I met a friend out for a drink one night. He wanted to go to some new place that was on the Square. I was like what new place, how come I hadn't heard about it or seen it. Well if I didnt get the directions to this place I wouldnt have happened by it. Walking down the side street behind Rouge (Chancellor St.), and a couple feet down in front of a dumpster is a door on the left that says "Stir." We got to the place and I was like "okay." But when we walked in I was like "okaaaaay." I was quite surprised. The shady looking exterior was transformed into a swank, cool interior. Walking in you are right at the main bar which has plenty of seating and nice, friendly bartenders who are very attentive. Lots of nice art and cool decor. Walking down a ways from the front are the restrooms a small seating area and then another cool bar area surrounded by bench style seating, and some more cool art. I would have preferred that the seating directly in front of the bar were not there since it gets cramped if people are seated there and the bar area is crowded. There is a small dance floor to the left of the bar and the Dj is there as well. This seems to be a cool, place to have a few drinks and hang out with friends, but not a pick up place if thats what you are looking for. The crowd is mixed, gay, straight, bi, what have you. But all are friendly, fun and not as pretentious as some places on the Square. Nice to see some diversity on the Square! read more

I really do love Stir. I love that we have a gay bar on this side of Broad street. I love that you can come here any time of the week, any time of the night and it is still...not that crowded. They make a damn good drink here as well and I love that the plasma always has like E! or the Style network on, because there is nothing that I like better than watching John Travolta's True Hollywood Story while getting a little wastys. Also, this place used to be the ugly stepsister of the gay bars in Philadelphia: The Post. And although I was never in the post as a legal adult, this place was crazy. Things found only in dreams happened at The Post. Sometimes at Stir, you can look around the bar and pick out the odd few people that were probably regulars at The Post...but the majority of the cliente are young and kindasorta yuppie. But if you squint your eyes and think thoughts of life before pink martinis inhabited this space, I can still see the leather and chains coming in and out of the bathroom with no abandon. Ahhh, I love Stir. xo read more

Stir is totally hidden, but AWESOME. I found it on Yelp, and we relocated here after having a great time at a near by bar. I was super excited about it - as I had passed by a number of times and had seen a cool crowd, and heard good music. It is tiny, and hard to find. Additionally, it doesn't look awesome from the outside. Inside, it is TRULY wonderful. Cool loft like space, GREAT drinks, and reasonably priced. Also a really nice bartender was there last night - and I got the impression he was there often. The music is generally good, the space is neat, and the drinks are well priced. What else does one want? I can't wait to go back here on a Thursday - Saturday night. They have a DJ then. Great new bar in the Rittenhouse hood. read more

I was yelping for a place to easily stumble to and from the hotel I was staying and Stir did not disappoint. After a long week of conferencing I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was 2 buck tuesdays. Seeing that twonie tuesdays (canadiana expression) don't exist anymore in the great white north it was a blast. The drinks were fine and got progressively stronger (or at least I thought they did). I mentioned to the bartender Kevin that I think I saw someone mention his name on here before so here is another shout out! read more

If you want the best Cosmo in the city come visit Angela and have her make you one !!! My friends and I frequent here and it is always a good time :) read more

Stir - Cosmo ! - Gay Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This great little bar was located literally right around the corner from the hotel that we stayed in. We started off here just for a few drinks. Immediately walking in, you see the round seated bar and a quiet room in the back which we didn't explore. We sat down and were promptly greeted by the bartender. The bartender was super nice and welcoming. There are 2 flat screen televisions, one on each side featuring contemporary music videos. Between the 4 of us, we ordered a house special cocktail, vodka and cranberry, gin and tonic and a beer. The cocktails were no joke. They ran about $7-12 but were basically all liquor. They were super strong. This bartender rocked. I wish we had gotten his name, but he was super nice and just really accommodating. That's hard to find in most bars really. They are usually overwhelmed and a pain to get attention from. We stayed for a bit, but only had one cocktail before heading on to our other spots. We made a couple new local friends at the bar and really enjoyed being here. The vibe is nice and the bar is laid back. read more

This is my private, salacious, jewel of a bar.(well, maybe not super private, after the rave reviews) I come here after my work usually. I meet some collegues, old/new friends, and sometimes my hubby here. After a long, productive day of doin hair, I sometimes like to just blend in (difficult I know) throw a few back, and act the fool. Well, at Stir, Rhino and Angela make no qualms about servin up the perfect drinks. You never sit with an empty glass, feel neglected or have to ask for anything twice. The atmosphere is mostly loud and gleeful!! You can also watch the world news, or the Phils, while decompressing from a long day. Also, they give you a nice little glass of a wasabi nut mix, which often serves as my dinner, bc I went the liquid route.....The final bill, pretty great, especially for Rittenhouse....Did I mention I love it here?? read more

