These Philadelphia bars and restaurants have decked their halls for the holidays
From Center City to Cape May, festive décor at these cheery spots will put you in the holiday spirit.
Philadelphia-area restaurant and bar owners have made a concerted effort to deck their halls, inside and out.
From Center City to Cape May, festive decor at these cheery spots, including wreaths, garlands, lights, nutcrackers, and greenery, will put you in the holiday spirit.
Outdoors
Even from the street, you can’t miss the holiday display at Point Breeze’s American Sardine Bar, where tons of tiny twinkling holiday lights hang above outdoor diners and heat lamps keep folks in the outdoor space warm.
📍 1800 Federal St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146, 📞 215-334-2337, 🌐 americansardinebar.com, 📷 @americansardine
The indoor-outdoor restaurant on South 18th Street is all decked out for Christmas, and they offer a winter menu and cocktails. Greenhouses will be available to reserve for up to six people. They are individual mini dining rooms with ventilation, heat, decor, tables and chairs, and working doors. Harper’s Garden’s enclosed, heated trellis has about 12 tables. Keep an eye out for greenhouse openings on Instagram.
📍 31 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 📞 267-886-8552, 🌐 harpersgardenphilly.com, 📷 @harpersgarden215
Here you can take in views of the massive ice skating rink and the holiday lights that dot nearly every corner of the space while sitting fireside at one of the on-site firepits, in a festively decorated private cabin, or in the ski-lodge-style restaurant where spiked (and regular) hot chocolate, winter beers, and comfort foods flow. Winterfest opens Nov. 29.
📍 101 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 📞 215-925-7465, 🌐 delawareriverwaterfront.com, 📷 @delawareriverwaterfront
McGillin’s holiday display promises 1,000 feet of garland, 1,200 feet of lights, 150 red bows, and 200 ornaments — along with drinks like eggnog martinis and mistletoe margaritas. There is also a holiday pop-up shop at Sansom and Juniper Streets (just around the corner from the bar) with McGillin’s merch along with hats, scarves, ornaments, and other goods imported from Ireland. The shop is open noon to 6 p.m. from Thursday to Sunday, with a potential for expanded hours.
📍 1310 Drury St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107 📞 215-735-5562, 🌐 mcgillins.com, 📷 @mcgillinsoldealehouse
The tented streetery outside Rouge, open on all sides, has been a popular destination. Dine among the twinkling lights and greenery.
📍 205 S. 18th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 📞 215-732-6622, 🌐 rouge98.com, 📷 @a1398rouge
Starting Nov. 22, Christmas returns to Uptown Beer Garden at 16th Street and JFK Boulevard. Expect holiday magic with sparkling lights and candy canes galore, along with plenty of festive libations.
📍 1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19102, 🌐 uptownbeer.com, 📷 @uptownbeergarden
Start your holiday celebrations with a tree lighting party on Dec. 5. “Twas an Evil Christmas” will run from 6 to 9 p.m. with the 20-foot tree lighting at 7:30 p.m. Evil Genius will also kick off the return of the Santa!! I Know Him! saison beer. Enjoy live music, carols, over-the-top decorations, photo stations, and more.
📍1727 N. Front St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19122, 📞215-425-6820 🌐 evilgeniusbeer.com 📷 @evilgeniusbeer
Indoors
Craftsman Row Saloon returns with more than 6,000 feet of garland, over 20,000 lights and ornaments, 100 wreaths, and hundreds of nutcrackers, deer, and Santa dolls. Folks can expect more holiday decor with an additional 3,000 lights, 500 Christmas tree ornaments, 20 Christmas trees, 1,000 hanging ornaments, 300 feet of fabric, 500 feet of garland, and more elves on shelves this year. The bar is known for over-the-top shakes such as the All I Want for Christmas, which comes with vanilla ice cream, eggnog, crushed sugar cookie, a holiday decorated cookie, lollipop, and green and red sour strips. Plus, specialty cocktails like the Candy Cane-tini with rumchata, peppermint, crème de cocoa, chocolate, and candy cane.
