{"id":36075,"date":"2013-04-10T22:31:23","date_gmt":"2013-04-11T02:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/?p=36075"},"modified":"2025-09-02T02:58:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T06:58:34","slug":"philadelphia-cocktail-bars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/36075\/philadelphia-cocktail-bars\/","title":{"rendered":"Spirited Adventure: The Best Philadelphia Cocktail Bars"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\">It all started with Prohibition. I went to Philadelphia to explore that wild time of bootleggers and flappers (via <em>American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition<\/em>, on exhibit at the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/constitutioncenter.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Constitution Center<\/a><\/strong>), and soon found myself tippling my way through town. It\u2019s not a difficult thing to fall into. The affair with liquor is alive and well in the City of Brotherly Love, and bespoke cocktails\u2014often served in modern renditions of old-timey settings\u2014reign supreme.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">I sampled the wares at a variety of institutions (all in the name of research, of course), and hereby present the best Philadelphia cocktail bars.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Mission: Prohibition<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-36148 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8639901921_3275069802_z.jpg\" alt=\"drink in a philly garden\" width=\"416\" height=\"416\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-36148 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8639901921_3275069802_z.jpg\" alt=\"drink in a philly garden\" width=\"416\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8639901921_3275069802_z.jpg 640w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8639901921_3275069802_z-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8639901921_3275069802_z-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8639901921_3275069802_z-25x25.jpg 25w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 416px) 100vw, 416px\" \/><\/noscript><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Speakeasies may no longer be necessary, but they still have a sense of glamour. And this being a Prohibition-inspired tour, I started at the source. While original speakeasies are a bit tougher to find (the one I visited, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mcgillins.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">McGillin\u2019s Olde Ale House<\/a><\/strong>, is these days crammed with beer-guzzling coeds), newer sorts have been sprouting up.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>The Modern Speakeasy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Named for the company that fronted the largest alcohol ring of the Prohibition era, The <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/thefranklinbar.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Franklin Mortgage &amp; Investment Co.<\/a><\/strong> (112 S. 18th St.) is speakeasy in tribute only (the ever-present line outside precludes any pretense of secrecy). Still, the trendy hotspot does what it does, and does it well.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">You\u2019ll wait, oh yes. But then you\u2019ll savor: low lighting, leather banquettes, drinking as art form. At this homage to the \u201cthe golden age of bar rooms\u201d it\u2019s hand-chipped ice, freshly squeezed juices, and a drink list divided into categories like \u201cRequired Reading,\u201d \u201cRebellious Spirits,\u201d and (my favorite) \u201cI Asked Her for Water and She Brought Me Gasoline.\u201d My drink, the \u201cSideways in Reverse,\u201d combined apple brandy, Campari, St. Germain, and lime juice\u2014and, while I\u2019m not the type to wait in line, I didn\u2019t regret it.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>The \u201cNot a Speakeasy\u201d (But Really a Speakeasy)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/hopsinglaundromat.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hop Sing Laundromat<\/a><\/strong> (1029 Race St.) is everything I wanted my \u201cspeakeasy experience\u201d to be. It blends right in with the anonymous facades on an anonymous Chinatown Street\u2014the only thing that told us we were in the right place were the three people standing outside, as casually as if they were waiting to be buzzed into a friend\u2019s apartment. But you don&#8217;t ring the bell here (we learned this when, once inside, we saw the doorman open the door acknowledge someone who had rung, and then close it again in their faces).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Upon being allowed entry, we waited some more in a dimly lit antechamber, done up with books, vintage etchings, and a shelf of Campbell\u2019s Soup cans. We sat, eager, upright, and on our best behavior (perhaps it was the church pew?), until Lee, the proprietor, sauntered in and delivered, in broken English, the rules: \u201cNo cameras. Texting is allowed but phone calls are not&#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">He also apologized for the drinks\u2014it\u2019s just a \u201chumble bar\u201d after all (just take a look at the one-page website)\u2014before leading us to a table swanky main room, where dark red walls are hung with gilded mirrors and oil paintings. Behind the bar is a boozers dream: every spirit imaginable on built-in shelving, replete with rolling ladder. Cocktails are listed by liquor. Drink specials come with stories. I opted for the \u201cRailroad Judah,\u201d named for the poor sap who conceived of the Transcontinental Railroad and then died before he could see it happen. I liked the story. Our server raised an eyebrow and asked if I\u2019d ever tried laphroaig before. I hadn\u2019t, and was more interested in the green and yellow Chartreuse. He smirked, said nothing else, and walked away.