Joe Z.
Yelp
Reading is currently ranked fifth on the country's most dangerous mid-sized cities list (yes, it's that bad- Camden and Compton are #1 and #3). Supposedly, the police won't ticket you for running red lights and stop signs late at night, because if you stop, there's a fairly likely chance of getting carjacked.
Reading totally sucks. However, the Taproom is awesome. You're too scared to ever even think about going there now, but you'll be missing out. Several awesome taps and bottles, regularly rotated, and a great clientele. I have no idea where these people come from, but they certainly don't live in the city limits. (Ok, there is an exception. The locals do stop by now and then to buy cheap 40s. I assume the 40s were added to the otherwise high-end beer fridge as some sort of truce, in order to prevent the other customers from being murdered)
The Taproom is a holdover from when Reading didn't suck. The bartender is almost always the same, and his dog walks around the bar saying hello to everyone. All regulars are super friendly and easy to hang out with. Beertraveler rated this one of the top 5 "neighborhood bars" in the country. Go here. But consider bringing a gat.