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McGlinchey's Bar & Grill
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 10:30 am - 2 am
Sun 12 pm - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Tue, Wed
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Yes
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
111 reviews for McGlinchey's Bar & Grill
Review Highlights
"If more places started serving hot dogs, I'd be a happy..."
(in 22 reviews)
"25cent hot dogs and really cheap beer."
(in 14 reviews)
"All I gotta say about the Glinch is this."
(in 9 reviews)
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111 reviews in English
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Review from kathleen d.
Philadelphia, PA
1/19/2012
When I think about McGlinchey's, it goes like this:
That part of It's A Wonderful Life where Nick crankily remarks,"Hey look, mister. We serve hard drinks in here for men who want to get drunk fast, and we don't need any characters around to give the joint 'atmosphere'..." It's that kind of place: A cheapy beer and shot specials dive. So divey it's almost cinematic.
Last time I was there, McGlinchey's had some kinda great deal goin on big Franziskaners. Nice surprise for the ole gal.
There was one time when we were bar crawling around for my brother's birthday and when asked if he wanted to stop at McGlinchey's and he responded, "Uh no. Don't wanna be treated like shite on my birthday." And then we went anyway.
Should I be disappointed that I've never been treated badly at McGlinchey's. "What's wrong with me?" I puzzle. What...is wrong...with me?
McGlinchey's has a good jukebox, that's for sure. And possibly moonshine, I hear.
I leave with a stinkin of cigarettes I didn't smoke... a stinkin of booze I did drink...and a stinkin good time, generally speaking.Listed in: Mama's Medicine, Jukeboxes of the Land
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Review from Lilli C.
12/19/2011
This place is great towards the end of the evening when you're too drunk to care that the bartenders are surly (especially the one that looks like Cruella Deville), the atmosphere is smoky, and you are craving a hot dog (or kielbasa or veggie dog) and you don't care that the servers might be wasted and can't do math to give you the appropriate amount of change back.
When my friend asked the bartender if there were any specials, she snarled " we don't have specials here." Oh, I meant do you have anything else that is $2.35 besides the porter? Uh, we don't have anything that's 2.35...it's 2.65! Um, please, 30 cent difference...stop being such a grump..and I think they only raised the prices recently. The kielbasa however was delicious...but probably because I was drunk and anything would have tasted delicious at that point. But for under 10 bucks I was able to get some beers and a late night snack, which was great. The kielbasa, however took over 30 minutes to come out because I think the server forgot about it. She only had to fish it out of some boiling water...
So despite the awful service and the smokiness of the bar, I'll still be back time and time again. -
Review from Cameron B.
Washington, DC
12/14/2011
YES!!!!! I can have my nose in the air just as high as anyone else, but in reality, I'm POOOOORRRR!!! I was in Philly for a conference and had spent my entire per diem already but was still wanting to go out and socialize. I asked the waiter at our restaurant where HE went after work, and he said...McGlinchey's! With $2.65 "Porter" or Rolling Rock on tap, we were set! My group settled into a side booth too small for the average American (thank goodness we are scronny scientists, and some how could squeeze) and were told our waiter would be right with us. Smoking allowed inside....yep! The bartender had to go poke a small disheveled women passed out in the booth across the bar! Her half sleepy face accentuated her grumpy attitude as she attempted to memorize our orders in vain and yelled at us when she messed up! Yep...this was on a Monday night....it was about 11pm and the bar was 70% full. People were here to drink and were probably annoyed by our group's bubbly enthusiasm. Needless to say when you get change off your $3 to the bartender for a pint...we quickly devolved into redicdonc behavior and attempted to close down the bar until we realized we had work the next day.
Oh...the bathroom....I hope you have your Hepatitis series done! -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Philadelphia, PA
10/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Everything that can be said about McGlinchey's has already been said, so I'll throw my 2 cents on top of the pile.
I like the $2.60 Yeungling Porters and trying to convince my friends to order a hot dog (only one did, he liked it). The bathrooms are a shameful atrocity but that's what you come to expect.
