Still a fan. Neighboring restaurants have come and gone, but Poison Heart is still there. Happy hour is good. Go just after a Union Tranfser show starts, and you might get the bar to yourself until the next wave of guests arrives. Food is solid. They have guests/pop-ups from time to time and those are usually fun. It's good for an intimate date night or a casual hang with friends. read more

Conflicted experience for our pre-game here before taking in a concert. First off, there are not many options in this part of the city for bars which is located across the street from Union Transfer (small concert venue). As we were attending a show at 8pm at Union Transfer we met up for a drink and some food at Poison Heart. The vibe is a very darkly lit bar, heavy grunge music (think screaming, all screaming and rage), and a movie on a large screen in black and white from what looked like the 1950's. I started with the Yamanote Line (Midori, Japanese vodka, Tequila, Honeydew & citrus, bubbles). This drink packs a punch and I enjoyed it; it is a bit too sweet to have multiples of the drink, so I moved on to the Trouble Boy. Trouble boy consists of a Thai tea infused mezcal, aged rum, coconut, orange & lime, and nutmeg. Again, the drink was a bit sweet and now I am in for $32 for two drinks. They have interesting drinks for sure, but my gut told me they may be trying too hard to find a killer drink as neither of these really spoke to me except on raising my blood sugar pretty severely (I can watch in real time as I have a dexcom blood glucose monitor that shows my sugar). On to the food. Again, very interesting items. I went with the Keeg Veeg (fried eggplant, long hots, pickled carrot, cukes, cilantro, black bean paste & vega sriracha mayo). Now this item definitely cleaned out my sinuses. I only ate half as I didn't love the seeded bread. The sandwich reminded me of a Vietnamese hoagie. I enjoyed it but didn't love it. My friend got the Gary Cooper, which is a hand cut ribeye burger. The burger appeared to be very small but looked good. Couple tips based on my experience, do not get the Oyster River dry cider, my friend said it tasted like oysters and he had to send it back as it was undrinkable. All in all, the place wasn't bad but after the concert we had a choice to go back to this place or walk about half a mile to the nearest bar and that's what we did. The four of us each getting two or so drinks per person and some bar food came out to $267. This one is a one and done for me, but I appreciate they have some unique items on the menu. read more

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Cozy decor and nice location off of Spring Garden near Northern Liberties. Not impressed by the food here. Maybe it was an off night? However, I ordered a cheeseburger. It came with fries. To my disappointment the cheeseburger was luke warm. Not at all that good. The fries looked like what you may see at the bottom of the fryer basket. Also not ideal. The service was adequate. Not very friendly or accommodating. The staff did not appear to be enjoying working. No smiles or upbeat vibes. Not going back. Very disappointed. read more

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We only stopped for a drink but we enjoyed our visit. The service was quick and friendly , and the cocktails we got were both good ! I got the one Jump in the Fire and my husband got the New rose in town. The vibe and ambiance were great. I look forward to coming back before show at UT read more

Poison Heart - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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An awesome goth punk cocktail and oyster bar that's made even better during happy hour! Poison Heart is one of those places that I wouldn't have come across if it weren't for Yelpers helping Yelpers find a good spot for food before going to a concert (Thanks Cherie). And I was instantly won over by being able to listen to Joy Division and Siouxsie & the Banshees while sipping on a cocktail named for a Dead Milkmen song (https://youtu.be/1v3CzvQ9e_w?si=JY6vK1t3bi9DUEpr)! It also helped that they had a pop-up menu that made a damn good burger. And even if the bar lighting is a bit too dark, the stylish setting definitely fits the theme! During my second pre-show visit, we put the happy hour to the test, and with it starting during the first two hours of opening, its a contender for one of the best later-hour happy hours in the city. With it we were enjoying a not-so-mini portion of mini cheese whiz fries, shrimp cocktail at $2 a piece, and oysters on a half shell at a reasonable price. But it also features a discounted cocktail, wine, beer, and burger, and a cheesesteak special on weekends. The menu changes up semi-regularly while featuring a reasonable variation of its core staples. Toss in good events that play to the theme and you have good reasons to follow their Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/poisonheartbar/). read more

Cozy, intimate cocktail bar with a variety of drinks and snacks. They also provide a spicy popcorn to munch on while enjoying the libations. The drinks were tasty and strong, definitely get your moneys worth. read more

Poison Heart - Goodbye Horses - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Really loved the time we had here! Service was fantastic and the cocktails are delicious and inventive. The vibes are immaculate- it's giving vampy, metal, and cozy all at once. Will definitely be back! read more

Poison Heart - Goodbye Horses & Espresso Martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Met up with a friend before a show at nearby Union Transfer for a light dinner and some drinks. Had some a la cart shrimp cocktail and some oysters to start. They were quite good. I almost ordered more shrimp. I had wanted to have a meal but there wasn't much on the menu to fill that voice for someone who doesn't really like sandwiches. The only thing filling I could see on the menu that wasn't a sammy or more shrimp was the cheese fries, so I got those. They were good and the american wiz they put on top seemed to be house made white american, on the same level as cooper sharp. Good stuff. I really loved the music they were playing in there. It took me back to goth club days and I got to hear a smattering of dark wave and borderline industrial (think KMFDM) and the ambience was moody and dark. The drinks were great. My happy hour paloma was delicious and affordable and the fact that they had Une Anné sours on tap was a plus. Those damn things are always an experience! As for service, this is Philly, so I wasn't surprised that the staff seemed to have an aversion to talking to you, even if you asked questions directly to them. Otherwise, I would say this is a great place to catch up with your friend or drink before you went to the show, but if you're super hungry and looking for a meal that isn't a patty melt, I'd say get that somewhere else. The bathroom is very Fishtown with entertaining stickers and graffiti as per the culture. Cheers! read more