📍 112 S. Eighth St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107, 📞 215-923-0123, 🌐 craftsmanrowsaloon.com, 📷 @craftsmanrowphl
Tinsel, the annual pop-up bar at 116 S. 12th St., is over-the-top festive, both inside and out. Bask under the neon glow of familiar Christmas heroes and antiheroes located on the new second-floor space, which offers a full-service bar. Sip on themed cocktails served in novelty cups (that you can take home) as you explore the new features, including naughty mirrors, Christmas in Bikini Bottom, a live Santa Claus tracker, an immersive Christmas carol installation, and an animatronic Santa. The pop-up opens Nov. 29.
📍 116 S. 12th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107, 🌐 facebook.com/Tinselphilly, 📷 @tinselphilly
Sip on a Grinch A Rita or Cindy Lou Who’s Spiked Yoo-Hoo cocktails with Christmas lights adorning the outside and inside of the cozy restaurant. Enjoy classic holiday movie clips on a projector show during the evening as you feast on Bah Humbug birria tacos and warm up with a spiked hot chocolate. Marvel at The Muppet Christmas Carol and Uncle-Eddie themed decor. The pop-up runs till Jan. 5.
📍4410 Main St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19127, 📞 267-331-5874, 🌐 taqueriaamor.com, 📷 @taqueriaamor
Enter the winter wonderland on the patio and garden spaces of Butcher Bar with the Yule Lodge. The cozy pop-up offers a cabin-esque vibe, complete with rocking chairs, stockings, selfie-friendly mirror with reindeer antlers, wrapped gifts atop the bar, pillows and blankets on chairs and booths, crackling fireplaces, and more. Enjoy cocktails and festive fare, including mulled wine, bone marrow whiskey luges, bourbon and cheese pairings, and Shotskis, made using sweet Shanky’s Whip liqueur and Baileys. Happy Hour in the Yule Lodge (and the front bar area) is Monday through Friday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Reserve a table for brunch or dinner online for groups smaller than six. For parties of six or more, call.
📍2034 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 📞 215-563-6328, 🌐 butcherbarphilly.com, 📷 @butcherbarphl
Starting Nov. 22, Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille in Cape May at Montreal Beach Resort will transform into a Jingle Bar pop-up Christmas experience, just in time for the Cape May Christmas Parade the following weekend. Expect over-the-top bling, decor, lights, garland, stockings, and more, and sip on holiday cocktails including Blue Christmas (Absolut vodka, coconut cream, pineapple, blue Curaçao) and Mistletoe Margarita (tequila, Triple Sec, cranberry, fresh lime, rosemary).
📍1025 Beach Ave., Cape May, N.J. 08204, 📞 609-884-2779, 🌐 harryscapemay.com, 📷 @harryscapemay
Enter the Cauldron Philly for a Christmas potion making class, available throughout December, with special snow globe-inspired, glittering potion served with a side of white chocolate “caviar.” There’s also a full menu of Christmas concoctions to choose from: a vodka and white chocolate sipper called Don’t Tell Santa, an elderflower and peach prosecco called Santa Baby, a Candy Cane shot with vodka and grenadine, and a fizzy, creamy blue-tinted mocktail called Challah-Day Cheer. Check out their calendar of events for more holiday fun.
📍1305 Locust St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19107, 🌐 thecauldron.io/philly, 📷 @thecauldronphilly
On Nov. 30, folks can visit the Black Girl Magic Holiday Pop-up at the Divine Lorraine Hotel. Inside the Annex venue in the hotel, the event will feature a curated outdoor courtyard with pink trees, towering lighted trees, a lush greenery wall illuminated by neon bow lights, 12-foot trees adorned with elegant bows, and a pink holiday theme. There will be a Black Girl Magic gallery wall showcasing art and portraits. Sip on wines and explore this event, which runs till Dec. 29, from noon to 7 p.m. daily. Tickets are $45.
📍699 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19123 (entrance through the courtyard gate at the corner of Broad Street and Ridge Avenue), 🌐 eventbrite.com