Once a semi-famous Philly band invited my friend and me to join them in their booth and then we rode off into the night on the pegs of their bicycles. -
Review from Nicole W.
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Honestly I don't know if I can add to everything everyone else has already mentioned other than saying that this place is a smoky glorious nook for those hoping to enjoy a chill cheap drink. My friend and I were probably the most dressed up people there, both of us in our work wear, but we really didn't feel out of place.
I can't call this a divey sports bar, because I felt like, even with the Phillies game and Sportscenter on, the majority of customers where in their own world and not paying attention to the tvs. It's a dive bar through and through. Smokey, cheap drinks, somewhat helpful staff, and a good mix of customers.
If you don't mind smelling like an ashtray when leaving and don't want to splurge on drinks at some fancy downtown spot, this is the place to go. -
Review from PJ H.
11/14/2011
Cheap beers, smoking allowed, and Mrs Packman table. Hell yea. Spent a solid few hours in McGlinchey's on Saturday night with some friends and went through a few packs of smokes, $15.00 in change on Mrs Pack man, and 100 beers for about 20 bucks. Good times
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Review from Amanda B.
Seattle, WA
11/23/2011
Everything i ever wanted in a bar: beer and a jukebox.
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Review from PhilaSportsDude D.
Ardmore, PA
1/3/2012
Ahh yes. McGlinchey's. Love the place. $2.30 for domestic bottles is a great deal in Center City Phila these days and you can't beat the 75 cent hot dogs. When you walk into McGlinchey's you feel like your being transported back in time about 40 years ago. The old decor inside is what makes McGlinchey's. It great to see that there are still old shot & beer dive bars around where you can go out and not spend a fortune like you do at most places these days. I will be definitly back again soon.
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Review from Emmett M.
3/13/2011
$65 down the tubes at the shit show that is the Erin express and still not drunk? Mc G to the rescue. Didn't even matter that one half of the bartending squad erroneously flagged me as soon as I got there; pot calling the kettle black since said barkeep had difficulty standing, but at least I was never without a half dozen tall boys of ice water because of it.
Even though I don't smoke, there is something nostalgically pleasing about folks being able to burn cigarettes inside a bar that made me feel right at home in this place, and so did the dirt cheap beer ($2 yuengling bottles). As the stars tell you, yay, I am a fan.Listed in: Boozin' in Philly
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Review from Eva H.
Updated - 3/28/2011
Philadelphia, I'm calling you out: why are you shitting on McGlinchey's? What has it done to you?!
It has poured you surprisingly eclectic beers for super cheap. If you're in the mood for a cocktail or a shot, they'll pour it (provided you're not wanting something fancy--just don't).
It gives you a place to go to the bathroom that, albeit dirty, suffices. And if you're bored, you can read obnoxious poetry on its walls. And, as of recently, on the toilet seats.
Its servers, provided you're not obnoxious, are totally on point. Want them to leave you alone? They will, happily. Want to chat? They will. Just don't be an ass.
If you're hungry, they'll give you really cheap things they call "hot dogs" and I call "avoid," but they're there.
If the Barnes is the only sane place to see art in America, McGlinchey's is one of the only sane dive bars left in America.
Go. Drink. Enjoy yourself. And quit complaining.Listed in: Philadelphia standbys that…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/13/2010
This place defines "it is what it is." If you've been here, you know the spiel: smokey as hell,… Read more »
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Review from lyndsey F.
Portland, ME
1/13/2011
I wanted to make the 100th a good one, and I cannot believe that I have never review the glinch. I can only try to do it justice through the hazy gaze of my sly fox soaked brain.
Most of my friends have always been older than me, and if you have read any of my previous reviews, you know that I started frequenting some of the grosser bars in Philadelphia when I was just a baby (Actually! see reivew for Pub & Kitchen). However, McGlincheys was where I really learned how to drink.
I used to come here after work at 6 and stay until last call at 2 am, never spending more than 20 dollars on all the lager and hot dogs my stomach could handle. I loved the dirty boys, the mean waitresses, the smoke, and of course, the jukebox. I loved the feeling of getting away with something that obviously I shouldn't be doing. I loved it all.
