Stir Lounge

The bar owner is a great wing woman. She introduced me to 3 beautiful ladies and I had a ball! I will definitely come back to this bar when I visit Philly again 💕

Love going to this place! Been going since about 2012. Angela the bartender is absolutely amazing! The atmosphere is fun and laid- back.

Bartender in the back was nice. And so is the security guy and a coat girl. It’s small but was clean. I wish it was bigger. Restrooms need to have one of those occupied locks, sometimes people just yank on it too much. And air fresheners or cleaned every few hours. Maybe will visit on more quiet days.

I moved to Philadelphia slightly over a year ago, and Stir was the first bar I explored due to a manager’s recommendation. This bar is fantastic! So welcoming, well priced, and centrally located. Bartender (Jarrett) is personable, amicable, and definitely will make you a GREAT drink! Recommend this place 100%

🏳️‍🌈 An Unforgettable Night at Stir Lounge! 🍸✨ It’s rare to find a space where you can feel so seen, but at Stir Lounge, I experienced something magical. To be surrounded by people from so many different racial and economic backgrounds, all with the same fire inside—it was freeing. 🔥✨ Together, our individual flames connected, burned brighter, and created an energy I’ve never felt before. ❤️ About Stir Lounge:
Located in Philly’s vibrant Rittenhouse area, Stir Lounge is a cornerstone of the LGBTQ+ nightlife scene. Known for its welcoming vibes, strong drinks 🍹, and a dance floor that always delivers 💃🏽, it’s a space for connection, celebration, and community for all identities.

Stacey and Terry were so great!! Very personable and such a cool place. You have to check out the genital wall. 10/10 😍😍

Wife and I had a blast at Stir. Met Terry and he was an amazing mixologist. Made a fantastic Manhattan and even substituted the bourbon of my choice. Manhattan was perfect. Place was fun with a great diverse crowd. Can’t wait to return. Thanks Stir bar and Terry.

Hi I wanted to come on and say every time I enter Stir, I have a welcomed platform to meet , mingle and drink! I also want to comment on Colleen McNickle's 1 star review below, the specific date she mentioned happened to be my friend's drag event which started at 9 / 9:30p.m. My friend, a woman, was working the ticket table, as the signage was very visible there was a paid event happening in the back bar area (I put it up!) I'm very sorry a strange man turned you away but I assure you that they were not working with the Stir establishment and you might of been talking to a random patron. Come again!

I came on a Friday night...relatively empty..had 2 drinks.. it's a decent upgraded hole in the wall... love the aesthetic, and the entrance right off of Alley, but I got interesting vibes from the bartender(pictured). Can't call it, maybe he was having a rough night. It was a security guard that was very welcoming, talkative and super cool ! I will definitely come back and try it again, but I would like to see the bartender that seems a little more friendly.

We came here for a drink on Sunday night after I read other reviews. We were the only ones in the bar, and the bartender was very sweet and helpful. I just had a white claw but the atmosphere was great.

Stir is a great little hole in the wall located in downtown Philadelphia. Very unassuming, located in an ally this makes me think of what older queer spaces where like. A small hole in the wall that was and is a safe space for those of us that needed it. Stir is not a large space, the first room has a bar located in the center with seating all around. A very short ramp to the backroom has gender neutral washrooms, some more seating and a back bar. The night I was there, it appears to be a chill space to have an intimate conversation with a friend or stranger.

Stir Lounge is a pretty cool lesbian-owned, gay-friendly bar that's super welcoming. I went twice, and my experience was very pleasant. Stacey, the owner, is nice, friendly, and very accommodating. All the bartenders and the coatcheck young lady were all kind as well as helpful too. At the moment, Stir offers Happy Hour every day between 5p-7p with $1 off drinks. Even though they do not currently offer any food, the drinks are good, affordable and have a decent amount of alcohol. I had a few cosmopolitans. The bar is clean and has a really nice vibe if you go solo or with a group of people!

One of my favorite spots to grab a drink, the staff is the best especially Stacy!!!!!

Great atmosphere always have a good time meeting someone new great girl hangout.friendly good time place .

