It took us some time, but we made it to our neighborhood bar. It's literally two blocks away and it took the pilot episode of Breaking Bad to get me out of the door. That show gives me the heebs. It's too real man. Like, crap! That could happen to me. I could have lung cancer and say "Screw it! I'm making some serious cash fast!" and it would be just like me to accidentally kill somebody with science. Hit too close to home.
I digress. Truth is I've been to North Star Bar for a band once SIX YEARS AGO. Sea something. ... Crap. It'll come to me. Anyway, the venue itself was surprisingly big but small. I know that sounds not helpful, but it looks teeny tiny from the outside, but then you go to the back/side where the bands play and you're like "hmmm. this is alright! commence happiness!"
Anyway I came here the other day, the bartender was nice, the beer selection was interesting, and the crowd was weird. A mix of people which was baffling and then realized it had to do with what band was playing at the time. (i.e. their parents came to watch them). There was only one working bathroom which sucks, but I would come here again on a rando night and just get a couple of beers which were mostly in the nice $5 range and chill out. They had a TV playing that White Castle movie. Ok.
Nothing exciting, but nothing terrible. A fun place though for a random week night. It's the kind of place where you'd get to know your bartender well and next time you see him you'd say "hey Joe! So what happened? Did you get your dog that medicine or did you try that herbal remedy instead?" because you knew him THAT well. Love it.
Sea Wolf. The band was Sea Wolf. Thanks google for coming up with it.
This review is only for the bar- I've never been here for a show.
The beer is good here and reasonably priced. The veggie burger is the bomb, and I once had some okay mussels. The vibe is sometimes weird at night but also very friendly. No complaints, but also nothing to write home about.
I really like the spaces for live music at the North Star Bar. The Victorian room and the main stage are both really great spaces with a lot of space for a lot of people to come. However, they have got to do something about their bar. The drafts are putrid. I ordered a Yards Brawler and it was almost black in color. But I decided to be nice and deal since the surly bartender already gave my husband the stink eye for sending back his Kenzinger for the exact same reason. He swapped his out for a canned beer, choosing not to gamble on any more of the drafts. I accidentally spilled my beer (really, it was an accident- but also a blessing in disguise since i asked for a canned beer to replace it). The canned beer was $2 less than my draft, and even though the bartender saw me spill it, and we were the only ones at the bar, she still had me pay for the new beer. When I was a bartender, in that situation, I would have just given the patron a beer, and not charged. Accidents happen. I even tipped her an extra dollar for having to clean up my mess. That was the last beer for me that night. I will be back to support the bands they bring in, but I will only buy the canned beers.
Review Source:Great food! I am a huge fan of the mac and cheese and their burgers. The food specials always look super yummy and they have good deals for happy hour (5-7pm). The wait staff is super friendly and on point--I didnt have to ask for napkins or refills. Their draft list is impressive and you can carry out 6 packs. Havent been here for a show yet, but am looking forward to doing so in the future. Oh, and they have a (smallish) parking lot! Sweet! My only gripe is that there were no paper towels/hand dryers in the bathroom, leaving me to use toilet paper....we all know how that goes.
Review Source:Good happy hour special ($3 all beer), but opening at five and not for lunch is unusual for a neighborhood staple (at least Era opens at 4!).
The taplist is good, and the food more than passable, but the vibe of this place is just a bit too "icky" for me. Are the lines dirty here? Yuck! My Hell or High Watermelon tasted a little stale.
And can get stop having minimums on cards? This is the 21st Century, people.
Absolutely in love with their Apple & Brie sandwhich. Â I ate this and almost melted in my seat.... Â Granny smith apples covered in baked brie, atop an olive oil and ginger aioli, on a toasted baguette. Â Mezmorizing, I was so impressed. Â There were plenty of apples and oozy cheese with sweet aioli on it, perfect-o.
As for atmosphere, its divey, but I like that. Â The beer selection was sub-par when I was there, but I know they rotate beers and have a changing selection, so I probably just picked an off-night for my particular taste of beer. Â Service was great, they seem to be friendly, but really busy during live-music show nights.
