My favorite bar in Philly -- JB's has good food, good drinks and a good vibe. Everything from their menu is amazing, I love that they have a rotating beer list, and the bartenders are knowledgeable enough to make any off menu drink you could think of. Will say, if you're there on a Friday or Saturday night, the overflow from Garage across the street makes the crowd pretty bro-ey, but it's to be expected. All I ask is that they please bring back the elderflower liqueur so I can get my favorite spritz again read more

Easy for six of us to get a table on a Saturday night for food and drinks. Half of the table got burgers and we all requested medium or medium well done. Each of the burgers came out extremely rare and bright red in the center. Otherwise delicious but we all ate around the centers and I would have loved if it was more well done. Fries and drinks were incredible, we were all happy. read more

Been coming here for years. They have decent music on the weekend (disco, psychedelic rock, old school rap) and decent selection of beers. I would've given this place 5 stars. But I'm docking 4 stars because of the bartender Laura. I had a few beers and was calling it a night. So I asked Laura for some water. She rudely replied "No." I get that you're busy as a bartender but you gotta have more respect for your customers. If I can't get water should I also stop breathing too? I need that shit to live. Don't be denying people water. read more

This place is really great to keep in your back pocket as a go to when you can't really decide where to go. We didn't necessarily sit out to eat here? We were certainly happy we did. I've been here before for a musical gathering upstairs in their music space and I really enjoyed it because there's a supper dance floor from the bar. So it makes it Luisi to have a conversation at the bar. The drinks were plentiful and the servers were friendly. Today we went for brunch at 2 PM on a Sunday. Our server was super sweet and explain the menu and all the specials on the wall. And we ordered some really awesome grapefruit sparkling drinks! For our meals, we ordered biscuits and gravy, a breakfast sandwich, grilled cheese and tomato soup, and the JB breakfast! Our server forgot my friends bacon so she brought it within five minutes and didn't charge us for it. I thought that was really kind. Everyone was super happy with their meals and I loved the grits that came with mine! They're served with cheddar cheese already in them but I still would suggest adding more next time. They served it with one piece of toast which I wish I had butter! The potatoes are served with peppers and onions and I really enjoyed those too. That sausage patty even had a sweetness to it! I will say the grilled cheese was exactly that- two pieces of plain white bread with melted cheese-- this has so much room for improvement - easy improvement!!! Come on JB. You can do better. See you soon JB! read more

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Walked in just to check the place out. Really wasn't interested in eating there. Service is spot on but just checking menu out.

This is my go to place if I'm the mood for a burger. The JB burger ($14) includes fries or potato salad (Cajun style). The burger is a bit greasy but that's to be expected from a bar. But it tastes like a homemade Big Mac with the sauce. I've tried a lot of burgers from In N Out, Shake Shack, Five Guys and this place has the best burger. The fries were underwhelming: tasted like thin, limp noodles. Definitely check out this neighborhood dive bar. read more

This review is for food/outdoor dining experience. The first time we went, we got burgers, crab cake sandwiches, cocktails, and beers. The burgers/crab cakes were delicious, and the fries were hot and generous. If you're looking for a good burger or crab cake, this is your spot. We were excited to come back and try more off the menu. We recently went back and two people at our table ordered the ribs entree. One asked for a substitute of fries, and the other stuck with the potato salad. I kid you not, for $18, TWO (and a half on one) ribs came out on each plate. Two! That's not even a 1/4 rack. The rest of the plate was filled with either cold fries or a small portion of potato salad and a cup of collard greens. While the taste was OK, the food was barely warm and the two people who ordered ribs went next door for a cheesesteak after our meal. To top it off, one person at our table ordered a Diet Coke and it was flat and tasteless. The pandemic has certainly changed dining, so I won't even comment on service other than saying everyone was nice and doing the best they could! My suggestion to patrons - if you plan to dine out here, definitely stick to the sandwiches. They are good and you will enjoy them. As for the restaurant - I understand that times are tough, but if you can't deliver a quality product with a reasonable portion, just shorten the menu until you can! read more

