The current incarnation of Ortlieb's is geared toward a crowd younger and hipper than I am, but that doesn't keep me away. When a visiting friend told me she'd never heard of nor had an espresso martini (gasp!), we headed here for the most fun presentation of the drink (see NY-style "Greek" coffee cup photo). My spouse loves their hot dog menu, which was developed with much care. The vegan menu is a hit with vegan friends/family. Trivia night is fun. They host good comedy shows. And the music lineup draws a crowd of people in the know about the next big thing. Follow them on the socials to keep up with the latest fun thing they are doing. read more

Ortlieb's - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Great Chicago style dog, eclectic environment. Overall great neighborhood bar, if you have the opportunity, give it a chance and you won't be disappointed. read more

Good vibes and ppl. Check out their comedy shows! Also like the ambiance, how the place is decorated.

Attempted to enter the establishment and was greeted by a homophonic oaf at the door. My boyfriend and I entered the hall and were told, "Don't stand there, move to the right!" We complied. (To be clear, it was not at all crowded.) My boyfriend presented his ID and entered. I presented my ID, the doorman handed it back to me and I took it. He the stood from his stool, got right in my face, and said, "DON'T SNATCH IT!" I didn't immediately understand what was happening and asked what was wrong. He got even closer. "DON'T SNATCH IT!" He snarled. I could not believe that in 2026, I was being addressed like this. I already had my license back. I did an about face and left. I will not be back. Whether or not the management knows it, this establishment is homophonic. If they don't want my business, they won't have it. I'm sad that such a place exists in a neighborhood that seems otherwise accepting. read more

I am a person 60 years old and have never left a bad review to anyone . So disappointed. Lived l in northern libertys 40 years , have a business in Northern 40 years . bar tendor so nasty and rude . treated very disrespectful soon as I walked in.. very disappointed and would not recommend it. was there three months prior met the owner and had a wonderful time. but I think the ginger male bartender sucks.. live a half a block away and will never go back. read more

The atmosphere was heavy. The bartender was rude asf. Don't recommend this place to anyone. The food was mid at best. Really not worth the price. read more

Great service, friendly bar staff, and delicious drinks! Kyle was a huge help with an event I attended here and went above and beyond to make it special. read more

Awesome vibe, I saw a great show! The drinks were good and their hotdogs are super fun for a night out.

ortliebs is sooooooo fun it's the perfect bar. dancing, shows/events, chill areas, photo booth. the staff is sooooo easy going and fun to be around. always different types of events! delicious mexican snacks. impressive list of drinks! feels like such a homey local bar in the best way read more

Ortliebs was the perfect host for our disco themed birthday party! It is the perfect place for a private event, the staff was amazing and helped us set up so that it looked the best. Our friends had such a great time, we danced, we drank, and we had cake! The place looked beautiful after our decorations were set up! Highly recommend for your private parties, we couldn't be happier. Thank you Ortliebs! See you again soon! read more

Ortlieb's - Disco themed birthday party - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The sweet man behind the bar made a wonderful drinks while fighting off criminals. wow. will come back. read more

I visited Ortlieb's for the first time a couple weeks back, during a visit to Phila form Oregon. I'd heard stories about the old days and was super excited to the place. Not really knowing what to expect, I was not disappointed. Much like the rest or Northern Liberties, the bar has changed a bit but it was really fun. It was karaoke night so it was loud and upbeat. No weird vibes, and the owner (Kyle) was behind the bar serving cold beers and solid drinks. He seemed like he was hyped on keeping that old school neighborhood spot alive and well. It's got a phot booth! read more

Ortlieb's - a neon sign for a bar - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Awesome bar, friendly staff, great live music in the back!