Thirsty Thursdays for $1 drinks ($5 cover). Friendly bartenders. Good crowd. Just wish there was a slightly bigger dance floor. Yet I love that it is small enough to feel intimate like your good old neighborhood gay dive. Highly recommended. I preferred Stir even before Sisters closed. Now if only one didn't have to walk by two parking garages and a dumpster to get there... read more

Really nice, small bar. Divey feel, but still very nicely decorated and a big enough space to have two bars and a karaoke/dance area. The drinks were cheap and very strong, and the bartender was very nice and friendly with absolutely everyone who walked in. Even when I was making a fool of myself and knocked over a completely full drink she'd just placed in front of me, she was super nice and refilled it. It wasn't all that full on a Friday around 10/10:30, but I imagine it fills up a little later. read more

After reading the reviews on Yelp!, I decided to check out Stir last Saturday with some friends. And yes, it's true- the alleyway looks deceptively sketchy. My friends questioned, "Where are you taking us?!" as we passed by abandoned buildings and dumpsters. We eventually found Stir's plain, unobtrusive green door, however, and entered its secret world-- a chic bar with lots of young people. Jackpot! For the first time in my adventuring through the gayborhood, I'd found a classy, chill bar with people under the age of 35, of varied genders and orientations, all hanging out. I really liked the pop music playing in the background, giving a dose of energy to the otherwise chill scene. The bonus of a dance floor in one of the rooms, too, (with a DJ who listens to requests) gave people the opportunity to dance if they wanted to. In both of the two rooms with bars, however, there was lots of chatting and general hanging out. The only thing I found sort of strange was the medieval battle movie playing on the tv above the bar. Oh, and the drinks were great. The names are hilarious, but even better is the delicate fusion of tastes with each creative combination. The bartender was really nice and attentive, too. I am definitely coming back soon. read more

Gretchen: OMG that is so fetch. Regina: what is fetch! Gretchen: its like slang; from England. Regina: Gretchen stop trying to make fetch happen, its not going to happen.-Mean Girls I have been accused by my friends of trying to "make Stir happen." I have come to Stir for Happy Hour and $1 Drink Thursdays from 9-11, both were fun and I suggest a visit. On the negative side, I have come here for a few events that were huge disappointments, one being a riot grrl night where there was no riot grrl music played, and once for quizzo where the person who ran it just didn't show up. Hit or Miss for "event" type nights. Could be a better place to meet someone than other gay bars? I like the diverse crowd and friendly service. read more

Stir is a great place to go if you want a less 'clubby' feel, and less of a crowd as well. A good thing about Stir is you won't see the SAME people you see at every other gay bar in the city. It gets a bit monotonous going to Mister's and seeing the same cliques of 12 year olds getting wasted every weekend-even tho I like that place too. This is more of an upscale, older crowd and because of that I'm a fan. Stir has good happy hour specials, and the bartenders are polite and nice. read more

Philly gays totally needed this place. There are so many good things about it that I'm not sure where to begin. The atmosphere: you walk down a shady alley and there is a door. Emerge into the door and there is a tasteful, hip, yet not pretentious decor. Who knew that this used to be the Post?? I was able to easily get seats around the front bar, and you can actually hear your conversations with your friends. The cilentele: good mix of genders, as opposed to some gay bars which cater to or just seem to appeal to only one. The bartenders: Funny, friendly, talented. The guy who served me always mixed up more than one glassful for each drink I ordered- and poured me the extra every time. When I got a kir royale, I got a baby bottle of champagne all my own. Then, extra Chambord later, just because! Good, strong drinks. The names are a bit too cute, but they're good drinks, so I can get past that. The promotions: I signed up for the mailing list, so they've been notifying me about things like Eagles game night (a free shot on every touchdown, what!?) and Ladies' Happy Hour. It's simple, and it's good: a new place to drink and talk to your friends where the drinks are good and strong, and no one is trying too hard. Another plus: unisex, single stall bathrooms. All LGBTQ places should have them, thx! read more

