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vodkaismywater t1_je1jvtr wrote

The Upstairs Bar was such a loss, best tiki bar in the mid Atlantic šŸ˜„

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fightinforphilly t1_je2g4wj wrote

FYI Upstairs Tiki is back in limited capacity!!! Every Tuesday for the last few weeks theyā€™ve been taking over Franklin Mortgage. Theyā€™ve hinted at coming back fully, but no news on that yet

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vodkaismywater t1_je2m4yo wrote

WHAT!?

Thanks for the heads up. It was my favorite bar along with fiume pre-covid.

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fightinforphilly t1_je2mvem wrote

Happy to help! I was just there a couple weeks back. Fair warning, the zombie is strong, but delicious.

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vodkaismywater t1_je2q7aq wrote

I believe it. I used to get accidentally toasted there all the time. Those drinks are just so good and don't seem boozy šŸ„“

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sheds_and_shelters t1_je1sa9g wrote

The place above Abyssinia? Not sure if itā€™s changed significantly as I only went there for the first time a few weeks back, but itā€™s still in operation and delightful.

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jbphilly t1_je1u4lv wrote

No, that's Fiume, it's a great bar but isn't and never was a tiki bar.

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sheds_and_shelters t1_je1ui2w wrote

Ah my mistake, thanks ā€” I saw that it was just called ā€œUpstairsā€ now so I wasnā€™t sure if thatā€™s what they were talking about.

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jbphilly t1_je1xm1d wrote

They're using "Upstairs at Abyssinia" as their social media now because the original manager wasn't part of the reopening, and took all the Fiume social media with him. But I and everyone I know are still calling it Fiume.

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CVM525 OP t1_je23dki wrote

Fiume is no longer? I had some great nights in there.

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jbphilly t1_je2mius wrote

No, it's still there. There's just confusion about the name and it was closed for two years starting March 2020.

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ThatsNotFennel t1_je1yxkg wrote

Yeah, it was also the only real tiki bar in the Philly area. The cocktail scene in Philly is pretty rough considering the size of the city.

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ebbycalvinlaloosh t1_je267p2 wrote

Phila. Distilling, R&D, FriSatSun, Vernick have some of the finest and most creative cocktail programs on the East Coast. Also notable. LMNO, Suraya, Condesa, Irwinā€™s.

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Zfusco t1_je2hmfh wrote

Charlie was a sinner is pretty great as well IMO.

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[deleted] t1_je2w3i3 wrote

[deleted]

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Zfusco t1_je307c5 wrote

I mean I can't speak to their management, I don't even know who that is, but from someone who isn't in the industry, the bartenders make a great drink and are super knowledgeable.

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ThatsNotFennel t1_je2764z wrote

All good spots, but nowhere close to the finest on the East Coast - in my opinion. There's really only one guy in the city who I would classify as world class, and he doesn't even have his own bar in the city.

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Sufficient-Food-3281 t1_je2nezd wrote

We may not have the quantity of a Manhattan, but places like FriSatSun, a.bar, R&D, Ranstead Room absolutely rival the best of the best

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Level-Adventurous t1_je22y8j wrote

A lot of talent left the restaurant industry in Philly over COVID.

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ebbycalvinlaloosh t1_je26exp wrote

False. Some people may have left, but I can assure you based on the fact that I absolutely know whom and what Iā€™m talking about, that the leaders of the cocktail scene in this city pre-Covid are still very much behind the bar or creating bar programs in the city.

Edit: ok maybe only a little false :)

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justanawkwardguy t1_je28h03 wrote

>I absolutely know whom and what Iā€™m talking about

Not a phrase usually said by someone who actually knows what theyā€™re talking about

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Level-Adventurous t1_je28iie wrote

Itā€™s not false to say a lot of talent left the industry in the city. I know people that moved, people that died, people that got into sales or real estate, people who cut their hours back, people who arenā€™t as passionate as they used to be. Iā€™m not saying thereā€™s still not talent here or that others didnā€™t step up but dude come on have some self awareness, the industry lost people.

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ebbycalvinlaloosh t1_je29epr wrote

Yeah. Iā€™m one of them, lol. Maybe Iā€™m just looking at a close circle. But I do feel like a lot of the creative leaders behind the bar stuck it out and are still running programs here.

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The_R4ke t1_je4yohq wrote

Yeah, had an absolute blast there celebrating after getting my bartenders license.

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porkchameleon t1_je25ai1 wrote

I was, like, "what bar now?", and then realized it was Franklin Mortgage.

It was quite great, shame it's no more. Those shark cocktails were excellent.

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