I just want to give a warning to both MALE and FEMALE patrons of this bar. Keep an eye on your drink! I really dont feel like elaborating but I've had 3 suspicious nights at this bar involving my mind state after consuming the beverages. Please be wary I'm talking to YOU!

Love this place. When I first came out it was a chill place to relax. Nice queer dive bar. The drinks were good. I think. I mean I prefer cannabis. But they serve you quickly. Even when it's busy. Out the closet I had my first date here. Would've went better if it wasn't hot af that day cuz my makeup was ruined lol

Stopped in for an after dinner cocktail and Had a pear tini. Wow was that delicious!!! Terry the bartender introduced himself and then remembered me and remembered I was from NJ. So nice to go to a bar and feel welcome and have a delicious drink! 10 out of 10 !!!!

Small but quaint spot in Philly however it took forever to find because Waze had us all over the place. We sat at bar and watched the World Series. We thought they had pool tables or other games but it's a local bar with a bartender. Cute but probably won't go back.

Sunday night. I literally feel like I brought hella boys. Bartender could give no fucks

We really enjoyed the vibe of this place. Our bartenders were friendly, drinks were strong, prices very affordable. Really don't have any complaints. Wonderful neighborhood gay bar that's outside of the main "gayborhood." It would easily be a choice for a nightcap during a future stay in the Rittenhouse Square area.

This place has potential to be a lot of fun on the right night. Semi hidden down a short alley you walk into the square bar area with fun 80s, 90s, and 2000s music playing. The husband and I both had citywides and enjoyed watching the weird but entertaining and captivating (I couldn't look away) slow motion videos on TV. The bartender was great and told us many of those videos were made by other bartenders. He was very friendly and we felt at ease here. A huge but empty dancefloor in the back was waiting for crowds. The crowd didn't show on this night (we were there at 10pm) so we were one and done, but hope to return to this fun spot in the future. We were on a self directed bar hop around the neighborhood and wanted to hit a few more places, or we would have stayed longer to chat and be transfixed by the bar videos.

Be warned! 4 people I know personally at several times have been drugged at this bar. Do not leave anything unattended clearly it's someone who works there. Two woke up in a hospital the next day. Do not recommend this place at all!

Visited Stir for the first game of the World Series. I am having the best time. The bartender is very attentive and makes a perfect vodka and tonic. This is my first time here and I was a little apprehensive about coming but it was perfect. The bouncer was very welcoming. That set the tone for a fantastic experience. I'm new to Philly so this will be my go to in the future. Cheers.

Walked by on Halloween and saw it had just reopened. It was so much fun! Glad Stir is back.

I've been coming to this place for a year now and all you can ask for is, to not have to look at your phone all night, awkward conversation and weird bartenders. EMILIA is amazing and so are all the other bartenders. She makes the perfect cocktail and you should ask for her when you come! However the place is perfectly placed and is an amazing vibe. I work around the corner and I can come here on a Tuesday. This is one of your best bets.

My friends and I came here on a Thursday night so we could participate in their Thirsty Thursday deal. Cover was $5, and well cocktails and beers were $1 until midnight. The drinks are fairly strong too, so if you're looking for your money's worth you'll definitely get it here. Even though it's fairly small, I like the layout. There's a decently lit square bar in the front, and a dance floor with another bar in the back. I would definitely come back here again on a Thursday. How can you resist $1 drinks?

We recently erroneously arrived to an event almost an hour early (thanks Brian T), and we needed to find a place for a cocktail. We were in Rittenhouse but I did not want to sit at some fancy shmancy bar. Yelp steered us to this place although I didn't expect to walk down some weird side street to get there. It is a very small bar but we loved it! Drinks were stiff, yet well made. I am pretty sure I was a little tipsy off of my one drink. My husband and I were laughing a lot at the artsy gay programming and we were having a good time. We didn't stay long but consider a must stop when in the neighborhood next time.

Please Read I am in complete shock...I came to this bar on a Friday night and was kicked out. At 26 years old and living in Philly for 8 years I never even came close to being kicked out of a bar. Me and two guy friends came in to meet up with some friends around midnight and asked for a water!! The bartender refused us a water and said we had enough. I told him I was fine and asked again if I could please have a water. He said no and had a bouncer escort us out. This was all over a 15 minute time span. I will never return to this bar, and this is my only Yelp review I've ever left so please read this.