Kyle and his team created an incredible experience for our bride to be, hosting a perfect blend of bar meets bridal shower. The staff was extremely helpful with a vision and execution that upgraded the event atmosphere to a place where guests could feel comfortable and socialize! They also infused their floral artistry with perfect touches that gave beautiful pops of color - so much gratitude! read more

One of my favorite bars in Philadelphia! Great drinks, fantastic tacos (seriously on par with CA quality), and even better service. The owner Kyle and his staff are super fun and always make me and my friends feel welcome. I've never had anything less than a stellar night at this spot! read more

Great dive/retro type bar. If you have ever heard of Joe's beer, and understand the meaning, this is a must stop. Bartenders are on point with service and prices are inline. Take a good luck around at slot of the most nostalgia. Highly recommend this joint. read more

Had an amazing experience here last night, filled with spectacular service and even better cuisine. My lovey date and I and feasted upon a @Nardonepastaco 3 course dinner complete with hand made noodles, chocolate torte, and beautifully cooked mushrooms (not in that order) under the warm red and green dive lighting as rain came down outside. For real, I haven't had food this fancy in a minute. We were accommodated by Dana, Amy, and owner Kyle with the utmost respect and I'll savor this experience for the foreseeable future. I recommend pasta Wednesday at Ortlieb's to everyone read more

Pretty decent place, great tequila sunrise! Vibes are a bit strange, the bartender seemed almost annoyed that we were there but he was pretty nice overall read more

Ortlieb's - Nice vibes, drink had very little ice and was strong which was awesome. Would come again! - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Orliebs, a bar of wet beer. Divey, dark, and awesome. Happy hour here is amazing because it run 6PM-8PM. I am often not out of work until 6 or 7, so this is perfect. It's also great to finish up a happy hour that you've started elsewhere. The beer is cheap, the food is cheap, there is often live music ($5 cover after 7 or 8, at least on Fridays). During happy hour, draught beer is $3 (domestic) or $4 (craft) and there are dollar tacos served with one of my favorite homemade hot sauces to date. I could drink the stuff! Pro tip: order 1 soft bean taco and 1 hard beef taco. When those suckers show up, slam the beef taco in the bean taco to create a heaping double decker of delicious flavor-texture magic. Also, their sweet potato fries are off the hook. Large, crispy, and perfectly salted. Don't order the shredded chicken...it's kinda dry and not very flavorful. Their new drink "The Big-O" is $5 all the time. Muddled orange and cherries with Tully and a splash of sour mix. It's one of my personal faves but results in an empty glass faster than I can say "yum!" CAUTION: If you order the hot buffalo wings, be ready to be brought to your knees. I like spicy...but these things could bring down a small empire. If you're looking for a chill place to have a speaking voice conversation with friends, get drunk, and be merry, look no further! read more

I went here on a great 2nd date... and it was a perfect contrast to the weekend of Electronic music I had enjoyed. The atmosphere is quaint and kitschy, with a buffalo head on the wall, inexpensive beer flowing like water, and a great assortment of live music. Sunday was classic Country & Western, and it was great for some intimate conversation and cheap (but huge) tacos to snack on. I would definitely return-- a real classic gem in NoLib. read more

The Wet Bar The bar that is named after a great old beer that is not made anymore. Ortlieb's a beer brand during the grand old 1970's American beer explosion. This bar is dark and tries to portray a bit of the 1970's sleaze that made that decade great. The only issue is that the place is actually kind of nice inside. I was expecting much worse. They also have a very good variety of craft beers available and not much junk cheap beer available, which is a marquee of a great 70's style dive bar. I like Ortlieb's especially for the name, but there is so much potential here to make this place into a great dive bar. Not a bad spot, I would like the beer sign in my basement. Thanks read more

It took about 10 minutes for me to fall in love with Ortlieb's Lounge. The vibe is perfectly Northern Liberties, which to me means a bit dilapidated and not too polished. And of course you can't survive in NoLibs without a solid beer list and great food, both of which Ortlieb's nails. Our bartenders were both awesome, really friendly guys, the drinks were tasty (love that Troegs Dreamweaver), and the prices are great, with terrific drink specials. The house band came on at around 9 and they were fantastic, full of energy and nice and loud. What surprised me most was the quality of the food. The menu's a crazy mix, one side of which is almost entirely Mexican, while the other side has a large selection of french fry variations and more standard sandwiches. We went with the Ortlieb's taco, which is house-made masa (yes.) stuffed with pork and other goodies, then deep fried (yes.). Totally fantastic. Then we got their standard nachos... and I am pretty sure they're the best tacos I've ever had. The chips are so crispy they don't soften even when covered in both whiz AND melted cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, and whatever else was on these bad boys (it was a bit too dark to see!). So good, and a huge plate. Pro-Tip: put the house hot sauce on every single thing you eat. It's insane, has a strong hit of cinnamon and sweetness with just the right amount of spice... killer. I think I've found a new regular hangout. Welcome back, Ortlieb's! read more

