I have to give a huge shoutout to Derek, the house manager at The Fillmore Philadelphia. We showed…read moreup at 6 AM to camp out for the concert, fully prepared to spend the next 12+ hours sitting on the ground, and we were definitely a little miserable that early in the morning. Derek completely changed the start of our day. He was such a kind soul, incredibly friendly, brought us chairs, checked on us, and genuinely cared that we were comfortable and were going to have a great experience. That kind of positive attitude at 6 AM says a lot about a person. Derek made us feel taken care of before the concert experience had even really begun. He is exactly the kind of manager you want representing your venue and setting the example for his team. Such a great way to start what ended up being an amazing concert experience.

Grateful doesn't even begin to cover it. I had an amazing…read morefirst time experience at the Filmore. It's been a long time since I've been to a concert, and what I experienced at Tash Sultana's show was unlike anything I've ever witnessed before. Drums. Guitar. Saxophone. Flute. Bells and sooo much more. Vocals that soared from whispers to powerful crescendos. Every instrument seemed like an extension of Tash, and every note felt intentional. People often say music is healing, music is therapy, music is universal. Last night, I felt that. Not just heard it--felt it. The audience wasn't there just to watch a performance. We were there to witness artistry. To share a moment of connection through rhythm, sound, and frequency. For a few hours, strangers were a community united by music/frequency. The team at the Fillmore made the experience even better. From security and "Jay" at coat/merch check, "Meghan" Guest Services, "Bob" food & beverage service (Card Only). I enjoyed my "Vegan" Burger and the refreshing Wildberry beverage in a commemorative Filmore cup. Thank you for the recommendation, Blithe. "Steve" provided kind seating assistance upstairs. Everyone we encountered was welcoming and helpful. Those small acts of kindness matter and should be acknowledged and are very much appreciated. And to Tash--thank you. Thank you for sharing your gifts so generously. Thank you for creating a space where people could simply be present, breathe, feel, and reconnect with themselves. I've traveled through a lot in life, but last night reminded me why "live music matters". Some concerts entertain you. Some concerts remind you who you are. Somewhere along the way, my son and I became known as "the cake people." If you know, you know. If you haven't experienced Tash Sultana yet, do yourself a favor: Tune in. Thank you again Filmore for hosting this memorable experience.

The Black Squirrel Club is one of the best bars and music venues in Philadelphia. The bar/venue is…read morelocated inside a historic steam plant in the heart of Fishtown on a cobblestone street. There are two huge rooms with lots of seating and with a large outdoor space outback to hang out and chill. Music at the venue ranges from hot jazz to country to 80's punk and new wave. The club is a jewel in the crown of Philadelphia's music scene.

I've been here twice now for live jazzy music! Groovy venue, good cocktails, heaters for the winter…read moretime. The staff are friendly and there's lots of open seating or you can reserve a table for an additional cost. I love a drink with egg white and their signature velvet black squirrel has it, very tasty. Bring your friends.

Great dive/retro type bar. If you have ever heard of Joe's beer, and understand the meaning, this…read moreis a must stop. Bartenders are on point with service and prices are inline. Take a good luck around at slot of the most nostalgia. Highly recommend this joint.

The current incarnation of Ortlieb's is geared toward a crowd younger and hipper than I am, but…read morethat doesn't keep me away. When a visiting friend told me she'd never heard of nor had an espresso martini (gasp!), we headed here for the most fun presentation of the drink (see NY-style "Greek" coffee cup photo). My spouse loves their hot dog menu, which was developed with much care. The vegan menu is a hit with vegan friends/family. Trivia night is fun. They host good comedy shows. And the music lineup draws a crowd of people in the know about the next big thing. Follow them on the socials to keep up with the latest fun thing they are doing.

So fun. Great music. Love the dynamic between downstairs and upstairs performances. Sometimes…read moredownstairs wins the night

My boyfriend and I went to The Barbary this past weekend and he was asked to leave because the…read morestaff said he was in violation of their hygiene policy. I watched him put on both deodorant and a subtle cologne before we left the house. He was dancing and sweating like anyone else, and our friend who rode over in a ride share with us didn't notice a smell, nor did anyone at the multiple other establishments we visited after The Barbary kicked us out. My boyfriend is a tall, muscular Black man and was one of few Black men in the establishment that night. We don't know who complained about him or why, but we felt that the staff applied this hygiene policy unjustly. Be warned, if you plan to go. Their hygiene policy states they'll remove anyone with an odor "presenting a clear and obvious detriment to the experience of others". But that's a pretty subjective standard. We are definitely never going back.

A real, introspective question I had to ask myself tonight is why I don't go to JB's more?…read more Went for dinner there before a show tonight (which, by the way, talk about an amazing double whammy) and had such a great time and meal. The vibes, especially outside on a nice night a perfect for a weeknight. They have plenty to drink and the food is always great. Maybe a sneaky best burger in Fishtown? Shame on me for not getting any pictures, but this is what a big name corner spot in the heart of Fishtown should be about.