I love this place, the staff and vibe. One of Philly's hidden gems! Everyone who goes here is down to earth as well. I've been coming here for over a decade. I highly recommend checking Stir out.

This is a really cool bar in a smaller, closed off street. When my friend and I walked here, we thought we were coming through the back entrance. It's a very small space with two small rooms. We came here a bit early, so the second room which is a dance floor, was pretty empty. Paid $10 for a well. Would really like to see this place when people are packing in, but it had a really nice casual feel before 9pm.

Cute little down the alley bar. Stiff drinks and good bartender with 90's videos. We left when they changed to EDM videos. Seems like they have regulars and daily specials. It's away from the other gay bars and right across from Rittenhouse Square. In town for the weekend and this was close to where we were staying.

This is without a doubt one of the best pieces of food I've ever tried! The tilefish was perfect, the corn soup was amazing and dessert was even better. The decor is warm and inviting as well as the wait staff, who provide awesome service. Has to be one the best restaurants in town.

Awesome bartenders every time that we visit. The cosmo cocktails here are delicious but I personally can't stay away from a Moscow Mule, and their's are not watered down. Good prices and one of my favorite stops of the night before hitting the rest of Rittenhouse.

Stir is a hidden gem. It's tucked down an alley, so when you approach you can pretend that you're a spy heading to a clandestine meeting with another secret agent, or sneaking into a top secret fortress. It really is just set up so well! There's a rectangular bar in the middle, around which is plenty of seating and ample space to move behind people even when they're seated without smacking them in the back of the head with your purse, which is pretty important. It's dark so it feels intimate and mysterious, but welcoming at the same time. Then there's another bar in the back that is sometimes open, and a dance floor area. The drinks are strong, the people are friendly, and I highly recommend it!

Stir wins for being my favorite overall bar in Rittenhouse, not to mention my favorite gay bar in all of Philly. The crowd is always relatively mixed, but the gay men typically outdo the everything else category. Men, women, gay, straight, bi...they're all there though, so don't worry. Located in an alley coated with restaurant kitchen grease, you'd probably not expect much, but prepare to be impressed, the interior is swank, clean, and respectable. For those of you on the prowl, who think Woody's/Bump/Pure/Sisters is too obvious, check out Stir. Chances are there's someone there just like you who's classier, more city savvy, and less cheesy than the rest of them. I can't promise you won't find the meth-heads gunning for a hotel room orgy, but I can say that by taking the Stir detour, you're on the road less traveled and Robert Frost would be proud.

Best place in Philly to get a stiff one. Seriously, super strong but well made cocktails, bartenders are efficient, and the happy hour is never usually crowded. a great place to start up an evening out, lubricate the wheels after a long work day. If you are going to let sexual orientation, affect your ability to get a potent drink at a good price in rittenhouse, you better rethink your priorities Son.* *I never use "Son" and promise to not to again, it just seemed appropriate.

A little off-the-beaten-path both for Rittenhouse and for The Gayborhood lies a secret little bar of all things wonderful, it's name is Stir. If you can manage to find it tucked behind the storefronts of Walnut Street and through the back alley of Chancellor you will find a lovely gay bar filled with the strong cocktailed comforts of places like Knock, Woodys, and Tavern but on a far more subdued scale. Sure, the guys are all checking their iPhones feverishly to see who is surfing the Grindr app and sure the bartenders are prettier than even the girliest of girls in the bar, but it is definitely a mixed crowd, not in the least pretentious, and has never managed to feel overcrowded, three qualities hard to find in Rittenhouse. Thursday nights boast a throwback special to the college years with $1 well cocktails from 9-11, worth partaking in once or twice if you want to remind yourself why you now drink top shelf. The music selection was the standard gay bar playlist ranging from old school Whitney and Madge to the Gaga, my only minor complaint was the volume level to patron ratio...too loud to even have a conversation with those within an arms reach. Conveniently located just a hop and a skip from Little Pete's, this is quite possibly the new "closer" in the gay bar hop rotation....check it out, if you can find it.

