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Skinner's Dry Goods Tavern - CLOSED
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Robert W. said: "I'm not from around here, but everyone's still pretty cool when I come in here with my brother and roommate. Cheap drinks and a good selection. Love me some Hoegarden!" read more »
31 reviews for Skinner's Dry Goods Tavern
Review Highlights
"Bartenders wonderful, good beer selection, and good music."
(in 5 reviews)
"The live DJ spun De La Soul and Wu Tang Clan on turntables..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Bartenders are very friendly and on point with service."
(in 6 reviews)
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31 reviews in English
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Review from Kaitlin L.
Philadelphia, PA
3/8/2010
I have always figured this place was an old man bar until I read the reviews on yelp. Oops :)
I finally stopped in here after a show at Tin Angel this weekend and immediately knew I'd return here again. This place has a great vibe, an eclectic group of people, solid beer choices, and different but good music.
The staff is laid back but attentive and genuinely seemed to enjoy being there. Who knew Old City had such a gem? -
Review from Peter D.
10/30/2009
Have you ever been to a bar where everyone hates on you for one, superficial reason? This happens to me a lot. Usually it's cause I'm so pretty, which tends to create a lot of jealousy. But this time, it was because I'm from NYC.
Let me explain.
Last night I watched Game 2 of the Phils/Yanks World Series at Skinner's. In the belly of the beast, so to speak. Nearly everyone in the bar was wearing shirts that read, "Phuck NY." Needless to say, my "I [Heart] NY" shirt stood out. It was the one instance when I wished that native New Yorkers didn't have to wear those at all times.
Despite the other patrons spitting on me as they walked past, I really like this bar. I had a $4 pint of Kenzinger (apparently the hometown of the girl to my left) which turned out to be delicious, and the bar food all looked like it would clog my arteries (in the good way). The bartender was cool; I know this because he kept hollering unintelligible things about the Phillies that caused the rest of the bar to cheer. And he was friendly until someone in my general vicinity yelled, "F*** Chase Utley!" I think he thought it was me.
Maybe everyone did; my friend turned to me at that point and said, "You should probably leave if you're not carrying a knife."
But New York won, and I didn't have to stab anyone. I'd say that's a good night.Listed in: philly.
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Review from Dave C.
Philadelphia, PA
3/26/2008
Oh, Skinners... the bar i goto after i get done working and having a drink at the bar i work at.
What the funniest part about Skinners is for me is that even though ive been here over 20 something times, ive never once been drunk here. And im just realizing this as i write this review. damn. I always seem to be going somewhere else and just happen to end up at Skinners first. Shit, thats godawful.
Alright.
Fuck it.
By the end of the week im drinking til' i puke or make a stumbling shit-hammered mess of myself at this spot.
John Powers, get ready for a make-out session. -
Review from Bill M.
7/24/2007
Skinners is definitely one of my favorite bars in this city. It has one of the most well rounded selections of beer (not Eulogy well rounded but still pretty good). everything is also pretty reasonably priced. It also sales good food until pretty late.
But the reason I love Skinners is it's atmosphere. It usually brings in a pretty chill crowd, and it can be a good spot to bring a group. It also has some DJs playing every once in awhile. and for an outdoor on the corner of an old city spot, the outdoor tables can be fairly accessible on most nights.
Update - Whoever misses Ministry Of Information as much as I do take note. This bar is owned by the same people who bought you that wonderful bar!Listed in: Top Restaurants, Philly Bars, The Places I Go Out
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Review from Brian L.
Updated - 8/22/2009
Still a fan of the place, but I believe the air conditioning in here was broken. It was getting oppressively muggy in here, and that took away from the generally good atmosphere.
As always, the people here are cool. Bartenders wonderful, good beer selection, and good music. Maybe when the weather is cooler and less humid I'll bump good ol Skinner's back to a 5!Listed in: The Places I Go Out
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/15/2008
So one day me and my friends went into Olde City about 3 years ago and decided that "we were sick of… Read more »
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Review from Sara C.
Ferndale, MI
12/6/2008
I usually knock Old City, but Skinner's is definitely a place I can deal with in the neighborhood. Friendly and attentive staff, a non-pretentious atmosphere, and DJs on hand to spin some solid tunes (last night was lots of good funk and soul).
The beer selection is very good - they just tapped PBC's Phillyz Navidad, which was incredible. Lots of good stuff in bottles, too. And the food? Excellent. I tried a couple wings - coffee is an ingredient in the hot sauce, which made for pure deliciousness. I'll definitely come back to try a meal.
The crowd can get a little rough - a strange mix of hipster, punk rock, and an overflow of general annoying Old City bros, but when you're drinking such good beer, you can drown it out for a while. -
Review from J P.