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">My drink arrived in what looked like a tiny martini glass. It was pale brown in color and tasted like smoked wood chips. When the waiter came by and I said I was enjoying it, he looked confused but impressed. I felt I\u2019d just gained initiation into some secret drinkers\u2019 club.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Where Speakeasies go to&#8230; Prison<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Lest you think I spent my entire visit to Philly sauced, a Prohibition-related daytime activity. <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.easternstate.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Eastern State Penitentiary<\/a><\/strong> (2027 Fairmount Avenue) is an imposing structure that is even more haunting within than without. Abandoned in the \u201870s, the structure, much of which was built in the 19th century, still feels like ruins, with chipping walls and rotting cells.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641005968_be56817494_z.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641005968_be56817494_z.jpg\" alt=\"Prohibition Exhibit in Philly\" width=\"415\" height=\"415\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641005968_be56817494_z.jpg\" alt=\"Prohibition Exhibit in Philly\" width=\"415\" height=\"415\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/strong><\/strong>Until you reach the Park Avenue Block, where one snazzy cell has been decked out in period furnishings to resemble the schmancy digs it provided for one Al \u201cScarface\u201d Capone. Rumor has it that Capone, who spent eight months here from 1929 to 1930, was caught with a concealed weapon on purpose so he could wait out the fervor from the St. Valentine\u2019s Day Massacre. Whether or not that\u2019s true, one thing is certain: Mr. Scarface did his time in style, in a cell he outfitted with lavish decor, from oriental rugs to a richly polished desk.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>The (New-Fangled) Old-Fashioned<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It\u2019s not just the elicit that makes Prohibition so fascinating. It\u2019s the memory of simpler days\u2014and more complicated drinks. I hit up several drinking and dining establishments that take the \u201csimply-complicated\u201d approach, with complex food and drink made from the freshest ingredients.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>The House of Beer and Cocktails<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Named for a monthly 19th-century agricultural handbook, <strong>The Farmers\u2019 Cabinet<\/strong> <em>(editors&#8217; note- has since closed)<\/em> captures the best of the Victorian age: a devotion to craft beers, fresh ingredients, and gaiety. The restaurant\/bar mixes high and low, with various rooms and nooks done up alternately in rich textured wallpaper and Victorian furnishings or rustic wooden walls and mason jar light fixtures.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">When I visited, I sat on a beer barrel and sipped a \u201cPerplexed Monk\u201d (rum, aperol, lemon, and house-made cola) while Drew Nugent and the Midnight Society, looking sharp in old-timey suits, serenaded a lively crowd with jazzy ditties.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Garden of Delight<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>There\u2019s a palpable buzz at <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/talulasgarden.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Talula\u2019s Garden<\/a><\/strong> (210 W Washington Square), a whimsical spot that feels fresh off the pages of an Anthropologie catalog (in the best of ways). Outside, the garden twinkles, while inside all is aglow, with candles in mason jars and repurposed decor, including windows that were discarded from M Night Shyamalan\u2019s The Village.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Here, the focus is more on the seasonal menu (chef Aimee Olexy is known for her cheese plates, and for good reason), but the cocktails are every bit as lovely. They\u2019re mostly fresh takes on classics, with breezy names like \u201cThe Treehugger\u201d and \u201cThe Visionary.\u201d I sampled \u201cThe Dreamer,\u201d a \u201cscented gin and tonic\u201d made with cucumber and garden herb syrup.<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Old Dogs, New Drinks<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The grandfather clock that guards the entryway of the Morris House Hotel bears the scars of revolution: bullet holes from when Revolutionary War soldiers literally &#8220;killed time&#8221; by shooting at the pendulum. It\u2019s also known that Jefferson, Washington, and John Adams ate, smoked cigars, and (of course) drank here, no doubt while hashing out important new-nation business.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Today, it\u2019s the cocktail revolution that\u2019s underway at the hotel\u2019s <strong>M Restaurant<\/strong> (231 S 8th St.), and leading the charge is Theo, the hip resident bartender who concocts wild and wondrous elixirs with names like \u201cThe Death of Marie Antoinette\u201d (gin, drambuie, and luxardo) and \u201cThe Electrified Fence\u201d (house-infused rye, apple, and ginger beer).