Bars

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Lancaster PA's Madison Street and West Orange Street corridors provide the rapidly growing city with an increasingly vibrant arts and entertainment scene beyond the main King Street pedestrian mall, with independently owned bars, galleries, and music venues serving the city's creative community.

218 W Orange St 17603

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Bob & Barbara's on South Street in Philadelphia is a legendarily seedy dive bar beloved by generations of Philadelphians for its cheap drinks, the iconic $2.50 Pabst + shot special, live jazz performances, and the Thursday night drag show that has made it one of the most inclusive and unpretentious bar experiences in a city of great bars.

1509 South St 19146

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Bok Bar on the rooftop of the former Edward W. Bok Technical High School in South Philadelphia is one of the city's most spectacular bar destinations, with panoramic views of the Philadelphia skyline from an extraordinary rooftop venue that operates seasonally and presents some of the most remarkable views in the city alongside creative cocktails.

1901 S 9th St 19148

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia's extraordinary craft beer culture (one of America's most active craft beer cities, with Yards, Dogfish Head nearby in Delaware, and Victory in nearby Downingtown) creates one of the finest craft beer bar markets in the United States. The city's blue-collar beer heritage (Yuengling is America's oldest brewery, located in nearby Pottsville) combined with contemporary craft appreciation creates a uniquely deep Philadelphia beer culture.

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Fergie's Pub on Sansom Street in Center City Philadelphia is a beloved Irish pub with an exceptional whiskey and craft beer selection, live music, and the warmth of a genuine neighborhood pub that serves the Midtown Village community.

1214 Sansom St 19107

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Frankford Hall is a massive German-style beer hall and outdoor beer garden in Fishtown serving imported German lagers, house pretzels, and brats alongside Skee-Ball, ping pong, and communal picnic table seating. One of Philadelphia's most successful beer garden concepts and a summer staple in Fishtown's entertainment scene.

1210 Frankford Ave 19125

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Independence Beer Garden adjacent to Independence Hall is Philadelphia's largest outdoor beer garden, a seasonal pop-up bar with views of Independence Hall, serving craft beers and cocktails in an iconic American setting. One of the most uniquely located bars in American history.

100 S Independence Mall W 19106

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Johnny Brenda's in Fishtown is Philadelphia's most beloved independent music bar — a two-level venue that has presented hundreds of nationally touring indie, folk, alternative, and emerging artists since 2006. The bar's consistent commitment to curation and community made it a centerpiece of Fishtown's rise as Philadelphia's most vibrant neighborhood.

1201 N Frankford Ave 19125

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

McGillin's Olde Ale House is Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern, open since 1860 and a designated historic landmark. Known for an enormous draft beer selection, lively atmosphere, and the warm character of a bar that has served Philadelphians for 165 years through wars, Prohibition, and Eagles championships.

1310 Drury St 19107

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

McGillin's Olde Ale House is Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern — open since 1860 and serving the city through the Civil War, Prohibition, and two World Wars in an unreconstructed Victorian bar that preserves over 160 years of Philadelphia drinking history. Its extraordinary historical continuity, its location in a hidden alley in the heart of Center City, and its role as a gathering place for Philadelphia's Irish-American community make it one of the most historically significant bars in the United States.

1310 Drury St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Kensington Avenue's emerging arts scene in Philadelphia includes independent bars, galleries, and music venues contributing to the neighborhood's complex ongoing transformation alongside community-focused revitalization efforts.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Monk's Café is one of America's most important Belgian beer bars — a Center City Philadelphia institution that helped establish American appreciation for Belgian ales through its extraordinary tap and bottle list and its famous mussel frites. Its consistent recognition as one of the best beer bars in America, its extraordinary connection to Belgian brewing culture, and its role in educating a generation of Philadelphia beer drinkers make it one of the most historically significant beer bars in the United States.

264 S 16th St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Monks Cafe on South 16th Street in Philadelphia is one of America's most celebrated Belgian beer bars, serving a vast selection of Belgian and domestic craft beers with Belgian-American cuisine in a beloved neighborhood restaurant that helped establish Philadelphia as one of the nation's premier beer cities.

264 S 16th St 19102

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

North Bowl in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood is a bowling alley and bar that has become one of the most popular social entertainment venues in the neighborhood, combining vintage bowling lanes with craft cocktails and regular live DJ programming for the young adult creative community.

909 N 2nd St 19123

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Round Corner Cantina is one of Philadelphia's most beloved neighborhood bars — a Northern Liberties taco bar with outstanding margaritas and tequila selection that has become a gathering place for the creative and artistic community of one of Philadelphia's most rapidly evolving neighborhoods. Its extraordinary value proposition (exceptional food and drinks at genuinely affordable prices in a city known for its value dining culture) and its community spirit make it one of Northern Liberties' most beloved establishments.

1306 N 5th St, Philadelphia, PA 19122

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sidecar Bar in Philadelphia's Graduate Hospital neighborhood is a neighborhood bar and restaurant with strong emphasis on craft cocktails and local beer, serving the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood south of South Street between Broad Street and the Schuylkill River.

2201 Christian St 19146

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

South Philadelphia Taproom on Mifflin Street is a beloved neighborhood bar and beer destination in one of Philadelphia's most traditional working-class neighborhoods, offering an exceptional craft beer selection in a community-oriented bar that serves South Philly's residents with the warmth and authenticity that defines this Italian-American neighborhood's bar culture.