We always had the same waitress, Bernadette, who is no longer with the team. She was mean and crazy, but we loved her. I mean, she brought us lager and hot dogs, and cleared our ashtrays after just about each butt went out. We never put up a fuss, so she was always civil to us, although I have seen some crazy action from the waitresses there.
Which brings me to the next reason that I love McGlinchey's. For me, it is a family institution. My 96 year old Grandmother used to come here for drinks when she was teaching at UArts (PCA when she was teaching) with my grandfather and their friends (she says it wasn't as divey or smokey back then, I say Embrace it, Grandma). My parents used to come here when they were young advertisers living at the Sprucemont (based on my parents stories, apparently the glinch is a little more tame now than it was in the early to mid 80s, but then again what isn't?). I used to drink here underage, play radiohead song after radiohead song on the jukebox and long to be the girlfriend of one of the smelly, bearded boys at the bar with calf tattoos and ratty messenger bags. AND NOW, for the shiny glory of the Fox/Weiner family, my sister works here. That's right folks, A Fox at the Glinch.
Last night when I brought two buddies from the burbs here (one is moving out west and wants to hit all of the Philly landmarks), my sister waited on us. And we could smoke. And radiohead was on the jukebox.
I was wearing a new KJL tiger crystal bracelet, and I felt like a lady, so I refrained from eating a hot dog. And instead of yuengling, we were drinking sly fox because now we are adults. And sometimes adults go out on school nights and drink too much beer and smoke too many cigarettes and listen to too much radiohead. But aside from being able to eat dessert for dinner, that's really the best part about growing up, isn't it?
TTFN.Listed in: having fun
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Review from David A.
Philadelphia, PA
6/7/2011
Ahhh, breath in the smoke, and smell the whiskey and beer.
I first learned about this fine upstanding establishment from a co-worker, who was a frequent patron back in the 80s. "You're not drinking in a real bar unless they're homeless people drinking alongside you.", he said in describing McGlinchey's.
There's a 75 year old bartender/busser man who will clear your half full beers from the table if you don't watch out. The woman bartender fixing her ponytail while smoking a 100 with no hands could probably beat you up.
The drinks are cheap, you can smoke if that's your thing, and great people watching indeed. The service is surly, but I would not have it any other way. I asked for car bombs one time and the bartender just shook his head until I changed my order to straight up Jameson shots.
Lots of fun, love it! -
Review from Lou P.
Hot dogs for a buck
London Calling on the juke
Mug rings on the bar
You never plan on McGlinchey's happening; that sort of thing just comes along all on its own. It's the kind of place you can chill on a few beers and get a little raucous with friends and you're out of pocket expense will be under $15, even with a few hot dogs.
You can still smoke inside, and it's a pretty safe bet that the rag they use to wipe down the tables are sitting in the same water as they were the last time you were there. The bathrooms; yeah they're gross, even for a dude's standards. Suffice it to say I wouldn't go in there in sandals. Or sober.
Overall though I've never had a truly bad experience at McGlinchey's. The beer is always cheap, and the bartenders are friendly in general. The bar is a nice atmosphere to meet people, as it takes up the whole middle of the room and you're staring across at someone else most of the time. The jukebox is pretty eclectic, but the music is never obnoxiously loud.
If it's a few days before payday and you're still on a night out with friends, don't plan on going to McGlinchey's. You'll end up there anyway when your cash is low and you don't want to head home.Listed in: ROTD
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Review from Jonathan K.
Philadelphia, PA
3/10/2011
Ahhhh McGlinchey's.........breath it in the cigarette smoke and stale beer smell.......mmmmm! Truly a bastion of diveyness in Philly! Still cheep, with an awesome Jukebox! Great place for people watching, from the guy with one tooth sippin his whiskey, to the man in a suit and tie complaining about the Phils trading practices, to the table of hipsters who think they're the true regulars but just discovered the place a year ago, YA can't beat it. Always a great place to spark up conversation over cheap drinks, and meet people you may never talk to outside the place.