I'll come back just for that apple & brie sandwhich! Â Well done chef.
So I recently moved to Philadelphia from San Francisco and have yet to do my share of exploring around the city. I went to North Star to meet up with some friends, and I am happy to say it was the first bar in the Fairmount neighborhood I have tried out. The place seemed like a total locals bar. It was much bigger than it appeared from the outside and apparently had a music venue inside as well. I didn't get to stay for long and only had one drink. As most bars do, this one had a minimum $15 credit charge. Since I only had one drink, the very considerate bartender (Kate was her name I think) let me pay with my credit card w/0 making a big deal.
Great service and good atmosphere, I will definitely return!
The first time I came to the North Star Bar, I swore I would never come back. Â Two years later, my friends are performing there at a relatively high-profile show. Â So here I am. Â
My experience has changed a lot since those two years have passed. Â Originally, my friends and I thought the people at the North Star Bar were rude and unpleasant. Â The show was excessively loud. Â They had issues with us promoting our group at the show, even though we brought a lot of people and drummed up a lot of hype for the band (Anamanaguchi, both shows). Â They were charging people double or triple for re-entry (People were taking smoke breaks, trying to get away from the heat and noise and then finding they weren't allowed back in). Â
Overall, this time, the staff was wonderful, even gracious toward us. Â 8Static had table space and could promote freely, we also helped run parts of the event, so there is that. Â NSB still didn't allow re-entry, which is horrible for a sold out show, and it got sweaty and nasty for a while. Â But the ticketing situation would have made it impossible for them to keep track of re-entry this time as well so in their defense they did what they could. Â It would be nice for them to find a solution to that. Â
I did not grab food there, either time. Â But a lot of us did grab drinks and everything was hunky dory. Â They put up with us a lot later than they had to after the show while we tried to figure out ride arrangements. Â It was great. Â Based on this experience, I would happily come back, and even recommend it.
Went back a second time last week and had an even better time than the first (perhaps because I knew what I was getting into). Â Spent way more time at the bar, and realized exactly how kick-ass their beer selection is. Â I ordered 20 of their wings at happy hour, and they were BANGIN', yo!
The sound was a bit better this time, not quite as loud, and I could hear the instruments better. Â Perhaps it's hit-or-miss in that place, which I guess is par for any venue.
Got another way-friendly waitress this time, and the bartenders were courteous and friendly.
I'll be back!
Great, intimate venue for rock shows. Their daily happy hour rules. Half off drafts and the $5 mussels from 5-7 are tough to beat. The service blows sometimes, but it hasn't kept me from coming back almost weekly. The one waitress cards us and introduces the specials as if she's never seen us before every single time we go. Â Maybe we're just forgettable like Ann from Arrested Development? Â Doubt it.
I tried the North Star Burger here once and it was really quite mediocre. Overcooked and flavorless. Â The hummus leaves much to be desired as well. Â For me, it'll be happy hour beer, mussels, and hot wings exclusively from now on.
Oh, and rock & roll, too.
---------
Update: Â They changed their happy hour price to $3 drafts across the board instead of half off. Â Still a great deal considering the great crafts they have on tap.
Also of note: Â they accept credit cards but have a $15 minimum.
I dont think I have been here in a decade or so, crist Im old. . Â but I dont think this place has changed in that entire span of time.
Gritty, divey and a place where I question the cleanliness of the beer-tap system, but a fun place to see a live band. Â Seriously, I personally, would stick to bottled beer. Â Thats just me though, Im a little gun shy when it comes to tap systems.
Saw a band here recently with a friend. Â Fun times were had, as this is a great place to see a band with a small crowd. Â Decent beer selection and prices weren't bad. Â I know they serve food, but we did not partake. Â
As an added bonus, I am 30+++ and they carded me! Â There's a star in there just for that!
North Star is a neighborhood icon. Â I started going there 20 years ago when I first got married and we lived in the city a couple blocks away.
