Philadelphia, PA - The Irish bars in Philadelphia are known for their great food, Irish whiskey, and live music. Some of the best are located in Center City. Listed below are some of the best spots to drink massive quantities of green beer and enjoy a cheesesteak in no particular order.
Three Irish cheesesteaks in honor of St. Patrick's Day!!
McGillin's Olde Ale House, 1310 Drury St, Philadelphia, PA. Every time I go to McGillin's, I find a new reason to love it. My favorite McGillin story; My younger daughter moved to Philadelphia about 3 years ago. I asked her if she had been to McGillin's. She said, 'yes, but you have to get there early, or you'll be standing in line.' I asked her if she had their cheesesteak? She responded, 'they have food?' Yes, McGillin's has food, and it is delicious food. I like to say, 'you'll go to McGillin's for the $5 drafts, but you'll stay and go back for the food.' Their cheesesteak is served with provolone cheese melted on top, a bag of chips, and pickles. The provolone on top makes this a hardy cheesesteak. There is a sneaky good amount of meat under that provolone. The meat has a good flavor. I get my cheesesteak with mushrooms. They are good mushrooms that enhance the flavor of the meat. https://youtu.be/EI1lLz7FLRU
McNally's Tavern, 8634 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA. I worked in Chestnut Hill for a short time. I walked by McNally's green door several times, not knowing there was a legendary cheesesteak and bar behind it. This was a great stop. Very welcoming. If you want to feel like you lived in Chestnut Hill your whole life, go to McNally's. Family-owned. Sister in Law was handling the bar the day I went. The Schmitter, google it because I am not going to talk about it here. I enjoyed myself so much I stayed for dessert. I had the carrot cake. It was delicious. I stayed long enough to use the bathroom. Wait until you see it in the video! Awesome! https://youtu.be/P0iLvbuguMc
Oscar's Tavern, 1524 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA. Center City's premier dive bar. I don't know if Oscar's is an Irish bar, but when I went for the 1st time in 1987 when I was a trainee at PaineWebber, Jackie Irish was the bartender. So that is good enough for me to put it on this list. Sorry about the video, but this was early in my Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure. Plus, it's a dive bar. What do you really expect to see or hear? https://youtu.be/6dBS918tkWo
