I said I Need something to do in Philadelphia...in the dead of night.

April 29, 2010 11:52 AM

I need something to do in Philadelphia...in the dead of night.

I live in Wilmington, Delaware, which is a short train ride to Philadelphia. Tomorrow (Friday April 30th) I'm going up for an event that starts at 9, and probaby ends around 11.
The last train back to Delaware is at 11:30, and then the next one is at 4:40 AM.
I want to be able to socialize after the event if possible, rather than rushing back to the train station, so I'm planning on taking the 4:40 back. But these are not close friends I will be socializing with, and it's also possible (probable?) that any post-event socializing or hanging out won't run deep into the night.

So I'd like a backup plan for somewhere to go or something to do that beats sitting in a train station for 4 hours. I'm not too picky and I don't mind doing things alone…wouldn't mind shooting pool, bowling, hanging in a 24-hour coffee shop reading where they don't mind you doing that for hours, whatever. Beggars can't be choosers.

So Brotherly Lovers….any suggestions? Any good info I can put to future use, so please don't feel like you have to answer by the date I put above.

posted by mreleganza to sports, hobbies, & recreation (13 answers total)

Where in the city are you planning to be?
posted by ludwig_van at 11:54 AM on April 29, 2010

Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge.
posted by The White Hat at 11:57 AM on April 29, 2010

I would suggest North Bowl until 2am, then to Darlings Diner which is right down the street (open til 6am) and is right on the Piazza.
posted by The Straightener at 12:13 PM on April 29, 2010 [2 favorites]

The Midtown chain and the South Street Diner are all open 24/7, I believe. Mmmn, diner. The Pearl at Avenue North has midnight movies on the weekend (mmmn, popcorn): http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/movies/theaters/TheaterID_10379_19121.html.
posted by julthumbscrew at 12:19 PM on April 29, 2010

Bring a bike and go on the pretzel ride?
posted by fixedgear at 12:25 PM on April 29, 2010

Fishtown, but I have take a cab/subway to other places a reasonable distance away.
posted by mreleganza at 12:37 PM on April 29, 2010

Keep in mind that the subway doesn't run after 12:30 or so. (That makes The Straightener's idea the most geographically reasonable.)
posted by madcaptenor at 12:38 PM on April 29, 2010

Meant to write, "am willing" to take cab/subway/bus, I know there some "night owl" ones...thanks, madcaptenor.
posted by mreleganza at 12:40 PM on April 29, 2010

if you play poker, PM me.
posted by 256 at 1:43 PM on April 29, 2010

Yeah, if you're already up in Fishtown, Straightener's got your best plan. I love Johnny Brenda's, too -- bar downstairs, concert venue upstairs, great food, then you could head to the diner afterward.
posted by desuetude at 6:24 PM on April 29, 2010

Pats and Genos are open all night. That's usually our go to spot after the bars get out at 2. By the time you run down there, wait in line, grab a steak, eat it and get back to the station you should be good.
posted by Blandanomics at 10:04 PM on April 29, 2010

Oh, and worth noting that you can totally walk from Fishtown to the Piazza. I can't say that I recommend taking cabs all over town just to go someplace just because it's open.

(I live right near Pat's & Geno's. I love my neighborhood fiercely, but I wouldn't tell someone to schelp all the way down here from Fishtown just to eat a mediocre cheesesteak and listen to tourists and local teenagers bellowing drunkenly.)
posted by desuetude at 6:24 AM on April 30, 2010

Meant to write, "am willing" to take cab/subway/bus, I know there some "night owl" ones.

Both the Broad Street & Market/Frankford lines have Night Owl buses that run along the same set of stops as the lines do, they run every 20 minutes or so.
posted by scalefree at 9:48 AM on May 1, 2010