Uptown

Great beer! Great outdoor drinking. But also a lot of nice shade with all the trees. This is becoming one of my favorite beer gardens during weekends. Just NOT during happy hour on a Wednesday, the place is so packed for SIPS, its very uncomfortable. I’ll keep my visits during non-​peak hours. The beer selections are really good compared to most beer gardens, probably because its run by the same owners as Bru, so they get good selections.
Food, can’t speak for it. The hot dog looked good, but it took forever to be cooked. Not sure what else they have. Slim pickings for food I think. But great beer and great atmosphere!

Cute beer garden across the street from the Comcast center. They have two bars and a ton of chairs /​open space for people to grab and drink and enjoy the beautiful weather. We went here on a thursday so it was not very crowded and were able to get a table for 8 people. They even had good happy hour specials!

I had a good time at Uptown last Wednesday for sips. They have good drinks specials, including $ 5 dark and stormys. Now, you do have to pretty much swim through the Amazon river to finally make it to the bar to order, but it’s worth the while. Don’t order the sangria though; it’s a big cup but it just tastes like warm, watered down red wine.
There was a long line to get in on JFK, but apparently, there was no line at all on Market street. It was incredibly crowded inside, so get there early. It’s a great spot and has excellent views of the Comcast building. The staff is kinda rude, but I get it since they have a million people wanting drinks. The port-​o-​potties are really fancy. I think it’s worth checking it out!

Uptown is like an outdoor Bru. I realize they’re different businesses, but they have the same owner and you can tell. I mean that in a good way.
Bru is one of my favorite spots in the city for a good craft beer at a rate that’s not nutty. So it’s great to me that Uptown has a similar quality level in the drafts they pour. I’ve been for their first two «Sour Under the Stars» events, and the selections have been incredible both times.
I was also here for their first Sips night and for their Pizza Boy BBQ event last weekend. I would say that unless you’re into the whole «have no space, be able to hear nothing, risk getting spilled on by a ready-​to-​mingle bro in a bright purple shirt» vibe, you should probably skip Wednesday nights in the summer. Eep.
But on mellow nights, this place is just pure gold. They were even selling AMAZING hot dogs last weekend. I think those should be available all the time — at Uptown and Bru, ideally. They were covered in chili and cheese and were just blissful.
Staff here seems to rotate with Bru and U-​Bahn. You’ll see many of the same faces — and for the most part, everyone’s super friendly.
I’m looking forward to many more fun times here this summer, and I hope they keep the sour series going!

3 stars only cause I felt like I was in one of those outdoor Hollywood parties you see in movies, plus the rent-​a-​bathroom model homes instead of port-​o-​potties.
I should’ve known when I got here what I was getting into when I approached the beer garden from the JFK side and the line was literally down the block almost to the corner and full of everyone from the burbs donning their Sunday best.
Luckily, the line only lasted about 10 – 15 minutes or so, since they split the line in two midway through. Still, tho. It’s f*cking happy hour in the city on a goddamn Wednesday night– not a DMB concert. There really is no need for a line, but alas, that’s Sips in the city. No cover (I wouldn’t be surprised if they pulled that shit) but they do make you write your name and email down on a clipboard, THEN you get your wristband. What kind of aggressive marketing tactic is that?
The place itself is actually pretty cool, dropped in the middle of all these modern cement and glass structures with umbrellas and tree bark tables and plants and what not. The bars themselves… here’s where I’m like WTF is going on here.
For one, it got more and more packed as the minutes went on, so trying to explore the place was out of question. In my general vicinity in the very front of the beer garden (in case I needed to make a quick exit), I counted 2 satellite bars with domestic cans and some limited liquor. Here, I was charged $ 6 for a single can of Miller Lite– not a pounder, not a special craft beer. A friend was charged $ 7 for the same drink at the same bar. Umm okay? Another friend opted for Jameson on the rocks and was charged $ 9, which seems about right. Another friend ordered a vodka soda and it came to $ 7. So far, no Sips specials. And lastly, another friend went to the one main craft beer bar off to the side (I think there were 2 or 3 main bars) and was only charged, get this, $ 3 for a draft craft beer. So I’m very confused about pricing and I think so were the bartenders. Either way, I waited in the long ass line at the main bar and ordered a Neshaminy J.A.W.N. and only paid $ 3. That’s what’s up.
PRO TIP: Come bearing cash. $ 10 minimum for cards at all bars. My friend ended up having to order a shot of Fireball to get it over $ 10.
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of seating at all (or any, now that I think about it) so be prepared to stand around and huddle a bit. Honestly felt like a nightclub, except I couldn’t hear the music since it was way in the back by those rent-​a-​bathrooms. They could maybe use a speaker system, but I guess you don’t want everyone shouting over one another.
PRO PRO TIP: There’s a second entrance on the Market Street side I had no clue existed, so for a loophole, take that route instead of waiting in a long line.
Overall, I wouldn’t say the discrepancy in drink prices is worth it, especially because the cheap craft beers really aren’t all that good anyway. I’d rather pay full price somewhere else where I could maybe sit down. The crowd itself is to be expected– the level of douchebaggery here is unprecedented. But hey, makes for great people watching.

Uptown Beer Garden is the perfect example of why not to take first impressions too seriously sometimes.
My first visit was for their heavily Facebook promoted Sips event. I’m not a 22 year old wearing a skin tight dress perfect for a club or a popped collar bro. I’m fine with a crowd sometimes, but wall to wall people isn’t my thing for the most part. Line cutters were just doing their thing and everyone was too carefree to stop it. I somehow ended up with a $ 6 can of Sculpin during Sips, when beers (drafts apparently) were $ 3 and at a different bar. Yea, I kind of hated the place.
Two Philly Beer Week events later, I’m singing a different song. The crowds have died out and you are left with a really chill beer garden that’s lit up by strings of lights and the Philadelphia skyline. The selections were impressive with Almanac sours galore and the best of Pizza Boy, of course the selections are event specific though. The usual service you come to expect from the staff at Bru, the restaurant responsible for putting together this year’s pop-​up, really begins to shine through.
You’ll likely catch me here many times this summer, just passing on the Sips scene.

Love this place!!! Great music, great vibe and I pretty much love any place with fairy lights!
Should have a bigger choice of beer though.
Will defi be going again.

There are several bars which is nice. Their cocktails are not good, its best to stick with beer. This place is good for a large group of people, but don’t expect to sit at a table. We went for happy hour and it was packed. Its also outside and very hot.

Two bars, go to the one on the side people miss it so there isn’t as much of a wait for the bar tender to get to you. Bathrooms aren’t too bad, located right outside the garden in a set of trailers. Hold onto the card they give you for faster admittance on your next visit. Limited seating though is a downside.

YAY! That something cool opened up in this area near where I live! A perfect space to have a Beer Garden so bravo to whomever came up with this brilliant idea. Friendly service and great beers on tap help this generic feeling environment feel a little bit less generic. Wishing this place much success and hoping that it will remain a fixture.

Stopped in with Aria S. for a chill 4^th of July. Place wasn’t crowded, which was what we were looking for. They had like 6 craft beers on tap, I’m not sure if these rotate weekly or whatev.
I ordered a beer and a pretzel. Both good. The bartenders seemed like they haven’t worked a day in their lives. The guy next to me asked the girl to pour him another beer because it was more than half way filled with foam. There were also two bartenders and probably 25 guests (not all ordering drinks). It took me like 10 – 15 mins for her to pour my beer.
Also, a lot of the workers were wearing u-​bahn and bru shirts. Why wouldn’t they just wear plain tees? (this doesn’t actually matter lol)
The place is new and I’m sure they’re just adjusting. I’d like to stop back for happy hour and see what its like.

Came here on the opening night for SIPS and it was very crowded so I didn’t get the full experience of sitting in the beer garden because of the crowds. I think that the location is perfect and provides a great place for happy hour for the professionals in the area. One thing I really did not like was that they did not have a list of beers or drinks up anywhere so you had to wait to get to the bar and ask the bartenders for the drink options. This probably contributed to why it took so long to get drinks and seems like it would be easily fixed. I thought the prices were a little steep if it was not SIPS time and was underwhelmed by the selection of beers. I think it’s a good option if your in the area and want to sit outdoors but compared to the other beer gardens in philly, I was not impressed. I’d like to go back another time when it is less crowded to try some of the food and give the drinks another whirl.

great use of an otherwise unused area after work hours. It’s perfect because it’s a large outdoor area and Chops across the street and Marathon a block down get soo packed during Sips. I came here on the 4^th, and there was plenty of seating, and plenty of standing room. The music was being played from a bartenders phone, but it was still popular and upbeat music which was fun. Not sure if they have a DJ during Sips when people are expecting a lot more.
Main reason for the –1 star is the service/​drink prices. I got a sangria which was premade and clearly with cheap wine and like one cut up apple in the whole batch. $ 9… like you can get a really well made cocktail full price for that in nice restaurants closeby. But it’s a beer garden so I should have just opted for some of the $ 6 drafts I suppose. Despite it being chill/​quiet on the 4^th, the bartenders were super slow and overwhelmed. hope they staff more people/​more experienced people during busier times cause waiting for drinks was annoying.

Up Town opened just in time for the center city sips and the long summer days we have ahead. It offers much space for people to enjoy a drink but also grab a quick bite of some delicious food brought by BRU. Tonight, I tried the Bratwurst of the day that came in a bun along with sauerkraut and spicy mustard. I skipped the bun — and the rest was just delish.
Though it’s very spacious, the seats seem to be on the limited side. So, if you see an empty place grab it! I can see this place giving a little bit of life to the area that’s usually pretty dead over the weekend. They will be open until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Also, I see it becoming a favorite for the Market West professionals. Bartenders and servers are really nice and attentive.
Thumbs up!