Hahaha - go here! If you haven't been to Johnny Brenda's and you're anywhere in the area you gotta check it out. And if you don't happen to know any of the bands playing that night, so what? It's live music in a classic venue and it'll be fun. But here's the thing, you can eat here! The food is actually really good. We were assuming greasy bar food but were pleasantly surprised by a seasonal menu with fresh and inventive offerings prepared by a real kitchen. Roasted root veg salad - way better than it sounds with melted blue cheese crumbles, roasted pecans and dried cranberries giving it a yummy pop. And the carmelized scallions and hot feta dip? Yes. Say yes. You'll be licking the bottom of the pan. Don't skip the shoestring fries with aioli malt vinegar dip. I wish they crisped them for another minute or two, but delish nonetheless. For five bucks. But you're really here for the music. Unfortunately, you can't get or bring food upstairs, so you gotta get your munchies satisfied before you settle in for tunes. But what a cool venue for a show. You can pound it out on the dance floor or escape to the balcony for an overhead close up view from the classic wood rail. The very loud techno band playing the night we went was a bit outside our normal playlist - but the energy on the writhing dance floor was electric. Worth $20. And - there's a pool table! Maybe that's no big deal here, but they are rare in DC. So a bar with a pool table tells me I'm back in the northeast and this is gonna be a good night. Enjoy. read more

The most fun "dive" spot in town. Good beer you got it... good service you got it... good Manhattan??? You got it!!!! Ask for mike behind the bar. read more

Johnny Brenda's - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Unfortunately JBs is the only place that has opened late for food in fishtown and their late night menu leaves something to be desired. Still, one of the best places to catch a live show, and a really charming interior. Great staff. Ordered a burger here that was over cooked, burnt bun, fries just meh. Spinach artichoke and feta dip was really lacking in flavor and acidity, and pita was just meh, under salted. Menu is meh IMO. I was told they had no aoli. But go if you're not expecting to be blown away by the food. Price of a pint of Kensinger (cheapest crap local beer) has shot up to $6, jeezum I remember when it was $3. Hummus $12 oi. Go to Kosta's instead Bc two drinks and an underwhelming meal for one here will set you back $40-50+ with tip. read more

Smaller menu that some, but what they have they do very well! I enjoyed the deviled eggs; the fall salad was also good, but I wish it had a bit more dressing. My mom had the roasted chicken and dang it's a deal! You get basically an entire half a chicken for $16! I also liked the drink I had, but cannot remember what is was called anymore. It had tumeric and ginger and was well balanced. read more

The food is mazing Great venue & bands Wowza ........................................... Wow ..................................................... read more

You need a better menu with better vegetarian options. We were going to go to Murphy's across the street but it was packed and had a wait. Went to JB's and it was empty. Nothing we wanted on the menu so we went to Fishtown Tavern. read more

I feel a little sacrilege in the Philly scene not giving Johnny Brenda's heaping praise. It's not bad and I admire what they do from a music and local beer scene, but it's just not topping the charts in experiences for me. I've popped in several times over the years. While the beers are local, there are no standouts personal. But again, kudos for supporting the scene. On the plus, drinks were reasonable-about six and change for a local craft, which is great for a concert! Recently I saw my first concert there- Good Old War. I purchased my ticket online through Ticketfly and they were all will-call. They just asked my name and checked a list without looking at my ID. We didn't have a problem, but that system makes me nervous because the event (with a list of names) was posted on Facebook. The show was sold out and the place was packed. The set up reminded me of World Cafe Live but 1/8th the size. Unfortunately, we rolled up after the first two bands so couldn't get front row. The balcony level gave a good view but only if you were up against the upstairs rail. We ended up with a good view of the stairs. It got so hot! I'm glad we weren't in the heart of the crowd. The sound was great from the stairs and it was still an intimate enough experience. The price is right when compared to the city's bigger venues, but I would just prefer some of the space and ticket amenities. I'd go back for the right band and for a drink pop in if I'm not allured by some of the gems down the street. read more