Johnny Brenda's is a a great venue for shows and has a great bar and food menu! The bartenders are…read moreexcellent, I had the cod sandwich with french fries, which was very tasty and a delicious espresso martini! The downstairs bar has a pool table and the upstairs has a stage, bar and balcony area. Tickets for shows are reasonably priced and the venue is great!

Excellent bands, great prices on whiskey, bartenders are so polite. I love it…read more I don't understand how anyone could leave a bad review of a place like this

Went for emo night ($10 cover for the DJ) and it was just a spotify playlist with crossfade on. The…read morelights were on and bright on the dance floor, and the payed hype men were the only ones with any energy. To be honest, I've been here twice and the first time was alright, but this last time was so bad we left in 30 minutes.

It's a dive bar, and yet you still don't get what you pay for. People are highly inclined to play…read moreunfair for what they think might earn them tips. Think twice before coming with a significant other, because the bartender will not respect that at all, very rude, attempting to attract my significant other thinking it'll get them tips when I'm the one paying. As I'm a classy person I still left a good tip but that was my final straw there. I had to leave a message. In addition as someone who was a regular and never saw a black bartender, only mixed. They will hire friends, call me there friend, but they'd never hire me as a bartender because they want to make unambiguous black women feel less than. the managers are LGBTQ and they are full in competition with women and especially women of color who have something going for them. Horrible experience. Save your money and hit up wine and spirits.

I came to the Fire on a Sunday for their weekly jazz night, and got to see a poetry night too. The…read morestaff is so nice, the drinks are good, the vibe is great. Perfect neighborhood spot to come grab a drink or come and see some really cool artists.

I had a good hot dog in spite of the fact they refused to put onions on my hot dog…read more I was extremely disappointed that I was not allowed to add onions to my hot dog on account of the fact that another menu item had onions. The dog was still good but it would have been better with onions, this place really makes you take for granted simple hospitality. I understand onions are not free and not on the hot dog I ordered, but I find it hard to rationalize not giving a guest onions on their hot dog if the restaurant has them in house.

Cellar Dog is a solid 4.5 stars, rounding up. (I haven't been to their NYC location, so rating the…read morePhilly one on its own merits.) Shout out to the friendly staff, especially bartender Tahj! Speaking of bars, Cellar Dog has beer, wine, and cocktails. And a house green tea shot. Hungry? They've got typical bar food. I like their Cellar dog - a hot dog is perfect with almost any drink, especially at a reasonable $4 (credit accepted). I've been here on quiet nights, and haven't experienced a cover charge (yet). There's a stage for live performances, and plenty of TVs playing sports (usually). Like pool? There's +4 tables available when you're feeling competitive.

Solid dive. Good for watching a game and catching up with friends if you've got any…read more Best specials I've seen in a LONG time. Get drunk on the cheap. There might be non-alcoholic options, but I can't help you there. Cash only, so bring money. No time to tap MAC? There's an ATM inside, right by the bar. Getting noisy? Take a time out on their backyard patio. Find The El Bar a few blocks north of the Front/Girard SEPTA subway station[1]. [1] Right underneath the EL. Get it?? Yes, I do love me some wordplay.

It'd been a while. This is a wholesome ass place. Cash only, $6 citywides, sports on the TV, pool…read morein the front, patio out back. It's got all the Philly dive shit you need, yo. Also, great curated playlists with '90s RnB vibes, and $2 hot dogs during Phillies games (and possibly beyond that?). The $2 hot dogs taste about as good as you might think. In other words, great for $2 or less, and meh for more than that. But you didn't need haute cuisine. You needed roller-sauteed meat tube. And you had $2. When in Rome, eat the hot dogs. It's a great value, especially when you account for inflation from the ancient world.

Something that I wish I had known sooner - they serve alcohol, but don't allow you to have it on…read morethe floor. You can only drink it on the balcony? We showed up early for our show so we could have a great spot, and of course we weren't going to give up our proximity to the stage just to be able to drink alcohol. This was a first for me, I've never heard of this rule at any venue I've ever been to. Obviously not a deal breaker, but we are the kind of people who only drink for a special occasion and we had been looking forward to this show for months, so that was a bummer. It was absolutely FREEZING when we walked inside, so if you're not going to be in the heart of the crowd or jumping around a lot, make sure you're prepared for that! The staff was nice, they have metal detectors upon entry and ticket scanning was quick/efficient.

Concert venue with general admission tickets- no stadium type seating. There is seating you will be…read moreable to grab if you purchase tickets for that area along the railing upstairs in the balcony bar area. This was not a negative. The crowd was great. The bar service was fast even though lines were long. There is a parking lot. ($25 for the night). The lot is not large so I'd recommend going early, park, grab a bite to eat nearby before the show. This type of venue is my preferred type over larger venues. Loved it.