Eagles game days in Philly are beautiful things, aren’t they? The ability to park your keister in some cozy bar for three-plus hours while drinking beer and eating bar food among fellow citizens of Birds Nation is, next to seeing the team play in person at the Linc just off the 50-yard line, the sweetest of game-day pleasures. The Eagles bring us out — and bring us together.
As the season starts, you may already have your own favorite Birds-watching hang. If not, consider checking out a spot that does more than just turn on its TVs and pour a few beers. Head to a bar, brewery, restaurant or hangout where you’ll be among your people — fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community, fans with kids (or dogs) in tow, folks who care about the environment, small businesses — or are just amazing snacks.
Not sure where to start? The Philadelphia Citizen is here to help.
Environmentally + Socially Conscious Beer Lovers: Attic Brewing Co.
Craving the feeling of a tailgate without having to brave the crowds at The Linc? Want to actually hear the game while watching it at a bar? Or simply prefer the fresh air and a dose of plant life? Attic Brewing Co. — one of The Citizen’s 12 Philadelphia breweries that do good — hosts a weekly Eagles watch party with all of the above and then some.
DJ Ju$ Fresh spins tunes. You can snag raffle prizes and deals on drinks all night. As per yoozh, watch the game on the big screen with sound so you don’t miss a second of Mike Quick’s color commentary.
Plus, you can feel great about spending your time and money here: Attic has donated thousands to local schools and nonprofits, and even gives its spent grain to nearby gardens, farms and bakeries. 137 Berkley Street
Neighborhood: Germantown
Vibe: Shabby-chic beer garden meets cantina. Play lawn games or grab a board game for some added entertainment. (Indoor seating too.)
Food and drink: Snacks from rotating food trucks. And Attic Brewing Co.’s locally brewed craft beer — 14 on tap.
People who Love Beer and Black-Owned Businesses: Two Locals Brewing Company
Two Locals Brewing.Brothers Mengistu and Richard Koilor’s University City brewery earns props for its Nubian Brown ale, Prolific Hazy IPA and laid back vibes. On all Saturday and Sunday football game days — not just during Eagles’ games — they charge $5 for lagers and $10 for Bird Gang Whiskey sours — same goes for the playoffs. The spot’s officially on Drexel’s campus, but it’s definitely not a college-only crowd. 3675 Market Street
Neighborhood: University City
Vibe: A few big screens, with bigger windows overlooking Market Street, the vibe here is chill and friendly — especially if you’re cheering on the owners’ favorite hometown NFL team.
Food and drink: The cider’s not too sweet, the Nubian Brown is rich and satisfying, and the made-on-premises hoagies come from Liberty Kitchen. Keep an eye on their Instagram page for details.
People with Kids and / or Dogs: Craft Hall
Craft Hall offers kid-centric distractions that include pool, shuffleboard, skeeball, arcade games and an actual playground, indoors, with a pirate theme, plus a mini dog park (outside). For folks who prefer to pay attention, there’s a 360-degree view of the game, thanks to a 140-square-foot and 60-square-foot LED video wall, three screen projectors and several more large-screen TVs. 901 N. Delaware Avenue
Neighborhood: Northern Liberties
Vibe: There’s a little dash of everything at this expansive refurbished warehouse — even for dogs, who can hang out at Unleashed, the bar’s hybrid dog park / beer garden.
Food and drink: Discounted grub includes various pizzas ($14-$15) and 8-piece wings ($14). with pitchers for ($15), rotating Bird Gang shots ($8) and Stateside or Surfside buckets ($50) for you and your crew.
College Crowd — The Post at Cira Garage
Look, you can’t beat Philly college-crowd institutions like Cavanaugh’s and McGillin’s. But capacity limits are real, and maybe you and your crew are looking for a little more breathing room — and the ability to book ahead, for a fee, of course. This University City watering hole shows the game on 11 screens. 129 S. 30th Street
Neighborhood: 30th Street Station / University City
Vibe: Airy beer hall decorated with local teams’ regalia. Decompress before or after that big matchup with pool tables, air hockey and skeeball.