The food is Ok, Â the drinks are reasonable and the live music is usually good.
It is a younger feel and is kind of a dive but if your looking to hang out at a landmark then you could do worse.
I'm quickly learning that there's a couple of these bars in every neighborhood in Philly, and as usual, the North Star did not disappoint. Â The happy hour here is incredible, plus there's other drink specials that change daily. Â They have above average wings, which taste even better at $.50 a piece, and the red mussels with harissa were probably the best I've had. Â The hummus here was just ok, which is why this doesn't hit five stars.
Some might be a little turned off by the divey nature of this place, but as the night wore on, I was surprised by how pleasant the staff and clientele were. Â I get cravings for wings and mussels often, so we'll be back.
To begin, I've been to North Star for happy hour before and had a good experience. Â This review is predominantly for the bar as a concert venue. Â
I went with a group of friends to see a pretty well-known band for a pretty reasonable price, so I was pumped about the show. Â The bad experience began right off the bat. Â None of our seven tickets scanned properly by the guy at the door. Â He proclaimed that it was "impossible" for the ticket scanner to malfunction, implying that we were trying to sneak into the show. Â We had to wait outside for about twenty minutes for manager to arrive, only to hear that we were fine to enter the show. Â No apology or anything for the accusations. Â After we got in, we realized we couldn't buy alcohol in the concert section - maybe because it was an all-ages show? Â
Either way, that was a bummer following our twenty minutes of waiting outside. Â As for the actual show, the main room consists of a main floor and a balcony. Â The balcony is quite large, but you can't actually see anything at all unless you are hanging over the edge of the rail...meaning that most of the balcony was wasted space. Â From the bottom level, it was also really difficult to see because the wasted balcony space created a really low ceiling, really limiting the view if you were standing more than about 80 feet back from the stage. Â I love standing room only, small venues because of the intimacy that type of environment creates, but the layout at North Star was really just more frustrating since it was so difficult to actually see anything.
Overall, the band was good and the price was reasonable. Â However, I wouldn't go back because of the layout and negative customer service experience.
I'd say the description of "gourmet dive" that has appeared multiple times on these reviews is largely an accurate term. What better way to spend an evening than with some bands you already know/some bands you haven't heard of, and some excellent brews. I'll bet you didn't know that the chefs here make ALL their sauces homemade (e.g. teriyaki and hot wing sauces, bleu cheese, garlic aoili, and more). Limited entree options for vegans however the kitchen will work with you if you want the black bean burger on a bed of lettuce, for example.
Other information you may not know:
- 50 cent wings at happy hour (5-7pm)
- half priced drafts at happy hour 7 days a week, bro
- no cover for the bar, and many shows have tickets available at the door
- daily $4 drink special 9-11pm bartender's choice
- free street parking, plus a small lot
- tv's in bar and projection screen in dining room showing local sports games
The next time you are thinking "what should I do tonight, I don't like the same old bar scene" pop on over and check out a show.
The most impressive thing about this "gourmet dive" bar and music room is the caliber of acts it manages to attract to its fairly small stage. Â Some pretty big or buzzy names play here (Wino, J. Mascis, Watt), albeit sometimes with a lineup or experimental project that's not the big concert draw for the particular act (but if you're a fan you don't care, of course). Â The ticket prices aren't bad, the sound is OK and the bar is decent enough that if you're a bit of a beer geek like me you can find something ok to drink, although the selection doesn't knock my socks off. Â
They also serve food but to be honest, unless I needed a bite before the show or cheese fries during, I probably wouldn't drive all the way into this neighborhood just to eat. Â The block the North Star is on is OK (and appears to have gotten better over the last few years), but there are still plenty of shady looking blocks around, and given that the North Star parking lot is small and often gets full, finding parking on the very narrow parked-up surrounding streets can be difficult. Â There are lots of good places to chow down that are easier to access. Â And the food itself, while again, decent, isn't showstopping - it's just bar food, kind of gussied up. Â Probably meant to attract neighborhood habitues who like to eat.