Philadelphia, PA
7/15/2008
Good beer, less of the snooty Olde City crowd, good fries, hot girls, and well.... I dunno what else. I went there after a play at the Ardmore and my ticket got me a discount on a brew. I thought that was pretty cool.
This is the bar we rocked out to one last time when Candice left for Seattle. I haven't been back since.
Good music. -
Review from Steve R.
Pennsauken, NJ
2/3/2009
I love me a good dive, and Skinner's delivers consistently.
I must confess, I do consider myself a regular of this establishment, but that only speaks to the favor of Skinner's.
Foodwise, this bar gets a meh. If you're really in the mood for some bar food, this place will surprise you. But if you fancy yourself a gourmand, you may need to ask what you're doing in a dive anyway.
The music is loud. REALLY loud. Like, if the song choice wasn't perfect, it wouldn't be worth listening to. But that's the thing: the song choice is perfect. Depending on the deejay or CD, you can always expect to hear an ecclectic blend of old hip-hop favorites and ageless funk.
Now for the drinks. The liquor selection is very base, and the staff know their way around the normal cocktails. The beer is what sells this place. 10 on tap and countless other varieties in bottles at any time, Skinner's brew selection is pleasantly surprising for a small bar. (Aside: it's the first bar I've been in that regularly offers Arrogant Bastard bottles)
Apart from the music, the atmosphere of the place is enhanced by the art decorating the walls. At any one time, local artists will have their pieces on display for all to drunkenly ogle and even purchase, if desired.
Finally, the service can't be beat. Each bartender is friendly and personable, and constantly redefining "service with a smile." One bartender in particular has noticed my penchant for pricier micro-brews and has recommended many new suds for me.
Seriously, if you're looking for a great atmosphere to drink yourself to death in, and if you want a staff that will smile the entire time you enter your alcohol-induced coma, Skinner's Tavern is the place for you.Listed in: My City
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Review from Russ C.
PA
2/7/2007 1 photo
First a history lesson-- It is called Skinner's Dry Goods after the name of the first store to inhabit this store front.
Skinner's is one of my favorite bars. It is in the heart of Old City, but thankfully, not many people seem to know about it. It has a few wobbly tables, some cozy booths and a larger than necessary round bar. I would have given Skinner's 5 stars, but they do not have any specials, ever. I personally feel that a dive bar should either have a beer special or one beer designated for $2 at all times. They do serve food here, but I have never seen anyone eating anything besides fries or chicken tenders. The crowd matches the jukebox, which consists of early punk and rock music. I would tell you to check out Skinner's, but I want to keep this secret for myself. -
Review from lee c.
Malvern, PA
6/4/2008
Great, chill laid back place. Nothing special, but nothing bad either. It happens to be a block from my friend's place so we like to go here to finish off the evening. The people are friendly too. Definitely a great place to relax and have a few cold ones with friends.
Also, there were some rumors when I was there that this place is somehow related to the ex-Ministry of Information.Listed in: Slummin
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Review from Greg B.
Seattle, WA
10/4/2008
Though the regulars call this place a dive, it's your standard bar that goes the extra push. I went here for the first time last night, a Friday, and had a few drinks with a friend that went from about 8:30 to until about 12.
What I remember? The crowd's great. There were a mixed batch of people--young types just popping in for the First Friday art walk, some barflies hovering over their PBRs, other regulars that obviously were all in the know with one-another, some hip, some average types--even some middle-aged couples that would have fit in with the more expensive bars down the street.
The kitchen's open until 1:00 in the morning, covering everything from Cheese Steaks to French Onion Soup. The fries we got were served with Vietnamese hot sauce.
The live DJ spun De La Soul and Wu Tang Clan on turntables, which got the place moving and grooving.
The bar stretches endlessly down but there are booths too. Outdoor seating is a plus. The bartenders, both male and female, including Peter, the owner of the place, are intelligent, have great character, and are pretty good at keeping your glass filled. They also have a good memory despite the number of people they have to serve, and they know about the beers on tap. All good qualities in my book.
The drinks on tap were many and the bottled beers only offered support. I had a Kensington, a few Yuenglings, and a Warsteiner. They all tasted just like beer, which isn't something you can say for all dive-ish places. Unfortunately they don't carry too many beers from New England (Magic Hat being the only one I can recall), but I have to get over my past anyway. Also took a couple shots of Power's Whiskey. Delicious.
What people might not like: the bathrooms are pretty small relative to the overall size of the place. There was a girl using the stall in the men's room when I went in, and the stall didn't have a door on it, which probably hasn't been the first awkward encounter in there. Also, there are a lot of smokers outside and though that doesn't bother me, well, it's something to at least keep in mind. Also, there's a really annoying video-gambling machine that reflects off of the mirrored walls on one side of the bar.
Definitely try the place out if you're with a friend or two, or a medium-sized group. The people there are nice and seem pleasant enough to chat if you decide to go solo. -
Review from Thommy S.
