Shmee. What kind of happy hour doesn't have drink specials? No half priced wine? No somewhat reasonably priced cocktails? No $3 draft? Nothing? Anything? Please? Okay, so there are $1.50 oysters, I'll give them that, but I can get equally delicious, if not more delicious oysters at Oyster House a few blocks away. And they're only $1 on happy hour. Not crazy about the vibe here either. While it's always looked fab and fancy when I've walked by, when inside it feels cold and impersonal. There was something off about the service when I went too. Overall, you won't have a horrible experience here, but it wouldn't be one of my top recommendations for an after work adult beverage and snack. a.bar? closer to c+.bar. read more

Went here for drinks and a light dish. The drinks were delicious and they had a nice selection of worldly wine. We ordered the homemade fries and the octopus. The octopus was delicious. Perfectly cooked and seasoned just so. No over powered not too salty. Delicious!! read more

a.bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

WARNING - BIG CHANGES AS OF 11/28/14! No longer the place to go for amazing cocktails. Menu is stripped bare and now looks like every other hotel bar in the city. A.bar had established itself as (IMHO) the top places to go to in Philly for an ever changing list of finely crafted cocktails - without gimmick. This was my go-to place for a good drink. Clients from out of town were always brought here to finish off the night. Maybe they'll see the error of their ways and bring it back. Until then, this place doesn't really have anything to offer. It will be greatly missed. A true loss indeed. read more

I really like everything about this place except for the prices. We went during happy hour for the $1.50 oysters. All of the oysters are on sale so it's a nice way to try a mix of oysters you wouldn't normally get. We had a mix of west coast and east coast. Our bartender was super nice, although when a friend asked him to make her something refreshing it turned out to be a $15 cocktail, lesson learned. There are no drink specials during happy hour. The cheapest glass of wine is around $11, with cocktails starting a little higher than that. The cocktails were tasty and had nice ingredients but the cocktails at Hop Sing are cheaper than most of the drinks at a.bar. The space was really nice, and I could totally see myself hanging out there, but the amount I spent on happy hour is more than I typically spend for a nice dinner so you really have to watch what you order. read more

the staff here is absolutely incredible. they're incredibly respectful and observant and keep an eye on the customers, making sure everyone feels safe. drinks were a 10/10, but staff was a 11/10. will deff be coming back read more

A nice small spot, quieter than you would expect being right off of Rittenhouse. The cocktails are trying hard to be interesting, but not quite successful. read more

I've only been here for lunch. During lunch it's a nice quiet spot for a drink and a good meal. The burger is a nice juicy perfectly cooked to order patty that ranks right up there with Philly's best. The open faced tuna sandwich is yummy as well. Great spot for people watching if you grab a seat by the window. I'll definitely go back for a Happy Hour at some point. read more

I love the idea of a no frills, no exceptions oyster driven happy hour. They're all $1.50 and they have a great rotating selection of incredibly fresh and properly shucked mollusks. They had two varieties I've never had before, and one variety was so big and creamy that I had to force myself to remember it was an oyster. Even after a wonderful oyster experience, you have to prepare for the breathtakingly expensive drink list. It's an incredible selection with creative cocktails, but it's so pricey that we couldn't bring ourselves to order any of the $13+ bar creations. We settled for a $7 Sage Saison, and my jaw hit the bar again when he reached for miniature pint glass. Regardless of the price, the beverage was delicious. If they'd just throw a cocktail and a beer on the happy hour menu, this place would be an easy five-star happy hour. The clientele was very interesting with a smattering of younger urbanites, upper crust Rittenhouse couples, and a few window watching groups of younger girls trying to make a scene for themselves. The service was excellent, and the space is very well designed. It has a cozy, intimate feel, which is hard to believe, because there's so much metal, glass and cool paint tones. When you have a serious craving for a wide variety of Oysters, this is a good spot. read more