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The music stage is on the second floor with an additional viewing area on a third floor balcony. Place is relatively intimate. Perhaps can hold 120. GREAT sound system. Self serve water which was nice was available. Be aware I counted a total of nine bar stools all on the balcony, so if you need to sit, get there early. read more

As far as institutional Philadelphia music venues go, you don't get any more legit than JB's. It's been around for as long as I can remember and had staked its claim to that Frankford/Girard corner long before Fishtown got "cool". I always think of it as a music venue first, despite the fact that the entire downstairs is just a bar/pub, albeit one that's actively DJ'ed sometimes. So it wears a lot of hats, and does them all pretty well. The downstairs bar space is deceptively large, the way it opens with a big open room, bottlenecks in the middle near the stairs and then expands far into the back. I haven't eaten there in a bit, so I don't have any specific commentary on the food or photos to share, but I don't remember having been unhappy with things I ate there in the past. The beer selection is always pleasingly diverse and well chosen, and you can drink on the cheap with $3 Kenzinger drafts if you're pinching pennies. Special mention goes to the outdoor seating; there's a pretty ample amount of tables out there and assuming the weather is tolerable on whatever given day you're there for, it just feels great and refreshing to post up out there over a meal and/or for some day drinking. Anyway, I said I think of it first and foremost as a music venue. These days Philly is swarming with music venues of every capacity you can ask for, but JB's was booking these indie-level-but-not-unheard-of bands for longer than pretty much anywhere on its level. I tend to wind up there for psychedelic rock shows - White Denim, most recently Wand - but I've also enjoyed hiphop and post rock before, too (a great Lushlife show in 2016 comes immediately to mind if we're staying fairly recent). You get two levels to watch on - the "ground" floor to the side of the upstairs bar, and a balcony level. It's small and boxed in enough that you get clear, high volume sound anywhere in there. And make no mistake - "high volume" is an understatement. I was sitting between opening acts for the Wand show last week talking to my friend against the ground floor wall. The second opening act (who admittedly struck me as a consciously loud band) came on and just about splattered us against that wall with the sheer sonic force of those amps. There is a good reason that the bar sells $1 earplugs (I say that but have probably never bought a pair). When you're in there for a show that's anywhere near sold out, do be aware - this is a small music space and spots with a good view go fast. To be honest, JB's doesn't quite inspire me to start throwing around superlative adjectives, but I love that it's there and I enjoy myself every time I go. The sound clarity can vary with the band and it can get crowded, but then again what the Hell do you want from a dive bar with a sweaty rock club upstairs? read more

Johnny Brenda's - The view from the side of the balcony (Wand, 7/3/19) - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This review is for the food only, we did not come for a band. We sat outside for dinner at Johnny Brenda's on a warm Saturday night. The outdoor tables are fun for people watching. Johnny Brenda's has a very extensive local beer list. The menu is fairly small but there is something for everyone. Our server was friendly and attentive. We ordered a couple of beers and the sausage sandwich and of course the JB burger. The sausage sandwich was not bad but it wasn't a show stopper by any means. The JB Burger was very, very good. I would highly recommend this burger, the bun, pickles sauce, cheese and burger were excellent. The fries were skinny but also quite good. Another plus about Johnny Brenda's is how close they are to Weckerly's Ice Cream. 3.5 stars, 4 for the burger. read more

Johnny Brenda's - The JB Burger. Excellent - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Such a trashy girl You provided me with great Walking alcohol* *during the lockdown times & im thankful. Irish coffee 4eva read more

Awesome concert venue saw Matthew Logan Vasquez and Danny Golden play here. Really good vibe, solid sound. Bar staff was friendly, little wait for drinks, great beer selection and clean bathrooms read more

Needs new servers. Went after a concert at the Fillmore and after taking our order, management had us, a party of 9, sit there for 30 mins before telling us they wouldn't serve because we appeared intoxicated when none of us were. It was straight up discrimination and as a business owner in the community I'm appalled and insulted by how we were treated. Don't patronize this place. read more