Ortlieb's - Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Best bar in Philly. Kyle and the entire staff have been nothing but good to us over the years. Drink specials are great. New taco menu is fantastic. I've seen some of my favorite local and nationally touring bands in the back live room. They've got DJ, karaoke, and comedy nights as well. Something for everybody. Vintage dive bar feel but super professional. Check it out. read more

Came solely for Taco Tuesday and had a chill time. Great dive bar vibe, very casual and good soundtrack. Tacos are what you pay for; well worth the $2. I got the pork, spicy beef and buff chick. Spicy beef crunchy with their hot sauce was def the best one. The chips were great but the pico was terrible. The tomatoes were huge chunks in these tiny plastic cups, not a good chip to pico ratio at all. Can't wait to come back to see some shows and comedy nights. read more

I've been coming here for years, and this place has never let me down. They have put genuine love into the environment with small improvements over time (bathrooms, paint job, etc)-- but are still able to maintain the original divey vibe without crossing the line into pretentiousness. The back half is a venue, but the front bar is still roomy, with high top booth cutouts tucked away in a cool little alcove opposite the bar. Bouncers & staff are super friendly and know their stuff. Don't sleep on the food, the tacos are excellent & are a perfect match to the laid back atmosphere. read more

Bouncer rude , unreasonable and down right jerky. Doesn't know what a global entry identification is or let a person use their passport to enter to see a show. AGGRESSIVELY yells at young women and ruins what should be a nice night out to see a band with friends. Took our money somewhere else, but very upsetting to be treated so badly for no reason except not having an ordinary drivers license . read more

I loved this place before I even walked through the door. Live music, divey bar feel and tex-mex food? Awesome. All of the reviews I've read completely lived up to my expectations. My boyfriend and I went for happy hour which is amazingly from 6-8. This was point number 1 for me since I work outside the city. For the next 3 hours hours, we enjoyed inexpensive drinks, great tex-mex inexpensive bar food, friendly/helpful bartenders, and an awesome Blues House Band. I left this place dying to come back. Great addition to the neighborhood! Insider Tip: Try their house hot sauce...WOW. It's got some cinnamon in it and was awesome/different. read more

Happy Hour from 6-8 yay! If you work a little later than the usual 9-5, this is a great thing. Plus I've noticed that most happy hours in Nolibs go from 4-6, so this picks up where they leave off. The beer specials are great: $2 for domestic drafts (ex: Kenzinger) and $3 for craft drafts (ex: Sixpoint Sweet Action, Troeg's Dreamweaver). Food: the 2 of us split an order of bacon cheddar fries. You get a huge platter of fries with melted cheddar, bacon & jalepenos for $6.50. They were delicious but I would have preferred chopped up fresh jalapenos mixed throughout the cheese. I also had the veggie burger. It's not house made - it's basically a Boca Burger or Gardenberger. It's served on a bun that you'd buy in the bread aisle of any supermarket. But for $5.50 it wasn't bad. Decor: dark & red: wood paneling, dark red booths, upscale divey - love it. Service: our server was great. She seemed genuinely friendly and was knowledgeable about the menu. I'm so glad Ortlieb's has reopened. It's nice to have another non-piazza hangout option in NL. It's a great spot for catching a late happy hour. Good beer selection, decent place for cheap & tasty bar snacks, would not consider as a dinner destination though. Next time I'll stick around for some live music. read more