Visiting from NY, came here at the strong suggestion of a friend (a local) and left sorely disappointed. I'm writing this in November 2020, so pretty cold out. My friend and I arrived ~8p the evening and inquired about a table. The "a.bar" end of the entire "a.kitchen + a.bar" outdoor set up was noticeably empty, with only 1 other party there when we arrived, but they said they were open/ready and to grab a seat. At the time we arrived, they seemed to be trying to figure out 1 of the heating lamps. The area in which they fidgeted with it (and got it to work) was by an empty table, so my friend and I said "Great! we'll sit here", since there was now a working lamp by an empty table. The waiter (accompanied by who we initially thought was another employee but then realized was a patron of the aforementioned other party) immediately notified us that we were mistaken, and that this heating lamp was to be added(?) to the 2 existing lamps surrounding the 1st party sitting there. Now, I understand customer service and all, and sure--by all means cater to one party if that's all you've got at the time, but my friend & I showed up as a second party and should've been afforded a relatively equal opportunity at warmth on the basis of being paying customers. I felt it was an absolutely grotesque lapse in service to have, in an uncrowded seating area, 1 party freezing while trying to enjoy drinks and appetizers while another party has 3 heating lamps surrounding them. Not to mention we moved our table from its initial location to better align with the positioning of the lamps near the 1st party in order to get some heat by proximity, while patrons of the other party routinely moved the lamps closer to themselves as the night got colder. Otherwise, our server was a gem and my friend said the drink he had was great so the 2 stars come from there, but man did this ruin our experience at a.bar and caused us to leave prematurely. IMO, in the situation we're all in right now, it's the restaurants responsibility to ensure all patrons have reasonably equal access to a comfortable outdoor dining environment, especially where heating is concerned. This experience was incredibly disheartening. read more

Our cocktails were delicious. Really nice ambiance and really great service. Highly recommend if your looking for good cocktails. Classy and delicious. read more

Great happy hour treats! We got a dozen oysters, the peel and eat shrimp, the raw taster, the fries, and the poke. It was all yummy! read more

This location offers an excellent view and location on Rittenhouse Square. Atmosphere is wonderful, however, the service and food was less than desirable. Our waiter was much more interested in chatting with his friend sitting at the bar and flirting with the blonde at the table next to us than actually being a waiter (named Peterson on the receipt). During our 30/45 min stay, we order 2 cocktails and the rosemary fries. The cocktails were actually pretty good! We waiting about 20min for our fries. The rosemary fries, however, were actually 6 potato wedges with zero resemblance of any sight or flavor rosemary (Aka $1/"fry"). When we finished our drinks and fries the waiter came to our table to say "wow, you guys really plowed through all that." Secondly, he went to the table on the other side and then pressure the girl at the table into ordering another drink by saying "I think you should get fucked up tonight and order another martini." Overall this establishment has decent cocktails and a great location/atmosphere. I would never return after the service though. read more

Smooth, warm, and potent the wildfire cocktail is the perfect antidote to these chilly fall/ winter nights. Add to that stellar cocktail one of the best people-watching perches in the city and a.bar is a-ok in my book. I've often walked by and scoffed at how dark the space looks from the outside, longing for Kiehl's to return. How wrong I was! The dimly lit space is intimate & sultry. A great place for pre-dinner drinks or HH (all oysters, not just several types, are on the HH specials), I'm glad a.bar is just around the corner. read more

After our lovely v-day meal, we stopped into a.bar for a quick drink. Even though the place was packed, seats magically opened up for us and we had a lovely time. I began with a rye Manhattan, one of my go-tos. It was perfectly made. My wife joined me on my whiskey adventure with a bourbon and seven. Thankfully they had Buffalo Trace and she really enjoyed this simple drink as well. Later on during our time, I asked the bartender if she could make me something with mezcal that was not on the menu. I only saw one mezcal cocktail and I didn't like the sound of it. She suggested a mezcal old fashioned and I was instantly curious. What followed was a lovely, smokey yet well balanced cocktail that I won't soon forget the likes of. I was very impressed. The crowd in here was stylish and lively and being that they are practically on the park, their prices reflect their location and sense of style. While it's not cheap by any means, I do feel you are getting what you pay for here. This experience was excellent and we will return at some point. read more