Oh and that waitress that you think hates you......She does! This place is a must go-to for any fan of true dive bars!Listed in: Best Dives! (Don't get rid of…
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Review from Rusty S.
Philadelphia, PA
4/7/2011
The best bar in Philadelphia.
A High Life for $2 and some change, perfect.
Some drunk asshole at the bar yelling at me for not going to Cuba, makes me love the bar even more. -
Review from Andrea F.
Philadelphia, PA
4/23/2011
If you don't like reeking of smoke and old man bartenders, then this isn't the place for you. To me, these are the things that make this place charming.
$2.00 and some change for a Miller High Life? $4.00 for a shot of Jameson? You can't go wrong with these prices.
It's small and smoky and people like to yell at one another, but it's refreshing to know McGlinchey's is one of the few bars in Philly that still allows smoking inside for its patrons and cheap ass drinks. Will definitely be back here. -
Review from Walter K.
1/18/2011
It's dirty, smelly, and the bathrooms are disgusting. But something keeps enticing me to return to McGlinchey's. The prices are good, especially for the area, and selection isn't bad either. I wouldn't eat anything here, but it's a great place to swing by and grab a pitcher, or a cheap glass of Maredsous, which always seems to be on draft.
You can smoke inside here. The one thing I love is the fact that everyone can be found within the doors of McGlinchey's, no one's an outsider. -
Review from Ryan C.
Philadelphia, PA
7/28/2010
After a serious case of jet lag I finally ventured out into the big bad world and hopped on a bus into Philly.
I was told about this place by a fellow irish person in another bar. And after being to four irish bars since I've been here, this was the fifth and defo the most authentic.
It was small, dark, smokey (though smoking is now banned back home) and the music was sweet. I don't smoke myself but there's something about a smokey bar that just feels right.
The guy behind the bar whos name I forget was too cool, chatting about Philly, philosophy (to which I just smiled and nodded) and other weird stuff.
Beer was cheap as hell and I got to enjoy it while listening to Creedence and Soundgarden.
Honestly, what more do you want.
Bathroom is fine. Compared to back home it was sparkling. In fact I think that whole dirty bathroom thing is just for show. You won't die people, it's just a bathroom. -
Review from Kristyn F.
Philadelphia, PA
1/31/2011
Since my office moved from Center City East to Center City West I find myself here once a week trying to escape from the drama of offices.. and life in general. And let me tell you, this is the perfect place to go if you're meeting up with friends or simply solo. Pressure free atmosphere. Cheap beer. Smokes. Plus, an interesting crowd that set up so no matter which direction you look, someone's facing you. It's easy to jump into a conversation and make new friends.
As much as I love the "come as you are" theme, I do have one complaint. The bathroom. There's always a line. It's always disgusting. And well... it's about 15 degrees colder than the rest of the bar.
Other than that, this place is a weekly stop for me. -
Review from Brian F.
Los Angeles, CA
8/1/2011
I love this bar. Haven't been in 5+ years since I moved to California, but i often think about it. Last time I was there I drank $1.15 pints of Yuengling Porter all night. How's that for a deal?
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Review from Myrrh R.
St Petersburg, FL
10/25/2010
This was my bar when I lived in the area. I can only say that it is a must-see for dive bar fans and drunks when visiting Philly.
I brought an out-of-towner there on a Sunday afternoon, when the place was empty and too brightly lit. My bad. I spent the course of two drinks explaining what it looked like on a Friday night; drunk girls and surly men, David Bowie and The Ramones, shoulder-to-shoulder. I could not do it justice with words, but the bar tab won back some points in a city that can be quite pricey.
When I read harsh reviews, it breaks my heart. It makes no grand promises, and no appologies. It is what it is - the ideal place for cheap drinks, people watching, and an experience that is truly Philadelphia dive. -
Review from Dave H.
If more places started serving hot dogs, I'd be a happy camper.
Stopped by McGlinchey's to try their hot dogs, as promised. A bartender directed us to sit and someone would help us. We sat, we made conversation, and we interacted with a fun group drinking across from us. A staffer told us she made "a mean hot dog" which made me happy to order two. It was my birthday, so I also got a shot of vodka ($2.85!) which hit me fast. Damn fast - by then, lunch was a distant memory.
