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May 26, 2015
Patrons celebrate "Drunkmas 2014" at the 12 Steps Down bar in South Philly.
Philly's a great drinking city, and there are plenty of great bars here to prove it. There are so many, in fact, that some of the best drinking establishments fly under the radar and don't garner the same attention as the more well-known watering holes.
Those bars, aka "dive bars," are plentiful in Philadelphia. Full of regulars, usually serving cheap drinks and rich in atmosphere, those joints are often the best places to get a real feel for the local community and culture. Here are five of the best ones.
Fairmount - 2743 Poplar St.
(Era Bar/theerabar.com)
Head just one block down from North Star Bar to find this gem. Serving up authentic Ethiopian food, their drink special of a Lionshead bottle with a shot of Heaven Hill bourbon for $3 is a nice break from the normal citywide special. Bring quarters, too, because the regulars are usually down for a friendly game of pool.
Bella Vista/South Philly - 831 Christian St.
(12 Steps Down/Facebook)
You literally have to walk 12 steps down a flight of stairs on a street corner near the Italian Market to get into this bar. It's worth the trip to grab a brew off their rotating draft list or have the bartenders make "any cocktail you want." Their happy hour features half-off all drafts, and they've got plenty of events and specials for each day of the week.