How could you not love 12 Steps Down? From the sassy but lovable bartenders, delicious beer, and amazing events like weekly karaoke and music trivia - what's not to love!? Albeit not a 'tv' bar - they always have either some weird movie on (have fun trying to guess which one) or the Phillies/Flyers, etc. NEVER put your drink on the pool table and always wash your hands after you use the restroom lol. 12 Steps Down is one of the best dives in the city, if not the best. Just make sure to tip your bartender. read more

Classic all around Philly neighborhood dive bar. Didn't order any food this trip but I'm sure I'll stop in again, seemed fair priced pub fare to pair with some drinks. Drink selection has a few drafts, and a decent can/bottle selection. They have various events but I just stopped in on a regular night. Great vibes and good people, had a lot of fun. read more

12 Steps Down - Beer cooler - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I've been here many times over the past several years. Recently it seems to have gone down hill. It's a bar, specifically a dive bar in South Philly. The expectations are not high....yet, it's a miserable experience. The bartender, who seems to always be here on weekends, must hate everyone that comes in. Smug and arrogant are probably too kind of words. Steer clear, there are many better options in the area. If I am supposed to feel like a bar is doing me a favor by serving me...it's not somewhere anyone should go. read more

12 Steps Down - The last beer I'll buy here. - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I came down during a hot day just looking to get a simple beer. The place was pretty empty as expected during the daytime. The bartender, Mario, was a great host and recommended the crisp lager so I ordered that. Tasted as one could expect from a nice casual lager and was refreshing. Overall this is a very casual dive bar where you can sit down and not have to think about a whole lot. Great bar overall! read more

Went here few weeks ago since I've never been and wanted to try the burger. Place was pretty packed and got open spot at bar. Got the burger with order of fries , burger came out more well than I wanted like semi hockey puck but missed part where it said charbroiled lol. Was still decent but sad tomato ha. Fries were good with the garlic ranch and the Schneider & Son Aventinus was good beer. Nice dive bar with pool table and nice staff. May have to come back for karoake n try some other stuff, fountain porter burger/fry deal is better , burger,fries, 4 beers was about $55 with tip. read more

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Total dive bar but just what we needed. We'd just arrived in Philly from NYC and on our way to get cheesesteaks at Angelo's. It was nearly an hour wait so we walked over to get some beers and use the only bathroom we could find for blocks around. read more

Cool dive bar! Checked out this place after seeing it on a list of must visit dive bars in Philly. It was exactly what I was looking for. It was a mixed crowd but people were mainly there for the game. They also had Halloween town playing on the tv which checked off nostalgia for me. The bartender was super cool and we were able to talk about horror movies with him. They had city wides of course but I was most surprised to see food. We went with the mozzarella sticks after seeing tons of them come out the kitchen. They did not disappoint! They were so good- I think they were made with a beer batter and the marinara sauce had Parmesan in it- 10/10. Id definitely come again! read more

12 Steps Down - Mozzarella sticks - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Drink review: we stopped by for drinks on a Saturday night and really enjoyed the chill vibes of this bar. Drinks were good and bartenders were friendly. read more

12 Steps Down - Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This is one of my favorite bars in the QV area. I've been a good amount of times, here's some great things to callouts: - Music trivia night is fun, get there early if you want a table - Karaoke is also really fun. An unusual amount of good singers I chalk it up to the mix of characters you'll find at 12 steps - friendly and efficient staff - Chicken wings are pretty damn good - never have tried other food - pool table is great It's in general a great spot to have some drinks with friends and right by the Italian Market. The ONLY negative thing I have to say is, I don't like the on tap twisted tea - I stick with the bottles. That isn't unique to 12 Steps thought, I've had TT on tap at other bars - never quite right. Anyway cheers to a legendary spot. read more

So they have a bartender named Dylan here that needs an attitude adjustment... I was sitting at the bar when a female patron was waiting at least 10 mins and this Dylan person points at me and says what do u want... I being a gentleman and courteous say... she's been waiting for a while take care of her order then come back to me.. he. comes ba k with an attitude.. everybody wants a drink.. and when I point at you u tell me what you want.. I guess chivalry etiquette and being a gentleman are traits Dylan doesn't have.. do better .. first time ever in my 41 years of existence i didnt leave a tip for a dick move on his part... Bar is rad... Dylan sucks.... he's lucky he didn't get these manos from me .... read more

