Halloween is right around the corner and if you’re looking to get into the spooky spirit, check out this list of the best bars and boo-zy drinks around Philly.
Craftsman Row Saloon is back and better than ever with an all-new “Nightmare before Halloween” pop-up experience With ceiling-to-floor decorations, all-new food and drink options, and so much more, make sure to add Craftsman Row Saloon to your Halloween bucket list. (Pun intended)
- Spooktacular-themed shakes:
- ‘This is Halloween’: chocolate ice cream with blended sugar cookies, house-made Jack cookies, black rock candy, black and white sprinkles
- ‘Halloween Basket’: vanilla ice cream with blended Kit Kats, Reese’s-twix-chocolate candy toppings, sugar candy wedges, rope candy, and Halloween sprinkles, in a keepsake pumpkin basket
- ‘Apple Pickin’: vanilla ice cream, fireball, butter shots, apple, caramel and graham crumble topping
- Halloween food options:
- Haunted Mac n Cheese
- Mummy Stromboli
- Butternut Squash Bisque
- All Hallow’s Eve Chicken Sandwich
- Monster Burger
- Autumn Salad
- Spooketti and Meatballs
- Spooky Birthday French Toast
- and more
- Spooky drinks and potions:
- Blood bag: Rum, grenadine, lemon, apple cider, cranberry
- Oogie Boogie Mule: Tequila, pear, lime ginger beer
- Sally’s Sangria: pinot noir, brandy, triple sec, orange, fall fruit
- Apple Spice and Everything Nice: vodka, lemonade, apple, orange
- Funny Bone Old Fashioned: whiskey, maple orange cherry
- Trick or Treat Martini: peanut butter whiskey, chocolate liqueur, Bailey’s, Reese’s garnish
- Corpse Reviver: gin, elderflower, Cointreau, absinthe, lemon
- Something’s Up with Jack: mezcal, blackberry brandy and berries, lemon, cyclops blackberry eye garnish,
- Frog’s Breath (syringe shot): lime Jell-O, tequila, triple sec, apple pucker
- Sandy Claws (shot): Bailey’s, banana liqueur, blue curacao, keepsake skull shot glass
- Worm Stew (shot): chocolate pudding, Bailey’s, vanilla vodka, Frangelico, crushed Oreo, and gummy worm topping
- Pumpkin King Margarita: tequila, spiced pumpkin, ginger, lemon, served in a pumpkin
If you’re looking for some more nightmare fuel, Tinsel is back this year to bewitch the souls of Philadelphia with their Nightmare Before Tinsel experience. with tons of new themed drinks served in souvenir cups, seasonal craft beers, photo stations for your best scary selfie, new themed exterior and interior decor, and more, head to Tinsel for the best spooky bar experience.
Calling all Stranger Things fans! Uptown Upside Down is back for the Halloween season. Transforming into 1983 Hawkins, Indiana, Uptown Upside Down is full of Demogorgons, Stranger Things Characters like Eddie Munson and Vecna, plus tons of Stranger Things-inspired potions and cocktails, and spooky-themed foods.
Stranger Things-inspired drinks:
- Blood Bag: City Distilling vodka lemon juice and berry simple syrup
- Chrissy Wake Up: Espresso Martini in a disco ball take-home cup
- The Harrington: Captain Morgan, butterscotch schnapps, simple, cola in an ice cream take-home cup
- Piggyback: Jameson, lime, ginger beer topped with a candy eyeball in a take-home mug
- No More: montelobos mezcal, cinnamon simple, sour
- Try Before You Deny: skrewball, hot cider
- HellFire: Bacardi coconut & matcha
- Nancy’s Night Out: choice of Absolut (mango, raspberry or peach), lemonade, cranberry, edible glitter
- Friends Don’t Lie: Tito’s, pumpkin liqueur, cinnamon simple syrup
- Suzie, Do You Copy?: gin, lemon, apple cider, ginger beer
- MindFlayer: beach cinnamon whiskey, white wine, apple cider, cranberry, cinnamon, pear (sangria)
- Running By The Pool: Espolon Blanco, blue curacao, lime, sour, soda
Not a fan of the Upside Down? Uptown Beer Garden also has a light-hearted and not-so-scary counterpart to Uptown Upside Down called Kedera. Full of fun, loving skeletons, music, cabanas, and more, Kedera is the perfect place for people who want some old-fashioned spooky season fun.
Next on the list is Manayunk’s Taqueria Amor, which has transformed into a Wednesday Addams Inspired Pop-up called “NeverAMOR”. Make sure to snap twice at the door before entering because these all-new food and drink options are only for the Night Shades Society.