Sound for the gigs is OK and I like to watch from up in the balcony where there are also bathrooms, but one thing that's conspicuously lacking is any kind of seating up there, such as couches and chairs.  At most little clubs, the balcony area, particularly the part that you can't see the stage from, is often turned into a cozy lounge, a la the TLA and the Note.  North Star's balcony is dead empty, doesn't even have a table and chairs, and thus wastes space since no one is going to stand in an area where they can't see the band playing.  There are tables and chairs  - the hard, uncomfortable, sit and drink your beer variety - in the downstairs part of the club, but some loungey couches or armchairs upstairs would be pretty easy and make it a lot nicer to hang out.
One of the better venues in this town for seeing smaller acts. Â I never had a chance to try their food, but they have a good variety of brews on tap that are tasty for your tongue and wallet.
My brother is kind of a rockstar (there is one in every family) and when he plays North Star, he always sounds better. Â Maybe it is the guy working the board or their set up, but either way, it makes for an awesome show.
Um, yeah.
Here are some turn-offs for me:
1. An overpriced menu.
2. A room so dark you can't see the plate and so loud you can't hear across the table.
3. Getting my food about forty-five minutes later, nearly cold.
The ~super artsy~ pornography in the next room over just really made it for me. Â OH MY GOD NAKED WOMEN HOW EDGY NORTH STAR SHIT. Â I HAVE NEVER SEEN GROTESQUE NAKED WOMEN BEFORE.
Why have I not try this place until now. It's more of a dive bar feel with gourmet food. Â A couple of friends referred this place and I was sold when they said food is really good. I went and I got carded. The bouncer not only carded me but asked if anyone in the bar could vouch for me. I was like this is crazy. I am 34 and look no where under 21. His announcement was funny. I walked back to my business and grabbed my I'd. Went back because I had a couple of clients waiting for me there. I sit. Ordered drinks. And ordered the chicken baguette sandwich w/fries. This sandwich looked ordinary. But boy was I wrong. It was amazingly good. I shared this sandwich and wish I never did. I wanted to the whole sandwich after the first bite. The fries are fresh cut fries not the frozen stuff. I couldn't believe how wonderful the food was. A couple of days later I ordered the food to go. I got the same sandwich, Mac and cheese and fish and chip. So, so good!
Everyone should try this local gem but be sure to bring ID. They take carding to the next level. They also have a side parking lot. That was a plus. But I walk because it is around the corner from my business.
Decent food, good selection of draughts, terrible event management, bearable acoustics, friendly people, and overall a decent place to settle in for a mediocre night.
If you're thinking of playing here, I've had only terrible experiences. The last time I played here, we had to leave for a friend's surprise birthday party at midnight the night of our show. We asked the door man if there was any pay for the event, and he said that we would have to wait for the end of the show in order to sign a contract to be paid. Not trying to do that, we asked how much it would be, and the door man 'estimated' about 5-10 dollars for the entire band.
Now, in my experience, the person working at the door has only one job: to know how much money is coming in. Later in the evening, we received a text from one of the other bands letting us know that we had actually earned $60. This would have been a nice addition to our recording fund and worth waiting another hour. We played for their venue, we brought them beer-loving customers, and we spent money at the bar for drinks; yet, they did not even have the courtesy to give us to money that we earned. I don't play for an extremely popular band, but we are very closely connected with the following that we have. They've lost both an act and a friendly customer base due to this underhandedness.
A dark, inviting live music bar in a mildly sketchy neighborhood. The tap list always has something I want to drink, the few times I've eaten the food it was surprisingly good. The best part of this bar is the customers. I've had a lot of nice interactions with friendly people inside this bar.
If you're the type of guy who goes to a bar with a stage out of sheer curiosity and desire for adventure, Â the seemingly schizophrenic booking that happens here could be right up your alley. Many times, I've seen three or four bands take turns on this stage during an evening who had only one thing in common musically, which was that they were all performing artists. You never really know what your're going to get if you don't already know what you're getting into. Sometimes that is exactly what you want, and North Star is your bar.