Another goat Philadelphia south dive bar. lots of events on different days (quizzo, karaoke, etc) -- great for groups read more

Dive Bar: Typically small - check Unglamorous - check Minimal effort by staff - check Hole in the wall - check Filthy, smelly bathrooms - check Cheap - check Loud - check That's exactly what to expect when you go 12 steps down. Yup, I've been here thrice. I'll probably go again read more

12 Steps Down - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We stopped in here last night after dinner for a quick drink before we headed back home. Of course, we counted the steps on our way down lol. There are, indeed, "12 steps down" to the entrance. Anyway, I wouldn't get on a Septa bus to come to 12 Steps Down. But it is a cool dive bar and if I lived nearby i would probably stop in for one a lot. The drinks were cheap and the bartenders were nice. I even discovered a new (to me) cider that I never heard of before. Overall it was an interesting place to come for one drink. The bathrooms were so smelly and gross though so I would recommend leaving before you have to go lol. read more

12 Steps Down - Cider (I drank some before I took the pic) - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Stopped in with some coworkers for a couple of drinks. You literally take 12 steps down to the entrance. Small spot, several draft beers, cocktails, music box and pool table, mid size crowd on a weeknight. The bartenders were cool and have suggestions on local beers to try. The Victory Brewery IPA and Love City Budge were both great beers. Thanks fellas. read more

12 Steps Down - Love City - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I love a good dive bar. It's not too small, not too run down. Drinks were totally basic which isn't bad. The food was actually much better than I thought though. I got the veg patty melt although the menu calls it a "party melt"? My main issue was with service. One guy was so quiet and flat in his manner that it actually made me uncomfortable. And I don't scare easily. I had to ask him to repeat everything and he just stared with no queues that he heard me or cared. I wondered if I'd offended him somehow but figured his personality must just be "non-existent". Another guy just somehow didn't see me for so long that the door guy had to come over and cash me out. It felt like I had a huge arrow pointing at me that read "out of towner". I'd go back, just not with any expectations of good service. Ha! read more

Alex the Bartender was awesome! Eagles parade was over and so glad we ran into this Gem! Felt the Brotherly Love! Owner was so involved and was all over the place expediting food coming out of kitchen! Can't wait to come back a visit this local spot! Go BIRDS! read more

Terrible place. Don't waste your time. I love a good dive bar but this spot is very sad when it comes to personality and customer service. Do yourself a favor and stay away. read more

Fell into 12 Steps Down for a beer as we were waiting for our table up the street. Was a highlight of our trip.

Throughout the years I've ended up here more than twice. I never chose to go here. It was always like I just opened my eyes and there we was. Then my eyes were watering I couldn't breath and I wanted to leave. Recently we were hanging out on 9th at DiBrunos and we wanted to eat something. One of my friends suggested 12 steps. I was like what? That smoke filled hole in the wall has food? I couldn't even imagine. I said ok I'll try it. We got fries, two veggie burgers and a real burger. None of it was great. I'd say serviceable. For what it was I'd like it to be a little cheaper. Anyway I doubt I'll ever eat here again but I'm sure I'll wind up here some dark stormy night. Actually you know what, I'll probably end up eating there again too. I never learn my lesson. read more

I am not the demographic for this bar. It makes me (mid-40s) feel old and can get a little rowdy when it's crowded. I was once elbowed so hard in the chest by somebody dancing by the pool tables (by accident) that I had a bruise for a week. That said, they have a good rotating tap list that always includes an interesting cider. Their $6 cheeseburger is a wonderful greasy treat on par with a lot of much more expensive ones in the area. We definitely like the place, but before about 9pm, and that's just because it's a little chaotic for us. If that's your thing, you'll find great deals on cheap eats and a kitchen that's open late. ETA: they must have changed their smoking policy because there's no way I could stand to sit in there if they allow smoking. Very allergic to it. read more

Had the best time yesterday with my husband and puppy! Loved the outdoor seating and we watched the Phillies game. Great fries and great drinks! Will definitely be re visiting soon. Also felt very comforting with their COVID procedures and protocols they had in place! read more

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The most amazing bread ever, great drinks and pretty awesome fries. Attentive and nice waitstaff! read more

