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#GAY BARS PHILADELPHIA LET YOU IN AT MIDNIGHT PLUS#
If you're lucky enough to score a seat at this veteran Stephen Starr outfit, you'll be guided to a leather banquette or an alligator-print barstool in the near-pitch-black barroom, and handed a hyper-focused list of cocktails: There are spirit-forward classics (Old Fashioned, Manhattan) and funky seasonal mixtures like Pinky & the Drank, a winter-worthy blend of cognac, sloe gin, madeira, lemon, and blackberry, as well as a carefully edited list of wine and beer-just one sparkling, one white, and one red blend on offer, plus three draft and four bottled beers. Upon entering, you’ll find a small anteroom, where a hostess carefully controls entry based on a “one in, one out” policy. Walk about halfway down the nondescript alley that is Ranstead Street, keeping your eyes peeled for the double “RR” logo on a black doorway. Finally, it's around the corner from Punch Line Philly, a comedy club, and The Fillmore, a popular live music venue, making it an ideal stop for pre- or post-show cocktails. Also notable: spent grain sliders, steak-frites, and pierogis with crispy onion rings. The crispy Brussels sprouts, soaked in balsamic vinegar and topped with bacon bits, are the best we’ve had in Philly. The menu focuses on small, seasonal plates that are perfectly portioned for sharing. Each is carefully crafted to showcase the spirit, rounded out with all house-made bitters, macerations, and more. You’ll also see appearances from the 1681 vodka, Old Bay-infused vodka, called The Bay, and Vieux Carré absinthe. No matter where you land, the focus is nearly always on the gin itself, of which the distillery produces two Bluecoat varieties-barrel finished and American dry-and the cocktail program works hard to offer seasonally driven takes on the two. After 12 years in a space solely licensed for production, the owners finally received approval to transform a 1950s metal foundry into a multi-use venue, which now includes a bar/lounge, production and bottling facilities, and top-floor event space. The current Fishtown iteration of Philadelphia Distilling is a far cry from its original outpost in an industrial park in northeast Philadelphia. Generally speaking, McGillin’s gets progressively louder, busier, and younger as the night goes on.
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They belly up to the bar, reliving the glory days. The storied heritage and classic pub ambience draw all types of bar-goers, from college kids avoiding the library to young professionals grabbing after-work beers, families catching an Eagles game, to retirees. For the most authentic libations, try one of the three house beers, all made by P.A.-based Stoudts Brewing: the McGillin’s Real Lager, the McGillin’s Ale, and McGillin’s 1860 IPA, created in honor of the bar’s 150th anniversary, in 2010. Expect a mostly beer-centric bar menu, with over 30 varieties on tap. Opened in 1860, the year Lincoln was elected president (!), McGillin’s survived the Civil War, the Great Depression, and even Prohibition. The oldest continuously operating tavern in Philadelphia, McGillin’s is a family-led institution: In its 158 year-history, the bar has been owned by just two families (the McGillins, who raised their 13 children upstairs, and the Spaniak/Mullinses, who still run it today). If you’re interested in a little entertainment, the live music program covers broad genres-from blues and jazz to swing, funk, and country-in the Red Room, a cozy space with a fireplace and distinct bordello vibe (prepare for lots of red velvet).
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The former features classics, like a Sazerac and an Old Fashioned, while the latter focuses on house specialties, like The Saint-made with house-infused maple bourbon, Aperol, Domaine de Canton, and pear. Naturally, the cocktail list builds on the theme, and is divided into two sections: Old Testament and New Testament. The team took the traditionally religious decor element and ran with it, building a barroom complete with pew-style seating, a confession booth, and a throne worthy of the Pope. He thought, "What if we did that with a bar top, lit from below?" And, lo-that’s exactly what you’ll find here (albeit with stained glass panels). Call it divine inspiration: The motivation behind the church theme at West Passyunk's Thirsty Soul came when lead mixologist Billy Hines was on a flight from New Orleans to Philadelphia and noticed how the overhead light brilliantly reflected the pattern of a drinking glass onto the tray table.