After reading Stephen H's ROTD for Stir last week, I checked out the other reviews and realized I needed to get in on the action as soon as possible. Little did I know how soon I'd be partaking - just days later I found myself walking down Chancellor with a bevy of yelp buds. For some reason, what I pictured Stir to look like and what it actually looked like were two very different things. I had imagined a wall of dark brick and a long chestnut bar with little space to maneuver. What I got was a square bar in the center of a cozy room, plus another bar with more space in the back, and very tasteful décor all around. Added to that was a 'tender who knew how to make a martini just as well as he made every one of us Stir newbs feel welcome. Thanks to Sue for letting me tickle her pickle. I quite liked it, actually.

If you can brave a swathe of Chancellor Street frequented by the homeless and (worse) Rittenhouse waitstaff , then you should skip over the rats at murky puddles to Stir. Pure Heaven. There's no giggling gaggle of Gays. The drama remains in Hell, where it belongs. The men are a diverse crew and the bartenders are handsome and competent. And the specials makes my cold drunken heart sing. Imagine a very gay troll who found a crack infested cave in Chancellor street. Appalled and itching for a fashionable home, he eats all the maddened crack heads and makes his gay, troll-like grotto. The place is dark and cave-like, yes, but the decor is fun, tasteful and promotes a quiet feel at Stir. And I have never been to a gay bar in Philly where a guy was promoting an event ( poker night) while not using an unctuous, sex-slathered tone that makes him sound lobotomized. This place is highly recommended, if for an alternative to the Gayborhood.

I'm glad I gave Stir another try before reviewing. I first went to Stir on a Saturday night, and I must have been surrounded by a special party, or something, because it seemed to be an establishment geared towards older individuals. My friends and I had a great time, but we left thinking - ok, well, that was fun, but let's not go back for another 25 years or so. In 25 years, it will be just the place. But then I was talking about Stir with a friend and learned that she had a completely different experience. We decided to go back and give it another look. So, it turns out, that Saturday must have been a special night, because when I went back (on a Tuesday) the crowd was much younger. That said, on both occasions I was very pleased by the seemingly even distribution of men and women, a true gay AND lesbian bar, and to see a variety of ages together. Now about the drinks: they're different, which is fun. At happy hour ($2 off!) I tried something called The Sticky Fingers, which tasted like both Christmas and an appletini at the same time so naturally I was pleased. I ended up getting The Sticky Fingers because when I asked the bartender for The Angry Beaver, he told me I wouldn't like it. I asked him why, he said it's nasty and nobody likes it. So I ordered The Sticky Fingers instead. Hmmmm. If no one likes it then why is it on the menu? Lastly, there were some half naked men making out on the big televisions. Lovely really, but did they have to be on both televisions? The other one could have used something for the ladies.

My friend and I wanted to explore the gayborhoods. After an awkward day the night before, we somehow stumbled here. The bartender, Kevin, was awesome! He made us feel completely welcomed. (We are both from Cali and have no idea what goes on around here.) He told us about all the cool places in the area and even gave us a free shot. Nice! Drinks had a decent amount of alcohol, so my friend was very tipsy after one drink. Reasonably priced too. $5 you-call-its. We will definitely wander back here again.

The other night was my first visit to Stir. At first I thought we were being taken to a dark alley to be murdered because of its weird location, but then saw that the place actually exists. It's like some secret, little tiny hole in the wall bar with friendly bartenders and a cool crowd. I never felt intimidated or out of place because I'm straight, and had a great time. At one point, the money my friend and I had put on the bar for drinks disappeared (another friend had moved it over) and the bartender pretty much said don't worry about it. How cool is that? Of course as soon as the money was recovered we paid him and left him a good tip. The drinks are really good; my gin and tonic was dynamite. At the close of the evening, a friend of a friend (who was pretty drunk and will remain nameless) accused me and my friend of taking his money on the bar, and he went so far as to say the "big one" did it, meaning me because I'm taller! I have never been called a "big one" in my life and was shocked, but everyone thought it was hysterical and I later laughed it off too. Not that this has any reflection on Stir, I just thought it was a funny side note. The interior is tight but clean looking and the television switched back and forth between male models on a runway and big bootied women stripping on a pole. So there really is something for everyone!