Johnny Brenda's is very good at COVID control as the security asked us for proof of vaccination. Once in the bar I wasn't sure how to navigate about getting drinks, but once we opened a tab my boyfriend and I had the Holy Tahit-O cocktail, a shot of vodka and a shot of whiskey. I think each shot was $6 and the cocktail was $10. Back in LA, cocktails cost almost twice as much so I think Philly's nice about their pricing. I don't think there was anything super special about the interior or the drinks or the service. Everyone's just minding their own business. Definitely not as loud and poppin' as Frankford's across the street, but a nice place to bar hop to after for harder drinks! read more

Johnny Brenda's - menu - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Had a great server tonight. I think she said her name was Tati. Fun, friendly and made my happy hour great. Keep it up!

Fun spot with friendly bartenders and eclectic ambiance. Good mix of people on the weekends.

Johnny Brenda's rocks. This large, multilevel venue hosts live music acts, several bars, and a restaurant. The upper floors provide a fantastic, unobstructed view of the stage. This place has a dining room, streetside seating, and pool tables - it's hard not to like their hip jeans-and-t-shirt atmosphere. Friends and I had tickets to see Battles. The show was sold out and it was a full house. While we waited to be let upstairs, we shared a plate of oysters which weren't the coldest, but the sauce was perfect. (Their menu changes often: I saw finger foods and larger entrees. Hungry? There's plenty of time to order; their kitchen closes at 1 AM.) Four bartenders helped us that evening: - the first seemed impatient, as if she had a big ol' stick up her butt. When I asked for shots of "anything creative", she wasn't receptive, insisting I pick something. I said "kamikazes", and thankfully she made the smoothest I've had in awhile. - the second bartender was okay. I requested the strongest liquor they had, and with a little uncertainty, she came back with shots of Wild Turkey. - third time's a charm! Aileen was friendly, smiled, and (after asking for creative shots) made us a delicious concoction involving Crown Royal, Myers, Malibu rum, and pineapple juice. Best of all, she gave me faith that not all the bartenders here were duds. - Anne was welcoming, getting us shots of Jagermeister without issue. The show itself was an experience. I enjoyed Thank You's - the opener, from Baltimore - trippy tunes, thanks to the venue's powerful, almost overwhelming, acoustics. I liked their music but the crowd seemed polite, at best. (C'mon Philly, show some love!) More enthusiasm was shown for Battles, everyone rocking to the beat. The band's cool sound guy, Paul, did his job! (Talking to a few patrons, a guy in the restroom said he was so excited he wasn't going to clean his hands - he didn't - while another said the band was "amazing times infinity".) read more

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I would not recommend this place to anyone, and I am still so hurt and angry over my experience here the other night. My boyfriend drove in all the way from Pittsburgh to see a show here with me that we had to buy tickets for. At one point, I went down to use the bathroom and on my way back up I was stopped by a bartender who accused me of breaking a bottle in the bathroom. I was really confused because I don't drink anything out of bottles and had only bought myself one drink there all night, a rum and coke. I told her she must be mistaken because I didn't break anything in the bathroom to which she proceeded to say to me "She knows I did" and I was going to have to go downstairs. I was pretty frustrated at this point as she was not letting me back upstairs to finish the rest of the set I had tickets to, and my boyfriend was still up there. They ended up making us leave based on the accusation that had no truth in it, and to this day I do not know why the bartender randomly accused me of this. The manager was completely unhelpful and said "it wasn't about the bottle" it was because I was getting "aggressive" with the bartender. I never raised my voice, or even said anything rude I merely defended myself and when I asked the manager what she would have done in my place she had nothing to say. Horrible establishment, terrible management, and I'm still just so shocked I could get thrown out for just minding my own business in the bathroom. BE WARNED! Don't go here unless you'd like to be randomly removed at any point and have the staff blindly defend their problematic bartenders. read more

Bartender was very rude. We went on a Friday afternoon, bar was not that busy. We ordered a round of drinks, sat down at a table to drink them. We went up to order another round and asked if we could have a round of baby Guinness shots. The bartender asked us if we knew what was in those shots and when we said no, not the exact recipe, she told us that we shouldn't order shots we don't know how to make and proceeded to go to the other end of the bar to talk and laugh about us with another patron. Used to really like this neighborhood bar and now will not be back ever. Extremely disappointed. read more

I did not eat here but came for a band. Fun place. Would come back to try the food.....