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A vibe. It reminded me of a couple rockabilly bars I've gone to in the Midwest. I mean all of this in a really good way. Anyway it's a narrow path to a good bit of seating. They definitely make the most of the space! Our drinks were fantastic! read more

Was excited to try this new place and in the end had a nice time. The vibe is the most notable aspect of the experience, as it is quite cool. This translates to the presentation of the drinks, as well, which were pretty tasty. It's so unassuming from the outside that I was a little surprised. And the bartenders were super nice. Best of all, they gave us a little bag of deliciously seasoned popcorn! We considered ordering food as the options were enticing, but the dishes were admittedly on the pricier side so we held off. But a good option for a pre-dinner drink! read more

Poison Heart - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Great vibe and interior. Red lighting makes for an intimate setting. One of my favorite things about Poision Heart is their mystery shots as apart of their city wide. Sometimes its delicious, sometimes it's terrible, but regardless you end up having 3 of them with a dozen oysters. Great service, even when it's packed. 5 out of 5 would mystery shot again! read more

Cozy punk vibes (did I just invent that?) with carefully made cocktails and a banging snack menu. I was excited to try this place out as this stretch on Spring Garden has become one of my favorite hang out areas (La Chinesca, Lucky Well, Roy Pitz, Kaiseki, Triple Bottom, the gas station that does my annual inspections wow). I had the happy hour Paloma which was surprisingly strong but somehow refreshing. The citrus really cut through. I also tried the No More Pain. It's a unique twist on the typical beach drink. At first, my friend and I didn't know what to think of it but we kept coming back for sips and realized we polished it off quickly. I guess we really liked it! We were not in a full meal mood so we got the fried shrimp, which was perfectly crisp and bouncy. The hot sauce it came with was punchy and surprising. We also got the waffle fries with raclette whiz. I am admittedly a potato snob and was weary of disappointment but the wiz was so creamy and flavorful and the waffle fries, even bare of cheese, were seasoned well. Lastly we got the creme brulee. I am still reeling from the closure of Gabi down the street, where I would have a little treat of escargot and creme brulee. But this offering by Poison Heart was super solid, hitting all the notes, and was a good size for the price. The decor is super cool and cozy. Service was attentive and personable. Easily accessible by bus and a quick stroll from the broad street line. Parking on Spring Garden in these parts is hit or miss. read more

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I wasn't welcomed here unfortunatel. was ignored sat there for 10 minutes no one said hello the bartender asked the other customers if they needed anything and paid me no mind. there was no one sitting beside me at the bar just 3 people at the other end wasn't busy, hurt my feelings honestly I walked in smiling then thought maybe this is for regulars only just moved here from Maryland this week. i Just told the bartender to have a great night and I walked out I won't be going back there. read more

The decor was cute and the place was small but didn't feel cramped. The drinks were fun and we enjoyed the oysters for a light snack. Staff was friendly and checked on us often. read more

My goodness, what can I say? This newly-opened cocktail bar (July 2023) is exactly what you want a cocktail bar to be. Perfectly curated drinks, intimate atmosphere, delicious food, and servers who actually care about you. If I wanted to take somebody on a first (or 2nd or 3rd date) it would be here. The atmosphere is dark (a little TOO dark for my taste) but then again I was with friends and not out with my husband - but the significant amount of candles and the fresh roses glittered throughout the room made me wish he was there. The cocktails were perfectly shaken and seemed enticing - but the food? Oh my goodness the food. As a meat eater but also veggie lover - I cannot sell the fried mushrooms more. The breading on those bad boys make you entirely forget the concept of meat...they are just that good. And that sauce it comes with (think green goddess sauce) is something I will dream about for a very long time. Another hit was the fried shrimp (I think the chef may have a Ph.D in breading). I wish it was served with remoulade instead of a Thai chili sauce but that's just me. The waffle fries were served with a cheese sauce advertised as "wiz" but - in Philly - there is only one wiz. All of the rest is cheese sauce and you can't convince me otherwise. Stop saying "wiz" if you don't mean it. BUT those fries were delicious. The addition of fresh parsley on top really made a difference and I encourage it. Other items like the mussel toast, ZLT (zucchini, lettuce, and tomato), and the patty melt were just okay... but I would give anything to have those fried mushrooms and shrimp again. I will 1,000% be back again. read more

Awesome drinks and service - and some tasty grub to boot! Living close by we often felt like we were in a cocktail desert as there really wasn't anything substantial nearby, until Poison Heart opened. They also have a small but solid wine list. Both by the glass and by the bottle. The staff is wonderful and friendly. You are greeted with great service and tasty popcorn. In addition, you can get some tasty raclette waffle fries, fried shrimp and mushrooms, and a solid melt, to boot! We are so glad that this joint opened and will certainly continue to frequent it! read more

We visited poison heart because of Yelp and loved it. Has such a cool chill vibe. We had some cava and the cheese whiz waffle fries which were delicious. Service was super quick as well. read more

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Good intimate vibes very cute atmosphere. I just got beer but there was a good variety of drinks as well.

A serious gem on spring garden. The decor is warm and clean and the staff is incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and prompt. The owners can be seen walking around and touching tables to ensure excellent service. The oysters were incredibly fresh, the fried shrimp was perfectly crispy while retaining moisture and the freezer martini is crisp, cold and boozy. Do not sleep on this place!!! My friends and I can't wait to go again. read more

Too dark!!! I understand ambiance but this was too much, literally needed a flashlight. Espresso martini was not good. Other than that not super memorable, but not terrible either. read more