The Club & Music Scene

Luckily for those of us who like to kick it after sundown, Philadelphia's nightlife scene has evolved over the years. The city offers plenty of dance clubs that invoke scenes from MTV reality shows, pubs for chilling out over a couple of pints, subdued martini lounges, world-renowned DJ scenes, and even a few new joints that will make you feel young again. The minimum legal drinking age in Pennsylvania is 21. Bars may stay open until 2am; establishments that operate as private clubs can serve until 3am. Dance clubs often have rules prohibiting sneakers, but most are okay with unfaded jeans.

The Lay of the Land

Here's a quick-and-dirty rundown of what's happening where, with exceptions all around.

Old City -- By day, historic sites and boutiques. By night: restaurants, bars -- and more bars, the most in Philly. While there are a few quiet nooks where one can enjoy adult conversation, Old City's going-out scene is mostly loud and lusty (in both senses of the word). It also seems to grow more bridge-and-tunnel-ish by the weekend. (For evidence, see the full garages and parking lots -- and the traffic jams along 2nd and 3rd sts.) A ton of well-heeled Penn students party here, as do young, hetero professionals in ironed, tucked-out shirts (the men) and the latest skimpiest styles (the women). In winter, no one, apparently, needs a coat.

Rittenhouse Square -- A slightly more mature crowd patronizes the less crowded nightlife scene of this park-centric neighborhood. Although Rittenhouse Square has a dollop of bump 'n' grind -- Denim, for example -- it definitely welcomes a preening cocktail crowd -- Rouge, Continental Mid-Town. Its many restaurant-attached bars are more couple-friendly. Yet the neighborhood's edges still offer laid-back settings (like Monk's and Good Dog) for hanging out with friends.

Washington West -- Just east of Broad Street (before you hit Old City), this eclectic neighborhood comprises the bars and dance clubs of the "Gayborhood," the emerging 13th Street corridor (El Vez, Vintage), and the city's oldest continuously operational bar (McGillin's), with a few casual taprooms, a swanky new bowling alley, and a dive or two in between. It's not as scene-y as either of the above, but it's near the Convention Center, and fits the bill if you're not planning an oversize pub crawl.

Northern Liberties -- A few blocks north of Old City, across the Vine Street expressway, this once dodgy neighborhood has been discovered. And then some. The nightlife corridor generally stretches along 2nd and 3rd streets, between Callowhill Street and Girard Avenue. Anchor bar Standard Tap is no longer the secret it once was, so the owners opened a second place, even farther north, called Johnny Brenda's -- and now even that place is getting gentrified. New additions include bars Deuce and Bar Ferdinand, both in the recently opened Liberties Walk, and North Bowl, a stylish bowling alley.

South Street -- Center City's southern border has downtown's most diverse going-out scene, with beer bars, starter bars (for folks for whom catching a buzz is still a novelty), the city's coolest dance club, sports bars, and gastro-pubs. Then, a little farther south into Bella Vista, are restaurants with bars serving boutique wines.

University City -- You might think there'd be a ton of watering holes in the across-the-river section of West Philly, but you'd be wrong. You can find a few popular pubs -- New Deck, the bar at the White Dog -- and lounges -- Marathon, the bar at Pod -- but many students go elsewhere to party, or do it in their social clubs.

Delaware Avenue/Columbus Boulevard -- Not the scene it used to be, this high-traffic, four-lane city strip is nonetheless dotted with a popular spots -- just not enough to allow you to walk among them. There are a couple of places on the river, a pair of strip clubs (one male, one female), and a dance club or two.

Jazz & Blues Clubs

Philadelphia has long been one of the great American hot spots for jazz. It's the one-time home of greats Billie Holiday and John Coltrane. And while Philly-born bassist Christian McBride has left for New York, sax phenom Grover Washington, Jr., lives in the city and drummer Mickey Roker still appears weekly for sets at Ortlieb's Jazzhaus. In addition to the clubs listed below, the Kimmel Center hosts a popular jazz series and the Philadelphia Museum of Art offers live jazz most Wednesday and Friday evenings. Lastly, tune into WRTI, FM 90.1, Temple University's public classic and jazz music station.

Rock Clubs & Concert Venues

The biggest concerts in town -- Dave Matthews Band, The Rolling Stones, Veggie Tales on Ice -- happen in South Philadelphia's stadiums: Wachovia Center and the Spectrum, mostly. In summer, larger acts also perform across the river at Camden's Tweeter Center on the Waterfront.

Late-Night Eats

When the bars close, the grubbing begins. Here's where everyone goes to get a late-night/early-morning junk food fix.

Washington West: Midtown II, 122 S. 11th St. (tel. 215/627-6452). All the Gayborhood seems to gather at this friendly diner (open 24/7) around 3am, to nosh spinach and feta omelets and BLTs -- and to give up on flirting.

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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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				Frommer's Philadelphia and the Amish Country, 14th Edition Author: Lenora Dannelke Pub Date: May 29, 2007 Price: $16.99				Related Titles: Boston For Dummies, 4th Edition Frommer's Boston 2009 Frommer's Boston Day by Day, 1st Edition