Philadelphia, PA
2/22/2009
This place rules for Olde City!!! Good food, GREAT BEER SELECTIONS & PRICES!!!
Bartenders are very friendly and on point with service!
Can't wait for outside seating and summer to kick back in, this is a definite first Friday compliment.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from a k.
Clifton, NJ
9/7/2009
Great dive bar. The bartenders are friendly.
The food is bar food, but still it is good. -
Review from dj h.
Philadelphia, PA
1/5/2010
YO!!! STOP CALLING IT A "DIVE BAR"!!!!
Look, hipsters, transplants and 'people who moved to philly during the housing bubble (bubbletards)', its NOT a 'DIVE BAR'. What is it then you ask? Drum roll.............it's: A BAR. That's right, it's just a bar. Bubbletards moved here a few years back and started calling the old regular bars that had been here forever "dive" bars. The reasonong of course being that in Nantucket and Wisconsin, where these sheeple transplanted from, everything is coated in polyurethane when built and then destroyed after 4 years to rebuild another fake plastic whatever to sit around and be lame in.
Why is a bubbletard bar like "Blu Martini" called a 'lounge' and Skinners called "a dive bar". What is 'divey' about it? Is it bee-cause its OLD? Well its fucking OLD! What the fuck is it supposed to do, stop time or something?! It's a bar that was once new, and now its reasonably aged for its goddam age. Why attempt to belittle it by calling it a 'dive' bar. Ill tells you why - cause hipsters are DOUCHE BAGS! Ever since the 2003 global urban hipster/transplant/yuppie housing bubble infestation pandemic these morans (with an "A"), in their endless credit card debt bubble arrogance have been attempting to re-write the rules of nature to fit their own selfish, childish motives. For instance, if a bar is any older than 4 years old and not covered with fake plastic 'hotness' and color coordinated 'mood lighting' it is considered niggardly. Now DON'T BAN ME!! Niggardly is a word, it's in the English Webster;'s dictionary, and it accurately describes what I'm trying to say. So please, respect the English language, the word I used was not not meant to mean anything other than what it is. My point is there is a bad-attitude emanating from the new people that spits int he face of fine establishments like Skinners Tavern.
Indeed most of you are reading this review because some hipster, neuvo-douche, cat-brained bubble yuppie house flipper probably invited you to Skinners and you're thinking "Oh S.N.A.P., this place is in Olde City, this is gonna suck!" But you see, that's not the case, for it is neither a DOUCHE BAR nearly 99% of the bars surrounding it, nor is it a "dive bar" that these aforementioned pre-madonna faux-hemians have so niceley bestowed it upon such and such.
It's just a nice 3 star bar. It is NOT a 'dive' nor is it a 'theme bar' like the ones next door. No they did not put blue lights inside and call it "Blue Martini". No they did not put orange lights inside and call it "Tangerine". No they did not put red lights inside and call it "Red Sky". No they did not put in green lights inside and call it "Envy" --- none of that cockamamie B*LLSH*T! Just a nice bar, with nice drinks and a nice bartender. Why must we put the bat-brained labels on every thing? Why must we mark it as 'dive' or 'douche'? Why can't it be just 'a bar' that sucks or doesn't suck. Why must we text message our lives away? Why must we facebook and twitter while ignoring the real people in the very room with us? Why people? Why the hive-mindedness? Why?
Skinners is a good bar - a recommended 'safe haven' in an other wise planet of the apes olde city filled with sickening pretentiousness years after the bubble has burst. -
Review from Erin G.
Philadelphia, PA
1/16/2009
I can't believe that I didn't know this place existed! There is so much crap around it, I always assumed that Skinners was more of the same. I was so wrong! I love the little bowling booths, the bartenders are friendly and fast, and the beer list is surpasses decent - they even had a few specialty brews in the house. The food was pretty "meh" but the drinks are solid. This will be my new go-to place if I need to grab a drink or kill some time near the 2nd St. El stop.
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Review from Chrissy R.
Philadelphia, PA
5/26/2008
I really like Skinners. It's a chilled atmosphere in here, and the crowd is a mix of old punks and other pretty cool people. No Bridge and Tunnel douchebags in here.
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Review from Lene P.
Philadelphia, PA
6/9/2008
This is one of my favorite bars for all the right reasons: great atmosphere, great eclectic mix of music, friendly staff, decent food (but I'm not picky, it has to be really really awful for me to mention it), a nice mix of seating (you can sit around the huge bar, booths, or eat outside if it's nice out), and most importantly, good cheap drinks! I haven't been there in a while, but I do miss it.
Listed in: Olde City
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Review from Foster K.
Pasadena, CA
6/15/2008
A solid four stars for a great location and no fluff. Stopped off at Skinner's for a pre-dinner beer on Friday after work, and had a great time sitting at a sidewalk table watching the action on the street. Major points for price also: a glass of Leffe brown was only 3 bucks!