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A favorite dive bar! Good beer, solid food, friendly staff, wonderfully divey decor. While I do miss making myself sick smoking half a pack of cigarettes and downing 3 dollar mimosas at brunch I am so happy that I can return to 12 steps now that they're smoke free. Bring your friends and play some pool or sing karaoke to celebrate your birthday. You never know who will walk in and become a present to you. read more

I've been wanting to come to 12 Steps Down for a while and I'm really glad I finally went! Super fun atmosphere. We went to watch the Sixers game and to grab some drinks and ended up having a lot of fun. There's a pool table for some fun. Also if you need a new drink to try and you're over seltzers you have to try Ranch Water (by Lone River) It's one of our favorite drinks but you can rarely order it out! read more

12 Steps Down - Ranch water ! - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I'd like to reiterate what others are saying about inappropriate behavior from staff. I was subjected to an aggressive, misogynistic, and threatening rant from a bartender while here with a group of friends--we were all very alarmed. I wasn't surprised to see many other reviews complaining of sexist, racist, and discriminatory behavior by staff at this establishment. I tried to discuss the encounter with management, and they were not interested in engaging with me. There is also no email address to contact the bar (probably intentional, as I suspect there would be an influx of written complaints). It's a shame that it seems customers are regularly victimized here--to be avoided. read more

Honestly love this place! It's your classic hole in the wall spot, great drinks, great food and great atmosphere! The bartenders are always super sweet and are absolutely hilarious!!! They have touch tunes so the music depends on who's paying. There is also a pool table if that's your kind of thing. Miss when we could smoke in here tho read more

Here's one that I especially needed to update! I have since found out that the "Not exactly a friend of Bill's" reference had nothing to do with me (guess paranoia came to get me yet again.). It's actually the bar's pretty hilarious reference to Bill Wilson who created the Twelve Steps program for AA. I learned that months ago but sometimes McThrill is a total slackathon -bangs head on desk- ! love it or loathe it 12 Steps is still the same bar that it's always been. And as long as it's around I doubt that it's ever going to change. But if you look past it's clear and present quirks and kinks then you can find a good time. especially when it hooks up the inexpensive Bloody Marys and mimosas Sunday mornings. read more

Don't come here to eat !!! Come here to drink ! I personally stumbled across this place a couple of months ago . They have a daily mimosa special . Mimosas were 3 or 4 dollars a piece and really hit the spot !!! It's a typical dive bar which means that food is not necessarily the best . I ordered the pbr fried tenders and there were undercooked and bland . They were also pricey . Fries were also not my favorite . Probably the worst fries and chicken tenders I've ever had to be honest . Not edible . So why the high rating ? It's a dive bar . If you ordered cheeseburger at a sushi restaurant and it sucked would you be more mad at the restaurant or yourself For not using common sense and determine in advance that that's probably a bad idea ? Lol The rating is based on the price and the overall satisfaction with the mimosas only ! I'd still come back for mimosas as well as to play the old school PlayStation they have tucked in the corner but definitely not to eat . I'll stick to the frozen tenders I buy at Whole Foods which are cheaper and tastier . read more

It's a bar in the basement where you can smoke. Cash only. 1 pool table in the middle. Outside of that, be prepared to get your clothes soaked in second hand smoke. Most of the stuff on tap ranges from $5-$6. Not sure I get the hype. read more

Stumbled upon this gem while desperately trying to walk off the Philly cheesesteak coma and looking for something to wash it down with. This place is a legit Dive bar, with a pool table and a cigarette machine. I haven't seen this relic in years! The happy hour was bangin! Prices were very cheap and unheard of especially for a new yorker! most beers were 1/2 off and bloody Mary was $3. The Mary was excellent, however mine was so spicy i couldn't feel my mouth for quite some time after I had it. If you are a fan of spicy Mary you wont be disappointed here. Place was filled with locals whom the bartender knew and gave them their drink as they sat down. Also this place lets you smoke and there are ashtrays at every bar seat. I am not a smoker so we left after one drink, but those out there can really take advantage of this gem. Not many like this one left around, enjoy while it lasts! read more