I enjoy this place. I remember about a year ago, my sister and I gone to an event and this place was the after party. We took a cab from the event and the cab driver drove us into this seedy looking alley way. We were puzzled and ask the cab driver if this was the place. Of course it was, being new to Philly scene, alley ways are where the hidden gems are. Anyway, we walked in and the place was packed. I thought the bar area was all there was until you walk through to this icebox looking room. It was also where I learned this was one the hot gay spots in the area. Not good for me but great for my sister. I still had a great time and the drinks are reasonable priced. The music is little loud but i enjoy watching some of the music videos playing on the screen as you wait for your drinks. Too bad none of the goodlooking men in this place are interesting in me but I will come here again just hang out with my sister and have a few drinks read more

I was looking for a nice place to get a few cocktails on Thanksgiving after spending the day with family. So my brother, his girlfriend, and I discovered Stir in this nondescript alley a block and half from the hotel we were staying at. Being Thanksgiving, there were few patrons in there. We plopped down at the bar for a spell and proceeded to have a nice time. The music videos were entertaining, but not so loud that you couldn't carry on a conversation. The bartender was charming, and very easy on the eyes. I mean hello, it is a gay bar! and newsflash, I am gay! I didn't know it was a gay bar until we entered the place. My brother didn't seem to care. He's such a good supporter of his gay bro. Anyway, the drinks were ice cold, the shots were wonderful, and we had a really nice time in there. I would like to go back the next time in Philly, to see what it's like when it's a little busier. I suspect it can be a bit of a cruisy place. And who doesn't enjoy some nice man candy with their ice cold drinks? read more

I'm glad I took the recommindation of a fellow yelp user who recommended this place after my traumatizing experience at the last lesbian lounge( which made me rethink my sexuality back to heterism) At first glance it was scary little crowd on a alley street, when you first walk in its like going into a house party were you don't know anyone. The room stopped looked at us then continued. We cozied up in a chair on the side and quickly warmed up. This was a little manhattan and la mixed together with a splash of phili . Cute bartenders, crowd easy on the eyes and I place you can order a decent mixed margarita holds high scored with me. I wanted to give this place 4 stars cause the music was off but at points it got better. For a night in phili that would have been spent feeling like those akward lesbians in a all male gay spot this place sure hit the spot read more

My friends and I came here on a Thursday night so we could participate in their Thirsty Thursday deal. Cover was $5, and well cocktails and beers were $1 until midnight. The drinks are fairly strong too, so if you're looking for your money's worth you'll definitely get it here. Even though it's fairly small, I like the layout. There's a decently lit square bar in the front, and a dance floor with another bar in the back. I would definitely come back here again on a Thursday. How can you resist $1 drinks? read more

After trolling around the Gayborhood and getting the usual "blahs" after Woody's, 12th Air, and wherever else my friends and I had gone that Saturday night, a friend called and invited us to come out to Stir. Five blocks and seemingly hours of direction-giving later (this off-the-beaten-path-block to this alleyway behind this dumpster...), we arrived at Stir. [Note: watch out for aggressive beggars outside. We saw quite a bit of this when a friend went out for a smoke.] While the outside might lead you to think the worst, the inside atmosphere is fantastic. Stir is small, but not cramped -- more like intimate. There was a lot of space to sit at chat with friends at the bar and in the hallway. Plenty of attractive faces (both patrons and bartenders)...and I'll never argue with that! The bar menu had plenty of cocktails with fantastically filthy names, and the ones my friends and I ordered were great! The prices were a little high, but we seemed to be there during one of the few hours per week that Stir doesn't run drink specials (as per what I've read since). No cover on that particular night though, which is a big win over most places on the other side of Broad. My favorite thing about Stir? Finally, an LGBT place that's in Center City but away from the Gayborhood. Sometimes you're looking for something less crowded and lower-key...even on the weekend. Better yet, my friends and I (1 bisexual woman, 1 gay man, 1 transman, 1 questioning woman, 1 straight woman) ALL felt comfortable in there. We'll definitely be back! read more

Neat dive-y gay bar down an alley in Rittenhouse. We went on a Wednesday, so it wasn't crowded and we were served right away. The bartender was super nice and attentive, and the crowd was friendly and chill (and not pretentious, which can be an issue in Rittenhouse) - definite pluses. They have a back room with a dance floor, but nothing was going on there since it was a weeknight. It looks like it'd be great on a weekend, though. read more

Awesome bartenders every time that we visit. The cosmo cocktails here are delicious but I personally can't stay away from a Moscow Mule, and their's are not watered down. Good prices and one of my favorite stops of the night before hitting the rest of Rittenhouse. read more