Food and drink: Game-day specials include deals on Bud Light, Hoop Tea and Miller Lite plus eats like nachos ($10) and 5-piece wings or Buffalo cauliflower ($7) . Entry is free, but book a table in advance if you want to secure a spot. High top (seats up to 3 people) for $75, booth (seats up to 6 people) for $150 or a communal table (seats up to 10) for $250. Your booking fee includes wings, fries and more for the table.
Fusion Foodies: Bar-Ly
The vibes (and menu are) intentionally international — and popular at this Chinatown / Convention Center-area sports bar. Smart to book a table well ahead of any Eagles game day. Bar.Ly charges a fee for that — $40 per person — and has a dedicated phone line for reservations — (267) 571-9795 — which, again, book pretty far out. If you’re last-minute and feeling lucky, try for a spot at the bar. Otherwise, dress in comfortable shoes to be part of the standing room only crowd. 101 N. 11th Street
Neighborhood: Chinatown
Vibe: Handsome sports bar aura meets Chinatown with a huge bar and high ceilings.
Food and drink: Toasty bowls of pho share a menu of global cuisines: Vietnamese bánh mi, Tex-Mex dishes and standard American fare. Also: 60 different drinks on tap.
Taco Lovers — Sancho Pistola’s
Sancho Pistola’s well-priced game-day specials (see below) are enough of a reason to pack this bar. Another is, they crank up the sound, so you won’t have to guess why a yellow flag was thrown. 19 W. Girard Avenue
Neighborhood: Fishtown
Vibe: Laid-back, no-nonsense corner bar with indoor and outdoor seating and a less boisterous approach to the game watching.
Food and drink: Running an hour before through an hour after each game, specials consist of cheesesteak tacos and empanadas ($10), chorizo cheese fries ($8) and housemade chips and pico ($5). Drink specials include margs ($7) or beer from PA local, Troubles End Brewing ($4).
LGBTQ+ Crowd: 254
Looking for an LGBTQ+ inclusive space on game day? While there are plenty of places to catch the Birds in the Gayborhood, 254 (formerly Tabu) is the neighborhood’s favorite sports bar. Watch them play downstairs, then head up to dance on the second floor — or get some fresh air on the third-floor roof deck. It’s the perfect place to spend your whole, entire game day. 254 S. 12th Street
Neighborhood: Washington Square West
Vibe: Ideal for sports fans who also like to get down at the club.
Food and drink: Pick something off of their short but sweet menu which includes vegan and omnivore sandwiches, salads, wraps and snacks. Thursday game specials include Truly ($5) and Stoli ($7). Sunday game specials include Coors Light draft or Miller Lite bottle ($4) and Stoli ($7).
Jerseyans: Lucy’s
South Jersey fans are a huge part of Eagles nation. Are you a Jerseyan looking to celebrate the Iggles in the city they call home — but don’t want to pay exorbitant parking fees — or drive after you’ve had a few lagers? Rittenhouse sports bar Lucy’s is less than a ten-minute walk from the 15th/16th and Locust PATCO stop. Get there early because this joint is small and fills up with regulars fast. After the game ends, the bar turns into a dance club … so you essentially get two fun outings in the big city for the price of one. 1720 Chestnut Street
Neighborhood: Center City
Vibe: Divey-chique sports bar nestled cozily in the city’s hustle and bustle.
Food and drink: Snack on an appropriately named Philly Philly Platter which includes wings, cheese curds, onion rings and pretzels ($40), loaded waffle fries ($9) or wings by the dozen ($15). Drink special Eagles-themed cocktails like Birds Tea Bomb ($10), Kelly Green Green Crusher ($11) or Midfield Margarita ($12).
