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Philadelphia has its share of dive bars; excellent venues for getting cheap drinks and, often, food. Dives in Philly generally have a crowd of regulars that seem to spend more time at the bar than at home. These people are great to talk to for those who want to get to know the "real" Philadelphia, especially after a few beers. Many Philly dives have pool tables, dart boards and other things to keep patrons entertained while downing pints. Tattooed Mom is one of the better-known dives and features an incredible jukebox, cheap drinks and tasty sandwiches. Drinker’s Pub is another popular Philly dive among those who enjoy getting drunk on a budget. McGlinchey’s Bar & Grill, Dirty Frank’s Bar, Ray’s Bar and Doobie’s are a few more of Philadelphia’s many dives. If keeping more money in your pocket is one of your main goals for the evening, Philadelphia’s dive bars can help make this a reality.
Bob & Barbara's
1509 S. St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.545.4511
Bob & Barbara's may not be the classiest bar near Rittenhouse Square, but it may have the best drink specials, games and jukebox around. Bingo winners can look forward to receiving porn, while the losers could get stuck with a can of meat. This Philly dive also features drunken spelling bees, ping-pong and rock paper scissors tournaments and weekly drag shows. Bob & Barbara's special is a shot of Jim Beam and a can of Pabst—for only $3. They may as well have invented the dive bar.
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Brownies Pub
46 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.238.1222
Brownies Pub in the heart of Philadelphia's Old City serves up perfectly poured pints in a laid back atmosphere. Brownies is the sort of dingy bar that's easily missed when not actively looking for it. Beyond the seedy exterior lies a relaxed neighborhood bar that sees a crowd mixed between middle-aged professionals and college-aged serious drinkers. Brownies Pub is known for its fast and friendly service, low beer prices and delicious hot wings. This Philly pub is ideal for shooting pool, playing darts or just chatting with friends.
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Dirty Frank's Bar
347 S. 13th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.732.5010
For those who want a dive bar environment where nobody is judged for drinking pitchers alone, Philly's Dirty Frank's Bar couldn't be better. Pints at Dirty Frank's are cheap, but the $7 pitchers are an even better deal. True dive bar enthusiasts will appreciate the Ms. Pac Man machine, a semi-functioning pinball machine (complete with a deactivated tilt mechanism) and trivia nights with a crotchety host. This may not be the cleanest bar, but it has more atmosphere than most in Philly.
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Dolphin Tavern
1539 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.467.1752
Nobody's going to argue that the Dolphin Tavern is a classy establishment, but this pasties bar has personality and atmosphere that is unmatched in Philadelphia. Actually, calling it a pasties bar may be a little bit of a stretch—band-aids and electrical tape are more commonly used. Dolphin Tavern features classic rock while patrons shoot pool or watch the game on TV. The dancers are actually secondary here and just add to the Dolphin's charm. It'll be difficult to find a dive bar in Philly with a more unique vibe—the Dolphin Tavern is worth checking out just to tell friends about it later.
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Doobie's
2201 Lombard St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.546.0316
Ah yes, another Rittenhouse Square dive bar. But this may be the only dive around Philadelphia with an excellent pub-grub menu that also features vegan cuisine. This is the kind of bar that oozes smoke from the dark, wood-paneled walls even though smoking is no longer allowed. Bring some friends and a deck of cards, order pitchers and spend the night relaxing in one of Doobie's comfortable booths. The jukebox is known for having a large selection of diverse tunes that regulars enjoy playing. This Philly dive is a favorite among locals to watch the game or unwind after work.
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Drinker's Pub
1903 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.564.0914
Neon signs, pinball machines and 40s of the High Life—what else could be expected of a place called Drinker's Pub near Philly's Rittenhouse Square? This popular dive bar caters to drinkers, but not of the sophisticated sort. Mostly students and twenty-somethings populate the place. Some specials include $2 draft and $5 pitchers of Bud Light, $3 Finlandia vodka drinks and $3 Jack Daniel's shots. This may not be the classiest establishment, but for those who want to get drunk on a budget, Drinker's Pub may be the best Philadelphia dive bar to do it in.
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Locust Bar
235 S. 10th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.925.1800
The Locust Bar has the reputation for having the friendliest crowd in Philly, and with good reason. The eclectic mix of old timers, med students and after-work drinkers provides for a relaxed atmosphere in the heart of Philadelphia. Dives generally have a short list of beers on tap. Bud light, Pabst and maybe Coors can be found at most dives. Locust Bar has about a dozen draught beers and even more in the fridge along with a variety of cocktails. Don't miss out on Sunday night karaoke—some of Philadelphia's worst singers come out to embarrass themselves publicly. It's quite a spectacle.