12 Steps Down - Bloody Mary - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Really impressed with this bar's resident ceramic artist, Scott Cooper. My ceramic Jug is sturdy but not too heavy, great for a cool beverage such as a blue Gatorade. The maker even gave me 50% after I beat him in a game of pool, what a sucker. Although his hat seemed too small for his head and there were far too many men around, I would say my overall experience was great and I love my ceramic Yelp jug. Will be coming back to 12 Steps Down in the future to win more discounts on Scott's pottery. read more

12 Steps Down - the jug I purchased - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This smoky basement bar (12 Steps below ground, get it? Get it?!?!) is somewhere I've been meaning to try ever since I started exploring the South Philly food scene. It's right at the edge of the Italian Market and I expected the power of the market to show up. They didn't disappoint. The chipotle cheddar burger was lip-smackinly delicious. I'll never understand why cheddar isn't the standard cheese for burgers. Some people just don't get it, I guess. The hand it fries were top notch and definitely on the heartier side. We also tried the grilled cheese sliders with tomato soup. I'll be honest, when they came out I was incredulous at the cheese to bread ratio but after dipping, the little sandwiches were actually quite satisfying. All around a very good meal. But hold on, I can't leave out this gem: The Jimmy Jawn! I'm not gonna explain the philly slang that is "jawn" but I will say that this drink was off the hook. Ginger beer touched my Jamaican roots and you can't go wrong with Jameson. Not sure if this is cultural appropriation or not but I'm gonna let it slide because: Delicious. Definitely a little bar that I'll be stopping back at, and not only for the jawn. read more

12 Steps Down - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This place deserves more credit. The food is awesome and affordable. Their happy hour offers the best beer and food specials I'veseen in South Philly. The staff is cool and very hospitable to their patrons. It's a smoking bar. Everyone knows that. You don't like it? Don't f****** go in then. read more

12 Steps Down really lived up to its expectations and that makes it deserve a 4 star rating! It may not be my favorite bar in the area but I must say that it was exactly what it says it is and that is a neighbor dive bar with reasonable priced drinks. There are really twelve steps down to the basement bar from the street level - I counted! You get down there and it's like a casual party in someone's basement because everyone is friendly and welcoming. It is a place where you can just be yourself and it doesn't matter how you are dressed. Just come as you are and get your drink on! There are fun games to play; pool table, darts and music. It was very smoky but I knew before I walked in that they permitted smoking so I wasn't too concerned but that is the only reason I won't be spending much time there. It's safe to say about 90% of the clientele at the time I was there were smoking. My eyes get very dry when I'm in a room full of smokers. Credit cards are accepted which is a plus! I was afraid that it was cash only since it's a small establishment but they accept major credit cards and debit cards. There is an ATM in the bar but was not functioning while were there. I'm going back for a Sunday brunch soon because I heard they serve $2 bloody Mary's and Mimosa- unbeatable. read more

So there was this one time my brother, my roommate and I, already after a few drinks, decided to stumble on over to 12 steps to ruin ourselves. Great decision for a random weeknight So we pass this homeless guy on the way in and my brother hands him some money, being an out-of-Townes and all. We make our descent into the bar not realizing this dude is following us inside. Now there are two things about this dude: 1) he's babbling some unintelligible shit to himself and is crazy and 2) he's HUGE! Like at least 6'6" probably more. So he follows us in and sits next to us at the bar. And we're the only people there. The bartender graciously asks us what we're drinking and starts pouring pints. She's going down the line and suddenly we all look at one another. Like we all instantly had the same thought. So my party an the bartender were all having the same conversation via eye movements and body language. That conversation was "omg something smells like shit. Like for real shit!" Turns out that dude shit himself while sitting at the bar and muttering to himself. And he seemed pretty pleased with himself. She told us all to leave and we were like "we don't even know this dude!" So the she says he has to leave. And he won't. Not like being defiant. He was just nuts and didn't understand. The bartender was like you guys have to drag him out of he won't leave. And we're like I'm not touching that crazy dude. He looks like he could kill me. And the fact that he shits himself in public shows he has few scruples. Eventually this dude leaves. And the bartender, totally exasperated, says to us "you guys need to stop hanging out with him." She thought we were all buddies!!! No way! We told her he was just some random crazy guy. We all laughed and she poured us all another pint in the house. So why is this bizarre anecdote my review? Because that's the kind of place where this can happen. This would never happen at Parc. Wouldn't happen at Brigantessa or the Happy Rooster. It happens at 12 Steps. 12 Steps is a dive bar that welcomes anyone, but you shit your self and you've crossed the line. This was years ago. Like back in 2010 or earlier. The place has changed since. Food has gotten better, but it's still a total dive. It tries to attract a hipper clientele now, and I gave it three stars for trying to be something that it's not. But deep down, I know it's still that seedy dive. Where that dude shit himself at the bar. And THAT'S not ok. But pretty much everything else is fine. read more

