R&D Cocktail Bar

"Aaron Deary — who is also behind the drinks list at Suraya — runs the show at R&D Cocktail Bar, with excellent drinks specialist Resa Mueller behind the bar. Featuring a mid-century aesthetic and small bites on the food menu, the moody bar has a cocktail list that changes regularly, with themes like 1950s and tiki." - Ernest Owens

"This place used to be a full restaurant with brunch and dinner service called Root, but then it closed down, brainstormed a bit, and decided to reopen as R&D doing solely what they did best the first time - cocktails. It’s much better this way, and after a heavy pasta meal surrounded by people whose ancestors have lived in Philly since the Revolutionary War, sitting at a dark two-top here with a couple of good (if a bit expensive) cocktails is the way you want to end your night." - sydney mcelwee

"The cocktail list at R&D in Fishtown rotates based on the season, with warming beverages in the winter and more fruity offerings in the summer. No matter when you go, you’ll always have something nice to drink, including all the classics. Snacks are available, too." - Ernest Owens, Eater Staff

"Fishtown’s R&D cocktail bar is a great place to pass the time while you’re waiting to get into Beddia and Kalaya, or if you just want to unload your story about your crazy ex over a crème brûlée and black cherry vodka drink. Outside of the rotating specialty cocktails, we’ve seen bartenders make up ramp-infused gin concoctions on the spot when a guest said they wanted something savory. They also have a small beer list with drafts from local breweries and bar snacks like silky hummus from Suraya. It’s a dark, mid-century modern space filled with two-tops, candles, and a lot of velvet—making it one of the better places to find the next special person in your life, who will hopefully be closer to sane. " - candis mclean

"There’s a lot of tropical drinks out there, but this one is a superstar. Made with blanco tequila, grapefruit, poblano, 5 spice, Thai basil, lime, and coconut milk — it’s undeniably paradise in a glass and a testament to the consistent hit-making cocktails only R&D can produce." - Ernest Owens