Top Places For Live Piano Music In Philadelphia
Jolly's Dueling Piano Bars
3801 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 222-1232
jollyspianobar.com
Price: No Cover Wednesday to Thursday, $5 on Fridays and $10 Saturdays after 8 p.m.
Hours: Dueling Pianos typically start at 9 p.m.
While Philadelphia may not be overflowing with piano bars, thanks to Jolly Weldon, you can hear the tunes of the ivory keys in multiple locations across the city. When you walk into the Jolly's Dueling Piano Bar in its new West Philly locale, you'll be greeted with two pianos ready to face off in battle below mirrors that have messages like "Phrase of the Day" and "High Rollers" scrawled across the top. As the evening goes on, you'll learn that the dueling pianos can basically be run by these - all it requires is a little bidding, and it can start as low as $1 to have your own phrase on the board and your favorite song in the air. Popular for birthdays and bachelorette parties, you can sip themed cocktails like the "Big Shot Before the Knot" and "Birthday Cake Martini" along with reasonably priced bites, which are available until 9 p.m. during the week and 11 p.m. on the weekend. The house pianists are guaranteed to play Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" and Billy Joel's "Piano Man," but you're likely to hear anything from Frank Sinatra to Snoop Dog. Saturday is the busiest night, but any night that Jolly's is open, the dueling pianos are there for your singalong entertainment.
Tavern On Camac
243 S Camac St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 545-0900
www.tavernoncamac.com
Price: No Cover
Hours: Live Piano from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
At Tavern on Camac, there's "Never A Cover, Always A Good Time" with live piano and singalongs every day of the week. Each piano player that plays at the Tavernhas has his or her own following that frequently comes along with the pianist. The crowd favorites include everything from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry to Broadway tunes and oldies, but there's no need to worry about hearing your favorite song as long as you have it on your cell phone. The pianists, whether or not they can read music, can play any song after listening just a time or two. In addition to drink specials like $2 off any drink or $5 Stoli beverages at the piano bar, you'll find different draws every day at the dance club a floor up, such as Showtunes Sunday and Karaoke Tuesdays, and food available downstairs at Terra, the attached restaurant. It's one of the oldest gay and lesbian bars around, as well as one of the few piano bars in the city, so its packed from Wednesday to Sunday. There's no other bar like it!
FrancoLuigi's Pizzeria
1549 S 13th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 755-8900
www.francoluigis.com
Not only does this place have amazing pizza, but it also provides its customers with live entertainment. The servers are known to have suprisingly impressive musical talents, and will sing along to tunes they belt out on the piano in between visits to your table. The familial atmosphere, jazz music and amazing food makes this one of Philadelphia's more unique places to catch some live piano music, but that's exactly what makes it a must-visit. A true family business, FrancoLuigi's Pizzeria has called the corner on 13th and Tasker home since 1982, and it's been run by the Borda family ever since. Anyone who knows Italian food will tell you that's a fairly good indicator the grub will be authentic, and it is. In addition to pizza,
The Prime Rib
1701 Locust St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 772-1701
www.theprimerib.com
This Rittenhouse Square steakhouse is the perfect place to take a date if you're looking to really knock their socks off. Fashioned after a 1950s Manhattan supper club, the ambiance here is upscale and elegant, and that sophistication is only heightened by the restaurant's black walls, white linen tables and glass-topped grand piano. Patrons are serenaded by the sweet sounds of The Prime Rib's baby grand nightly, perfectly rounding out this retro steakhouse experience. The cuts of beef found here are the freshest around, and because the original restaurant was opened by a pair of Baltimore brothers in the late 60s, The Prime Rib is also known for its deliciously fresh crab cakes and chilled cocktail shrimp.
Lindsay Lewis is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
