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    Cavanaugh's Riverdeck

    2.4 (238 reviews)
    ModerateDance Clubs, Bars
    Open 12:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    Cavanaugh's Riverdeck Photos

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    Old bay fries, cheesesteak spring rolls and mozzarella sticks
    Tamika B.

    First time visiting Cavanaugh's Riverdeck was for an event and it was decent. The place is mostly outside with different spots that are shaded by tent(s). The view of the water, bridge etc added to the experience. Since this review is based on the event, I think my time spent was cool. I enjoyed the atmosphere. Had a few drinks and appetizers. Tried the old bay fries & cheese sauce, cheesesteak spring rolls and mozzarella sticks. Tasted good and appropriate for this type of day. Bathroom was clean which is important to note! The bartenders and staff were friendly. They worked hard and kept the place cleaned while the event was going on.

    Our colorful drinks
    Jenaya P.

    I'll give this about a 2.5......yea, since I'm about that wonderful world of the 30's life...eh I prefer a more older crowd. I came to the Riverdeck to celebrate my bestie's birthday on a Saturday and the vibe was party party party and everyone was having a good time. Getting in was quite easy, the bouncers were friendly and of course you had to show ID, we went to the booth to pay and at first they were gonna charge us 10.00 but so glad I made the decision to go online and make reservations which saved us 5.00. The music was ok, they played a lot of 90's music. I like that the dj was on the stage and hyping the crowd up which seemed to consist of the younger 20's crowd. They had drinking contests and people were getting wasted. They also had food, we decided to get drinks, they were a little pricey but I can be cheap lol the drinks were a little over 10.00. They also had the ladies going around serving 3.00 shots which were definitely good, I even got a little buzzed. Overall I'll prolly come back to check out their Sunday reggae nights as I hear that's a more older crowd and it be pretty nice on that day.

    Jennifer P.

    The location and size of this place is great. The views are AMAZING. I didn't order any drinks while I was there because I wasn't feeling well so I cannot speak to the quality of drinks or service. The entrance fee was $10. The atmosphere is really nice and they had multiple DJs. The biggest issue here was the crowd. My friends and I had a GREAT night and all we did was people watch all night. There were several fights that broke out and security was quick to break them out and escort people out. It appeared that people were drinking past their limits and didn't know how to act properly. This place has so much potential but the crowds they attract (at least that night) were out of control. The security staff was very alert and responded quickly to every situation. If I go to Philly again I'm am unsure if I would visit again.

    Apparently they add 18% gratuity even though their receipts clearly says gratuity $0.00
    Cody F.

    This place is super shady went here last night for a birthday. We had reservations for 8pm and were seated at 8:20 whatever no big deal but then 2 of the people in our group were about 10 mins late and security wouldn't let them in to sit with us claiming something about covid which didn't make any sense since they even stood in line and were fine with going through security. Finally, after much complaining, they let them in. The food and drinks we got were fine and our waitress was good, but then we paid and I checked the receipt this morning and they charged us an 18% gratuity and never told us, and they even printed on the receipt $0.00 gratuity. I tried calling and contacting and no ever picks up and their email isn't even correct. Beware this place will try to scam you!

    Me just cooling at Cavanaugh's Riverdeck.
    Dewayne B.

    Attended a day party there on July 25th hosted by Philly's own DJ Gary O. And had a ball!! The place is spacious and I enjoyed some good music, nice scenery and decent libations that day! Good summertime place to chill and hangout especially on the weekends. Parking is limited in the area but still a decent venue to checkout nonetheless.

    Nancy N.

    This isn't the best bar in Philly but it's overlooking the river and I always have a great time with my friends. We always do an open bar here, you can set one up through their website. $25 for a 3 hour open bar? Why not?! It's only a $1 charge to add red bull and you usually get a free app coupon and $20 "Cav's Cash" you can use the same night. Great deals!!! The DJ is usually the typical Top 40, EDM, Boy Band, Hip Hop Music. No complaints there. My friends and I just love going here to get drunk within 3 hours and dance a lot. The best night to go is definitely Saturday nights. We typically go on Saturday nights but this past weekend, we did Friday night. It wasn't as crowded. Which I guess is good. The bathrooms are medicore and very hot and usually there's a line past midnight. But, you get what you pay for.

    Three G.

    I've been here a few times and it's got its pros and cons. First the bad: there's a cover to get in and apparently if you sign up for the list online to get in free, it doesn't work. The service is okay. There's a bathroom attendant who's pushy for tips when it's kind of a disaster in there. I've been handled by the security many times when trying to get people to leave or to push me out of the way to address someone else. The drinks are a bit expensive and the music sucks. Finally, they do not give out water. Someone in my group had a little too much one night and desperately needed some. But instead of caring for their customers, I was shooed away. Next the good: location. You can't beat a place that has a dance floor on the waterfront. It's usually packed. And even though the music is questionable we get used to it after a few drinks. We recommend Jeager bombs. You can also dance on the stage and sometimes they give out stuff! And since there are so many bars there's usually no wait for a drink. Oh and best part? There's a food section open late. Perfect for a slice in between dances. And a quiet corner to enjoy a smoke or just get away. It's a great set up. Just needs better management.