Fast forward a few commercial breaks, to us with our hot dogs. Mine was magnificent: sauerkraut, relish, onions, ketchup, mustard, all balanced in a bun, for a mere 75 cents. I scarfed it down, then debated a second shot of vodka. My friend enjoyed her dog.
Instead of an olive branch, McGlinchey's offered a hot dog. They're as unapolegetically divey as ever, and you can still smoke there, but the more you go here, the more it'll rub off on you. Swing by for cheap drinks and even cheaper eats.Listed in: Philly Drinkeries, Philly Favorites
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/4/2007
I got carded before I walked into McGlinchey's. Comically, the bouncer actually called to me as I… Read more »
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Review from Ethan C.
Brooklyn, NY
6/4/2009
I think the term "melting pot of the world" needs to be reapplied from NYC to McGlinchey's.
I was led here by a local, and we pulled up a stool at the huge rectangle bar alongside the motliest crew I've ever seen in one place. The aforementioned "surley bartenders" were busting their asses all night getting everyone drinks, no time for BS. My friend knew them, and got our blood pumping with shots of Potcheen, which I found out after is a 90 proof Irish Moonshine. Hellllloooo Drunktown.
The best exchange of the night was between the old man bartender and 4 Jersey guys looking for Car Bombs.
"No bombs," said the bartender.
"Uhhh, okay, how about jager bombs?"
"No bombs. Order a drink or get the f*ck out."
So the genius douchebag said, "Okay, we'll have 4 shots of Baileys, 4 shots of Jameson, and 4 Guinness."
If looks could kill, I swear. The bartender quickly replied, "Don't insult me, get the f*ck out."
I left drunk, with a black lung, and a new found appreciation for Philly.Listed in: Random Ass Philly Weekend
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Review from Robin C.
Philadelphia, PA
12/5/2010
This is by far my favorite dive in Philadelphia. It's gritty, a little dirty and cheap. The bartenders are not concerned with you or what your friends do, but they'll let you know if you're out of line.
The drinks are so cheap. I bring all of my out of town friends here (after eating elsewhere, as they only serve hot dogs and sausage) and they love it. The juke box is old school style (no itunes or online juke boxes here) and has great music. The albums are as eclectic as the customer-base.
I go here as often as I can. -
Review from Carrie E.
Philadelphia, PA
12/30/2007
Ohh, Glinch...I can't help but love you. I love you so much I want to take you behind the middle school and get you pregnant. You bring out the inner scuzzball in me, and while I can't say that it's something I need to unleash on a regular basis, it's good to know that when I want to lose a few hours of my life to a cheap whisky buzz and come out smelling like a dirty ashtray, you'll be there for me.
I love your surly bartenders who make me feel like an asshole for ordering a drink. I relish the fact that they're also usually drunk while they're working. And the patrons - oh, the patrons! Yes, you'll find your garden-variety hipsters, for sure, but you'll also see some folks who look like they belong in the Mutter Museum. Glinch, you're the bar most likely to force me to practically wet my pants on the ride home rather than risk trying to use your bathroom. Unless I get shanked there during my next visit I'll keep you in my heart forever. -
Review from Erin G.
Philadelphia, PA
7/21/2008
I take out-of-town friends here when I'm trying to explain what Philly attitude is all about. Don't even think about trying to cluster around a booth when you can't fit all your friends in. Don't even think about swinging your bar stools around and putting your back to the bartender. Don't even think about breathing, now that this bar is one of the few public smoking bars in the city the smoke cloud has only gotten thicker.
But if you want a cheap beer (and maybe a hot dog) and you don't mind a little salty service, or just want to pay a visit to one of Philly's classic dives (I like to throw it in as #2 on my Center City dive tour), this is your place.Listed in: Living More with Less
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Review from elisa o.
San Francisco, CA
8/24/2007 ROTD 9/4/2007
I love this place. CHEAP! The food is great too! Nice and greasy.