Ok sooo I'm torn.
I had a banging time at Northstar last night at the Mimosa show as I whipped unsuspecting glow stick wielding 22 yr olds in the face with my sweat drenched hair (que Willow Smith). But I can't say my good time was due to Northstar's menu (though I do thank them for booking an awesome show).
BUUTTTTT... the food. Dude. Come. On.
I had the Chorizo flatbread, well I mean I took a few bites. Putting 7 slices of spicy Jimmy Dean sausage on a piece of dough with a few red onions and no sauce ain't a Chorizo flatbread nah mean?
So then I had a mad case of food envy and starting picking at a friend's mac and cheese. Hey so uh last time I checked there are two main ingredients in mac and cheese; macaroni noodles and cheese. Well, one ingredient was missing, cheese. None. It tasted like oily butter noodles that you serve a 4 yr old picky eater. I need to start keeping the Kraft orange cheese powder packets in my purse for such occasions. Not impressed.
At that point I felt like a mooching ass Goldilocks.... I had to try baby bear's hot wings. "Juuuuusssstttt right". Kudos.
So all in all, I did have a great time at Northstar despite a few subpar entrees. I'll be back I'm sure but will definitely order something else.
(I swear this is a completely un-biased opinion of North Star Bar.)
I've been going to this place for quite awhile. Even since before I became a lush in my hey day. They still offer all ages shows and it's a great place to see your friends' bands play. On occasion, you'll catch a fairly big-named band that you least expect to play a venue like the North Star.
Great beer selection and I hear their happy hour is pretty effing sweet.
Oh, and their one barback is pretty damn cute if you ask me. Maybe next time I'll get him to swoon over me and eventually get him to marry me. Oh wait... that already happened. So stay away, ladies. I'll fight ya.
(I told you this opinion was completely un-biased.)
(I also lied.)
PS - Tip your bartenders!
The first time I visited the North Star was about a month before I moved to town, sometime over the course of the weekend that I decided I was going to move to town. On a brisk October night, my special friend took me to North Star. Halloween was playing on IFC on the TV above the bar. It was then that I knew one thing: I need to get cable asap so I can watch IFC.
I had food at North Star for the first time over the weekend after being curious about their menu for a long time. I had a veggie burger - simple, your standard .5" thick patty (I'm guessing not freshly prepared), but with pleasantries like guacomole, cheddar and a ciabatta roll. I wasn't expecting much but it was pretty delicious and no-frills. Would a side of fries been too much to ask? Probably not, but, as veggie burgers go, it was decent.
The service leaves a little something to be desired but no major issues there, the music venue is bigger than you'd expect, and the new upstairs looks great and surprisingly fancy, but is probably only put to use when the downstairs is overflowing and busy. The North Star is the closest bar to my apartment (unless you count the weird pub at the corner of 24th & Brown), which earns bonus points, the food is good, and the crowd and atmosphere are agreeable. I reccomend.
The craft beer selection is a perfect fit for this hipster dive bar meets underground music venue. Â I've had the opportunity to see some of the best performances from some of my favorite bands here.
It's small enough to provide some of the most intimate performances yet large enough to carry the sound. Â I honestly can't think of a better venue I would want to see a band. Â My hat is off to you North Star. Â Keep on rockin!
I haven't had any food here (yet), but the specials sound great. Â The bar service was wonderful... the entire staff is really friendly. Â I admit, one night I had one too many shots of Tequila... and the next time I was there, they just laughed it off and pointed out that I at least had a good time!
Also, you can't beat the fact that you can see live bands in the back, and happy hour prices are awesome(1/2 price drafts).
Went here to see a couple local bands last week. Â The staff was very friendly, but quite lazy. Â The sound guy was texting or something on his phone rather than doing sound stuff. Â The bar tender in the room with the performing was reading a magazine. Â It was a Tuesday or something and they weren't very busy, so that could have been part of it.