    View from the deck

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Rob W.

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    9 years ago

    I had a wonderful time at Riverdeck! Great location on the river and the bartenders were friendly and a blast!

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    11 years ago

    The worst bar in Philadelphia. Totally packed and overpriced.

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    17 years ago

    not too good food and service. it's by the river and you can smell the stink.

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    12 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Worst bar on the river always overpacked drinks are watered down don't waste your time or money

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    14 years ago

    There was a $5 cover and they still had the audacity to try to charge me $3 for water!!! This place is the worst!

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    Rob W.

    We aim to please. See you soon Tori!

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    Page 6 of 6

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    Review Highlights - Cavanaugh's Riverdeck

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    Fringe Bar

    Fringe Bar

    3.8
    (43 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    We went for restaurant week. Awesome menu! I'm gluten free and there were so many options. The…read morerestaurant has very high ceilings and is quite loud so it can be a bit hard to hear if you're looking for an intimate dinner. My drink was just so so and pricy

    Philly, we are not welcome here…read more Meet Henry, the manager at Fringe Bar. As a Northern Liberties resident, I've visited Fringe Bar several times and have generally enjoyed the experience before my recent experience with the manager. Unfortunately, my visit on June 13 around 4:30 PM completely changed my opinion of this establishment. My friend and I were seated and waited nearly 20 minutes before our food order was taken. Our server explained that their ordering system had gone down.... We were understanding and patient but to be honest it felt like she forgot. About 10 minutes later, we finally received our drinks, and our server shared that management had continued assigning her additional tables despite the issues, making it difficult for her to keep up. We sympathized with her and gave the staff plenty of grace. After waiting another 30 minutes, nearly an hour total since arriving, we still had not received our food. What made the situation even more frustrating was watching another table that arrived roughly 30 minutes after us receive their meals before we did. At that point, I approached Henry to ask about our order. I explained that we had been waiting for nearly an hour and that guests who arrived significantly later had already been served and they needed to hurry up with our food because we were hungry. Before I could even finish speaking, Henry interrupted me, stated that he would comp the food, and told us to leave. All I wanted was an explanation and asked that our order be prioritized after such a long wait. Instead of attempting to resolve the issue, Henry immediately escalated the situation and effectively removed us from the restaurant. The interaction felt dismissive, unprofessional, and completely lacking in customer service. Even another manager appeared surprised by how quickly our order was canceled and how the situation was handled. The entire experience left me feeling unwelcome and disrespected. Mistakes happen. Delays happen. What determines whether customers return is how management responds. Unfortunately, Henry's arrogance, poor communication, and inability to handle a reasonable customer concern ensured that I will never return. The attached photos include timestamps documenting our visit and the lengthy wait and a photo of Henry so you can avoid him. DO NOT COME.

    Photos
    Fringe Bar
    Cheese fries
    Cheese fries
    Nice can options

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    Nice can options
    48 Record Bar

    48 Record Bar

    4.0
    (26 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Great spot, i will say... the music they were playing was very much so elevator music. Wish it was…read moresomething cooler or more interesting considering it has so many records and is named for that reason. Also, we confirmed the closing time when we entered the bar (the bartender confirmed last call at 1:45 bar closes at 2am). At 1:30 the music stopped and everyone cleared out. We felt very awkward leaving at 1:45. If they wanted people out earlier they should have let us know.

    What a unique, curated, and enriching experience. The bar is upstairs of Sassafras, with a cozy…read moreclose stairwell leading upstairs. You'd be unlikely to find this unless you knew to look for it. The main feature of this bar is the cocktail menu; it's creative and ambitious and yet very approachable, with helpful adjectives for each cocktail. The Mango Sticky Rice made my jaw drop; not only did the juicy mango come through, but also somehow a sense of starchiness, while being entirely balanced with the liquor. Definitely some of the best cocktails in Philly. And the music and vibe is so cozy but lively; the live records spinning create a warm atmosphere that is not sleepy nor dancey, instead you'll find yourself tapping your feet and swaying in your seat while in deep conversation or just enjoyable contemplation. I have to shout out Carl and Brianna, who made our evening especially unforgettable. They guided us seamlessly through the menu, were so knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. They really made 48 Record Bar feel like a second home we can't wait to return to. Last thing- the bathroom setup was such a fun surprise, you have to check it out!!

