Best of Philly

Best Bar

2023 Best New Bar

Solar Myth

It’s worth celebrating any experimental jazz club that manages to feel accessible rather than insufferable. It’s especially worth celebrating one that serves a dynamic and considered wine list sans pretension. With concrete floors, an expansive, trippy vinyl collection, and metal folding chairs, Fountain Porter’s Evan Clancy and Ars Nova Workshop’s Mark Christman have transformed the Boot & Saddle space into a place that’s quintessentially Philly-cool. Read More »

1131 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA Website

2021 Best Rooftop Bar

El Techo

Philly doesn’t do rooftop bars well. We have so few of them, and many are owned by the hotels, so they’re kinda lame. El Techo? With its perfect pitchers of margaritas? And its retractable roof? And its squid and long hot pepper tacos? Not lame. Not lame at all. Read More »

1826 Ludlow Street, Philadelphia, PA Website

2019 Best Secret Bar

Art in the Age

It’ll be hard to walk past the tools, bitters, syrups and shrubs in this boutique, but don’t stop till you arrive at the blissfully quiet copper-topped back bar, where chill bartenders are waiting to mix you drinks with all the goods that are for sale. Read More »

116 North 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA | 215-922-2600 | Website

2019 Best Rooftop Bar

Irwin’s

Remember how excited you were when BOK Bar first opened, with its cool unfinished vibe and expansive views? Well, this is just like that — only with excellent cocktails, Mediterranean small plates and table service. Read More »

800 Mifflin Street, Philadelphia, PA | 215-693-6206 | Website

2019 Best Bar for Parents

Craft Hall

Whoever came up with the notion to build a playground inside a brewpub — with video games, a projector, Skee-Ball, and bunnies and chickens outside — deserves so much more than a Best of Philly. How about a Nobel Prize? Read More »

901 North Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, PA | 267-297-2072 | Website

2019 Best Rainy Day Fun

Thirsty Dice Board Game Cafe

We love the library of more than 800 games. And the beer list. But we adore the staffers who referee disputes. Is “qi” really an acceptable Scrabble word? Yes, yes it is. Read More »

1642 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA | 215-765-2679 | Website

2019 Best Place for Misbehaving

Chelsea Beach Bar

There’s still plenty of libidinous activity at the Pool at Harrah’s, but the young and tanned crowd at this open-air beach bar on the sand has it beat. Read More »

3001 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ | 609-345-6633

2019 Best College Playground

The Post

Quizzo, live music, dollar taco nights, weekend DJs, Skee-Ball and shuffleboard — a.k.a. things that are better than studying for midterms. Read More »

129 South 30th Street, Philadelphia, PA | 267-353-8521 | Website

2018 Best Sports Bar

Chickie’s & Pete’s

Bars with food trucks inside. Bars with strict dress codes. Bars with 18-ingredient cocktails that take 15 minutes to make. Blah, blah, blah. When it comes time to watch the big game–or any game, for that matter–the only place I want to be is at any of the dozen or so area locations of Chickie’s & Pete’s. You and your too-cool friends can roll your eyes at my vulgar plebeianism, but while you’re at your tin-ceilinged, Edison-bulbed speakeasy, I’ll be sitting happily amidst an ungodly number of huge TVs with sound, drinking cheap beers and scarfing down crack-like Crabfries. If you come to your senses and decide to meet me for the next game, don’t ask the waitress if she has that $14 single-cask goat-tears-infused craft beer, or you might get stomped. – Victor Fiorillo Read More »

Website

2018 Best New Bar

Dock Street Cannery + Lounge

After all these years, Dock Street can still turn it on. Proof: Dock Street Cannery, a tiny, lounge-y bar built inside a small garage space on the backside of the brewpub where the cocktails are smart and refreshing, the beers are, you know, Dock Street and great, and the bar itself is an easy place to while away an evening. Read More »

701 South 50th Street, Philadelphia, PA | 267-639-4334 | Website