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">While my party was dining in <strong>The Library<\/strong>\u2014among gorgeously worn volumes, \u201cperiod\u201d paintings of the hotel\u2019s owner, and (a girl can only hope) the ghosts of many a spy and politician who passed through here\u2014Theo came in and explained his process: \u201cI sometimes come up with the names first,\u201d he said. Then he uses in-season produce to create and mimic flavors via \u201cinfusions, consumes, or jellies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The results are nothing short of exquisite, and visitors can often even get a sneak peek at one of Theo\u2019s new experiments at happy hour, when the bar offers a \u201cthree for 13\u201d deal: one drink (choose from two beers and a \u201cbartender\u2019s choice\u201d cocktail) and two food items (from a list of 13 options) for $13. Even more incredible than the deal itself is that it can be enjoyed all night, six nights a week (the restaurant is closed on Mondays).<\/p>\n<h2 dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Where to Crash<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641139628_d930ef50c5_z.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-36165 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641139628_d930ef50c5_z.jpg\" alt=\"Philly hotels\" width=\"416\" height=\"416\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-36165 aligncenter lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641139628_d930ef50c5_z.jpg\" alt=\"Philly hotels\" width=\"416\" height=\"416\" srcset=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641139628_d930ef50c5_z.jpg 640w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641139628_d930ef50c5_z-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641139628_d930ef50c5_z-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8641139628_d930ef50c5_z-25x25.jpg 25w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 416px) 100vw, 416px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">You may want to party all night long, but even the heartiest of cocktail drinkers have to sleep sometimes. Try one of these hotels with history on for size.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The aforementioned <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/morrishousehotel.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Morris House Hotel<\/a><\/strong> (from $199\/night, 225 South 8th St.) offers 15 plush guest rooms and a healthy dose of historic charm.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Things feel far more modern over at the <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.loewshotels.com\/Philadelphia-Hotel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Loews Philadelphia<\/a><\/strong> (from $200\/night, 1200 Market St.), but original touches, like a stunning vault in the lobby, remind guests that this landmark building plays a significant role in Philadelphia history. Formerly the headquarters of the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, the 36-story building was the city\u2019s first skyscraper, built in the middle of the Great Depression. Its beloved \u201cPSFS\u201d sign still illuminates the skyline, and many of the 581 sleek guest rooms offer impressive views (mine looked directly across to William Penn on his City Hall perch).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>How to get there:<\/strong> <em>Take\u00a0<a title=\"Megabus homepage\" href=\"http:\/\/us.megabus.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Megabus<\/a>\u00a0or<\/em> c<em>onsult <a href=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/manhattan-to-philadelphia-public-transportation-advisor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">oM&#8217;s transit guide to Philadelphia<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps\/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=205563504290144167189.0004da1ad9f0b32e3fc64&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=m&amp;ll=39.957386,-75.160904&amp;spn=0.092108,0.171661&amp;z=12&amp;output=embed\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<small>View <a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-align: left;\" href=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps\/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=205563504290144167189.0004da1ad9f0b32e3fc64&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=m&amp;ll=39.957386,-75.160904&amp;spn=0.092108,0.171661&amp;z=12&amp;source=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Best Philadelphia Cocktail Bars<\/a> in a larger map<\/small><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>Photos: Morris House Hotel, The Farmers&#8217; Cabinet, Talula&#8217;s Garden, Eastern State Penitentiary<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It all started with Prohibition. I went to Philadelphia to explore that wild time of bootleggers and flappers (via American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, on exhibit at the National Constitution Center), and soon found myself tippling my way through town. It\u2019s not a difficult thing to fall into. The affair with liquor [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":38434,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[316,759,747,770,769,743,332,748],"tags":[31,465,17,968,110,144,18,706],"class_list":{"0":"post-36075","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-weekend-getaways","8":"category-bar-activity-2","9":"category-bus-2","10":"category-food-drink","11":"category-historic-sites-culture","12":"category-megabus-getaways","13":"category-philadelphia-2","14":"category-train-2","15":"tag-bar","16":"tag-cocktails","17":"tag-gardens","18":"tag-guided-tour","19":"tag-historical-sites","20":"tag-hotel","21":"tag-museum","22":"tag-outdoor-activities"},"acf":[],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":38434,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/8969365898_4572b71670_b-300x199.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36075","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36075"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36075\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}