Following the Yelp event over at the Icon boo and I felt like it would be a shame to call it a night after we'd spent so much time getting ready so we decided to hop over to a.bar to. I'd had a hankering for a martini all night and this seemed like as good a place to satisfy my thirst as any. We got the last two seats at the bar and I promptly ordered a Bluecoat. I was a little disappointed that I hadn't specified dirty, it came with a lemon peel in it. I felt like it was way too watered down and was pretty disappointed. I rushed through it and promptly ordered a Hendricks martini dirty. This one was better but still tasted watered down. I was tempted to give this place 2 stars but the service was attentive and friendly and the atmosphere is definitely awesome. I wouldn't have a problem going back but with all the options right there it may be awhile. read more

Amazing cocktail bar with great staff! I came here to try out the cocktails and it was definitely a great experience! I had two cocktails both were bourbon base and I loved both! Great selection of cocktails and staff is very knowledgable and friendly! read more

a.bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I was here for restaurant week and it was all subpar. The two appetizers I ordered were sea bass cerviche and the soft shell shrimp. The cerviche was sort of coconutty with a whole bunch of flavorless and the shoft shell shrimp was seasoned well but with little meat. It could've used more of the sauce. The main course was a soft shell crab sandwich that came on what seemed to be a store bought potato roll. The crab was actually pretty good, but it was on some plain ass lettuce with some mayo. This would've been better served on a longer roll of some sort. Dessert was a pretzel sundae. It was good.. for a diner. It came in a tiny cheese ice cream cup with some chocolate soft serve, fudge and pretzels UNDER it, with a splattering of salt or something on top. It wasn't great for what I'd expect from a restaurant in rittenhouse unless it was one of those random diners. read more

Shauna G. was pretty much correct. I walk past a.bar all the time and it seems like this super trendy place where you can people watch and get a nice view of Rittenhouse. The inside is super small though, and really awkwardly shaped, like a small L. It was a beautiful day around 6ish and the other places in the area were hustling and bustling for happy hour.. not a.bar because their happy hour ends at 6 and barely includes any specials. Their cocktail list was hard to understand, I barely recognized the ingredients after "bourbon" which was 80% of them. I love a well made cocktail, but this list was soo mehh I ended up just ordering a mojito. The bartender was attentive and gave me a refreshing mojito, but I coulda gone to a neighboring place that was more lively and gotten that drink for half off sooo C YA. read more

Can't wait to go back for food selection. Need to make some extra $$ tho. Not cheap. Not for everyone. The trend seems to be small tapas plates these days. I like the vibe even tho I agree with another yelp reviewer that it's full of self important people with their cell phones on the bar and yacking about where to buy the latest greatest Prada..... I like to sit back, observe and get a kick out of all of it! People are very entertaining. The menu is simple, mostly raw, refined, great for sharing, healthy. Try the ceviche, hamachi, summer squash salad. So delicious. Happy hour is fun. It's a little spot in the middle of all the action on a great corner that is open all day. I loved it even if I cannot afford Prada dah'ling. read more

Nice place with really great service. The food was good and drinks are ok. Nothing out of the ordinary and a little pricey. Certainly wouldn't mind coming back for the food. read more

a.bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

zzzzzzzzz. That's a pretty accurate feeling I get when I think of this place. The drinks were ok and the waitress did not know how to describe the specialty cocktail I inquired about. She babbled for a little bit and then closed with "it's good". Oh well in that case, I'll definitely get it because I'm 100% sure we have the exact same taste in everything! Sigh. She was also kind of rude and took forever to give us our check. I hate when my fellow yelpers talk shit on an establishment but don't say what places are better. A couple places who are winning at making specialty cocktails and don't have bitchy servers: in no apparent order Lemon Hill Ranstead Room XIX Hop Sing Laundromat 1 Tippling Place Franklin Mortgage I did see Mike Jerrick and said hello when I was cocktailing there so I gave a.bar a.star through affiliation. read more

