Though it feels like spring plummeted rather than sprang these past few weeks, indeed spring it is. And with that comes the grand reopening of the city’s beloved beer gardens. If you’re just as ready to swap your winter woes for some hoppy highs as I am, here are five spots that promise to at least give you at least concepts of those springy feelings.

Not everyone’s into bottle service, strobe lights, and elbowing their way through a packed club just to hear the same remixes you’ve been hearing for the past 10 years. And that’s okay — you can still catch a vibe, break a sweat, and dance without stepping foot into a “club” club.

Philadelphia’s got a place for the rest of us: divey discos, indie DJ nights, and neighborhood bars where the playlist always hits. Swear – these places deliver, no dress code required.

If Gritty and Ted Lasso opened a bar together, it might feel a whole lot like Lion Bar — Chinatown’s latest contribution to the sports bar scene. Lion Bar is the newest go-to for soccer-obsessed, Philadelphia sports diehards, and people who just want a pint, a booth, and a reason to yell at the TV. This place is very sports bar centered, but with flavor — a mix of Premier League pride, Philadelphia sports grit, and fans who all brought their jerseys and opinions.

First Fridays usually bring to mind Olde City gallery-hopping and some wine sippage. Olde City galleries – we love you, but this Friday, it might be time to flip the script. If you’re over the whole stand-awkwardly-at-a-bar-while-pretending-you-love-vodka-sodas-and-praying-for-a-good-DJ scene, I have a better idea. Every First Friday, SPIN turns into the kind of party where you can sip something tasty, challenge someone to a ping pong match, and lose gloriously. 

Ditch the heavy coats, grab your sunglasses, and start sipping in the sunshine. Maybe it’s the vitamin D, maybe it’s the socially acceptable excuse to start happy hour at noon – but there’s just something about a daytime drink that rocks our world. Either way, we’ve rounded up the best bars in the city for a solid day drinking session. 

Get your body ready to sweat in close proximity to familiar strangers again, because The Barbary is officially reopening this weekend—and we could cry actual tears of joy.

That post-work exhale hits so much better when there’s a discounted drink in hand. Philly’s happy hour scene delivers no matter what your particular needs are for that day – celebrating a long day, catching up with coworkers, or sometimes just in need of a hard earned cocktail.

The Erin Express was again a great day had by all! The bars were full and the beverages were flowing! Thanks to everyone that came out and all of the bar partners for hosting our crowds.

The Erin Express is back, and this year, we’re getting the kind of perfect drinking weather that makes a beer taste even better—warm weather, sunshine, and a whole lot of bar-hopping ahead. But with 30 bars, multiple check-in spots, and thousands of people trying to drink their weight in beer, the key to surviving (and thriving) on this crawl is having a solid game plan.

Philadelphia, raise your pint glasses and thank the beer gods, because this Saturday’s Erin Express is serving up 70 degrees, sunshine, and ice-cold drafts—all with a side of outdoor drinking. That’s right, this year’s crawl isn’t just about keeping your Guinness count up, it’s also the unofficial kickoff to patio season.

Here's your big update for Erin Express! We have now confirmed our 30 bar partners for this Saturday's Erin Express with some notable additions for 2025 including Uptown Beer Garden’s first opening day of the year!

If you think the Erin Express is all about crowded Irish pubs and traditional pints of Guinness, we’ve got news for you. Sure, we love a good Irish pub as much as the next person, but sometimes you’ve got to mix it up. This St. Patrick’s Day, check out these six unexpected places along the Erin Express route – you’ll be glad you did.

St. Patrick’s Day is creeping up fast, and if you’re gearing up for Philly’s illustrious Erin Express Bar Crawl, you need a game plan. Bar crawls are a blast, but trust me—if you don’t pace yourself, you’ll be the one asking strangers for a piggyback ride by noon. Here’s how to keep the party going without crashing and burning.

Look, St. Patrick’s Day in Philadelphia is essentially a marathon of green beer, Tullamore Dew, and convincing yourself that Guinness is a food group. But between cover charges, overpriced drinks, and that inevitable 2 AM cheesesteak run, it’s way too easy to wake up the next day with a financial hangover on top of the real one.

Good news? You don’t have to be rich to rage. Here’s how to have an incredible St. Paddy’s Day in Philadelphia without your bank account hating you the next morning.

When St. Patrick’s Day rolls around, Philadelphia goes all in. It’s kind of like the Super Bowl of drinking holidays—except with more green, way less coordination, and absolutely zero personal space in any bar within city limits. Walking down any street and you’ll find bars serving up Guinness like it’s water and you’ll hear Dropkick Murphys at least 20 times before midnight. Here’s where to drink in Philadelphia this St. Paddy’s Day.

Okay, so let’s talk Irish coffee—because it just doesn’t get better than caffeine and whiskey in one perfectly cozy, slightly boozy cup. We’re gearing up for St. Patrick’s Day and craving a little pick-me-up, and Philadelphia has plenty of spots serving up a mean Irish coffee. We did the very important research (you’re welcome), and here’s where you can get the best of the best.

Philadelphia is about to turn 50 shades of green because St. Patrick’s Day is coming in HOT. Doesn’t matter if you’re chugging Guinness, belting out “Shipping Up to Boston,” or making new best friends in a bar bathroom, this city knows how to celebrate no matter where you are. (Do you even know where you are on St. Patrick’s Day? Like in Philadelphia? Or the Universe? ‘Cause same.) Let’s get into it.

It’s time to dig out every green thing you own – though we Philadelphians are no strangers to the color green (especially this past week) – because St. Patrick’s Day is coming, and in Philadelphia, that means one thing and one thing only: Erin’s Express. If you’re not already prepping your liver, lacing up your most comfortable bar-crawling shoes, and mentally preparing to drink your weight in Guinness, you’re doing St. Paddy’s Day a disservice. And if you’ve never been? Consider this your official welcome to one of the wildest traditions Philly has to offer.

Okay, let’s take a deep breath because I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet. OUR EAGLES DID IT AGAIN. Super Bowl LIX champs, baby! And now, it’s time to do what Philadelphia does best—throw the biggest, loudest, greenest parade this city has ever seen.

And before you ask—YES, we are absolutely taking a PTO day, YES, we are dressing head to toe in Birds gear, and YES, we will be losing our voices screaming “GO BIRDS” at strangers on Broad Street.