I had thought Philly banned smoking from food establishments but this place is one of the few that does not honor it. I love that seedy dive bar feel and atmosphere! I seriously do like this place!!!
If you want friendly chatter and an atmosphere. Don't come here. You are coming to a "dive" bar. Come with that in mind and you are GOLDEN!
I think this is my favorite DIVE bar nationwide!!!
I gave it one less star only because I end up feeling sick afterwards! Drunk and full with grease! So I guess I should give them that star back? Hmmm...I will come back to update my rating. Maybe they will get that star! muhahahaha -
Review from Christopher I.
Philadelphia, PA
4/14/2009
McGlinchey's is a great bar if you want to feel like an asshole immediately upon entering, when you're paying them money, and after you leave.
More than once, I've asked myself, "What the hell am I still doing here?" It's smokey, the staff wishes I would die, some hipster with a moustache is reading Nietzsche, Kerouac, or whatever the hell hipsters are reading this week to look cool in public, the doorman is sleeping, the waitress apparently also hates me, the bathroom is like a demilitarized zone and a breeding ground for hepatitis, and some homeless guy next to me smells like a human compost heap.
Then, I get two hot dogs with the works and a Miller High Life bottle for under $4. Also, $1 on the jukebox gets you FOUR songs...take THAT, internet jukeboxes that charge $1 per song. And I stumble home, under a block. I move in a month, but there will always be a tiny (very tiny) spot in my heart for McGlinchey's. -
Review from Robert G.
Philadelphia, PA
9/11/2007
This place brings back memories for me, too, in the early 90s. I was underage and besides Anthony's on Market Street in Old City (and Kellianne's on SpringGarden) this was the only place you could get served underage. I never had fake id. No need for it with such great places around town.
We used to drink Guinness and Yuengling (before it became the "it" beer) for so cheap. There were many nights I fell asleep/passed out on the EL after an all-nighter at the "Mick G". One time, I passed out at 15th Street at around 3am. I was woken up at 730am in the midst of rush hour by a cop. O! The memories.
I stopped in with my girlfriend last year. The place is the same. The waitresses are still b*tches. They had tattoos and piercings when tattoos and piercings weren't so cool (or clique).
The one thing missing was Fergie who served me my first underage Guinness in the States. I was served at 13 at my cousin's pub in Ireland years before. Fergie went on to start his own pub and beer icon, Monk's. He's still good for a pint and a laugh.
my website... http://www.Gigfy.com
my blog... http://lovelyday4aguin.../ -
Review from George R.
Los Angeles, CA
9/14/2007 1 photo
Not much to say: it is cheap, dark, and they allow smoking. A group I was with sat at a booth and someone cut their leg on an exposed screw coming out of the red vinyl leather sideboard.
McGlinchy's is one of those by-gone era dive bars where things aren't pleasant and sometimes a bit dangerous. Some people like this, but it's not for me.
UPDATE: I just went in here the other day and because the door was open, the smoke cleared out pretty well. Our server was drunk and sat down at our table for a moment to rest her legs. Then got up and left. -
Review from Lauren D.
Philadelphia, PA
9/14/2007 ROTD 1/19/2008
McGlinchey's is the type of dive bar you seen in a movie and think to yourself "I really wish I could be there right now". It's dark, smokey, has a big round bar, and an extremely diverse crowd. You walk in and immediately feel like you've been there before, which can either be comforting or played-out depending on your opinion.
There are several reasons why I dig this place:
1. The beer is super cheap. You can get a 12oz bottle of Chimay Grande Reserve for $5 (hell yeah :D), and I believe that Miller High Lifes are only like $2.
2. It's one of the only bars, if not the only one, that has given a big "fuck you" to the smoking ban. It's nice for smokers, but it can get a bit intense on the weekends. I've walked out of there with teary eyes from the smoke but hey, i'll take red eyes for the privilege to smoke and drink in the same area.
3. THE MS. PACMAN TABLE. Seriously, how much better can it get? My best friends and I love having tournaments while getting shitty. It's the BEST.