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Lucy's Hat Shop
247 Market St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.413.1433
Lucy's Hat Shop, located in the heart of Philadelphia's Old City, is best known for its happy hour, making it a favorite stop for college students. Besides always having $3 SoCo and lime shots and $1 bottle specials, rotating daily food and drink specials will help save money. For entertainment, most nights feature DJs in both of the large rooms—one usually spins hiphop and the other plays 80s hits and rock. Lucy's Hat Shop is also a great place to watch any game on one of the several TVs throughout the bar. This Philly hotspot has one of the best happy hours in the city with a great crowd of students and young professionals. Don't miss out on "Drunken Monkey," Lucy's all you can drink Sunday Brunch.
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McGlinchey's Bar & Grill
259 S. 15th St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.735.1259
McGlinchey's Bar & Grill must be what Hollywood bases dive bars on for movies. It's the whole package: surly waitstaff, dark and hazy with smoke (smoking ban be damned) and some of the cheapest drinks in Philly. If service and breathable oxygen are high priorities, McGlinchey's might not be an ideal fit. But there might not be a better place to get fed and intoxicated for less than $20 while enjoying meeting new people from the excited and young crowd. This Philly bar might not fit the mold of the typical bar, but for those who want to experience a true dive, McGlinchey's is hard to beat.
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North Star Bar
2639 Poplar St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.684.0808
Small, local acts and nationally recognized bands play at North Star Bar, one of Philadelphia's best live music clubs. Besides being known for awesome shows, North Star Bar has an excellent selection of hard to find beer on tap, which only makes the music sound better. The stage is unusually high, making it easy to see the bands from anywhere in the main room. For those who aren't excited about the music, fire up the awesome jukebox and shoot some pool in a separate room. North Star also delivers delicious burgers, quesadillas and even calamari. Quality calamari served with garlic aioli in a dive bar—not too places in Philly can boast about that.
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Ray's Bar "The Happy Birthday Bar"
1200 E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.356.1169
Ray's Bar in the heart of Philly may have the best motto out of any dive: "You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning." Perfect. Since it opens at 7am Monday through Saturday (11am on Sunday), they truly stand by this. Its close proximity to some famous Phillly cheese steak shops allows patrons to get some great food and bring it to Ray's to wash it down with cheap drinks. On Friday nights, Ray's Bar is home to some of the best karaoke in Philly.
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Tattooed Mom
530 South St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.238.9880
Tattooed Mom's bar is a hipster hangout on South Street, the heart of Philadelphia's nightlife. Punks, mods, artsy types and anyone looking for a bar that strays from the norm will love Tattooed Mom. Weekend nights feature $1 Pabst tall cans, and all sandwiches are half-price noon-4pm every day. Tattooed Mom is well known for having an incredible jukebox that plays everything from indie to hiphop. Two floors, each with a bar, keep things interesting at this popular Philly hotspot.
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The Irish Pub
1123 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.925.3311
Where else in this great country can you get a plate of tacos at place called The Irish Pub? Ok, so this may not be the most authentic Irish pub in Philly, but it still delivers tasty pub grub and beer for cheap. College students flock to The Irish Pub for the excellent drink specials and extensive jukebox selection. Guinness and Harp flow all night long, but Irish beer isn't all that's offered. The usual selections are available, along with some local Philly microbrews. The Irish Pub has a menu much longer than most pubs and serves up everything from chili to veggie burgers to buttermilk ale fish & chips. Philadelphia's Irish Pub leaves out all the unnecessary frills and delivers what really matters: quality drinks and great food at low prices.
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The Khyber
56 S. 2nd St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Tel. 215.238.5888
The Khyber is Philadelphia's beloved dive bar meets live music club, conveniently located in Old City. The huge beer selection is what keeps most regulars coming back. There are dozens of different bottled beers and usually 10 on tap. Bands play downstairs for a cover nearly every night, but the upstairs level is always free of charge. The Khyber sometimes pulls nationally recognized acts, but mostly features local Philly bands. On Sundays, the upstairs bar has the best deal in the entire city: $10 all you can drink open bar. Awesome local music, tons of beer and an open bar deal, can you really beat that?
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—Philadelphia bar and club reviews by David Backes
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