Spooky season is arriving early in Philadelphia, as some bars and restaurants in the city are transforming with creepy decor and ghoulish cocktails in preparation to welcome brave visitors to their Halloween pop-ups.
After you’ve been thoroughly frightened by the scare actors at Eastern State Penitentiary’s Halloween Nights and been spooked by the tales on the Philly True Crime Tour, here’s where you can chill out with something a bit stronger than a PSL.
MORE: These Philly cafes and coffee chains are already serving pumpkin spice lattes
Let us know if we forgot your favorite Philly haunt, and the list will be updated as more info becomes available.
Assembly Rooftop Lounge | 1840 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
For those looking to sip spooky brews with scenic views, Assembly Rooftop Lounge at the Logan hotel brings back its Haunted Heights pop-up this season. Open from Friday, Oct. 25, through Thursday, Oct. 31, Haunted Heights will serve cocktails and desserts amid Halloween decor, and there will be a DJ on select evenings. Assembly Rooftop Lounge opens daily at 4 p.m.
The Cauldron | 1305 Locust St.
Philadelphia’s location of this wizard bar is always ideal for people into the macabre, but starting Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Cauldron offers special “potion making” experiences for Halloween. The 1 hour, 45 minute experience — reminiscent of a potions class at Hogwarts — blends mixology, science and magic as you brew their own cocktails or mocktails. The Halloween version, which can be booked online through Sunday, Nov. 3, includes a gooey Ectoplasm shot, another drink poured with a magic wand and two brew-your-own cocktails. Guests also receive witch’s hats upon arrival.
Craftsman Row Saloon | 112 S. Eighth St.
Covered in cobwebs and twinkling lights from floor to ceiling, the bar and restaurant opens its Halloween pop-up on Friday, Sept. 13 — perfect timing for those superstitious souls or any who is just of the horror film franchise named for the date. This year’s pop-up will feature decorations inspired by Tim Burton’s 1993 film “Nightmare Before Christmas,” plus nods to other Burton works like the Netflix series “Wednesday” and his latest movie “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”
Craftsman Row Saloon will serve up a spooky-fied menu to match the creepy ambiance. There’s pumpkin mac and cheese, mummy stromboli and the vampire burger along with a drink menu that includes cocktails like the Pumpkin King margarita and Skellington sangria, and over-the-top milkshakes overflowing with cookie and candy toppings.
Craftsman Row’s Nightmare Before Christmas pop-up will be open through Thursday, Oct. 31, when it begins its conversion into the annual Christmas pop-up. The hours are Wednesday through Friday from 4-11 p.m., Saturday from 12-11 p.m., and Sunday from 12-9 p.m. Reservations can be made online.
McGillin’s Olde Ale House | 1310 Drury St.
As it does for several holiday, McGillin’s goes over the top with Halloween decorations inside and outside of the pub. The spooky decor will be unveiled Monday, Sept. 23, but the Center City bar is already serving up fall cocktails like the pumpkin martini, and Autumn Aperol spritz and hot spiced apple cider. Later in the spooky season, McGillin’s will host scare-aoke – costumed karaoke with prizes. If the Halloween trimmings and cocktails don’t get you in the spirit, maybe encountering an actual ghost at the 164-year-old bar will. The McGillin’s team staff has said there’s “no doubt” the place is haunted. McGillin’s is open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Taqueria Amor | 4410 Main St.
The “Beetlejuice” movies are common inspiration this spooky season, and Taqueria Amor’s take has create Afterlife at Amor. The Manayunk restaurant’s Halloween festivities kick off Thursday, Sept. 12, with cocktails and frozen drinks worthy of the “ghost with the most,” as well as an “afterlife grub” menu of tacos and empanadas. Check out the haunting sand worm crafted by Taqueria Amor’s general manager. Also there are nightly light shows at the restaurant. Taqueria Amor opens at 11:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and at noon on Sunday.
Tinsel | 116 S. 12th St.
Also opening on Friday the 13th, the annual Nightmare Before Tinsel pop-up will be decked out like a haunted mansion — which calls to mind the Disney film and theme-park ride by the same name. The popup will have an expansive second floor open for the first time, which will have its own bar and will be surrounded by “kaiju” (giant monster) figurines that pay homage to horror movies spanning the history of the genre.
Tinsel’s ground-floor and upstairs bars will serve craft cocktails with spooky names like Blood Bag (vodka and cranberry juice), Drunkula (whiskey and hot cider), Morgue-a-rita (tequila and blood orange juice) and Oh My Gourd (vodka, caramel and spiced pumpkin flavor).
Since its opening seven years ago as a Christmas pop-up, Tinsel has become known for changing with the seasons. It even morphed into an Eagles-themed bar for the Birds’ 2023 postseason run. Starting Friday, Nightmare Before Tinsel will be open daily for walk-ins only through Halloween. It will open Monday through Friday at 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. In October, Tinsel will open at 2 p.m. on Fridays.
Uptown Beer Garden | 1500 JFK Blvd.
Uptown Beer Garden unveils its own scary makeover on Sept. 20. The Center City beer garden will trade in the tiki bar atmosphere its been sporting through the summer for a carnival sideshow-themed pop-up it calls Freak Show.
Along with spooky decor, visitors can expect spooky cocktails and seasonal small bites. Uptown Beer Garden opens Monday through Friday at 4 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday at 12 p.m. The Freak Show pop-up remains open through Halloween.