We tried some food, which was pretty good. Â My friend ordered the veggie burger, which was supposed to have guacamole on it. Â When she received it, however there was not. Â She asked the waitress to bring some on the side, but the waitress said they were out. Â That was disappointing and she could have mentioned it when we ordered. Â Also, drinks were a bit pricey. Â A lager and a rum and coke was $11.
The place was pretty clean, which is always a plus. Â The space was much bigger than I expected. Â It is separated into three sections: a bar area, tables and juke box kind of area, and a larger room with a stage and second bar. Â They also have a small parking lot. Â All and all it was pretty good. Â It is definitely worth another shot.
I recently made the trek up the parkway to the Art Museum neighborhood with a buddy of mine from out of town to see a show at the North Star Bar. After what turned out to be a longer than expected hike, we finally arrived about an hour before the show was scheduled to begin. We were there for an evening of progressive rock featuring Echolyn and The Syn.
There are actually two bars, on one side, the North Star bar is more or less a dive bar, but with a slight hipster look and feel and a really good beer selection. There are tables in the back, and I guess you can order food. We however bypassed this option and went straight for the bar. The brew selection consists of a small but elite collection of microbrews, and the prices are reasonable.
The other bar was for the concert venue. It's not a huge space, perhaps holding a couple hundred people, On one side, there's the stage, the other the bar, and there's even a second floor with a balcony. There are bathrooms upstairs and downstairs, and though they look kind of dirty, they weren't too bad. They actually had a pretty good audio setup, as there was good acoustics, good equipment, and not much distortion(the sound guy actually knew what he was doing). Both bands were good but both started late.
To get into the concert, you have to pay a cover charge. Through their website, you may buy "tickets" in advance. However, upon arriving I realized this was pointless. They don't really have a box office or anything like that. When we got there, at about five minutes after the show was scheduled to start(but a half hour before it actually did) a woman came around and asked if I had paid in advance. I said yes and pointed to my name on the list on her clipboard, and she stamped my hand. That's will call at the North Star Bar for you.
Overall the North Star Bar gets a thumbs up from me. Unfortunately, since it's so far away from, well, everything, I don't know if I'll be back anytime soon.
Last time I was here was to see The Bird and The Bee (best duo ever). In the past, I've never been able to enjoy a show here because I've been towards the back of the room or someone's spilled an entire beer on me or I lost a shoe. So there I was, woe-is-me-style when I saw TBATB was playing at North Star. "I'm never going to enjoy it," thought I to myself. Either succumb to defeat or devise a plan. I felt like a champion on that particular day, so I went with the latter.
I got to the show early. Well, early enough. My friends and I squeezed our way towards the front and had an awesome time. Inara George (lead singer of TBATB) is mesmerizing. If you have a chance to see her, please go. So, what have we learned? If you really care about the performer, get to shows early so you have a good view. Sure, this goes for any venue, but North Star is a stand out in the awkward room category. If you can work out the early arrival, you're in for a treat.
Ode to North Star Bar- A Haiku
Good time drinking, bar
tender cool J F A tat
food OK stage super small
Pros- I liked this place a lot. I liked that it was off the beaten path and I even like it's tiny stage. I think the PBR tallboys were cheap (I think, I really don't remember...it's ok I took a cab people) . Staff were cool and even friendly, enjoyed chatting with everyone.
Cons- Parking, although I sneaked into a rock-star spot I could tell I lucked out. The menu looks great and after being underwhelmed by my chicken sandwich, I believe a bit ambitious.
It's a nice big space but it's not my favorite venue to see bands play. The last notable show I saw here was what may turn out to be Guitar Wolf's last show in Philadelphia. This was probably 4 years ago, though. My issue with the show was how the sound didn't have that awesome garage rock loudness that Khyber does so well. Yes, it's because Khyber is a smaller venue, but for a band like Guitar Wolf, who once touted an album as loudest one ever (possibly as a joke, but still), this turned out to be a disappointment for me. I probably shouldn't blame NSB for this since there may be other factors and in the 4 years past, the venue may have gotten better.
