Top Pubs & Bars For St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
Don your green, ready your pint glass and put on your drinking face! It's St. Patrick's Day in Philadelphia, and we've got more than our share of Irish pubs, bars and crawls that are primed to celebrate the holiday. Whether you're looking for laid-back kegs and eggs or the all-out debauchery of the Erin Express, our list of the finest Irish establishments and St. Pat's specials has what you're looking for. –Chelsea Karnash
Erin Go Birds
www.philadelphiaeagles.com
Finnigan's Wake
537 N. 3rd St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-574-9317
www.finnigans.com
Mar. 11, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Urban Saloon
2120 Fairmount Ave.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-808-0348
www.theurbansaloon.com
Mar. 11, 9:30 – 11 p.m.
On Friday, the Eagles and Miller Lite are celebrating St. Patrick's with an early pub crawl. The Eagles cheerleaders will be at both Finnigan's and Urban Saloon to welcome crawlers, sign autographs and perform for the crowd. There will also be contests and games, and the Miller Lite Girls will be doling out drink specials...just don't forget to wear your Eagles green!
The Erin Express
Various Locations
March 12, 12 – 5:30 p.m.; FREE
www.cavanaughsrestaurant.com/eventErinExp.asp
It wouldn't be St. Paddy's Day in the City of Brotherly Love without this ingenious combination of drinking and the yellow school bus. Think of the latter as your designated driver, allowing you to accomplish as much of the former in as many of the sixteen bars as you please. And, since the ten buses run in a continuous loop all day, you can hop on and off at your leisure. Click here for more info, but be warned: stay far, far away if you're not looking to brave the crowds…or the drunk college kids.
The Bards
2013 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-569-9585
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bards/110268725696386#!/pages/The-Bards/110268725696386?sk=info
The Bards will be hosting an all-day party, from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on St. Patrick's Day. If you're wearing green between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., you'll be rewarded with $5 Guinness pints. Kegs and eggs will be served at 8 a.m.
Black Sheep
247 S. 17th St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-545-9473
www.theblacksheeppub.com
Bridget Foy's
200 South St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-922-1813
www.bridgetfoys.com
Okay, so it's definitely not an Irish pub, but on March 13 (4 p.m.) and 17 (7 p.m.), Bridget Foy's will be celebrating like one with live music from Irish Band The Connemara Codfish Company. The drink special is the $9 Jameson Manhattan.
Cavanaugh's*
39th and Sansom St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-386-4889
www.cavanaughsrestaurant.com
Cavanaugh's Rittenhouse*
18th and Sansom St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-665-9500
www.cavsrittenhouse.com
Fado
1500 Locust St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-893-9700
www.fadoirishpub.com
Fado is scheduled to host a "week of savage craic," or most closely translated simply as "fun." Here's the schedule:
3/11, 4 - 9 p.m.: St. Baldrick's Day Fundraiser for kids with cancer. Brave souls will shave their heads in honor of the brave souls fighting childhood cancer. There will also be raffles and a silent auction.
3/12, all day: "St. Practice Day" with the Erin Express. An all-day party with live music by The Interns and The Approach. DJ Press Play goes on around 10 p.m.
3/13, all day: Celebrate the St. Patrick's Day parade.
3/15: Guinness Perfect Pint contest.
3/16: Paddy's Pub Quiz
3/17, all day: St. Patrick's Day means free pancakes with a pint at 8 a.m. Live music, Irish dancers and bagpipers will play all day. $10 general admission.
Fergie's Pub
1214 Sansom St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-928-8118
www.fergies.com
Fergie's is hosting a St. Patrick's Day theme party. Obviously.
Finnigan's Wake
3rd & Spring Garden St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-574-9317
www.finnigans.com
Finnigan's will celebrate the holiday on the 12th, 13th and 17th with live music from The Hooligans, Sean Fleming, Birmingham 6 and Split Decision.
Flanigan's Boathouse
113 Fayette Street
Conshohocken, PA 19428
610-828-2628
www.flanboathouse.com
On the 12th and the 17th, the Boathouse is offering up $5 Guinness, Smithwick and Harp drafts (including any drinks that contain them).
Irish Pub
www.irishpubphilly.com
1123 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-925-3311
2007 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-568-5603
Both Irish Pubs will kick-off St. Pat's Day with a live broadcast from WMMR's Pierre Robert and The Big Talker 1210's Michael Smerconish. There will also be all-day food and drink specials.
Kildare's Manayunk
4417 Main St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-482-7242
www.kildarespub.com/ma_directions.htm
On St. Patrick's Day, Kildare's is charging a $20 cover for a free t-shirt, a VIP pass and free breakfast and a pint.
McFadden's Ballpark
1 Citizens Bank Way
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-952-0300
www.mcfaddensballpark.com
From 5 – 8 p.m. on the 17th, McFadden's is throwing a Ballpark Phever Party with DJ Eddie Tully. In addition to a special menu featuring fish 'n chips, shepherd's pie and corn-beef and cabbage, drink specials include $4 Guinness drafts and $5 Irish Shots and Bombs.
McGillin's Olde Ale House
1310 Drury St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-735-5562
www.mcgillins.com
Perhaps the most celebrated Irish pub in all of Philadelphia, McGillin's celebrates St. Patrick's Day right with an all-day party…and green beer!
Moriarty's
1116 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-627-7676
Sláinte*
3000 Market St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
215-222-7400
www.slaintephilly.com
Sláinte's having a party, featuring live Irish music and food and drink specials. There are also month-long specials running, so check their website for more info.
Tír Na Nóg
Philadelphia at the Phoenix
1600 Arch St.
Philadelphia, Pa.
267-514-1700
www.tirnanogphilly.com
* Denotes a bar participating in the Erin Express on Saturday, 3/12
Reported by Stasia DeMarco, KYW Newsradio