We came to A.Bar where the servers were soooo friendly and welcomed us warmly and we were honestly very grateful. One server was a man the other a woman, and they seemed to be genuinely friendly people who chatted us up (and didn't have to). We enjoyed our drinks and had a very nice time. This was immediately following a very negative experience at Village Whiskey, where we walked out because all the servers, bartenders, and hostess were the most pretentious group of focks I've witnessed in a while... or at least since the last time I was in Philly. Ha As for pretentiousness - as noted above, we did not experience this from anyone at A.Bar. If the patrons are pretentious, well that's not the bar's fault is it? Unjustifiable pretentiousness is a Center City Philly thing and is especially concentrated in that neighborhood. read more

Its a quite and nice bar in a good location, interior is nice and clean, just the appetizer aren't that great read more

a.bar - Small and elegant Interior in the middle of the shopping mile quite chic and enjoyable - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I don't know how this place only has 3.5 stars on yelp. Their cocktails are amazing and the food is even better. Simple up-scale vibe right on the square with good service and you won't wait an hour (or even 30 minutes) to get a seat. Recently I had two delicious gin drinks - one with carrot juice (can't recall the name) and a lighter fruitier cocktail called Lucy I'm home. The delicata squash and the tuna crudo were the perfect post work snacks. The best part about this place is it is consistent - I have been here 4 plus times in the past year and I am thoroughly impressed every time! read more

Walk by this place every morning when it's closed and was unsure of it as it looked small. We ended up stumbling over after we were put on the waitlist at another nearby bar...what a surprise! The vibe was fantastic, drinks were absolutely next level. Even once we received the call our reservation was ready at the other location, we ended up staying at a.bar anyway. Must check out if you are looking for an urban-bar scene with a beautiful view of Rittenhouse! read more

This is a quaint and cozy place to enjoy a relaxing lunch. The venue is rather small, but comfy. The ambiance is cool & ecclectic. The staff was friendly and attentive. You can either eat at the bar or sit in one of the few booths available. I went wanting to try the fried chicken, but it is only served with dark meat. Instead of the fried chicken I settled on the tuna melt. The tuna melt delicious. The tuna was perfectly seasoned and the rye bread was frezh. I had the cabbage slaw to accompany my tuna melt. The cabbage slaw was very tasty. I will definitely return here again, the entire experience was enjoyable. read more

Sad to see employees in this area treat customers like second class citizens. Would not recommend to anyone outside of Philly. Plenty of places up the street to enjoy with better staff and service! read more

Yes, it was restaurant week. There are only so many places you can try in a week or two, right? Without breaking the bank or needing to add hours to the exercise regime! So, we headed for lunch at a.bar, and were NOT disappointed. I don't mind dining alone, but isn't it more fun with two? Then you can share! More to taste! The Sea Bass Ceviche and Scallop Ceviche were delicious - I especially enjoyed the grapefruit tangy-ness in the scallop bowl. The Soft Shell Crab sandwich was delicate and perfectly crunchy inside the soft roll - I like the contrast in textures. Then, oh, the branzino filet - charred on the outside and meltingly soft on the inside. I don't think we'll wait for another restaurant week to see what Chef Eli Kulp comes up with next... read more

a.bar - Branzino, Yes. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Went to a.bar last night and it was fantastic!! Servers were incredibly friendly and attentive (especially Paul) and our food/drinks were delicious. High high high recommend!! The Hot Toddy (not exactly sure the menu specific name but it had hot whiskey, lemon, bitters, vanilla) was off the charts. Best part was thier outdoor setup, lower tableside heat lamps kept us warm well into the evening. Will most defintely be going back this winter!! read more