Stopped here for a pint each while we were browsing the Italian Market. I was here years ago, and it seems to have been re-invented as a hipster hot spot. Smoking is allowed. Bartender, a weird sort with painted on eyebrows and a strong suburban accent carded us. We are very obviously in our 40's. She ignored us after serving us our Yuenglings and spoke exclusively to two older men about how her Dad was skeptical about her working in a smoking bar, but now just loves the place! She was pretentious and rude. "We have the best Eggs Benny!" The bathrooms were horrific. Laced with oh-so-ironic graffiti and Sharpie scribbles. Barely a square of toilet paper on the roll. They had a menu that stressed V for vegetarian or VV for vegan.. I guess that's okay if you like that sort of thing. I don't. Shame. It's a cool spot but I didn't like the vibe or the bartender. read more

yayyyy no more smoking !!! i always tried to enjoy myself here but now i really can. i love bingo nights & the food here is SO FUCKING DELICIOUS. it's unreal the mozz sticks are to die for. i had fried oreos for the first time here and was kind blown. great snacks ! awesome beer selection & the staff rules too. read more

Surprised to see this place isn't rated higher! We stumbled upon it on our way to the Italian market (which is just across the street) & what a great stop and hidden gem! I got a $3.50 bloody Mary and my husband got a $5 bottle of IPA beer..both Awesome. Very chill place with a jukebox to play music. We hit a nice time people were playing Christmas music. The bartender was very nice and attentive! Wifi password is 12stepsdown (you won't have service down there! ;)) We loved it! Definitely a great place to check out if you're looking for a lowkey place to drink and relax! Especially on the way to the Italian market! :) read more

Every day until at least 3 pm (I asked, but can't remember what the bartender said anymore): $2 mimosas and bloody marys. And, as most know, you can smoke. Lagers appear to usually be $3.50 (or they just do long-running specials). Good selection of microbrews and seasonals. Small menu, but with the Italian Market outside, who's eating there except at night? *Heavy* on the hipsters, would be hippies, and faux-pdx streetkids, but will still have the phillies on (though perhaps with annoying close captioning scrolling across the middle of the screen). They still have a pool table, and they still show Walking Dead reruns on Sunday nights. I used to love 12 Steps Down (not the least because you can still smoke there). Sadly, these days it's turned into a hipster / trendy db hangout, and the bartenders are so ridiculous that even clearly-well-over-50 gray-hairs can't get served without their ID. Gotta keep out that old, conservative riffraff... i am sad to say that anymore I avoid it like the plague. Not even free tables on Monday nights can get me back in the door... read more

A moment always comes, when I'm at 12 Steps, where I am completely confused about the time. I'm always completely shocked that it's last call, "What? We just got here," OR there's the thing where I emerge from that basement, and shrink back from the blinding sun like a mole person...Somewhere along the way maybe I forgot that we were doin a lil daytime drinking annnd... look the suns still out. A surpise. You understand, a person can lose track of the hours. Over the years I've spent some time in this place. It feels like someone you know built a big rectangular bar in their basement and hung glasses from the ceiling. Though I do not smoke anymore, I can appreciate the sweet freedom of being able to do so. Sometimes I'll do a big, dramatic inhale and say, "That there's the smell of sweet freedom, my friends..." Nobody loves my act. We always seem to have fun weirdo conversations, which I enjoy. There's been a lot of hugging of strangers, but ya know sometimes the memories are a fuzzy haze. Easily... I may have been accosting.... Anyway. I tend to meet people in 12 Steps who I end up seeing around the neighborhood later... I nod creepily at them. A nice creepy, knowing nod. And who doesn't love that? 12 Steps is neighborhoody. My favorite is drizzly Sunday afternoon there. Drink some good beers, play some pool in a subterannean lair. read more