1509 Mifflin St 19145

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Standard Tap is Philadelphia's most influential neighborhood gastropub — a Northern Liberties establishment that pioneered the American craft beer bar concept when it opened in 1999, serving exclusively Pennsylvania craft beers alongside outstanding food sourced from local farms. Its role in launching Philadelphia's extraordinary gastropub culture and its consistent presentation of outstanding Pennsylvania craft beers have made it one of the most historically significant bars in American craft beer history.

901 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Standard Tap in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood is a legendary craft beer bar that helped pioneer the neighborhood's transformation from post-industrial wasteland to creative hub. The two-story neighborhood bar's commitment to local Pennsylvania draft beer only has made it one of the Philadelphia area's most respected craft beer destinations since its 1999 opening.

901 N 2nd St 19123

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Franklin Bar is one of Philadelphia's most acclaimed craft cocktail bars — an intimate basement speakeasy below an otherwise unremarkable address in Rittenhouse Square. The bartenders are widely considered among the best in the city, and the drinks list changes regularly to reflect seasonal ingredients and classic techniques. A must-visit for cocktail enthusiasts making the AC corridor trip.

112 S 18th St 19103

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Trestle Inn in Philadelphia's Callowhill neighborhood is a beloved dive bar and whiskey bar with go-go dancers and a raucous atmosphere, serving the Philadelphia creative community with a massive whiskey and beer selection in a no-frills, high-character bar environment that captures old-school Philadelphia neighborhood bar culture.

339 N 11th St 19107

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia's Sansom Street and surrounding Midtown Village in the Washington Square West neighborhood has developed a dense concentration of restaurants, LGBTQ bars, cocktail lounges, and entertainment venues that make it one of Philadelphia's most vibrant late-night entertainment corridors.

1315 Sansom St 19107

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Trestle Inn in Philadelphia's Callowhill neighborhood is a dive bar known for its exceptional whiskey selection and nightly go-go dancing, a beloved neighborhood institution that combines old Philadelphia bar culture with modern cocktail awareness in one of the city's most authentic working-class bar environments.

339 N 11th St 19107

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Varga Bar is Philadelphia's most celebrated LGBTQ+ bar and cocktail destination — a Washington Square West establishment serving the Gayborhood community with exceptional cocktails, craft beers, and pin-up art in one of the most welcoming bar atmospheres in Philadelphia. Philadelphia's Gayborhood (one of the oldest established LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in the United States) and Varga's consistent quality create the most beloved LGBTQ+ bar experience in Pennsylvania.

941 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Yards Brewing Company is Philadelphia's flagship craft brewery and taproom, producing beloved beers including Philadelphia Pale Ale, Love Stout, and seasonals in a massive brewery complex open for tours and public tasting. Yards' taproom serves the full lineup alongside Philadelphia-inspired food and hosts regular brewery events that are staples of the Northern Liberties social calendar.

500 Spring Garden St 19123

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Yards Brewing is Philadelphia's most beloved craft brewery — a Northern Liberties taproom producing the famous Philadelphia Pale Ale, Brawler Pugilist Style Ale, and Thomas Jefferson's Tavern Ale (recreated from a historic recipe) that have made Yards synonymous with Philadelphia craft beer quality. The brewery's extraordinary connection to Philadelphia history and its role in establishing the Northern Liberties neighborhood as a craft beer destination make it one of Pennsylvania's most culturally significant beverage establishments.

500 Spring Garden St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Allegheny Wine Mixer is Pittsburgh's most beloved wine bar — a Lawrenceville establishment presenting an outstanding natural wine selection alongside craft cocktails for Pittsburgh's most creative and rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Lawrenceville's transformation from a blue-collar Polish and Italian Catholic neighborhood into Pittsburgh's hippest arts and entertainment destination mirrors the city's extraordinary broader revitalization.

5326 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Arsenal Lanes in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood is a classic bowling alley bar serving the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood's mix of longtime working-class residents and creative newcomers, one of several community entertainment institutions that have survived Lawrenceville's transformation.

233 40th St 15201

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Brillobox in Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood (near Garfield) is a beloved art bar and live music venue, named for Andy Warhol's famous Brillo box sculptures in tribute to Pittsburgh's most famous artist. The multi-level bar hosts DJ nights, live music, and events for Pittsburgh's creative community.

4104 Penn Ave 15224

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

D's Six Pax and Dogz is Pittsburgh's most beloved craft beer bar — a Regent Square institution presenting 500+ craft beers alongside outstanding hot dogs in one of the most unassuming and beloved bar settings in the Steel City. Pittsburgh's craft beer market, shaped by a working-class culture that has enthusiastically embraced quality craft brewing, creates an extraordinary demand for neighborhood beer bars that D's has served with distinction for over 25 years.

1118 S Braddock Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh's Fox Chapel and Aspinwall neighborhoods along the Allegheny River provide the eastern Pittsburgh suburbs with locally owned restaurants and bars serving the communities between downtown and the Fox Chapel area that are less served by Pittsburgh's more famous South Side and Lawrenceville entertainment districts.

378 Freeport Rd 15238

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Round Corner Cantina in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood is a beloved Mexican bar and taqueria that has become one of the most popular gathering places in the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood, serving excellent margaritas and tacos to the creative class that has transformed Lawrenceville into Pittsburgh's most dynamic entertainment district.

146 44th St 15201

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Thunderbird Café in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood is a lively bar and live music venue on Butler Street, the center of Pittsburgh's most vibrant and evolving neighborhood bar scene. The Thunderbird's combination of live music, craft beer, and Lawrenceville's creative community atmosphere has made it a Lawrenceville anchor.

4023 Butler St 15201