Awesome little hole in the wall place. Went with my girlfriend when we were just exploring the city. We walked in and the place was full of guys but it wasn't awkward at all. The entrance may seem a little sketchy but once you step foot the large bar and lounge in the back make it all worthwhile. Happy hour is Mon-Fri from 5-7. And yes the drinks are strong! We will definitely be back in the next time we're around. read more

Visiting from So. Cal, I stopped into this bar for a quick beer. It was a Sunday night and the bar was DEAD! 3 boys (including the bartender). Not a female in sight :( The interior is very nice and the service was great, considering there was only 3 customers! read more

Adorable and fun, kind of a secret, hidden away in a dark and wet alley. I'm not gay but my friend is, and he was interested in stopping in. I like the decor and the little cups of snack mix served at the bar. read more

We were in Philly for the weekend and I added this lounge to my list of places to check out, so glad we did! We went on a Saturday and it was pretty quiet, most likely because it was the weekend before Halloween and we saw a lot of people dresses up, most likely heading to parties. I appreciated the list of fall drinks and tried the apple martini, after some convincing from the very nice bartender, the drink was quite good and also quite strong. We snagged a little corner area and cozied up with our drinks, enjoyed the music and conversation. I enjoyed visiting this bar and if I lived in Philly I'd probably be a regular. read more

This place holds a special place in my heart. Many memories and good times, and this is all before 7 o'clock! Go see Rhino. He's gorg! And Stayvay, or Stacey, is my favorite business owner this side of the Mason Dixon... Kthx. Only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because I haven't met the man of my dreams yet. But seriously, drinks are pretty cheap, and it's a hidden jem amongst a rest of the same old **** in the gayby-hood. read more

I love Stir! It is a bit out of the way, but whenever I visit, I always have a good time. The layout is so nice, it is perfect to meet up with someone to chat or post-date drink :-P. I tried some of the new signature drinks and the Melancholy was a very good drink. I would recommend. If you have someone visiting out of town, I would direct them here in your tour of the Rittenhouse Square area. read more

Had a blast at this bar! Bartender was great! Small intimate bar with a great atmosphere! Wound up singing with everyone in the bar at one point! The jukebox was awesome and the clientele was great! Will definitely be my local when I'm in Philadelphia!! read more

Very misleading. Went for a late evening dinner no food to be found. Just 12 people sitting around the bar.

My new favorite bar in Philly - without a doubt. Stephanie M took Jenny V and me here because she knew I'd love it, and she was right. Gay, straight, whatev...the bartenders here take good care of you and will make sure you leave feeling gooooddddd. I highly recommend the "Dirty Girl" or the "Pussy Galore," because not only do they taste good and pack a mighty wallop (as does the "Blue Balls," tee he he, which we also tried) but they also look cool. So whether you're a girly girl, boyz type gal, dude who is into other dudes or a straight up straight chick or guy with an open mind, come here. Not only is there no sign, which I am totally into, but the decor is lovely and the bartenders and clientele are beautiful. So go already! You're totally missing out if you don't. So much so that I went back with the boy on a Sunday afternoon. The STRAIGHT boy, btw, so that says a lot. ' Cause Stir loves everyone, and it shows. Can't wait to go back again, not only 'cause it's like my L Word fantasy come true on a Saturday night (seriously) but because it's great to support a new local biz with an awesome owner who gives a shit. So whatever you're into, who cares...go have a cocktail or a beer at Stir, 'cause they RULE! read more

If the show Cheers had a gay version this would be it. Bartenders are friendly and a diverse group of patrons feels welcoming. Be warned the cocktails are delicious so pace yourself. read more

The recently-opened Stir is a welcome addition to Philly's gay nightlife. Stacey and Holly took over the old Post location and pulled off a miraculous transformation. The formerly dark and dirty space is now fresh, swanky and cozy without feeling cramped (though I can imagine it might be if full to capacity). There are two bars, front and back, with those frosted glass door bathrooms that freak me out in between. (I know you can't see through the glass, but I still get all self-conscious in them.) The crowd seems to be a constant ebb and flow of attractive guys and girls. Speaking of flow, the drinks keep flowing too, and they are strong! You'll probably think you're headed the wrong way when you try to find it, since the entrance is on a sort of dirty alley. But soldier on--it's worth it when you get inside. read more

well for being 100% straight I have been spending way to much time in gay clubs/bars lately- then again I dj at Pure and I am friends with the mayor of the gayborhood aka the manager of Pure, Woodys, Bump and god knows what else. Anyway I was at Alma having some drinks last night and my friend joined me who is a bartender at Stir and she was yelling at me to come in. So I headed over with the manager of Pure and it was definitely a nice surprise. One of those "if you dont know where it is you will never find it" type places. The lay out is very cool - bars at either end with a long wide hallway in between. I met one of the owners and she was amazingly nice. The shot girl was feeding me something that was tasty and my friend bartending made me some insanely strong drinks. There was a good mix of people in there last night gay. straight, whatever - defintely a fun time. I was told I was cute several times though...ha I guess thats a compliment althought I like my girls to actually be girls. Call me crazy... Anyway def recommend stopping by a great addition to rittenhouse read more