Had a blast at this bar! Bartender was great! Small intimate bar with a great atmosphere! Wound up singing with everyone in the bar at one point! The jukebox was awesome and the clientele was great! Will definitely be my local when I'm in Philadelphia!!

So. OK. I really wanted to love this place. For one, it's the closest gay establishment to my house. Beyond that, well, there just needed to be more options. But there's just something about it that, I don't know, fucks with my chi? I've been there a few times. It's too bright. When it gets crowded, I hate the set up--there's just no way to not feel like you're in someone's/everyone's way. The decor is really nice, and the bathrooms are cool, and so on. I actually really like the decor. I think it's just too difficult to navigate. There isn't much space to sit comfortably at the front bar with people walking in and out, and sitting at the back bar is just not really possible. The bartenders are nice (HOT) and the music is alright. I don't know. It's just average. If it weren't a gay bar, I'd never go back. And I give them credit for putting so much effort into it. Drinks are average price.

I met a friend out for a drink one night. He wanted to go to some new place that was on the Square. I was like what new place, how come I hadn't heard about it or seen it. Well if I didnt get the directions to this place I wouldnt have happened by it. Walking down the side street behind Rouge (Chancellor St.), and a couple feet down in front of a dumpster is a door on the left that says "Stir." We got to the place and I was like "okay." But when we walked in I was like "okaaaaay." I was quite surprised. The shady looking exterior was transformed into a swank, cool interior. Walking in you are right at the main bar which has plenty of seating and nice, friendly bartenders who are very attentive. Lots of nice art and cool decor. Walking down a ways from the front are the restrooms a small seating area and then another cool bar area surrounded by bench style seating, and some more cool art. I would have preferred that the seating directly in front of the bar were not there since it gets cramped if people are seated there and the bar area is crowded. There is a small dance floor to the left of the bar and the Dj is there as well. This seems to be a cool, place to have a few drinks and hang out with friends, but not a pick up place if thats what you are looking for. The crowd is mixed, gay, straight, bi, what have you. But all are friendly, fun and not as pretentious as some places on the Square. Nice to see some diversity on the Square!

Very misleading. Went for a late evening dinner no food to be found. Just 12 people sitting around the bar.

I really do love Stir. I love that we have a gay bar on this side of Broad street. I love that you can come here any time of the week, any time of the night and it is still...not that crowded. They make a damn good drink here as well and I love that the plasma always has like E! or the Style network on, because there is nothing that I like better than watching John Travolta's True Hollywood Story while getting a little wastys. Also, this place used to be the ugly stepsister of the gay bars in Philadelphia: The Post. And although I was never in the post as a legal adult, this place was crazy. Things found only in dreams happened at The Post. Sometimes at Stir, you can look around the bar and pick out the odd few people that were probably regulars at The Post...but the majority of the cliente are young and kindasorta yuppie. But if you squint your eyes and think thoughts of life before pink martinis inhabited this space, I can still see the leather and chains coming in and out of the bathroom with no abandon. Ahhh, I love Stir. xo

Stir is totally hidden, but AWESOME. I found it on Yelp, and we relocated here after having a great time at a near by bar. I was super excited about it - as I had passed by a number of times and had seen a cool crowd, and heard good music. It is tiny, and hard to find. Additionally, it doesn't look awesome from the outside. Inside, it is TRULY wonderful. Cool loft like space, GREAT drinks, and reasonably priced. Also a really nice bartender was there last night - and I got the impression he was there often. The music is generally good, the space is neat, and the drinks are well priced. What else does one want? I can't wait to go back here on a Thursday - Saturday night. They have a DJ then. Great new bar in the Rittenhouse hood.

I was yelping for a place to easily stumble to and from the hotel I was staying and Stir did not disappoint. After a long week of conferencing I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was 2 buck tuesdays. Seeing that twonie tuesdays (canadiana expression) don't exist anymore in the great white north it was a blast. The drinks were fine and got progressively stronger (or at least I thought they did). I mentioned to the bartender Kevin that I think I saw someone mention his name on here before so here is another shout out!