At long last it has returned - and nearly unchanged! Victory! I remember the Ortlieb's Jazzhaus of 'yore, back when this neighborhood was a little grittier, less trendy, more authentic. Ortlieb's was a classic Jazz mainstay in a city that does (did) not, but should, have more live Jazz venues. It was dark, mysterious, sexy, narrow and long like a railroad train car. It was here that the crowds contained a true representation of Philadelphia, people from all walks of life in one small venue there to enjoy the beauty and deliciousness of live Jazz. It's comforting to know that the reincarnation of the Jazzhaus has not thrown away all of what made the original so cool. The place now called Ortlieb's Lounge still looks very much like the Jazzhaus (but cleaned up) and on Tuesdays, it still sounds like it too. Which brings me to this...it's heartbreaking and both exciting to know that Jazz will not be the only live music to be played at this place anymore. Jazz nights are only held on Tuesdays now, with the rest of the week comprising of Funk night (Wednesdays - lots of dancing!), House band Thursdays and different acts, including a DJ nights on weekends. I'm told that Mondays might soon feature 20's swing tunes. Menu is standard bar offerings, nothing overly ambitious, and the bar is extremely well-stocked, with a really solid rotating draft selection and good service to match. Though I will mourn the all-Jazz venue that once was, am pretty excited for what they have cooking (musically-speaking, I mean)... as long as they keep it real! read more

New!!! Exciting!! VENUE SPACE!! Before, you used to have to pay an $8 cover when walking into Ortlieb's if a band was playing, whether you wanted to see them or not. They recently converted the large kitchen space into a real, live venue. With a closing door. So you only have to pay to see the band, if you want to see the band. And I appreciate that. Even if it means less items on the menu (who gets anything at Ortlieb's besides their insanely delicious tacos, anyway?). As far as size goes- it's a tad smaller than Boot & Saddle. Go see a local show and lemme know what you think. read more

Good old Ortleibs. My go to place in northern liberties during the week. The owner Kyle and the whole staff are awesome. My favorite night is taco Tuesday for $2 tacos. Some of the best tacos in the area with some killer homemade hot sauce. They have live music almost every night but you usually need to buy a ticket to enter the music room (that's cool though because you never have to pay cover just to go to the bar). They have great happy hour deals as well for beers and tacos. read more

One of the best dive bars in Philly. Drinks are reasonably priced and also amazing. The beer selections is really great too. If you're hungry, they have a surprisingly wide variety of bar snacks, including vegan and vegetarian options. It's a good space with a decidedly diver vibe, but still very open and friendly. It's got a fun crowd of regulars and bartenders. One huge differentiator is that there's virtually always live entertainment. The stage area feels like an intimate lounge, even though it's a few steps from the bar area. If you're in the area, it's the place to go. read more

This is my favorite bar in Philadelphia. I cannot believe how long it has taken me to review this place. I've learned that I never review the places I frequent most often. I can honestly say that out of all the bars I've visited in Philly, this is hands down my favorite. One of the best happy hours in No Libs going from 5:30 to 7:30 with half off all drafts, $5 well drinks (The Big O is ridiculously good), and $2 tacos. My god the tacos. What you need to do when you get the tacos is to get a soft bean and hard whatever. Combine the hard taco into the soft one and BAM, you're in heaven. The bartenders are fantastic, the atmosphere is chill, the food and drinks are great. What more could you ask for? read more

Had a great time at the comedy show and enjoyed the drinks. Everyone was very nice, especially the bartender that found my Septa key. THANK YOU SO MUCH! read more