    Photos
    48 Record Bar
    48 Record Bar
    48 Record Bar

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    Sassafras Bar

    Sassafras Bar

    4.4
    (457 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    I wish Jen and I had shown up in matching flapper dresses because Sassafras feels like stepping…read morestraight into the 1920s. Huge bar, giant wall of liquor bottles, dim lighting, and a cool old-school vibe. I told the bartender that ordering a beer in a place like this felt like I was insulting him. He laughed and told me not to worry about it. The drink special was called "Naked and Famous," which honestly sounded like the perfect cocktail to order in honor of Jen. But then I spotted a dark beer on the menu that sounded too good to pass up. If you follow me, you know I'm slowly becoming a dark beer guy. I liked it a lot. The sandwich special was a cheesesteak. Sorry, I should've taken a picture of the menu. But I really enjoyed it, and for $18 it came with a mountain of seasoned fries, which feels like a bargain these days. Bomb Shell: the two people working absolutely crushed it. I don't know if they were understaffed or if Monday night got busier than expected, but they were working their tails off the entire time. Even with that, they stayed polite, friendly, helpful, and incredibly accommodating to the guy carrying around a mannequin. Great visit to Sassafras!

    Found this on the first day of our trip and ended up going back the 2nd night as well. The drinks…read morewere such high quality and they had something for absolutely everyone. We also ordered a grilled cheese with sweet potato fries which was so so good. The service was top tier. I cannot recommend this place enough.

    Photos
    Bar
    Bar
    Pretzel
    Pretzel
    French 95

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    French 95
    National Mechanics

    National Mechanics

    4.0
    (1k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Such a Philly kind of day... a half hour meander from my office in the Gayborhood to Old City for…read morean entertaining evening at this bar. Tiny pockets of garden squares with burbling fountains. Cobblestone streets. Around every corner is a sign or plaque boasting about this city's history. From the outside, it looks like you're walking into an old bank. Inside, it's just about 6:00 PM and the place is packed for happy hour (one of the few places, by the way, that has happy hour until 7:00 PM) and for one of the monthly talks sponsored by local science museums. As soon as I walked in, they found us an open spot right up front. A cheery waiter took our order - the $8 burger sliders didn't come with any fries, but they were tiny and delicious. I love the idea that this place sponsors monthly science talks. Just a bunch of nerds all gathered here to listen to local experts talk about different topics. One week it might be about rare Galapagos birds to how to preserve fossils or the etymology of vampire lore.

    This spot is super fun, and the food is great. The breakfast burrito is probably the best one I've…read morehad in the entire east coast, which means a lot given I lived in Arizona for 10 years which is positively known for amazing breakfast burritos - and they largely suck here out east by comparison. THIS breakfast burrito is excellent. Service is also great here and I love the building/space!

    Photos
    National Mechanics
    Nachos Grande
    Nachos Grande
    The bar

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    The bar
    Glory Beer Bar & Kitchen

    Glory Beer Bar & Kitchen

    4.6
    (330 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Pretty good overall!…read more Considerably big space for Philly. They had an upstairs too but I am not sure why it wasn't open during majority of the night. When the big crowd from the conference left they opened the upstairs. The Mac and cheese is SO GOOD. Very creamy and rich, the bread crumbs were an amazing surprise edition. This fatty finished it before the beer came. Lots of beer choices. I took off a start be size they were under staffed. So we were just waiting around for the check and the waitress kept forgetting what we asked for. Honestly, not her fault. There were like ~100 people and only 3 employees that I saw. So no designated waiter for tables. These poor 3 employees were the bartenders and the table waiters.

    Glory Beer Bar & Kitchen is a must if you're in the Independence Park area of Philly! My wife and I…read morevisited while we were there and loved it! They aren't lying when they say that they have an extensive beer menu! I had a Dancing Gnome Kolsch which was very good and then a Corsendork Christmas Ale which was fantastic! I normally don't like spiced beer, but this one was perfect! My wife and I shared the cheese and salumi plate which was so delicious! My only re is not getting the large! My wife had the crispy chicken sandwich which was really good. The crust was crunchy and the chicken was tender and juicy. I had the porchetta sandwich which was recommended by our waiter and was SO DELICIOUS! It is a must! At first my wife was concerned about the limited menu. They may not have an extensive menu but what they do, they do right! Our waiter was really great and very welcoming, especially as we were from out of town. The place has a rustic vibe which fits with its old town location. We loved it! If we ever find ourselves back in Philly, we will definitely visit Glory again!

    Photos
    Mac and cheese
    Mac and cheese
    Chipotle lime wings
    Chipotle lime wings
    Glory Beer Bar & Kitchen

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    Cavanaugh's Riverdeck - danceclubs - Updated June 2026

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