Cool little spot right near Rittenhouse park. If I could give the drinks a 5 star rating and the food a 3 I would... The bartender and the drinks were great. Made strong but well balanced- I enjoyed a few different cocktails and each was made well and with attention to detail. Friends shared fries, pickle plate, and a cheese plate. All was good but nothing to rave about. I was really disappointed with the yellow fin tuna melt. At the price point I was expecting a thinly sliced seared piece of yellow fin. What I got was a sort of yellow fin tuna salad (couldnt tell if it was canned or they cooked it there) with some chips on the side. Go for drinks and maybe some small plates. Skip the yellow fin melt read more

Stopped by on Sunday before dinner at a.kitchen and just loved a.bar. This place had happy hour oysters, handcrafted cocktails, a unique wine list and Matt, the bartender was knowledgeable and helpful. We will definitely be coming back. read more

Excellent fresh ingredients with perfect seasoning. A place to slow down and enjoy flavors. The "when doves cry" summer cocktail was amazing. And of course all good restaurants have impeccable service. Nice lunch watching Rittenhouse Square. read more

Stopped here for drinks before dinner last night. The place is small and was fairly crowded, but we managed to snag two spots at the bar with no problem. I thought the beer and wine lists were diverse and interesting, and the cocktail list was incredibly extensive. My wife loved her cocktail, and the two bartenders were both incredibly knowledgable, friendly, and put in a clear effort to make sure that we ended up with drinks that we enjoyed. The people-watching opportunities around the park are a huge plus. This may become a regular pre-dinner stop for us in Rittenhouse. read more

Top notch location, mood and drinks. But what truly distinguishes this place in a city of exceptional bars is the incredible service. Graham knows what you need before you do. My man doesn't just serve drinks, he delivers memories. read more

This place seems like it would be very touristy but I was pleasantly surprised. I've been here a few times for drinks or some appetizers and I've never been disappointed. It's a nice upscale bar where you can enjoy your drink in a trendy atmosphere. Definitely recommend for early evening drinks read more

Our bartender, service, atmosphere and the drinks were great. We order the fish sandwich and shrimp salad for lunch and let me say that I was not only disappointed with the shrimp salad I felt like it was a bit dishonest to charge customers $21 for 2 bunches of lettuce, 2 shrimp, and some avocado.... That really rubbed me the wrong way. MAYBE go for happy hour drinks but the price point on the food is terrible. read more

Intimate bar with decent wine list and very few snacks. The hummus that I had was excellent and the oysters were superb. The reason for only three stars is that I ordered the oysters a few minutes before happy hour, not realizing that they were only $1.50 during. A decent server would have maybe told a customer that happy hour is starting in 5 minutes and to wait. Instead I was charged the non-happy hour pricing (double). When I mentioned this to the server, he shrugged his shoulders. What does he care, he got the higher tab right? In a city with countless places for good cocktails and food, thoughtful service stands out. A.bar unfortunately did not deliver, and I won't be back because of this. read more

Cozy, great space, had phenomenal brunch with creative and very well made and presented cocktails and food. Excellent and friendly service.

Great service and great food . The bartenders were all friendly and attentive. My brunch was delicious, had the trout lox which I've never had before and it was better than salmon lox. I also had the burger. I usually eat burgers once a year and order them from a neighboring restaraunt but this year I originally decided against eating one however, after speaking with a bartender from A. Bar, I ordered one and it was delicious!! The bun had the right amount of crunchiness and I didn't have to add ketchup or mustard. read more

Ok. I don't expect to walk into a bar and be bowed to (although that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world), but the stiffs at a.bar have stiff backs; as in, their noses are so high in the air that they don't see you, which explains why my friend and I had to ask for water 3-4 times, before the bartenders deigned to bring us glasses. Also, when I'm blowing 60-70$ for drinks and oysters/person, I expect a little conversation from the bartender about what I'm drinking, instead of ignoring us completely before turning to the teeny boppers seated next to us and pouring them generous free drinks. I have to admit, albeit grudgingly, that the wine selection and oysters are pretty good, but bad bar service left a bad taste. read more