Now, for the bad. As much as I like this place, I was seriously tempted to give it 3 stars because 90% of the staff is mean, rude, and slow. Seriously, I've never wanted to slap a restaurant employee more than I have there and that's saying a lot because I've worked and grown up in the restaurant industry my whole life. I had an incident there last weekend when I went up to get a round of drinks for my friends and I and this is what happened when I asked the bartender for them:
Me - I'd like two Chimay's and a Boddington's please
Bartender - Are you sitting at the bar?
Me - No, we're at the Pacman table
Bartender - Then you can wait for the server to take your order
Me - What the hell, are you serious?
Bartender - Yup
Me - You realize you're losing money on this because I would tip you, right? (but he didnt hear this because he was already walking away)
Oh, and just in case your curious, it was the tall and old bartender. Avoid him like the plague.
Despite that, I keep coming back to the place because it really is just the epitome of what you could ask for in a Dive. Asshole employees and all.Listed in: My ROTDs
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Review from Laura D.
6/18/2008
Dive is an understatement. I guess I can see why other people love this place, and everyone pretty much agrees on the dark, smokey, cheap, smelliness of it. But it just ain't for me.
I came here on a Thursday night with 3 friends, and they wouldn't serve 2 of us at the bar because the other 2 were sitting at the Ms. Pacman table (the only cool thing in the place). The waitress was kinda rude when she finally took our order. I chugged my miller lite as fast as possible to get out of there since my eyes were watering from the smoke. Cheap, yes. But then again, 75 cent hotdogs kind of skieve me out. -
Review from Bill M.
Updated - 9/1/2009
I already covered the crust, the rust, the occasional bouts of surliness, and the tepid stench radiating from their bathroom. and I could always do without the smoke and just hot dogs. But regardless there's just something about McGlinchey's character that always has me coming back for more. So although I fully acknowledge the extra long laundry list of flaws that will have you needing a cold shower immediately afterwards, I also can't help but give it a five for many reasons.
Bottom line is that McGlinchey's is cheap and easy, just like Aaron's Sister* (Someone had to turn the tables away from Jim's sister for a moment). and that fact can make it an epic spot for people watching, especially when there's a game on. It easily has the most eclectic crowd I've ever experienced no matter what the occasion. and side luxuries like one of the best Jukeboxes in Philly, table top Mrs. Pacman, and the cheapest price in town for giant bottles of Rogue can help make the crustiness a little more tolerable. And although it can often be hard to make out on the chalk boards, the beer selection they have is pretty phenomenal.
So while Jamie C. review of the Glinch is one very true extreme, there's another side to it. Both extremes may collide frequently throughout the evening, but if anything it add onto the all around story. And what I said about the servers previously still holds true.
*After actually meeting Aaron's sister I can attest to her being amazing (and somehow they're related. I kid, I kid.). And that's why the review mention is only in good fun.Listed in: The Highlight Reel, Philly Bars, The Places I Go Out, Beer Haven, He took one guitar, juke box hero, stars in his eyes.
…">Jukebox Hero1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/12/2007
It doesn't honor the smoking ban which may be horrible depending on your opinion. The servers may be… Read more »
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Review from Nicole R.
PA
1/21/2007
I don't think the smoking ban has been nice to the Glinch. I actually got a seat at the bar on a Saturday night. My bag got a seat too, all to itself. It is a bar meant for chain-smoking.
What does one say about the Glinch? The staff are the saltiest bunch of sea dogs I've ever had the dubious privelege to have 'wait' on me. They throw your change at you like they hate you, which they probably do. I wouldn't drink the draft beer even if I was trying to kill myself. The bar has been there so many years that they wrote the grandfather clause, yet I don't think they've ever cleaned their draft lines. The bathroom gets my vote, hands down, for the worst bathroom in Philly. I'm fairly sure their whiskey is watered down because I don't think you can buy it retail for what they sell it for by the shot (and it tastes like a*&).
All of that said, where else are you going to get a Chimay Blue (in the bottle of course) for $4.95? Oh and they have Ms. Pacman. Pack! Pack! Pack!Listed in: My Center City Picks, My Stomping Grounds, Pack! Pack! Pack!
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Review from steven e.