Reasons to love JBs: 1. one of the only bars that still charges $3 for Kenzinger 2. the burger. BEST burger in Philly. OMG, that burger 3. great venue on the 2nd floor for live music I live really close so I come here pretty frequently. Great food, great beer... they also got paper menus pretty recently so you no longer have to strain your eyes looking at the chalkboard to see the menu. Really nothing to complain about. read more

Johnny Brenda's - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This review reflects (pretty much) exclusively on the food here. Needed to get out of the heat and the bar we originally tried to get to was closed. Local directed us here. Maybe as a music venue this place keeps up. L- But its a SKIP FOR FOOD. There are some photos and reviews on here that are primping up that star rating. My hamburger was just so soggy, I was literally just pouring out the random liquid in the burger so much so, I needed to put a napkin between it and the fries. Speaking of the "fries," they were more like fry bits and those were overdone. Don't be fooled by the nice photos at the front of the slide show. There was another couple leaving talking about how the reviews were misleading and they hoped to write a more accurate portrayal that mimicked my experience. In fairness the bartender was really nice but that's about the only positive. read more

Downstairs review! Haven't tried the food yet but the Downstairs portion of the bar is definitely a solid place that offers up a good atmosphere. and Next to North Star Bar it's the only spot I can think of where the bar spot truly stands out from the music area. You can't go wrong with the good selection of local drafts that Johnny Brenda's offers. But I think I love it best for it's awesome jukebox selection. Someone definitely put a lot of effort into thinking out it's music selection and it shows. I especially dig that it hooks up plenty of local albums, and has staff picks courtesy of AKA Music. The tables in the back with the blinking lights totally weird me out. But I can't stop sitting at them! read more

What a night! Meek Mill was freed, a Sixers Win, and the final location of a friendly gathering. Considering the popularity of JB's you'd figure it wouldn't be busy on a night when it's raining and when we arrived the scene was dull. A few people sitting along the bar and a few in booths but give it 10 minutes and some tunes spinning from the DJ and the place was packed. Our server was on point and extremely timely. What a relief when service is done right. They always have a decent selection of local beer (all drafts) which they proudly focus on and what's the showstopper? THE FOOD. The JB Burger is a right of passage and I almost ordered 2 of them. read more

$3 Kenzinger, rotating tap of local craft brews for $5-6 - a typical Fishtown dive, but nicer and roomier than other nearby establishments of a similar vibe. Came for Sunday Funday brunch, our first stop of many in our mission for a day of good alcohol. The place was quiet, and the DJ was spinning Gospel. I dig it. I didn't order from their enticing, varied food menu, but my friends did, and it looked super tasty. They polished their plates, so that should say something. There's often live music and fun themed events. On weekend nights, the place can get pretty crowded, and they usually charge a $5-15 cover for the bands that play upstairs, depending on who's playing. Overall, solid spot. Nice outdoor seating, good for an after work drink - or a Sunday brunch beer. read more

I can't give this place anything but 5 stars. We've had so great times together. I've had great food here and seen some awesome live music. We were also all kicked out the night of my wedding. This place has excellent brunch. The dinner is great but the brunch is where it's at. Also I prefer to go when the weather is nice and I can sit outside. The upstairs is real cool. The only problem is when it's a sold out show it can be hard to see the bands of you don't get there early. So in short I've never had an issue here that wasn't my fault or the fault of someone I was with. Go check it out! And go more than once! read more

Very good late night spot to grab some grub after a concert, the burger was on point. Area is a little sketchy but I'm from NYC so no worries for me, if you're timid..stay in a group. Decent beer selection. 3.5 stars read more