All of this happened, more or less. Ortlieb's re-opened under the auspices of the Four Corners management group about two years ago. The happy hour specials are unheard of--half off of most things, including top-shelf bourbons. There is almost always live music, often without a cover (such as the Wednesday night residency shows). There are DJs many nights, even those nights when bands are playing. When the music isn't live or spun by a DJ, the staff makes sure to play a diverse mix that one does not often hear in what has become a sickeningly cliche hipster neighborhood--Northern Liberties. The music. Good Lord, the music. The staff loves music, and this is a bar for music lovers. I feel at home here because music isn't a fashion ("Have you heard of Ogre's Milk--of course you haven't. They're this totally awesome indie band nobody's heard of, which makes them good) but rather a passion ("Let's play some classic country for happy hour, since drinking in a bar and listening to Merle Haggard croon is kind of what happy hour should be."). The food is decent for a place that deliberately chooses to de-emphasize the kitchen as an element of the overall enterprise. See, even when they put something low on a list of priorities, Ortlieb's still kills it. The only place to compare with Ortlieb's is Johnny Brenda's, but the latter doesn't matter--it sucks. The service sucks (as in the staff seems to think customers should be thankful to be served by such cool people as work at JBs). JBs is where tourists and yuppies playing hipster for the weekend hang. Ortlieb's is where actual human beings who prefer not to act as a walking pop-culture cliche choose to spend time. No ironic anything there. Ortlieb's is what is now, and what a bar should be. Even in Bizarro World ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bizarro_World ), Ortlieb's is the best bar in Bizarro Philadelphia, because that is how legit the place is. It can't suck, even in a world where it is supposed to. On the seventh day, God created Ortlieb's so that she could have a place to hang out with her best pal, Lucifer (and so that Luke could have a job other than tempting petty humans). Saturday nights see Ortlieb's become home to one of the most kicking EDM dance parties in town, as DJ GregD of the Wet Boogie may often be found there entertaining all the party people. People who like cool shit must make a pilgrimage to Ortlieb's, as it is the Mecca of ripping good times. Are you into cool shit? Make your pilgrimage; make it with haste. Go to Ortlieb's--the beer is wet, the boogie is wet, and the place makes my undergarments wet just thinking about it. Ortlieb's then, Ortlieb's now, Ortlieb's forever. read more

I need to update this review because we have been back several times since and I must say this spot has swiftly become our 2nd favorite bar in NoLibs (Abbaye will always be first in our book but this is not far behind)! And I have moved on from the tacos and made a new friend - the burger. Oh my dear gods, the burger! They HAVE to use Montreal Steak Seasoning - it is so flavorful and always cooked as ordered. I get it with american cheese and a side of mayo. Whip me up some fancy dipping sauce and then I go to town. I believe it's only 5.50, which is still mad decent. As our group has grown from 2 to 3 or more usually for a Thursday Ortliebs ritual, we have been getting a booth in the back and always accomodated by our waitress. But Jimmy the bartender recognizes us and still greets us warmly even if we don't saddle up to his bar. This place rocks! read more

My fav neighborhood bar. Friendly people and good food. Karaoke night is fun and so is bingo night!

Ortliebs is a pretty cool spot for a beer or a smaller live show that's a little bit off the beaten path. A few years back they flipped Ortliebs from a dive jazz club (which was charming but a dump ) to a little more upscale venue with a kitchen. Music ranges from jazz to hip hop to even some rock bands. The stage is small and the entire room is narrow, but it is still a nice spot to catch a show. As for the food, I remember it being pretty decent although I haven't eaten here in a while. Parking is on the street and can be tough on the weekends. Definitely worth a hang on a week night or a quick drink on the weekend. read more

I gots to start out highlighting Ortlieb's Happy Hour specials since that's exactly when I walked in: $3-4 drafts and $1 tacos from 6-8 pm. Bam! I was all over that. Three chicken tacos (one hard shell, two soft shell). +1 Cheddar fries with bacon and jalapenos (definitely serves two, even though I tried to prove otherwise). +1 Rogue Chocolate Stout. +1 Plenty of change back from a $20 bill. +1 Delicious, dark, divey and definitely another sweet No Libs find. read more

I dig Ortlieb's because: 1. Their happy hour goes until 7:30 (as someone who works until 6:30 and misses happy hour all of the time this is welcomed) and they have $1.50 soft tacos! 2. Those soft tacos are pretty good. In general, all of the restaurants that are owned by the people who own Ortlieb's have fairly cheap food that is actually delicious which is why I'll pick this spot over some others in the area. 3. I don't go to shows there often but it looks like they finally blocked off the show area from the main dining/drinking area which is good because I don't always want to come for the show. Now I can come and have a beer without having to pay the $ for the show. Also the set up of their stage before was awful and this is a much better way to divide the room. read more