Cyclists: Conshohocken Brewing Company
For folks who dread losing a day off to sitting on the couch all day to watch other people be active, have it both ways by getting a few miles in on your bike before and after the game. The local brewery chain’s original location literally has the Schuylkill River Trail as its backyard. Equipped with a secure bike rack, an air pump and plenty of televisions, the joint is the perfect place to hit up while the weather is still temperate. Don’t forget: Drink and bike responsibly! 739 E. Elm Street, Conshohocken
Neighborhood: Conshohocken
Vibe: Think truck stop for bikes quietly tucked away on the SRT.
Food and drink: True fans cheer on the commentators too. Order a Mike & Merrill Hazy IPA — the breweries’ collaboration with legendary Eagles announcers Quick and Reese — to benefit First Tee – Greater Philadelphia.
Yer Basic Philly Sports Fan: JD McGillicuddy’s
Game day draws a serious crowd to this Manayunk staple, lovingly referred to by locals as Cuddy’s. Expect a crowd of people diligently watching the game between chitchats with neighbors — and, as the game goes on, more and more St. Joe’s students. (The bar throws a block party for the first game of the year and screens the game on an inflated, 25-foot projection screen on Cotton Street — BYOChair.)
Every game after that, Cuddy’s uses all 18+ screens in and outside the building (on the patio, weather permitting). Throughout the season, the bar hosts giveaways during games. Catch them on the right night, and you might get the chance to walk home with a jersey (or even tickets to see the Birds play in-person). 111 Cotton Street
Neighborhood: Manayunk
Vibe: The kind of place where everybody knows your name.
Food and drink: Game-day specials change depending on the night of the week, but expect discounts on sandwiches, draft specials and pitchers throughout the season.
You + 19 Friends: Yards Brewing Co.
This longtime Philly brewery perfectly captures the electricity of Philly gameday energy. It gets packed, but the energy that comes with the crowd is contagious.
Yards’ tall ceilings and huge windows into the inner workings of the brewery offer plenty of breathing room. The taproom does not accept reservations for Eagles games, so get there early because it’s first-come, first-served. Want to go all out? Make it a party by reserving one of two massive tables for you and 19 of your closest fan friends, and get drinks and appetizers included (a reasonable $50 per person). Book a big table by calling (215) 525-0175. 500 Spring Garden Street
Neighborhood: Spring Garden
Vibe: Quintessential Philly-brewery littered, in the best way possible, with fan paraphernalia
Food and drink: Discounted wings and beer specials featuring their new Trash Talk IPA and the return of the citrus-y fan favorite Bird Juice 20-ounce pint ($7).
Sports Fans (who happen to be Women): Marsha’s (Coming soon!)
Who says football is a man’s game? The official opening date for this highly anticipated women-owned sports bar is September 19 — just in time for the third game of the season against the Rams. The bar, named in honor of LGBTQ+ activist Marsha P. Johnson, is Philly’s first sports bar that specifically caters to women. 430 South Street
Neighborhood: South Street
Vibe: Sports bar by women for women (and promises to be very queer)
Food and drink: Marsha’s promises rotating food and drink specials for every Eagles game this year. Keep an eye out for their Instagram for updates.
Bonus: Grocery Shoppers: The Acme
Okay, hear us out. While watching an NFL game at a grocery store may not seem glamorous, sometimes you just can’t devote an entire weekend day to game-watching. For folks who need to fit in a little chore productivity, most local Acmes have the Birds on — and put out high-tops in their beer and wine section. (NB: Recommended for daytime games only; most Acmes close at 10pm.)
And where better to get your game-day snacks than a place that churns out Eagles-themed desserts like nobody’s business? Get your grocery shopping done — because you’re obviously wearing green, you’ll earn a 5 percent discount — grab some food from the deli counter — maybe share some artificially colored cupcakes with your fellow shopper-drinkers.
Neighborhood: Try it out in Roxborough (5927 Ridge Avenue) or E. Passyunk (1400 E. Passyunk Avenue)
Vibe: Literally just a grocery store, but one that bleeds Eagles green.
Food and drink: DIY your own gameday spread; you’ve got an entire grocery store at your disposal. Hungry? Go grab a rotisserie chicken during a time out.
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