Baltimore, MD
11/2/2006
This is the first bar I ever drank at in Philadelphia back when I was 18, probably because it was the only bar that accepted my shoddy fake id that I made with Paintshop.
Our waitress that cold rainy night was a tattooed chick wearing a Kowalskis t-shirt. She might have been in the band, I don't know. Almost ten years later, I wonder what ever happened to that nice waitress who, with great friendliness, served a blatantly underage party of three. -
Review from Molly M.
Philadelphia, PA
3/6/2008
I can't believe I've been a member of Yelp for over a month now and neglected McGlinchey's! For shame.
Anyway, this was one of the first bars I ever went to in Philadelphia, and I was immediately smitten. Yeah, the service is rude, yeah the place smells, and yeah, the bathrooms would send a germaphobe into a coma, but it's a dive bar for these reasons. You can still smoke and drinks are ridiculously cheap, although I do recall them having strange prices (like, $1.65 for a shot). But whatever, leave the change for your tip!
Also, upstairs at Tops is less crowded, still has a TV, and the bathrooms are (slightly) cleaner. They also have Avery Karma available, which is maybe one of the best beers ever. -
Review from Susan G.
7/13/2007
For what it is...it's great.
I personally think it's one of the last living Dives in this city. I'm not a regular...even though I'm a fan of Dives i feel really out of place here.
If you're pretty much broke...catch some lunch..25cent hot dogs and really cheap beer. Just don't panic when you see that 60 some year old guy across the bar (this is for the ladies) staring at your boobies as if they are, in fact, LUNCH. Yuck.
It's really dark...the service sucks because they are all pretty much always miserable, and well like I said...go if you're broke, or really really brave! -
Review from Tim P.
Philadelphia, PA
8/6/2010
I've been in here twice, on both the first floor and the hidden 2nd floor that has it's own door on the street. So I guess I have gotten the full Philly dive experience and don't need to go back. Hopefully.
Downstairs has a really nice layout and the bartenders I met were more pleasant than I was lead to believe would be the case. I was in there during a beer week event so maybe they were being extra nice. They have tons of specials, even on good beers like Franziskaner. Smokey as all hell though, 45 minutes was about all I could take.
I was upstairs recently, it is better ventilated and has a pool table which is nice. No taps at all, so all of the specials printed on signs out front aren't available up there. A decent bottle selection though and plenty of liquor. The bar tender seemed pretty surly when we arrived but lightened up as more people came in.
I'm not sure what the draw is. You can find pool tables elsewhere, you can find some of the good beers as cheap elsewhere. I guess if you live nearby it is fine but I don't see why you'd want to go out of your way for this, maybe if you've just GOT to smoke while drinking your microbrew? Though it seemed like everyone was just drinking lager and Sam Adams anyway. -
Review from MaryAnn Z.
10/24/2008
I have to throw a five star rating at this place in hopes that its legend goes on forever. I would be concerned that the low ratings would deter people from stopping in, and then I realized it's not really the sort of place you just happen upon... you must be invited into the embrace.
There is no possibility you will leave here without reaking of smoke. But you won't really mind, because with how cheap their drinks are, you won't even remember how to smell things when you leave.
My new favorite thing about McGlinchey's is the sign for free wifi. Has anyone actually ever brought their computer here?
I LOVE THE SERVERS.
I love the cheap beer. I love scouring the bathroom wall graffiti. I love smoking cigarettes and screaming across the booth about war tactics, Heart, or whether the slumped over girl in the corner is drinking alone or waiting for someone to arrive, only to find out it is secret option C: she's waiting for her shift to start. OF COURSE. Must properly lubricate the senses pre-shift at Glinch.
Where was I? Oh. Who cares. This place is so beyond authentic and trashy chic. I loves it. If you also loves it, we should grab a drink sometime. And ponder the mystery of the McGlinchey's hot dog. -
Review from Coco D.
Philadelphia, PA
3/13/2009
Foolio, you ain't no grill. Quit frontin.
McGlinchey's is a great place to break up with all of your tomorrows.
Thank God there's at least one bar in this town with a real live jukebox too.