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Review from Mallory P.
Philadelphia, PA
5/15/2009
A-OK is a good descriptor for Skinner's. A lot of people like it here, but it seems to always be really crowded because of it's location and non-expensiveness, which is rare in Old City. It's a fine place, but it seems like a neighborhood bar without regulars, if that makes sense. Maybe it has regulars, but you don't get that feel there, because it's always packed with Old City visitors. I'm sure I'll wind up here again, but I don't usually vote for it.
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Review from Joe A.
Philadelphia, PA
7/14/2009
I've been here for one beer and I've been here till closing. Why? The crowd. This place can range from friendly neighborhood crowd to the weekend warrior novice club usually associated with Old City. Give it a try and see what happens. And hey, they have outdoor seating and a good beer list.
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Review from Mike D.
7/16/2009
Can't believe I forgot to review Skinner's! This place was a great find in Olde City as an alternative to post college frat parties that is most of the area. The attitude here is relaxed with a complete mix of people and of course....delicious beer. The food is standard pub fare, or at least what I had, and does the trick to accompany your fine spirit of choice. The best nights tend to have a live DJ that doesn't overpower your conversations with your friends and creates the perfect background noise to tune in and out. They also offer seating outdoors which is perfect to people watch depending on the night. This is my definition of a dive; a place with a variety of people, a good beer selection, bar food, and the occasional mix of a slight party-style atmosphere as the night goes on.
Listed in: Places to enjoy a beer
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Review from marie r.
Philadelphia, PA
9/19/2008
Well, I will start by saying the bartenders are very friendly and fast.....Ive never had a problem waiting for a drink in there :) Also the DJ's spin some great music so thats a huge plus for me! The atmosphere is boring and everytime I am there- someone is always having drama right next to me, so thats a little annoying. Not so down with the crowd but the place is cool. Im going to give it another shot (for the 4th time)!
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Review from Jonny S.
Philadelphia, PA
10/9/2007
For a bar with TV and food, this is one of the best so 3 stars is a top rating. The food is good bar food but the cook takes things pretty seriously - he even brings it out when he can. Atmosphere is hip and friendly and the DJ was jamming pretty great the other night yo.
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Review from Phil P.
Philadelphia, PA
3/11/2009
Skinners is one of the best bars in olde city. They have a good beer selection that is reasonably priced. The staff is friendly. The food is good. They have coffee flavored wings which had awesome flavor. If you're in olde city then this is a bar to hang out at.
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Review from Lindsay H.
Fort Worth, TX
6/25/2008
I liked this place. Chill, plenty of seating, not too crowded, not too expensive, staff was cool and friendly, and the bar food wasn't bad. An oasis in the middle of all the pretentious bullshit in Old City. And outside seating is a nice bonus.
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Review from dave c.
Philadelphia, PA
1/19/2010
you have to love a non-clubby place in old city. cheap drinks, decent food, good outdoor seating. and they've usually got awesome music playing (not live, on the house system). was one of the few bars i've heard lucero in. good stuff.
aren't dee and mack from 'it's always sunny' buying this place? -
Review from O C.
Columbus, OH
9/24/2009
A solid, non-tude, dive bar with decent food and a very good beer selection. Trapped in a sea of douchey, olde city bars - this place is a favorite of mine - call it a life preserver. Interesting people, fun and good watering hole overall.
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Review from Kevin W.
Philadelphia, PA
3/21/2010
I was a regular here for a long time, & I still like the staff, but it's just kinda gross -- smells bad inside -- & I remember 1 of the urinals in the mens room was wrapped in a garbage bag for years. Maybe the new owners will fix it.
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Review from Scott M.
Brooklyn, NY
11/9/2009
I don't know - there is just something lacking here. It might be that I am unfairly associating it too much with the lamer bars in the area, but Skinner's just does not have much of a personality to me, even a subtle one. (By the way, I don't think this classifies as a dive bar.) I guess if you live in the area or are meeting people for a quick drink on the way to somewhere else, this will do, but I can't really say that it stands strong on it's own.
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Review from mike s.
Philadelphia, PA
2/7/2010
i dont understand why i cant get a drink for 10 minutes no matter the bartender, no matter how crowded it is or is not.
they always seem to be taking their sweet time with no sense of urgency. i guess when you work in a volume bar where youre gonna make bank no matter what thurs-sat, some random jerk on a tuesday night doesnt matter to you at all.
thats how i feel everytime i walk in here. and thats why i never go there anymore. -
Review from Cotton C.
Claremont, CA
10/7/2008
One of my favorite bars downtown. Great service, great jukebox, nice open doors when it's nice out... It's pretty much all you need. My favorite place to grab some drinks before heading around the corner to the Khyber to see a show.