- Drinks:
- Wolfin Out: Silver tequila, triple sec, blood orange, habanero syrup, dragon fruit powder, black salt rim
- Handy Apple: Silver tequila, triple sec, apple cider, maple syrup, lime, green sugar and canella rim
- Night Shade: Silver tequila, mezcal, lime, agave, blackberry, bitters & edible flowers
- Festering Woes: Gin, elderflower liquor, creme de Violette, lemon, lavender, cherry, black salt rim
- Once Upon A Midnight Dreary: Tequila, blue curacao, razzberry, lime, and licorice
- Piranhas In The Pool: Frozen Margarita, blue curacao, grenadine, Swedish fish, red salt rim
- Food:
- Birria Tacos: Short Rib, chuck roast, queso, consume, salsa tomatillo, onions, cilantro
- Chicken Tamales: Chipotle Chicken, spicy black bean, Mexican crema, salsa
After you’re done eating some delicious food and are in the mood for some drinks and beautiful Philly views, head over to Assembly Rooftop Lounge in Center City to check out their new pop-up “Haunted Heights at Assembly”. With spooky decor, scary movies throughout, themed cocktails, and more, check out Assembly’s smorgasbord of spooky libations.
- Mashing Pumpkins: George Dickel No. 8 Tennessee Whiskey, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Turbinado syrup, lemon juice
- Red Rum: Rosé, Cocchi Rosa, dry vermouth, strawberry, lemon
- Porto Ween: Evan Williams Bourbon, port wine, mango coriander syrup, lemon
- Hocus Pocus: butterfly-pea tea infused Stateside vodka, St. Germain, lime, club soda
- Rose Gold Margarita: rose petal infused El Jimador Reposado, dry curacao, agave, lime juice
While Philly has an endless list of sights to behold, another beautiful spot with views and Halloween-centric drinks is Stratus Rooftop Lounge. Sitting on the 11th floor of the Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Old City, Stratus will have a captivating list of cocktails for one night only on Saturday, October, 28.
- AB Positive – Haku Vodka, Cointreau, lemon, and pomegranate
- The Forbidden Forrest – Roku Gin, Fernet Branca, lime, rosemary, and soda water
- Verde y Aterradora – Tres Generaciones Blanco, agave, lime, orange, and green cocktail glitter
- Beauty School Dropout – Knob Creek Single Barrel Select, Amaro Averna, Carpano Antica, and Angostura
Need more reason to head to Stratus Rooftop Lounge? From 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Stratus will be hosting a Friday The 13-themed Halloween Party complete with cocktails, small bites, live entertainment, and more.
Guests who come in costume have a chance of competing to win $1000 in the costume contest.
If you’re in the mood for some more fang-tastic festivities, Royal Boucherie will be hosting a Haunted Happy Hour on Halloween Day from 5 – 8 p.m.
Ghostly, holiday-themed cocktails:
- Orchard Spritz: pommeau, sparkling wine, and lemon juice
- Plum Reaper: tequila and plum shrub
- Nightmare on 2nd Street: whiskey, Bonanto Aperitivo, and William Hinton Rum Moot Half Sweet Vermouth,
For those looking to celebrate Halloweekend, Xfinity! Live will be hosting two masquerades: Screams in the Stadium District, and A Haunting on Pattison Ave.. The first event will be on Friday, October 27 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. followed by the second event on Saturday, October 28th from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Both frightfully fun nights will feature costume contests with over $1,500 in cash prizes, alongside fang-tastic entertainment such as live music, DJ sets, silent disco, karaoke, bull riding, and more. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.
Calling all Barbie and Ken’s! If you’re looking to live out your Barbie land fantasy, The Twisted Tail restaurant and bar will be celebrating Halloween with some pink sparkle. On Saturday, October 28, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Twisted Tail will host a Haunted Barbie Halloween Party fit with Barbie-themed Witching Hour Drink Specials, an ice luge, a Haunted Barbie photo booth, live music, and a costume competition with prizes awarded at the end of the night. Admission is free but VIP section seats are available for $75.
The Witching Hour Drink Specials:
- From 11:00 to 11:15 p.m., the enchanting Malibu Barbie, a quintessential Malibu coconut rum pink drink
- From 11:15 to 11:30 p.m., the mysterious Blackout Barbie, aTequila Rose Popsicle in a coupe of sparkling wine
- From 11:30 to 11:45 p.m., the vengeful Barbie’s Revenge, a daring cocktail made with ghost pepper-infused tequila
- From 11:45 to 12:00 a.m., the radiant Disco Barbie, a sparkly twist on the Yellowstone Bourbon cocktail