Johnny Brenda's, It had been too long since our last acquaintance! Just about two years, to be exact. I don't have any worthy excuses for what took me so long to return to you, and I am deeply sorry. I won't neglect you for so long again. I promise. In both September 2012 and September 2014, I had the honor of consuming the crispy chicken sandwich and french fries while in your fine building. In both Septembers, I very much enjoyed said meals. I also really liked your selection of local craft beers! A sincere thank you for two great visits, and I truly hope we can keep in touch. Your friend, Kathleen read more

Johnny Brenda's - Crispy chicken sandwich - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Johnny Brenda's used to be a bar you could get *great* food at. But we came in April 2023 and all agreed: it's now a terrible experience. We paid $18 for "steak frites." What does "steak frites" mean to you? Quality can vary, but you imagine a cut of steak with a side of fries, right? This was lukewarm soggy fries with burnt nibs of steak scattered over top. Everything - from the mixed drinks to the food - was low quality and poorly prepared. I don't know when this change happened. I haven't been to JB's since before the pandemic. But this used to be a place you could get oysters, and really well made food. It epitomized the old philly of 'just because it's a bar doesn't mean you have to eat bad food.' It was a little pricey for food at a bar, but for a reason. Now whoever is in charge is just straight up ripping folks off. Still priced like a gastropub but with the attitude of, oh fuck it, the customers are drunk, they just need some crap to sop up the alcohol with. I think the servers know. They seem dispirited. All of us felt ripped off and vowed to never return. read more

Drinks and atmosphere review only. After dinner down the street at a BYOB, I needed an after dinner bourbon (or two) and loved the energy JB's carried through the glass out to the sidewalk where I looked in. The beer selection looked OK, but as I said I need a bourbon. Got a popular and decent one. Service was unavailable for 10 minutes plus when we got there, but picked up and was good the rest of our time there. The crowd was young, I am not, but I fit right in because I think young, unlike that ancient, aged friend of mine. ;) The barstools were torn, the decor was as dated as my friend, like they haven't spruced it up in there in 30 years. But overall, an A-OK hangout. read more

Johnny Brendas is just a short rail commute out of the city to Fishtown. This little town reminded me so much of a hip/urban area I have here in Tampa called Seminole Heights. Johnny Brendas came recommended by several bartenders in the city as a really cool place to hang out. They were right. You've got a pool table, long bar, a record player, raw bar, brunch menu and full liquor bar with great beer options too. This, to me, seems like a locals hangout which I loved. They were playing 70s and 80s records, while I enjoyed nicely shucked mixture of raw oysters. My husband and I enjoyed a few brews and a shot (or 2). The bartenders were great, very friendly. I could have stayed there all day. Alas we needed to move on to he next location before getting back to the city for our flight. Been there, done that, liked it so much I purchased a t shirt :) read more

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Was planning to head somewhere else in the area but there was an hour wait and we were HUNGRY! After a lot of back and forth and review reading we ended up at Johnny Brenda's. Such a good choice. The boys got the JB burger and when they came up for air couldn't stop raving about it. Hubby said it was the best burger he's ever had (he's had A LOT of burgers and we ain't talking Mickey D's) so that says a lot. I'm a bit more of a taster so I got the tuna tartare (delicious, I could eat this every day), brussel sprouts over goat cheese (I wasn't wow'ed by this dish, I did not expect the goat cheese to be in liquid form...I assumed it would be lil nuggets of goat cheese goodness. Def took away from the taste) and fried cauliflower (good dish, full of flavor). I did steal some fries from the boy and they were definitely tasty fries. Well seasoned and perfect ratio of crispy and tender. Drinks - hubby got a beer (sorry, beer is beer is beer for me so I don't know which one but he liked it). I got the JBroni. It was really good. If you like gin, try it. Our server was really good, she recommended everything I got and she didn't steer me wrong. They have live music every weekend and there's a pool table. Parking is what it is, you're in Fishtown. Park and walk. read more

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Stopped in here a couple times once for happy hour, 2nd time for brunch! Both times did not disappoint. The scallops were amazing! Brunch was good, wasn't extremely busy, staff very friendly place is a little small but the food they put out is amazing! They were out of captain Morgan last time I went only bad thing read more

Johnny Brenda's - Scallops - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania