Bonnie's Capistrano Bar

Definitely 1 star. Christmas Eve, 11pm and I enter with an expired state ID, refused service due to the expiration. I was then asked if I had a passport. There’s no way, under any circumstances, that I can radically accept this as “good service”. I understand you’re not “legally” allowed to serve me a beer with an expired State ID, but there’s no way I can explicitly walk in here with a nonchalant or non-biased attitude. You denied me service on Christmas Eve, while I’m 26 years old, because my ID is expired. You understand? Like, I cannot just forget about that. You’ll always be the bar that denied me on Christmas.

Went here for the first time with friends on Thursday. I loved it, I can smoke in here, drinks are very cheap, and bartender was great. I'll be coming here pretty often going forward.

So they don’t have food but they do have chips and other snacks that are great when you need a nibble. Great people! Drinks are priced perfectly!

Just trying to counter all the 'special' people who left a bad review for a smoking bar because there is smoking. There's a huge sign on the door. How about don't go in then?

Bonnie's doesn't serve food. The drinks are priced reasonably.

Cigs inside, automatic 5 stars

Came here Friday around 5, bartender was soo nice, drinks were cheap and it wasn't packed. Will definitely be back.

Great bar - & a smokers bar. 🚬 Great prices. Loving this place!

Amazing spot with 10 seats and $5 special for miller high life and a shot of Evan Williams. Smoking allowed. Friendly service. Open at 7am, Saturday's at 10am and closed Sunday. One of the best bars in the world.

Came here a few nights ago and while i love the vibe and atmosphere of the place, I really felt sorry for the staff in having to deal with a bunch of childish assholes that dont know how to behave like adults. I coukd feel the lovely red headed bartenders pain as she had to pretty much babysit a group of entitled morons who cant follow simple rules as well as a very miserable woman who admitted she was just there to "binge drink". God bless this little south philly Gem and its amazing staff. They are trying to make the world better for those of us who know how to commune, imbibe, and have a good time.

Bonnies is a great spot in the neighborhood. Our bartender tonight was great, his name is Garfield. Great service and went above and beyond to make the night special. Two thumbs up!

Another review that I've been meaning to pull up from the annals. Upon first walking into Bonnie's you won't be won over by the lavish beer and drink selection, the elaborate decor, music playing from the jukebox, or anything of that nature (which coincidentally happens to be what usually draws me into a bar for the long haul). But what Bonnie's doe have that wins you over is the fact that Bonnie's is an old school South Philly family bar with infinite charm. After walking in with Meredith, Jenna, and the rest of the book clubbers after discussing Shadow of the Wind, I had no clue what to think. But that was because we skipped over South Philly Tap Room which was packed to the gills, and by comparison it was a completely different world altogether. But so long as that world features a hilarious and cool bartender, a good unassuming spot to watch a Phillies game, and cheap Yuengling, I'm cool with being a part of it. The lipstick stains of old-lady regulars on glasses is something that I can do without on the other hand, which is why Bonnie's gets 4 out 5.

Would be a classic s philly dive worth visiting if not for one big issue- I brought four friends from out of town with me to Bonnie's after eating everything in sight in the Italian market. We just wanted to relax for a bit before going back out for pho. It was still the afternoon so only three of us ordered beers while the other two just sat with us. Of the three of us ordering, two of us were white and one Hispanic. My white friend and I (also white) ordered first without incident and then my Hispanic friend ordered and was asked for id... why? We were all very clearly together and two of us ordered before him without being carded. Ok, weird, but we brushed it off. Then he went back up to ask for a glass of water and the same bartender gave him a glass and said "there's a big bowl of water in the bathroom back there for you." Wtf?? I would chalk this up to idiot old south philly bros who think they're funny, but when all of this was only directed at a Hispanic person while everyone else was left alone, I don't know what else to think. There are plenty of philly dives you can visit that won't target your friends of color and make them feel unwelcome.

Neighborhood dive. Solid. Cranberry and vodka and a high life- $6. Can't beat it. That sums up this bar. Cheap, divey, smokey and no food other than the vending machine or "mussels night" which is every other Thursday for $8. Swing by for cheaply priced drinks and a juke box.

Absolutely great bar with a great crowd. Eamon, Kitty, Mike, Frank, and John are excellent servers that keep me coming back on a regular basis.

Love this place, and I am thinking of moving just so I can be closer to it. This is by far the cleanest and most friendly smoking bar in all of South philadelphia, and considering that my boyfriend and I like our cigars I've made the rounds. The back room full of tables is always inviting, the jukebox has a good selection, and I can touch the table without there being a sticky residue. Bunnie's is a great place to grab a drink on your walk to or from the subway because it's right on 13th, and this is usually the only time I drop in because I don't like walking more that 5 blocks for a drink.

One of the worst dive bars I've been to. Walked in and it was very smoky. Little area for eating and drinking. Only reason I give it two stars even is cuz it was the only place I had been able to get into successfully to watch the eagles falcons playoff game without having to wait in line.

Good place for early morning drinks. Smoking. Friendly environment. Cheap cash only.

Well, since I haven't written a review in some months, it seems appropriate that my first review back is for my local dive, since I've probably spent more time in Bonnie's than any other bar over these last few months. Before you set foot in here, you ought to know that it's still a smoking bar, so don't wear anything that you don't want to reek for the rest of the night. If that doesn't bother you, then step in and enjoy some of the cheapest drinks in the neighborhood (some of whose glasses come with lipstick stains of old-lady regulars!). To be safe, I'd suggest ordering a beer (the pint glasses are generally spotless). If you order a pitcher, you even get an icy mug. How's that for service? Bonnie's bartenders are great. If you don't feel like talking, they won't bother you, but they're great for a conversation. Once, the Tuesday-night bartender, Dan, and I had an hour-long conversation about Phish. Phish is one of the bands I'd least expect a Bonnie's bartender to like, but I've learned to ditch all expectations when entering this place. I'm always surprised by something there, such as when we went to watch the World Series there and all of the tables in the back, right in front of the huge TV, were empty, or when I walked in one random night and Bonnie was cooking her customers food. As long as you're okay with a dirty glass here and there and being given the occasional stink-eye by an 80-year-old regular, you'll love this place as much as I do.

Cheap shots. Cheap booze. Great rear seating for groups. Did I mention cheap shots? Actually its great for cheap everything. Sometimes there's even food if you pick the right night! I've been popping into this local dive bar for years and seem to love it a little more every time. My most recent adventure involved a bachelorette party hitting South Philly college style - and this was one of the bride's favorite old haunts. You can see why. The bartender -- I wish I'd gotten her name -- was incredible. Friendly. Fast. Excellent. She was so excited to have a group looking to have mixed drinks since she pours beers so frequently. It did not show. Her redheaded sluts were spectacular. Since we were celebrating she even gave us the overflow shots on the house. The jukebox has a great selection, the porno style 'spot the difference in the photo' video game is hilarious and the locals don't mind invasions of groups now and then. Add in the fact that despite Bonnie's classification as a 'dive' that she's got exceptionally clean bathrooms... the only thing not to love is the fact that there's still smoking (though I've never suffered too badly from heavy smoke when I've been there.)

Oh, no. Hipsters found Bonnie's. It's too bad. Good place where you can smoke and bring your own food. Fairly priced beer. Good combo. Always a friendly bartender. Juke box can get a little clubby.

Dark, Smokey and Quiet. Bonnie's has a total 'locals only' vibe about it, and rightfully so. Located on a quiet South Philly block Bonnie's is one of those places you'll find older people perfect blended in with the young and trendy. The drinks are cheap, The vending machine sells cigarettes and snacks, and the bartender will tell you a story. They close at midnight during the week because of that quiet South Philly block of their's.

this place used to be really cool, and fun. Now it's just sad. There used to be a diverse crowd, new and old alike and it was a chill spot to hang and have fun. Now it's like Moe's tavern, same sad old dudes. Surly Frank would be fine if his jokes were funny, but he just comes off as a miserable butthead. The other tenders are nice though.

Probably one of my favorite spots in south philly. It's cheap, around the corner from my boyfriends, and always has an interesting crowd. We go there probably every Friday, it smells like smoke, there's old men playing disco and dancing, and it's got pitcher specials and cheap mixed drinks. It's an adorable little dive bar that I've come to love.

Love this bar. Awesome bartender. Jukebox. Good shots. Good people. Dive bar Felt at home as soon as I walked in the door. The patrons were friendly without being overbearing. The drinks were sitting and reasonably priced.

Loved this place. Lots of locals hanging out for a game. The bartender was AMAZINGLY friendly. (Wish I had gotten his name.) He was talkative and went out of his way for us. He gave us a free round of shots after we ordered one round. Drinks are very cheap. Our first round included 4 mixed drinks. The drinks were not super huge or strong but it was only $11 for all 4. So, we could just keep going back for more. Weak beer selection. Miller, Bud, High Life on draft. The best thing they might have had was Kenzinger in bottle (but I don't even like that beer that much...) Oh well. This is a place I'd go for cheap beers, drinks and shots. Some good stuff and some not so good stuff was playing on the jukebox. But the great thing was that they had Big Buck Hunter Safari. I got a bit drunk then got my ass kicked at that. (I feel it's way harder than the original! I digress...) Only real detractor for me is the smoke. Otherwise it's another So. Philly cheap and fun dive. Edit: Big Buck Hunter is GONE!

Bonnie's has no food, and the beer selection is strictly watered down light lagers. There is a community feel in this bar, and you may get some uncomfortable glances if you're new. You are allowed to smoke, so expect to smell like an ashtray when you leave. The service is pretty darn good. I wish I could take the bartenders with me to some of the classier Philly joints and replace their pretentious bartenders. Lung cancer, and cheap beer isn't my idea of a great bar, but if you don't mind, it's a 5-star.

4 stars for great folks there were about 5 at the bar when we came in. It was cold out and we commented on it, although it was nice and toasty in the bar they turned the heat up just for us. Two gentlemen offered to move so we could sit together. Very friendly bartender. One star lost for leaving smelling like a cigarette, I'm a NY'er I'm not used to it anymore. Free corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's day, how cool is that!

Perfect service from the gentleman at the bar. Perfect jukebox for all your late night vibes. Perfectly priced drinks. You can't beat Bonnie's. Ever.

Love Bonnie's. Reasons: has the best dive atmosphere; cool bartenders; cool patrons (99% cool); cold and inexpensive beers and the best dirty martinis. The end.

Capistrano: A region in Italy and the name of a sparrow-like bird. This is an incredibly cheap and chill place to have a beer or mixed drink. They do not however have juice other than orange juice available. Wait, did they have orange juice? The bartenders are very nice and Bonnie is a sweet Italian woman who is even generous enough to make food for her customers on Thursdays I believe. The clientele at Bonnie's has a wide variety of people. You have the regulars who are there to escape their wives after/before dinner, young people from the tattooed to the clean-cut and middle-aged folks who are best friends with the bartenders and pretty much live there. I have been able to go to Bonnie's all on my own and have managed to strike up very indepth conversations with local business owners and music enthusiasts. Bonnie's has a pretty good selection of music available in their jukebox and everything from Cheese-Its to cigarettes in their one vending machine. Ladies, the bathroom is not disgusting and the floors are pretty clean. The glasses hanging above the bar are a little lip-stained when the light hits them, but I guess there has to be something wrong with the place. Oh and you could camp out there almost all day long. The place opens around 10am and goes strong til around 2. This place is definitely a South Philly favorite of mine because everyone, including the mumbling drunks that you come across on the streets of South Philly, to the successful entrepreneur, can be found at Bonnie's Capistrano.

It may come as a surprise, but I love dive bars. Dive bars are a fun, relaxing, no pressure style of binge drinking, which is always a blast. I wanna say I really like Bonnie's but the rude curly red-headed female bartender always kills my vibe so I just leave whenever I see her behind the bar, the guy bartender is always great tho! Also there is some weird girl who doesn't work there but acts like she does? Asking people to keep it quiet due to it being a "neighborhood bar"; give me a break. She also sits by the door asking people to give their ID's so the bartender can check it? Why don't you just let the bartender do their job? Very weird. It's probably the only control she feels in her life and pseudo-power she's ever had, a very lonely life I'm sure. My suggestion: get rid of the weird girl and that rude bartender and this place would be so much better! But who am I to tell you how to run your bar? If this is what you're going for, then I guess you're on the right track.

Its not just a bat its like a public happy place like Cheers lol but seriously its clean fun and happy all wrapped in one

Oh, mercy. This place makes me swoon. This is just the very definition of a perfect Phila old-man dive, and you either appreciate that or you don't. You will get: cheap, cheap booze; crazy old cranks nattering off at the bar; nearly invisible service; excellent bartenders who know their business; and a Platonic example of sheer divery. You will not get: food, pretentiousness, hipsters, music recorded after 1993, or anything else. They have a Ms. Pac-Man cocktail table, and you can smoke here. It is like going into a time machine that is powered by alcohol, and you shouldn't even ask if I mean that as a compliment.

Searching for a friendly spot to enjoy a drink? Look no further. Bonnie's bartenders are both respectful and quick to turnaround your request. Five star south Philly spot.

Philly Magazine only verified what we all knew...Best Dive Bar 2014! Well deserved! Go Bonnie's!

how have i lived in south philly for this long and have only now discovered bonnie's?!?! its THE best little old man south philly bar EVER!! nothing fancy, but so relaxing, easy & CHEAP! $2 pints & $3 whiskey! come on! bonnie is an awesome woman and if she's not behind the bar, some member of her family is and they are all so funny and cool. the place can be a little disarming at first. little bar, heart of south philly, old men sitting at the bar smoking cigars, but then you talk to everyone and start coming regularly and boom! - its like a second home. i really shouldn't be telling anyone about this place so that i can keep it to myself, but i love it so much and you will too! just don't be a pretentious jerk and you'll be fine!

nice little dive bar, if you're in the neighborhood it's a cool hang;-)

Great bar! I love it here , very close to home.. good people .. COLDEST BUDS IN THE CITY!