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We realize that wait times are sometimes long — thank you for your patience. PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- McGillin's Olde Ale House, considered the oldest continuously-operating tavern in Philadelphia, has a 164-year-long history. We try to keep this listed up-to-date but please forgive us if it’s not 100% updated. McGillin’s Genuine Lager – Can only be found at McGillin’s and Troegs Independent Brewing. This golden Helles lager is smooth and satisfying with a clean malt character reminiscent of fresh-baked bread. German hops add a hint of floral notes and subtle bitterness, while lager yeast lends a crisp, refreshing finish.
McGillin's Olde Ale House in Philadelphia ranked among best Irish bars by the Travel Channel - CBS News
McGillin's Olde Ale House in Philadelphia ranked among best Irish bars by the Travel Channel.
Posted: Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Fun Food for Grazers
Please respect our residential neighbors by keeping noise to a minimum on the patio or around the food trucks. Due to Culver City Municipal Code this is a 21+ establishment. We’ll celebrate the way Ma McGillin always did – by giving out carnations. In 1936, on her 89th & last birthday, she gave out nearly 4,000 carnations.
BEER & MERCH TO-GO
During a Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia Union, or Philadelphia Flyers game, it can be expected that the bell will be rung when the home team scores. Shortly after the Liberty Bell cracked and long before ground was broken for City Hall, McGillin’s Olde Ale House threw open its doors. Its beer taps have been flowing since 1860 — making it the oldest continuously operating tavern in Philadelphia. McGillin’s has outlasted Strawbridge’s, the Civil War and even Prohibition. McGillin’s celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2010. Going to Philadelphia’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade?
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Sign added to McGillin’s collection of iconic signs. America celebrates 100th Anniversary, The Centennial. John Wanamaker Department Store opens around the corner from McGillin’s (now Macy’s). Wanamaker sign part of McGillin’s collection of iconic Philadelphia signs. Catherine & William McGillin opened the Bell in Hand Tavern. The Irish immigrants, who raised their 13 children upstairs, soon become known as “Ma” and “Pa” and the laborers who frequented the bar called it “McGillin’s.” The nicknames eventually stuck.

McGillin’s month-long Oktoberfest celebration continues through the Midtown Village Fall Festival. We’ll serve a rotating list of Oktoberfest beers, pumpkin beers and a rotating list of German food specials. We’ll be closed on the 4th of July – 1 of only 6 nights a year that we close so staff can celebrate the holiday with family & friends).
- Villanova National Basketball Championship
This month marks 50 years for Doyle at McGillin’s, which opened on Drury Street near 13th in 1860, and in true Philly fashion, the bar is throwing a yearlong party in his honor. He started going to the storied Center City bar regularly on Friday nights in the early ‘70s, when his wife would go to her mother’s house to do laundry. Billing itself as the bar that “outlasted the Civil War and even Prohibition,” McGillin’s Old Ale House, the oldest continuously operating bar in Philadelphia, is a major point of pride for natives of the city. After Irish immigrants Catherine and William McGillin opened the Bell in Hand Tavern in 1860, it gradually became known only as “McGillin’s” by regulars. You’ll find every liquor license since 1871, the year that construction on Philadelphia’s City Hall started just two blocks from the establishment, hanging on the wall.
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Watch the games on our high def and projector screen TVs. Click here to see our new Baseball, Beers & Brotherly Love t-shirt & sweatshirt. And don’t miss our food & drink specials including our Phillie-tini and random dollar dog days throughout the season. McGillin’s has been featured on numerous “Best Of” lists, including being named one of the “14 coolest bars in America” by Gourmet magazine and one of the “50 best Irish pubs in America” by Complex magazine. In addition to these accolades, it boasts a collection of iconic vintage Philadelphia signs from bygone stores and businesses, like Woolworth's and the John Wanamaker Department Store. McGillin’s is known for being a place where people gather to celebrate milestones, big or small.
"The truth is the people, I love meeting people." In 2013, Gourmet magazine called McGillin's one of the three coolest bars in the United States. Initially called The Bell in Hand, the famous pub opened its doors in 1860 in the home of Irish immigrant William "Pa" McGillin, the owner and operator of the establishment. It was nicknamed McGillin's by those who frequented the establishment, and the bar took on the title as its official name. J.E. Caldwell, a jeweler in business since 1839, closes.
Fortunately, there was minimal damage to the 1st floor tavern. The band was playing “Light My Fire” as smoke filled the room and the crowd left in an orderly fashion, some even stopping to blow out the candles on their tables. In 2016 we installed a sprinkler system to ensure we’ll be around for years to come. Serves food and ice cream and perhaps, a few tea cups were tipped on the second floor.
The storied heritage and classic pub ambience draw all types of bar-goers, from college kids avoiding the library to young professionals grabbing after-work beers, families catching an Eagles game, to retirees. They belly up to the bar, reliving the glory days. Generally speaking, McGillin’s gets progressively louder, busier, and younger as the night goes on.
The ambiance inside transports you back to the 1860s. Dark wood paneling, vintage photographs, and antique decorations adorn the walls, creating an authentic and cozy atmosphere. Whether you’re a regular coming in for their daily happy hour special, or you’re a first-timer, you’ll feel right at home. From the kind bartenders, to the attentive waitstaff, to the generous management team that took time out of their day to speak with us, McGillin's employees are the bread and butter of the restaurant. As with most bars and restaurants whose reputations precede them, crowds are commonplace at McGillin’s.