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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Philly's Bars: where would you go?

As I told you, I'm working on the next edition of Pennsylvania Breweries. There's been an explosion of good bars in the state, and I want to get the best of them in the book. So I'm asking for help.

Here's the first list: Philadelphia. I'm not looking for arguments: these are potential entries. Please don't take this as voting for your faves, or slamming bars you hate. All I'm looking for are bars I might have missed. I'm looking for places with good drink (not necessarily beer) and good atmosphere. And folks: NOT brewpubs! I've got them covered, believe me. I'm just looking for bars. (And just Philadelphia County for now; we'll get to the rest of the state.)

If you see any I've missed, please leave a comment, or drop me a line. Thanks!
(I've added some from your suggestions, and some that I did have on my original list but somehow dropped while getting them here. Keep 'em coming, and thanks again.)

The Abbaye
Atlantis (The Lost Bar)
The Bards
The Belgian Café
Beneluxx Tasting Room
Bishops Collar
Black Sheep
The Blue Ox Bistro
Brauhaus Schmitz
Bridget Foy’s
Bridgewater's Pub
Bridgid's
Brownie's Pub
Cantina Los Caballitos
Chick's Cafe
City Tavern
Dark Horse
Dawson Street Pub
Devil's Alley
Devil's Den
Dirty Frank's
The Dive
Doobie's
Drinker's Pub
Drinker's Tavern
Druids Keep
Eulogy Belgian Tavern
Fado Irish Pub
Fergie's Pub
Flat Rock Saloon
For Pete's Sake
Good Dog
Grace Tavern
Grey Lodge Pub
The Institute
Irish Pol
Irish Pub (Walnut Street)
Johnny Brenda's
Jose Pistolas
Khyber Pub
Kildare’s
Kite And Key
Local 44
London Grill Bar And Restaurant
Mad Mex Philadelphia
McGillin’s Old Ale House
McGlinchey's Bar and Grill
McMenamin's Tavern
Memphis Taproom
Misconduct Tavern
Monk's Café
Moriarty's Pub
National Mechanics
New Deck Tavern
North 3rd
O'Neals Pub
Old Eagle Tavern
The Plough and The Stars
Prohibition Taproom
Pub & Kitchen
Pub On Passyunk East
Race Street Cafe
Rembrandt's
Royal Tavern
Sidecar
Society Hill Hotel and Bar Restaurant
South Philadelphia Taproom
Southwark
St. Stephens
Standard Tap
Sugar Mom's Church Street Lounge
Swift Half
Tangier
Tattoo Moms
Ten Stone
TIME
Tir Na Nog
Tria
Tria Washington Square
Union Jack's
Whisky Kitchen
White Dog Cafe
World Cafe Live
Yell O'Bar
Zot

31 comments:

Henry F. Ortlieb said...

Ortliebs Jazz Haus

Nathan said...

I second Ortliebs! Keep an eye on the news ones at the Piazza in NoLibs The Swift Half could be a good one...Once it opens that is.

EMC said...

Try Triumph on Chestnut

Kevin said...

3 Monkeys in the Northeast

Arthur said...

Amada
APO (Formerly Apothecary)
Dock Street Brewery
Doobie's
Earth Bread + Brewery
Grace Tavern
Le Virtu
National Mechanics
Pub & Kitchen
Rum Bar
Triumph Brewing
Xochitl

Mat Falco said...

St. Stephens Green and the Irish Pol

Anonymous said...

Don't forget Southwest CC!

Grace Tavern
Ten Stone
Doobies

Richard said...

Didn't see Pub & Kitchen and Ten Stone.

Anonymous said...

The Dive, a few doors down from Royal Tavern

Josh said...

How 'bout a place you recently stopped at - the Hulmeville Inn?

mike said...

dont know if this is what u're looking for, but the north bowl bowling alley has a pretty decent tap list, at least four or five decet locals. again, don't know if i'm off base here, good luck!

Lew Bryson said...

Just Philadelphia County for now, Josh; suburbs are next.

Anonymous said...

Lew, I think it would be wise to narrow this down to place that carry a fair selection of local brews. Just because a bar carries less than 3 local beers and ton of AB products they should not qualify for this list.

Maybe if a place carries any AB products they should be automatically disqualified. Whoever serves AB products is surely not catering to people who read this blog!

just my 2 cents.

Lew Bryson said...

Actually, the only thing that's going to narrow down the list is me going there and not being impressed. I'm not going to dump a bar because they carry any A-B products; how is that fair? I'm looking for good bars. I've put bars in previous editions that had no craft beer at all. Some bars are just great places to be...and maybe you have to settle for Yuengling. There's one place I love to go north of Kutztown where I usually have a bottle of Schmidt's. It's not just the beer.

Keep 'em coming!

Unknown said...

Varga, new bar on 10th and Spruce with great draft list.

Anonymous said...

Lew, Do you only include bar in the metropolitan areas or will this list eventually go state-wide? I have a few for the north east, if interested...

Lew Bryson said...

Just in Philadelphia proper for now. I've got the Philly suburbs coming up shortly, and we'll be expanding from there. Hold tight!

Anonymous said...

Reading these comments makes me think we are SERIOUSLY lacking in teaching reading comprehension. "Lew, do you want bars from outside of philly" when clearly it says philly bars (and the list is all philly bars).

I know people are busy but it really must make you wonder, as a writer, what people take and dont take from your articles.

Lew Bryson said...

Well...people get excited. And "Philadelphia" means "city and county of" to some people and "greater metropolitan area" to others. I like my readers being excited!

Steve Logan said...

Vintage (more wine than beer, but still an above average selection - good if your date / s.o. doesn't want to go to a typical "beer bar")

Steve Logan said...

Also, the newly opened Noble (20th & Samson) - decent beer list, some creative things on tap, above average wine list and they made a very very good Sazerac which included a lengthy discussion on different rye's available.

Lew Bryson said...

Variety is much appreciated, Steve!

frank said...

For a beer bar, I'd add Aspen. For non-beer related drinks, I suggest Mohagany for scotch and cigars.

Chibe said...

As a lover of German beer, I used to really enjoy Ludwig's until they closed. I heard the owner opened a new place in Philly but I don't know the name. Is it already on the list, and if not, can any locals inform me as to whether it's worth an inclusion? Or was I lied to when told the owner opened a new place?

Justin said...

Russ,
I believe the former owner of Ludwig's is opening Brauhas Schmitz on South Street, which is scheduled to be opening this spring. I have heard its someone that was involved with Ludwig's but I don't know for sure. http://www.brauhausschmitz.com/

Lew Bryson said...

Not the former owner; might have been involved, but not the owner.

Dubs said...

Didn't see the Sports Nuts crowd represented, but if it's a list of Philly bars, I think you've got to include a couple where the diehards go (or the not so die hards). I think that Chickie and Pete's is obviously the main one, but also, the Fox and Hound at 15th and Spruce is decent. They have a better than expected draft listing and decent food.

My 2 cents!

Alexander D. Mitchell IV said...

Is 700 still in existence, and do they still "count" as a beer bar? Up there in Northern Liberties, I think I blundered into it years ago while en route to Standard Tap and Foodery......

Lew Bryson said...

Very good point, Dubs. Not being a big sports fan myself, I tend to overlook it.

Ulysses said...

Cherry Street has good local selection and great crowd - even with the Miller Lite people

Tom Bastian said...

While not a "bar"...Citizens Bank Park sure has a mighty fine selection of craft beer available.