The Temple News has traveled all over Philadelphia, exploring bars in different neighborhoods that offer the most premier drinking experience. Whether looking for a quiet dive or a lively cocktail bar, this guide covers it all.
Here are 16 bars across four of the best nightlife neighborhoods in Philadelphia that are essential to the Temple student experience.
CENTER CITY
Oscar’s Tavern
1524 Sansom St.
Oscar’s is the quintessential Center City dive bar for nights of free-flowing conversations with friends. It can get loud, but never loud enough to interrupt dialogue. The bar has about a dozen booths and a number of other tables. It has a small food menu during the day, a couple of TVs for sporting events and about 10-12 stools for bar seating.
If there was ever a dive bar in Philadelphia that you would want to be a local at, this red-tinted, sitcom-bar-like watering hole on Sansom Street is among the best options.
Dirty Franks
347 S 13th St.
The best way to describe a typical crowd at Dirty Franks? Eclectic. It’s a hodgepodge of college students, hipsters, millennials and older gentlemen who nurse a light beer and hover by the dartboard in the back corner.
There are about a dozen booths around the perimeter of the bar and plenty of room to stand. It can get crowded at times but the best thing about this dive is that you never know what sort of character you might run into.
The Ranstead Room
2013 Ranstead St.
Hidden on a small dark street, this nondescript speakeasy is only identifiable by a red light bulb and a creaky-looking door. The average passerby may miss it, and even those looking need to search. But once inside, the unassuming exterior transforms into an intimate and elegant bar.
Cloaked in red and dimly lit, the Ranstead Room has several red leather booths to share a specialty cocktail with a friend or fling. It also has around a dozen bar seats to enjoy the expertly crafted and consistently rotated drinks. This bar is the ideal spot for getting dressed up and experiencing a night like no other.
Cellar Dog
258 S 15th St.
Cellar Dog is an expansive pool hall that hosts a variety of games like shuffleboard and ping pong. The checkered floors and live jazz music create a cozy and nostalgic vibe for anyone looking to enjoy a few rounds of billiards with a group of friends.
A large bar sits in the center of the venue, with seating and jazz music on one side and several pool tables on the other. Cellar Dog is a homey bar, hosting the perfect space to catch up with old or new friends over a drink and a game.
FISHTOWN
Frankford Hall
1210 Frankford Ave.
There isn’t another bar in the city that can replicate the feeling of Frankford Hall. In the summer it’s a half-indoor, half-outdoor vibe-fest with good weather, massive mugs of German beer and quality food. Make sure to grab the jumbo Bavarian pretzel.
In the winter, the massive space heaters that hang above each outdoor table will warm you up quickly while the indoor seating gives a rustic garage-like feeling.
The El Bar
1326 N Front St.
The El Bar provides the classic dive experience for a zero-fuss night out. Inside the string light-lit dive bar nestled under train tracks, the crowd is a mixture of 20-something indie kids trying to embrace the aesthetic put together by its older regulars, and the older regulars.
The late-night, cash-only vibe keeps customers entranced for hours, whether it’s enjoying a billiards game, singing karaoke or sipping on a cheap beer. The El Bar often features live music, creating the perfect watering hole for anyone willing to embrace its rawness.
Garage
100 E Girard Ave.
Garage is unequivocally the best sports bar in Fishtown. As its name hints, it’s a former auto shop gutted out and transferred into a bar. There is an abundance of seating, skeeball, lots of bar space and massive TVs for sporting events. Its happy hour prices are among the best in the city.
Johnny Brenda’s
1201 Frankford Ave.
Johnny Brenda’s is a longtime Fishtown staple, offering Philadelphians stellar performances, food and drink since 1967. The large venue consistently hosts indie and rock bands to play while patrons enjoy a beer and burger alongside the show.
They’re open seven days a week until 2 a.m. and personalize their menu to ensure the homey feel is encapsulated into every atom of the establishment. Between the live bands and home-cooked meal feel, Johnny Brenda’s is a must-go for first-time drinkers — and typically tends to pull people back for more.
FAIRMOUNT
Green Room
1940 Green St.
Stepping into the Green Room feels like meeting a friend you haven’t seen in years. There is something homey about the pool table in the center of the room, the tables around the perimeter of the room and the people you meet while there.
Just be careful going to the bathroom after a couple of drinks — they’re down a flight of stairs and in the crossfire of a dartboard.
Kellian’s Bar and Grill
1549 Spring Garden St.
This neighborhood corner tavern offers a chill evening out for those looking to indulge in a comforting meal paired with a cold drink. With friendly service, live music on weekends and plenty of TVs for sports fans, Kellian’s is a go-to spot for great food, drinks and fun.
It’s not big, but the outdoor setting and best-friend’s-kitchen atmosphere give it a charm that makes it hard to shake.
Urban Saloon
2130 Fairmount Ave.
Urban Saloon blends lively energy with rustic charm, creating a welcoming space to relax and unwind. Their wide selection of craft beers and signature cocktails makes it the perfect spot to catch the game, enjoy casual conversation and savor comfort food.
Their outdoor patio, located directly across from the historic Eastern State Penitentiary, offers patrons a unique view to enjoy their drink.
The Black Taxi
745-747 N 25th St.
There may not be a better neighborhood bar in the city to watch Premier League soccer. The Black Taxi is a two-unit bar, with one serving as a typical dive and the other a more traditional sit-down experience.
The drinks are cheap, the experience is memorable and the volume is loud when a Prem League game is close.
Old City
Brownies Irish Pub
46 S 2nd St.
Don’t let the “Irish Pub” title fool you — this is a dive in every sense of the word. It’s an under-the-radar hole in the wall with cheap drinks and a hidden living-room-esque space upstairs with a flat screen TV, pool table and a separate TouchTunes machine that only plays to the speakers on the top floor.
Khyber Pass Pub
56 S 2nd St.
This two-room bar in Old City is one of the neighborhood’s best. The left side is a loud upscale dive while the right features a slow, sit-down environment. No matter what you’re looking for, Khyber will provide a strong night out.
Sassafras
48 S 2nd St.
This cozy, dimly lit bar is tucked away in the heart of Old City, offering an authentic charm that extends to its carefully crafted signature cocktails. The romantic vibe is enhanced by the warm, intimate interior, inviting patrons to enjoy a drink and mellow conversation.
Sassafras’s ambiance personifies Old City’s energy into a singular establishment, making it a go-to spot for a relaxing night out.
Cavanaugh’s River Deck
417 N Christopher Columbus Blvd.
The jack of all bars, Cavanaugh’s has it all. The waterfront restaurant and beer garden turn into a club after the sun goes down, making it a versatile option for any type of drinker. They host mug nights, Quizzo nights and karaoke, all while overlooking the Schuylkill River.
Cavanaugh’s five-dollar Fridays make them an ideal venue for college-aged drinkers. They are a uniquely affordable yet enjoyable establishment, far different from other bars in the city.
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