The Best Dive Bars in Philly
A chance encounter with a cat named Rufus, an entire bar belting out Oasis, “jello shots,” “mystery shots,” and something called a Hammboni. These dive bars never disappoint.
Inside Ray’s Happy Birthday, a classic Philly dive bar / Photograph by Patterson Watkins
Before setting off on this fantastical, cheap beer odyssey (and, trust me, I felt a little like Homer — the Greek and the Simpson — throughout all of it), I needed to assign some defining features that separate a dive bar from, say, a neighborhood pub or local watering hole.
Dive bars, especially the great ones, should immediately invoke a ‘welcome home’ feeling — like being pulled via divining rod, you park yourself at the nearest stool, elbows abreast, sticking slightly to the wood (or formica) surface. If you haven’t already been greeted from the bar, you’re met with a ‘hi, how are ya’, while being simultaneously served something that’s refreshing at a very fair price. Before your change is tendered, someone’s pop-pop is chatting you up about the game, someone else is queuing up the Talking Heads on the juke, and, before your eyes can adjust to the casino-level lack of natural lighting, you know that tonight (or today) is going to be a good one.
If that’s the vibe you’re looking for, here’s where you need to go.
Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar, East Passyunk
Cash-only
Ray’s has been offering good times and cold beers to thirsty, thrifty folks for 85 years now. Their dive bar model is timeless. Continuously supporting the night shift, day shift, late shift, and “here to party” shifts with equal hospitality. Their patrons are a fabulous commingling of eccentrics and locals. You’ll definitely find your people at Ray’s, as well as at open mic nights, karaoke nights and live music. And, if you happen to make Ray’s a stop on your birthday, you might be rewarded with a little surprise. 1200 East Passyunk Avenue.
Dirty Franks, Midtown Village
Cash-only
On the corner of 13th and Pine you’ll find a windowless bar adorned with the appropriately named mural “Famous Franks” (featuring Frank Sinatra, Frankenstein’s monster, Aretha Franklin, and a frankfurter). Inside is a time capsule filled with decades of eclectic ephemera highlighting the bar’s finest moments, from photos of locals and regulars epoxied to the bar to aging decorations from parties past. This place is a rite of passage. You haven’t been to a Philly dive bar until you’ve been to Dirty Franks. So pull up a stool, chat with other patrons while watching the game, play darts in The Pain Center, and toast to a great night with a Citywide Special. 347 South 13th Street.
Krupa’s Tavern, Fairmount
Cash preferred
Neither the pandemic nor prohibition could stop this small-but-mighty 102-years-young (and counting) dive bar. Krupa’s is a welcome respite for Fairmount residents and passers-by, almost akin to a community center (with jaw-droppingly cheap beers). Come for the refreshing, no-frills beverages. Stay for the game. Stay longer because you’ve just made a new best friend (and it will probably be the bartender). Welcome home. There are hotdogs in the crockpot. 2701 Brown Street.
Lorraine, Fairmount
Cash preferred
Pinball, old-school Iron Chef reruns, Young Sheldon watch parties, C-movies, Hamm’s beer concoctions (please order the Honey Glazed Hamm or the Hammboni if you’re feeling spicy), and a level of appreciated sass (or no f’s to give) that I only thought could be administered from the sagest barkeep of dive bars old. Lorraine, rocks. It’s weird in the best ways. Don’t believe me? Check out their Instagram. The place just turned nine, and I hope it stays for many more years to come. 1502 Brown Street.
Bob and Barbara’s Lounge, Grad Hospital
Cash-only, ATM on site
An institution carrying the torch of old-school South Street, Bob and Barbara’s is the birthplace of Philly’s official dive bar cocktail, the Citywide Special. Any time is a great time to go, but this place really shines when there’s a drag show, DJ night, or local music act. So take your shot and raise your Pabst to the generations of party people whose patronage of Bob and Barbara’s made these wild nights on South Street possible. 1509 South Street.
Oscar’s Tavern, Center City
Cash-only
Classic, vintage and steeped in red vinyl charm, Oscar’s is the dive bar we choose when payday is very far away. The paper placemats are a red herring; classic cocktails are not the name of the game at Oscar’s. You’re here for cheap beers. The Phils, Eagles, Flyers, Union, or local little league team are playing? There’ll be beer specials. There will be beer specials just because it’s Tuesday. Within happy hour and outside happy hour, you’re going to drink well without breaking the bank. 1524 Sansom Street.