If you want the best Cosmo in the city come visit Angela and have her make you one !!! My friends and I frequent here and it is always a good time :)

If the show Cheers had a gay version this would be it. Bartenders are friendly and a diverse group of patrons feels welcoming. Be warned the cocktails are delicious so pace yourself.

As I recall, I had a little bit of difficultly finding this place as the entrance seems like it's in an alleyway. The lounge had two different bars, my friends and I chose the less crowded one in the back. Our bartender was friendly and helpful and made us OUTRAGEOUSLY STRONG drinks. Coke and rum, 80% rum, 10% ice, 10% coke. Our margaritas were even stronger. We had planned on bar hoping, but stuck around for another drink our two because of the strong drinks and cold wind outside. I'd recommend Stir for the drinks and the abundance of fairly cozy seating.

This great little bar was located literally right around the corner from the hotel that we stayed in. We started off here just for a few drinks. Immediately walking in, you see the round seated bar and a quiet room in the back which we didn't explore. We sat down and were promptly greeted by the bartender. The bartender was super nice and welcoming. There are 2 flat screen televisions, one on each side featuring contemporary music videos. Between the 4 of us, we ordered a house special cocktail, vodka and cranberry, gin and tonic and a beer. The cocktails were no joke. They ran about $7-12 but were basically all liquor. They were super strong. This bartender rocked. I wish we had gotten his name, but he was super nice and just really accommodating. That's hard to find in most bars really. They are usually overwhelmed and a pain to get attention from. We stayed for a bit, but only had one cocktail before heading on to our other spots. We made a couple new local friends at the bar and really enjoyed being here. The vibe is nice and the bar is laid back.

This is my private, salacious, jewel of a bar.(well, maybe not super private, after the rave reviews) I come here after my work usually. I meet some collegues, old/new friends, and sometimes my hubby here. After a long, productive day of doin hair, I sometimes like to just blend in (difficult I know) throw a few back, and act the fool. Well, at Stir, Rhino and Angela make no qualms about servin up the perfect drinks. You never sit with an empty glass, feel neglected or have to ask for anything twice. The atmosphere is mostly loud and gleeful!! You can also watch the world news, or the Phils, while decompressing from a long day. Also, they give you a nice little glass of a wasabi nut mix, which often serves as my dinner, bc I went the liquid route.....The final bill, pretty great, especially for Rittenhouse....Did I mention I love it here??

Thirsty Thursdays for $1 drinks ($5 cover). Friendly bartenders. Good crowd. Just wish there was a slightly bigger dance floor. Yet I love that it is small enough to feel intimate like your good old neighborhood gay dive. Highly recommended. I preferred Stir even before Sisters closed. Now if only one didn't have to walk by two parking garages and a dumpster to get there...

Really nice, small bar. Divey feel, but still very nicely decorated and a big enough space to have two bars and a karaoke/dance area. The drinks were cheap and very strong, and the bartender was very nice and friendly with absolutely everyone who walked in. Even when I was making a fool of myself and knocked over a completely full drink she'd just placed in front of me, she was super nice and refilled it. It wasn't all that full on a Friday around 10/10:30, but I imagine it fills up a little later.

After reading the reviews on Yelp!, I decided to check out Stir last Saturday with some friends. And yes, it's true- the alleyway looks deceptively sketchy. My friends questioned, "Where are you taking us?!" as we passed by abandoned buildings and dumpsters. We eventually found Stir's plain, unobtrusive green door, however, and entered its secret world-- a chic bar with lots of young people. Jackpot! For the first time in my adventuring through the gayborhood, I'd found a classy, chill bar with people under the age of 35, of varied genders and orientations, all hanging out. I really liked the pop music playing in the background, giving a dose of energy to the otherwise chill scene. The bonus of a dance floor in one of the rooms, too, (with a DJ who listens to requests) gave people the opportunity to dance if they wanted to. In both of the two rooms with bars, however, there was lots of chatting and general hanging out. The only thing I found sort of strange was the medieval battle movie playing on the tv above the bar. Oh, and the drinks were great. The names are hilarious, but even better is the delicate fusion of tastes with each creative combination. The bartender was really nice and attentive, too. I am definitely coming back soon.