Philadelphia. The following are just a few ideas:

Tria

Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

 

• One of the city’s newer Irish pubs, Yello’ Bar has a mellow-yellow vibe, dartboards and a menu of interesting snacks such as their popular pretzel burger. 2425 Grays Ferry Avenue, (215) 735-3533, www.yell-obar.com
• With a long list of global beers on tap and a cozy back room with darts and billiards, Ten Stone, in the emerging G-Ho neighborhood, is an appealing hangout any night of the week. 2063 South Street, (215) 735-9939, www.tenstone.com
• Fergie’s Tudor-style façade opens into a warm, welcoming pub best known for its juicy burgers and raucous (and highly competitive) Quizzo games held upstairs Tuesday and Thursday nights. The pub has seven mostly local beers on tap and a wide selection of European and American bottles. 1214 Sansom Street, (215) 928-8118, www.fergies.com
• The antique bars, wood beams and roaring fireplace at Black Sheep emulate the traditional taverns of Dublin, and fans flock here for the big screen TVs, shepherd’s pie and ever-popular dartboard. 247 S. 17^th Street, (215) 545-9473, www.theblacksheeppub.com
• The most literary of local pubs, The Bards offers a cottage-like atmosphere and authentic Irish cuisine. 2013 Walnut Street, (215) 569-9585, www.thebardsirishbar.com

• McGlinchey’s honors the drinker on a budget. And the tough-talking bartenders and old-school décor make it the perfect place for a frills-free night on the town. 259 S. 15^th Street, (215) 735-1259
• A well-weathered gathering place with a diverse crowd of Center City medical students, always-cool hipsters and blue-collar clientele filling its booths and ordering up pitchers on a nightly basis, Locust Bar also has a rocking karaoke scene on Sundays. 235 S. 10^th Street, (215) 925-2191
• The bar that defined dive, Dirty Frank’s fills a Pine Street corner with big personalities, cheap beer and student art. 347 S. 13^th Street, (215) 732-5010
• Rittenhouse Square’s most laid-back watering hole, Oscar’s Tavern is a vinyl-boothed haven for happy hour with an excellent rock jukebox, lively camaraderie and affordable pints. 1524 Sansom Street, (215) 972-9938

• Patrons squeeze into The Khyber’s bustling bar area for a microbrew or take a spot in front of the stage for one of the nightly lineups of indie rock groups. Some of Philly’s biggest exports—Dr. Dog, Marah, Espers and Bardo Pond—got their start here. 56 S. 2^nd Street, (215) 238-5888, www.thekhyber.com
• West Philly’s funky Millcreek Tavern typically hosts experimental, edgy rock and offers enticing drink specials on a regular basis. 4200 Chester Avenue, (215) 222-1255, www.millcreektavernphilly.com
• Situated on a quiet corner of Fairmount, the North Star Bar rocks hard, with a great mix of emerging artists and better-known acts. Two bars serve up a selection of microbrews, while the cheap-eats menu keeps the crowd energized between sets. 2639 Poplar Street, (215) 787-0488, www.northstarrocks.com
• The neon-lit Tritone is South Street’s go-to destination for jazz, rock, fried pickles and super-sized gin and tonics. 1508 South Street, (215) 545-0475, www.tritonebar.com

• Fairmount’s Bridgid’s has been serving Belgian brews and homey, inexpensive meals for decades. Take a seat at the bar, in the pint-sized back room or in the dining room upstairs and a enjoy beer from the extensive offerings and some grub from the chalkboard menu. 726 N. 24^th Street, (215) 232-3232
• For sheer romance, there’s no better place to drink than at The Tank Bar, the draped and mirrored upstairs watering hole at classic restaurant Friday Saturday Sunday, where a fish tank makes for a beautiful bar backdrop. 261 S. 21^st Street, (215) 546-4232, www.frisatsun.com
• Jazz, drag queens and Pabst Blue Ribbon converge regularly at Bob & Barbara’s Lounge. This kitschy but authentic Philly joint made famous for its $3 special (Pabst and a shot of Jim Beam) has a truly diverse clientele and some of the best jam sessions in the city. 1509 South Street, (215) 545-4511
• A cozy watering hole that attracts a student and political activist crowd, Doobie’s cooks up eclectic eats and boasts one of the city’s best-curated jukeboxes of rock and soul music. 2201 Lombard Street, (215) 546-0316

• Located in Fishtown, Johnny Brenda’s is a rare live-music venue that serves up delicious food like grilled sausages and lamb kabobs, along with fine local craft beers. 1201 N. Frankford Avenue, (215) 739-9684, www.johnnybrendas.com
• Johnny Brenda’s sister tavern and the city’s preeminent gastropub, Standard Tap invents a daily chalkboard menu worthy of its selection of excellent microbrews—all made locally. 901 N. 2^nd Street, (215) 238-0630, www.standardtap.com
• The expansive, recently opened St. Stephen’s Green serves international beers, along with refined pub fare like risotto crabcakes and chorizo empanadas. 1701 Green Street, (215) 769-5000

• Now with two locations, Tria specializes in all things fermented (wine, cheese and beer), plus stylish small plates in a minimal, candlelit atmosphere. 123 S. 18^th Street, (215) 972-TRIA; 12^th & Spruce Streets, (215) 629-9200, www.triacafe.com
• The European-style Vintage pours more than 60 wines by the glass and serves up elegant French fare at its zinc bar. 129 S. 13^th Street, (215) 922-3095, www.vintage-philadelphia.com
• A Bella Vista newcomer, Chick’s Café and Wine Bar is a lively destination for Italian beers, wines, cured meats and inventive small plates. 614 S. 7^th Street, (215) 625-3700, www.chickscafe.com

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery.

CONTACT:

Caroline Bean, GPTMC
(215) 599-7433, caroline@gptmc.com

Related RSS Feeds

Topic	XML Feeds
What's New This feed will be updated whenever any new content is added to Gophila.com’s Press Room. It includes all topics.