When I didn't drive, I took a cab here. That seemed to be the easiest way. Driving, I was able to find parking in the neighborhood. There seems to be a parking lot near the bar, but I don't know much about it.
My favorite bar to see a show. Â Good selection of beer on tap.
Showroom is separate from the bar/dining area, which has a pool table. If I were putting together a list of Philadelphia dives, the place would get an 8 out of 10, not that it's dirty or anything, it just has the feel.
A small stage, maybe 20 feet wide. A dance floor recessed a few steps below the regular floor of the room. A bar in the back for the 21+ shows and a balcony and bathrooms upstairs.
Saw Yeah Yeah Yeahs here right around the time they put out Fever to Tell. Street Dogs, the Matches, Youth Brigade/Swingin' Utters were some other good ones.
Great joint, only eclipsed by The Khyber as far as the best dive to see a band in the city (though the NSB has closed the gap a bit).
The goods...better than average bar food, more than one bar (though both can be tough to navigate when it gets crowded), pool tables (same negative when crowded), and the upstairs view to see a band can be really cool (though if you aren't up front upstairs, you are SOL as far as seeing anything). Sound is like every other place...sometimes good, sometimes not.
The bads...neighborhood used to be a dump, but it was getting better...parking can be tough, always felt more crowded than it really was. Still, I saw some fantastic shows here, and the negatives can't rightfully be applied to the venue itself. On my "win" list, for sure.
The North Star Bar was a really interesting experience. To be fair, I went to see Uh-Huh-Her there and the place was covered in lesbians, so we may not have been the regular clientele. I really liked the room that the concert was actually in--it was spacious and really nice for shows. The back bar was a good addition too. I also appreciated the beer list, which was extensive.
I did not like that everyone has to wait in the much smaller main bar before the show and that the show started incredibly late (apparently this is a chronic condition for the North Star). So....I think it'd be fun to hang out it, but I'm not sure that I'll go to another show there.
I'm going to break my own rule and review a live music venue based on one night of music
Pros (+4)
* Great selection of beer & great prices
* Cool 'pit' area in front of the stage
* Cool bar where you can hear the music and not pay a cover
* Cool upstairs where you can look down on the band
Cons (-1)
* When you think there are 2 bands and a 9:00 show time and you show up around 9:30 figuring the opening band will start a little late and the opening band actually comes on at 10:00 (so bad that the guy behind me asked if the music would get better... as he was ready to chew his own face off), followed by an unannounced band that plays a 45 minute set, followed by the headliners coming on at midnight to a crowd that dwindled signficantly due to the earlier bands.
Will I go back - of course. Â Will I show up much later - hell yeah.
Unlike everyone else, I go to North Star just to hang out. Â I've never made my way into the part with the stage, honestly, simply because I prefer to be near the bar. Â BUT I do know that they have some pretty awesome acts all the time ranging from teeny weeny to pretty darn large.
I eat here. Â I think this place has some of the best food in the area and, as Bill M. mentioned, an exceptional beer menu that's very reasonably priced. Â Burgers, chicken sandwiches, veggie versions of their food are what I eat and recommend. Â They have some pretty bangin' fries, too.
Oh! Â And the bartenders are always really cool, too. Â I've never had a problem getting a drink or getting attitude or any bar BS. Â
Just an FYI: Â If you have Philly Car Share and drive up there they have a PCS parking spot in their lot, too. Â (Lot is little, park on street.)
North Star can definitely be a fun place for shows. The stage is also one of my personal favorites for when it comes to getting good photographs of bands. And I love it for the variety of shows too. You can see plenty of great local acts, as well as fun national acts like Pretty Girls Make Graves. They also have the occasional all ages show.
North Star also has the best selection of beers when it comes down to Philly Concert Halls (Johnny Brenda's come pretty close though).
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Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
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