Stir is, by far, my favorite gay/mixed (i.e., everyone is welcome) bar in the city--and that includes the Gayborhood. The GH only wishes they had a place like Stir "for the rest of us." You know, those of us who just want to chill, have a drink, make plans with some friends to meet there, or make new friends you might meet there in the future. The staff has always been super nice and friendly, as are the other patrons, for that matter. I like that it feels like it's kind of a secret & hasn't yet been discovered by the masses. (Masses: feel free to remain on your side of Broad.) It's also in a perfect location, obviously, for Rittenhouse residents; however, quite surprisingly, the attitude is minimal (just try finding that at Rogue, less than a block away). Stir isn't too loud, and there's no need to give yourself a sore throat in order to be heard by the person(s) sitting next to you. Overall, a really nice place. read more

James Bond may prefer his cocktails shaken, but he's never been to Stir. Stir is such a cool little bar that it might even make a convert out of 007 himself. Located on a dark alleyway off of Rittenhouse Square, Stir is really two bars in one. In front is a darker, more rustic bar with lots of brick and TVs playing entertaining music videos. In back is a light and bright bar, with colorful walls and more of a party vibe. Are you a schizophrenic drinker? Then Stir is the right bar for you. The drinks here are fine, though they don't pack the wallop that they do at Woody's or Tavern on Camac. My gin and soda was mostly soda. But this is Rittenhouse Square, after all -- and everybody is on their best behavior on the west side of Broad St. (Pinkies up!) The crowd mostly consists of locals who are very serious drinkers. Not a whole lot of mingling seems to happen at Stir. On the nights that I visited, Stir was jam-packed with people, yet it was strangely quiet in there. I guess the boys of Stir don't want anybody getting in between them, their cocktails, and their iPhones. While the quiet may be off-putting to some, Stir might be the right place for you if you're looking to catch up with a friend with minimum chaos in the background. I suppose the ambiance just adds to the mystery. (I'm sure 007 would approve.) read more

Just one drink. You know the good intentions after a long hard day. Just one itsy bitsy drink and the new bar. Why must they be so deceivingly delicious!? One "Dirty Girl" which tastes like rasberry sorbet turns into three - three because for the second one the bartender fills two glasses and tells me I get an extra one because he mixed too much! And the "Jackie-O-Nos" were like creamsicles, which of course my friend Jackie "oh no - couldnt refuse!" :) It's true what they say that the coolest places are the most nondescript and hard to find. Damn, all these five star reviews might make it hard for me to get a bar stool! read more

Come to this bar and see Matthew who is an amazing bar tender. Not only did he make my drink strong the way I like it, but he also gave me great advice on moving to Philly and where to hang out. Also easy on the eyes. Definitely come to this bar for a great atmosphere, good drink and good time read more

Total dive and there is nothing wrong with that. Was in town for work and wanted to grab drinks with a friend of mine, saw the Yelp reviews and thought I'd check it out. It was a Wednesday night so it was not very busy. Bartender was friendly and poured a stiff drink. I mean STIFF. I ordered a vodka soda and there was so much vodka I felt my dinner pulling itself up my throat after the first sip. For a championship drinker like me, however, that is not much of a problem. Once the ice melted a bit it was just what the doctor ordered. Little bowls of rainbow goldfish definitely earned an extra star. Would be curious to see what it's like on a busy night with the back bar open. read more

There are very few bars that employ bartenders that keep their patrons safe. This bar IS one of them. This bartender (Henry) felt obligated enough to respond in an authoritative nature to protect the rights of EVERYONE to be in the bar. It was refreshing. read more

Don't go there on a Tuesday night. The bartender just won't give you water. It's unethical to be cut off from water at a bar.

good if you like mixed crowds: girls, boys, girly girls, girly boys, boyish girls, boyish boys. kinda tame, the place u'd take momma but not your out of town friends read more