McGlinchey’s Bar & Grill in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the self-proclaimed “Best Dive of Them All”. We’d go so far as to call it a dive bar’s dive bar.
Located in the center of the city, just a few blocks from the upscale establishments of Rittenhouse Square, McGlinchey’s is a refreshing departure from college kids drinking on their parents’ dime and drunk business people hoping to find some trendy happy hour hangout.
McGlinchey’s has been around since the 1950s and is one of the few bars you’ll find that allows smoking. Since the business has been in the same family for decades, and they don’t serve much in the way of food, their policy was able to be grandfathered in. This might be a perk for you, and it certainly adds to the good ol’ dive bar feel of the place. Alternatively, you might need to take a shower and do your laundry before you turn in (or fall in) for the night.
Even if you need a hazmat suit, don’t miss McGlinchey’s! (In fact, that hazmat suit might come in handy if you need to break the seal while you’re there. Leave time to read all the great graffiti on the bathroom walls!)
$2 worth of drunken goodness!
Is the service great?No!
Is the place clean? No!
Are the people friendly?It’s hit or miss!
Do they have cheap food and booze?You betcha!
You might be served by the bar’s Iggy Pop look-a-like or the notoriously grouchy barwoman. You might get denied service for no apparent reason (a situation in which The Dive Bar tourist and a multitude of Yelp! reviewers have found themselves). Don’t let that deter you! The service is weak, but the $1 hotdogs are strong!
The Dive Bar Tourist was served these local delicacies by (not) Iggy Pop, who wrote the order down on a notepad, took a smoke break, and then returned with the lukewarm wieners on surprisingly fresh buns.
If you’re trying to impress your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day, McGlinchey’s has got you covered! They do a special every year, which includes two “love dogs”, two bags of chips, one bag of nuts, and a bottle of champagne.
If that doesn’t get you laid, I don’t know what will.
McGlinchey’s Bar
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Be sure to try: $1 Hotdogs