12 Steps Down, Bella Vista
Cash preferred
12 Steps Down is a dive bar with variety. A variety of events (bingo night, karaoke, music-themed quizzo), a variety of locals and come-from-aways, and (for a dive bar) a staggering variety of beers, ciders, and seltzers (cans, bottles and drafts). The bartenders excel at making non-fussy cocktails. If you need a break from Miller High Life, traipse through the Italian Market and descend a flight of stairs. (12 steps down, to be exact.) 831 Christian Street.
Outside Les & Doreen’s / Photograph by Patterson Watkins
Les & Doreen’s Happy Tap, Fishtown
Cash-only
If I were asked to list all the things I love about dive bars, 90 percent of that list would include someone or something that I observed at Les & Doreen’s. This is an old-school dive bar done right. Doreen, the charismatic and inviting (but definitely no-B.S.) owner, has run this joint for over 30 years. Before that, she tended the bar. She still tends the bar. Deftly doling out $10 buckets of beers, $2 jello shots, and quippy retorts. Hungry? Grab a bag of chips or check Instagram for any weekday specials. There’s even the occasional food pop-up. Need to make a collect call? There’s a payphone by the bathroom. 1301 East Susquehanna Avenue.
Billy Murphy’s Irish Saloon, East Falls
Cash-only
Billy Murphy’s is the dive bar gem of East Falls. The tables are supported by coasters, the vinyl-swivel bar stools have comfortably cushioned years of many rears, the beers are chilled and ample, and the staff are the friendliest folks this side of the Schuylkill. I love all of it! There’s food, too. I recommend following those Citywides with a basket of fries and some Cooper sharp sauce. Weekdays are chill. Weekends are bumping. 3333 Conrad Street.
The Monkey Club, Kensington
Cash-only
The Monkey Club goes above and beyond the dive bar call of duty (especially in a neighborhood awash in bars, breweries, and restaurants). It’s classic, albeit monkey’d, aesthetic, inviting staff, affordable drinks (and slushies), and above-average lineup of events (game nights, poetry sessions, comedy shows — oh my!) make this a bar where I’d be honored to call myself a regular. One of the bartenders makes a mean homemade hot sauce. And if Rufus the cat happens to escape his owner’s home, he’s heading to The Monkey Club. If it’s good enough for Rufus, it is absolutely perfect for us. 2101 East York Street.
McGlinchey’s Bar, Center City
Cash-only
This bar isn’t really in Center City. It’s in “Cenner Ciddy” — a place where a chandelier hangs from the drop ceiling, the walled-in fireplace is where you put your beer down while you play pool, and you can smoke as many cigarettes as you want. Class with sass. Come here if you want a beer and a night you’ll talk about for years to come. Is that a promise or a threat? It could honestly go either way. 259 South 15th Street.
El Bar, Fishtown
Cash-only
The El Bar is as fabulously dive-y as it gets. Everyone who works at this bar operates at this approachable level of cool, ready to dish out a witty remark or Pabst pounder with fluid ease. If you come earlier in the day, the bar banter and vibe are chill, inclusive, and casually pleasant. If you come later in the evening, hold onto your butts — you’re walking into a lively and vibrant array of either live music, karaoke, or joyful mayhem. The outdoor patio is a great place to release your butt for a minute before returning to the fray. 1356 North Front Street.
Locust Rendezvous, Center City
Cash and cards
Locust Rendezvous is a dive bar born in the late ’80s that has still managed to hang on to that wood-paneled nostalgia. The vibe has an essence of Northeast Philly (overflowing Philly pride, swagger and grit) that somehow, surprisingly, found itself plunked into Center City. The number of television screens cracks me up. The way the bar staff manages that many TVs cracks me up even further. They duct-taped a paper-towel tube to the end of the remote so they can change the channels with laser precision. Drink specials are abundant — have fun with the “mystery shot.” And be sure to grab a late-night bite. The kitchen stays open until 1 a.m. 1415 Locust Street.
